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Heathrow Terminal 5 First Wing security is now fully open

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After a couple of days of trials, the British Airways First Wing security channel in the Heathrow Terminal 5 First Wing reopened fully yesterday.

The new security and body scanners are now up and running. I saw reports of teething issues yesterday but this appears to happen whenever these machines are installed – it takes a while for the operator to calibrate them to ensure that as few bags as possible are sent to manual screening.

British Airways First Wing security now open again

It appears that British Airways will not be widely publicising the removal of liquid restrictions. This is because, should the First Wing be closed due to lack of staff or equipment issues, passengers would be sent back to the main security area which does not (yet) have new scanners and where the old ‘100ml of liquid in a clear bag’ rule will remain.

As a reminder, the First Wing security channel has the same access rules as the Galleries First lounge, because it leads you directly into it.

This means that you need to be travelling in First Class or have a British Airways Executive Club Gold card or oneworld equivalent. A Gold cardholder is only allowed one guest so a family of four can only go through if both parents are Gold.

Slightly confusingly, the rules for using the First Wing check-in desks are different. You can check in there as long as there is just one Gold cardholder on the booking, irrespective of the number of people. You would need to leave the Wing and take the short walk to South Security instead of using the First Wing channel.

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Category

British Airways and Avios

Comments (94)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • James says:
    22 Mar22 March 05:41

    Gift cards are excluded. As is Cellar, where you might hope to raise spend.

    • Andrew J says:
      22 Mar22 March 06:32

      Gift cards aren’t excluded.

    • Rob says:
      22 Mar22 March 07:37

      Gift cards ordered online, processed by a 3rd party, may well be excluded. Not instore. Because Waitrose sends Amex a copy of your shopping bill and someone goes through it to see what’s there before paying the £10 (not) ….

      • Nick says:
        22 Mar22 March 08:45

        In the US, big merchants do send full itemised receipts to credit card companies, so Amex would indeed know what you buy at Walmart. Over here that practice is banned, except where justified for other purposes (e.g. airline itinerary data).

  • David says:
    22 Mar22 March 06:12

    Waitrose offer is on my gold Amex…but T&Cs exclude gift cards

    • John says:
      22 Mar22 March 06:25

      This is always the case. But they have no way of knowing that you bought a gift card if buying in-store.

  • Andrew J says:
    22 Mar22 March 06:32

    Correct. At the White City Westfield Waitrose too.

  • Andrew J says:
    22 Mar22 March 06:33

    Any news on what the First Wing looks like post-refurb?

    • Blair Waldorf Salad says:
      22 Mar22 March 06:56

      It looks exactly the same, just that the security lanes have changed. Nothing out of your bag, bottles up to 2 litres allowed, body scanner for all. The staff seemed quite excited to be up and running with the new machines. As usual, my lower leg triggered the body scanner. But instead of taking off your shoes for a manual re-check, I was directed to a machine a bit like a mini cross trainer where I put one foot in at a time and was scanned again.

      • Ben W says:
        22 Mar22 March 07:21

        Drats, does that mean they’re the new body scanners where I’ll have to remove my plastic buckled belt that’s been my travel hack for years?

        • Blair Waldorf Salad says:
          22 Mar22 March 08:24

          Not sure, i was told to leave my Apple Watch on.

        • TooPoorToBeHere says:
          22 Mar22 March 09:49

          It’s worth a go anyway. I’ve got the Arcade one (great product) and often get away without removing it on those scanners.

        • Thywillbedone says:
          22 Mar22 March 12:32

          Wouldn’t be seen dead in a plastic belt but different strokes for different folks I guess …

      • ayearinmx says:
        22 Mar22 March 08:22

        I refuse to believe any of the T5 first wing security workers get excited about anything

  • Alex G says:
    22 Mar22 March 06:45

    No Waitrose offer at Amex for me 😕

    But I’ve got 10% on NatWest Rewards for a £30 spend, which double dips with 3% at Airtime Rewards.

    Even Curve have 5% at Waitrose.

    • Froggee says:
      22 Mar22 March 07:44

      On my Gold card? Nope.

      No my BAPP? Nope. (Used for Waitrose weekly)

      On my Supplemental Platinum? Nope?

      On the zero fee ARP that I got a while back when I was thinking about cancelling Gold but never use? Of course!

    • Andrew. says:
      22 Mar22 March 08:28

      I don’t have the Waitrose on Airtime, but I do have 2% at Tesco.

      But whoop, whoop! Having just checked PAW for the first time in ages, I’ve found that there is an 8% rebate for online shopping at Morrisons and my maiden aunt has been doing some big shops!

      She might be drinking her way through my inheritance (good on her!) but I’m getting a £2 rebate for every bottle of Tanqueray.

    • SBIre says:
      22 Mar22 March 09:57

      It’s on my Bonvoy card, not the BAPP I use there most days! At least it will stack with the 4,000 bonus Bonvoy points for £2,500 spend offer

  • LittleNick says:
    22 Mar22 March 07:33

    “You can check in there as long as there is just one Gold cardholder on the booking, irrespective of the number of people.“
    Just to check, You can also guest someone to check in there if not on the same booking but may or may not be on the same flight?

    • Rob says:
      22 Mar22 March 07:35

      If they are on the same booking (ie same ticket) they will be on the same flight.

      • Blair Waldorf Salad says:
        22 Mar22 March 08:26

        I think the question was about not being on the same booking nor the same flight. So you’re a GC holder headed to Oslo. You guest your friend through who is headed to Berlin. The question was if that is possible (I think).

    • Nick says:
      22 Mar22 March 08:50

      If you clearly know each other and go to the desk together you’ll both be able to check in regardless of whether you’re on the same flight, there’s a lot of discretion at the desk and you won’t be turned away. Of course originally all T5 desks were supposed to be egalitarian anyway. Much less so for lounge where it’s scanned and recorded.

      • LittleNick says:
        22 Mar22 March 09:31

        Ok thanks, yes want to guest a friend through who is also on the same flight but different cabin and booking, he has no status

  • TimM says:
    22 Mar22 March 07:35

    ‘South Yorkshire Airport City’. I hope MAG don’t get their hands on it.

    • SammyJ says:
      22 Mar22 March 09:50

      Those of us who worked there previously are more concerned that Peel will try and get their hands on it in some shape or form, such as Liverpool Airport’s air traffic service as was the case previously.

  • Newbie says:
    22 Mar22 March 07:47

    If you’re BA Gold and flying a IB operated flight, can you use the First Wing security line after dropping your bags off at the IB desks?

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