London Travel Update
 

Hello Fodorites from London,

I thought I would do a quick post after scanning previous posts to let everyone know what London is like now since posters seem to think the situation is very tense over here in the city in general. This evening my children and I spent the evening out near covent garden and picadilly. Everyone on the street seems to be walking around in their usual "happy" summer Friday evening state so for those who think they should cancel their London trip because "people are tense" don't. People over here appear to be glad that the plot was foiled and that they will cooperate with whatever the rules are.

The only changes I have noticed recently is that there are more searches at the tourist sites such as Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Today at our tour at Buckingham Palace I had to check in my bug bite cream and wipes which was placed in a plastic bag and returned to me at the end of the tour. They also collected all water and other liquid drinks and had people throw them out before they began the tour. So it will probablly take you a few more minutes to enter some sites.

Travelers coming through the UK to then catch a second plane to the continent should check their flight because flights are still being cancelled although today was a lot better than yesterday. For short-haul flights about 40% to 50% of domestic flights were cancelled today and they expect the rate will be the same tomorrow. Some carriers from the continent over to the UK are also cancelling flights so again check your carrier. Please be mindful that the airlines are having to move planes around for the next few days due to yesterday's mass cancellation so they are asking for patience. We have also been advised to get to London airports at leaqst 4 hours before your flight if returing to the US since we are having to be double searched and 3 hours if flying domestic. No one is being allowed at the airports other than those flying so don't plan on having someone meet you for your flight.

It is also reported that Authorities are meeting to discuss and plan the new checked baggage rules. In fact the news has just reported that you can bring a book on board your flight in a plastic bag. Also the news has reported that a big problem has been people's key bobbles (you know the plastic thing that opens your door ) so be sure to take it off you key chain and check it in.

Many Hotels are also cooperating and allowing guests to extend their stay due to the current travel conditions. U.S. airlines are also allowing passengers to reschedule or refund thier tickets if scheduled for travel from Aug. 10 forward to a date I can't remember (check webites).

Everyone's decision to travel is personal, but if you think you will not have fun in London because of this recent incident, please don't let it discourage you. Last night we took our children to see Mary Poppins and it was a full house with people enjoying themselves. Hope this is helpful,
Itsv

Oh, thank you so much, itsv. This is what makes the internet so valuable--first-hand observation in a bewildering situation. I hadn't thought about water being confiscated at attractions. It's just good to know. I return to England next month. Let's hope things have calmed down by then.

itsv...Glad to hear you enjoyed Mary Poppins. My mother and I have tickets for early September and are looking forward to it.

there are links to updated airline information on this thread
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34852040

Thank you itsv for the current update. I've followed links to official sites but this is the first I've read that books are now allowed. Very helpful.

Thanks for the update, it.

>...people's key bobbles (you know the plastic thing that opens your door)...<

No, I don't. :)
I unlock my door with a key and turn the handle.

What is a "bobble"?

((I))

It is the little remote control that locks and unlocks a newer car and usually sets the alarm too.

When you hear a car horn honk or beep all by themselves in a parking lot that is the sound of people setting their alarms and locking their car doors by remote.

all by itself

I heard that you can books and drinks "air-side" now.

Londoners don't really get tense about these things.
Don't forget that the UK has had decades of terrorism.

thanks for a truly great post itsy. Your insight is a breath of fresh air!

My sister flew from Prague to Heathrow and then from Heathrow to the US yesterday. Her flight to Heathrow was quite early, so there was no back up at immigration when she got there. She said that Heathrow was very organized and she was very imporessed with the calm there.
Her flight to the US left the gate 40 minutes late, but then had to sit on the tarmac for two hours and 45 minutes waiting for clearance from US officials. She said British Airways handled it very well, They served drinks right away and kept the passengers apprised of the situation.
She said it was not a big deal. She got home safe and sound and managed just fine with no carry on bag.

The gizmo that is part of your car key is called a "fob" and in many cars - like ours - it is all one piece, i.e. key cannot be un-attached from the "fob". I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with Ford yesterday regarding this.

I would not be happy putting my car keys in checked luggage (would you?), hopefully this will be re-our case we need to drive 2 hrs. to the airport to get a flight to Europe and we need our car to get back home upon return (have no one can drive us there and pick us up).If the luggage goes missing we are up the creek. If the luggage does come and "things" are missing (i.e., stolen) and keys are among them we are also up the creek and cannot drive our car home.

Any thoughts on this ??? I am hoping they relax this rule in the near future.

I just returned from a trip flying from Zurich to LHR on the 10th, and then LHR to JFK on the 11th, and thought it might help others if I explained what we went through. Of course, I don't know what might change today...

We checked with SwissAir earlier in the day and were told the 4:55pm flight was still scheduled to leave on time. Travelled from Wengen to Zurich arrived in the airport and were told that Heathrow was a "war zone" and was closed, and there was little chance we were going to get there to make our 2pm flight the next day. And since we booked each flight separately, we were basically "screwed", but we were to go stand in line at the Swiss air office to find out what they would do. While on line, we called Travelocity who we used to book our Virgin Atlantic flight with, to see what our options were, and while they tried to be helpful, they merely had us on hold forever and could tell us nothing.

