At 1pm I took the train to Schipol Airport and checked in for the start of my journey home. I started out of Amsterdam to avoid the UK Air Passenger Duty but opted to stop in Singapore for 24 hours. You can do this by doing a multi city search. Sydney-LHR flight one, then AMS-SIN as the next leg followed by SIN-SYD 24 hours after arrival in SIN. And I paid no more than had I gone all the way through. I was given my boarding pass for QF2 without being asked to show my proof of vaccination or arrival card for Singapore. It took 20 minutes to get through security despite the lines a lot longer than it would seem for 20 minutes. BA has a lounge in AMS but it was closed so got sent to a contract lounge. It had a decent view.
Today's aircraft, an A320 with the rego G-TTNO. While my flight to Dublin had a 20-year old plane, this one was barely over a year old.
Nothing special about BA intra-European economy (Euro Traveller). Curiously there was no table in the middle seat for Club World Passengers. I had an all male cabin crew which is something you don't often see.
Took off on time and it was a quick flight to Heathrow leaving me with 5 hours to catch QF2.
We passed our bird on the taxiway.
I caught a transfer bus from T5 to T3. Unfortunately the passage was mostly through tunnels, so this picture of a Virgin Atlantic A350 was as good as it got. Hopefully QF A350s will look just as good.
But transfer security took 2 hours. And this pic sums up why. Only one screener open, only three people there one of whom just stood around boasting about how the line was moving faster than an hour ago when he started his shift and he reminded people to take out liquids. I guess they don't think anyone transfers terminals.
That didn't stop every second bag being pulled over for a manual check, including mine. I nearly lost my temper when my bag paused and got the 'push' to the other side of the glass. I said out loud 'What's wrong?!'.
Screener: You forgot to take out your liquids
Me: They're here! [pointing up my transparent bag]
Screener: You left your deodorant inside
Me: It's not a spray on aerosol, it's a roll on [it really was]
Screener: It is
Me: It was fine a few days ago here at Heathrow
Screener: Here at Heathrow?
Me: Yes
Screener: Going out or coming in?
Me: Going out
Screener: Exactly
She then stormed off to the other end and everyone's bags just sat on the other side. The person from the other side came over about 5 minutes later but made sure to check almost everyone else's before mine. Eventually one other person came from somewhere else, I asked them and they checked my bag. Took 30 seconds and was finally on my way after 2 hours.
In retrospect, as angry as I was, I was lucky I didn't get into further trouble, so I don't need anyone else to tell me that. But I stand by the view that the airport planners are wrong to think that virtually no one transits Heathrow. Next time I have to transfer, I'll just enter the country and connect landside as it seemed there was no queue at immigration based on my brief glance at the T5 immigration on the way to the transfer bus.
I figured that because it’s so close I could go check it out for the day. Though I’ve never been to Milan before so I’m sure I’d find things to keep me occupied!
