I guess the question is just how awful is it? Or, more tellingly, in what particulars? I'm a non-frequent flyer who will be flying from Phila to Heathrow this September. Repeatedly, I hear people say to avoid Heathrow like the plague. What's so especially awful abt that airport? What steps might I be able to take to minimize any unpleasantness (other than allowing myself plenty of time)?
Also: we're being met by a private car to take us to Canterbury. We're told that there'll be a sign with our name and that we'll be met in the "arrivals" section. Is that area pandemonium, or is meeting up with people not really a problem?
Thanks for any help you can offer to help ease my concerns. Even at best, I am not an eager flyer.

Well it is a big and busy airport, just like lots of others in the world. You should not have trouble finding your driver. Yes there will be lots of people and it will be bustling with activity. To me it is not a nightmare, just a very busy airport. No big deal.

I think connecting to another flight there is worse than LHR being your destination or starting point. I guess I wouldn't worry in that regard. For your flight home, allow yourself a lot of time to check in and go through security. If your airline tells you check-in is three hours in advance, do it. You're allowed one (and only one) carry-on when you pass through security, not the one carry-on plus a "personal item" that U.S. airports permit.

For a place that is one of the world's premier airports, I'm always surprised at how frayed and dingy parts of Heathrow are. But that's aesthetics, not actual workability.

I've never met anyone there, so I can't answer that part of your question.

The driver meeting will be the easiest and most pleasant part of your Heathrow experience. S/he will be waiting outside the customs exit door so you can't miss the person. There will be only 1 exit out of customs area. No worries there.

OTOH, the immigration lines can be VERY long. I've seen queues stretch outside the immigration hall. Unless you are flying in business or first, prepare yourself for (possible) long queues upon landing. Not always, but I've sween it enough to guess that it happens about 75% of time.

Departures from Heathrow is when the airport really sucks. Long queues for everything. 1 carry on bag and they mean it. Purse = 1 carry on bag. At this time I believe there is a push by some of the major airlines to relax this rule but nobody knows for sure when and if it will be relaxed.

If you are flying US based airline the procedure is as follows:

1. Security interview before check in
2. Check in
3. Airport security
4. Another "mini" check in at the gate
5. Possible secondary check at the gate and/or on the jetway bridge


Personally I don't mind most of the above except for the 1 carry on bag restriction and the secondary security "strip" search at the gate. They don't actually "strip" search the passenger but if you do get picked you do get the "touchy-feely" and your carry on gets ripped apart "again"!

Personaly I will try to avoid Heathrow at any cost in the near future and I do fly business/first class so I get "fast tracked" through immigration/security. It's still a nightmare IMHO.

Don't worry. Follow all the people from your plane to immigration, then find the line for Non-EU passengers. It may or may not be bad, depending on how many other planes arrive the same time as yours. You are likely to be photographed and have your picture checked against a databased of photos of people restricted from the UK, but you won't notice this. The immigration officer will look at your passport fairly carefully to see where you have traveled, then look you up on his/her computer to see if there are any restrictions on your entry. They may ask you the purpose of your trip and where you are staying. Then they stamp your passport. Very early arrivals and evening arrivals are easier than 7-9 AM.

Then you follow the signs to get your bags, proceed through customs easily (Green Line since you will have nothing to declare unless you are bringing stuff to sell), you will go through the exit into the arrival hall, and all the drivers will be waiting just outside the rope across from Starbucks. Piece of cake. Departing is another matter, and you should plan on getting there very early.

It took my niece who flew in coach over an hour to get through immigration. I was in Business Class the day before & it seldom takes more than 5 minutes.

Your luggage will already be waiting for you, though in my experience. If you're also leaving from LHR on the way back home, there is plenty to occupy you in the duty-free shops in Departures.

Thanks so much, everyone-- all very helpful indeed. For our return flight from Nice back to Phila, we have 2 hrs to make the connection in Heathrow (if all goes as scheduled). I'm hoping that since both legs of the flight are on BA, it'll maybe be less of a hassle than if we were flying two different airlines.
Thanks again-- you've made things easier.
(I sure wish that the miles on this trip could transfer to BA's "partner" AA, but they seem not to: tant pis.)