The Swiss Air agent was very helpful and found a flight the next morning to LHR via Brussels which would get us to London at 10am which should be enough time to make our flight home. She luckily had trouble transfering us over because just before she did, there was an announcement that LHR reopened and our flight was leaving afterall. We were told to check everything but my purse, but most everyone and the gate normal carry-ons and were allowed to bring them aboard. I have to admit I felt a little uneasy on the plane when the gentlemen across the aisle took out his Koran and began praying an hour before we landed.

Stayed at a hotel near LHR and arrived at 10am the next morning. It looked like a mob scene, but was surprisingly well-staffed and people were kept well-informed on where to go and what to do. We got on line at Virgin Atlantic for about 2 hours, checked in, then got on line for security for less than an hour. We were not allowed to bring anything on board except tickets, passports, medications, tissues, and a pocket-sized wallet, and those all had to be put in a clear plastic bag. Security had us remove all jackets and shoes and patted us down one-by-one.

We still had no gate assignment on the other side, so waited by the duty-free shops - still not sure if we were going anywhere. Passengers flying to non-US locations, were permitted to bring items they purchased on board, but US-bound passengers were not.

A little before 2, we got our gate assignment. We were again patted down, and all newspapers, books, etc. that people bought for the flight were confiscated. The soda machines in the waiting room there were sealed off.

We then boarded buses and were driven to the plane which we boarded about 2:30 and then sat there waiting for the US to give us clearance to fly. We sat there for 3 hours (without anything to read or drink - although Virgin Atlantic finally passed out glasses of water.)

We were all amused when we received the standard announcements about turning off cell phones, and storing all carryons in the overhead bins, etc. Most everyone was starving and they served dinner as soon as possible once we were airborne.

Arrived at JFK at 7:30pm and made it through immigration shortly after 8. Then we waited for luggage. Customs scanned every piece before returning it, and for close to 300 passengers who had to check everything they had... We were warned it was going to take awhile and we finally had it all by 10:30.

It was a long day (or 3), and it's good to be home safe and sound.

bd,

"It was a long day (or 3), and it's good to be home safe and sound."

Sounds like 3. Thanks for a calm, well-written, detailed report.

Glad you made it home safely.

Thanks for the good news.
We are leaving the US Tuesday for our first visit to London and are very excited .
I am glad that things are well over there.
I am also glad that Mary Poppins is a hit as we are seeing it Thursday
Melissa

Lori,
As far as the car keys are concerned. My elecronic "fob" is separate from my actual car key. Just take a plain car key with you. They are allowed on the planes.

schmerl, our car does not come with a "plain key". The key and fob are all one unit, that is how Ford made them (we have a 2006 Ford Fusion). I called 3 Ford dealers as well as the key manufacturer. No way to separate them and have the key work. This is going to be a real problem for us.

Lori and anyone else with a bobble or key fob remote control to lock or unlock your car I always have at least 3 extra keys made to keep 1 in my wallet/coin case just in case I accidentaly lock my keys in my car. This may or not work for you however, it works for me. Fortunately I've never locked my keys in my car or lost them. I don't know if having a key on a chain around my neck or in a wallet etc. would be accepted on a plane. Maybe someone else has that answer. I REALLY LIKE being able to use the key bobble or whatever it is to lock it and it honks the horn because if I am unsure which lane I parked my car in the honking horn usually helps me find it. Hope this helps someone.

schmerl...I didn't realize that you had already posted about plain keys being allowed on planes. I knew that there was another great reason to always have extra keys made. Thanks for your posts and input. Keep it up. Molly aka luvlondon

IT- thank you for taking the time for this post. It is appreciated.

Heathrow Airport Update:

was at heathrow last night and the places was complete chaos. it took 1.5 hours just to drive into the airport. many flights had baggage delays of 3 hours. the arrival lounge was in complete chaos. non-passengers were walking unchallenged through the doors into the security controlled arrival area to meet people. staff seemed non-existent. the few announcements about arriving passenger delays for baggage and passport control were useless.

it took me another 1 hour in queue to pay for my parking at the self pay machines. the whole area around the lifts and pay machines was chaos. it then took me almost 2 hours to get my car out of the car park as it was just one big traffic jam. nobody directing traffic.

i travel through heathrow all the time and i have seen messes before but nothing as bad as this.

BA is complaining that BAA (who runs the airport) is buckling under this strain and can't run things properly. they are right from my observation last night.

of course, conditions can change by the minute but it is clear that there are some big problems at heathrow these days. if i had a choice, i would avoid flying to or through a UK airport for the moment. unfortunately, i don't have a choice.

Unless you think of another solution, I recommend that you buy a little magnetic "key hiding" container to attach to the bumper of your car, or think of some other way to conceal an extra key in or on your car.

And one other alternative solution... for the cost of parking your car, over thoe duration of your trip - - could you simply make a one-way car rental, each direction? Inconvenient (to have to get it before your trip, and return it after you get home), but better than getting back to an airport with no way to drive home in the car that you have parked.

Best wishes,

Rex

A purely unscientific observation:
We often take our dog for walks in the early evening through a series of footpaths and fields that happen to be under the Heathrow flight path. Usually, we can see and hear the planes coming in one right after another (the planes aren't that loud, though, the small private planes circling around to head into White Waltham's airfield make a lot more noise). Friday evening, we saw and heard far fewer planes coming in. It was a little weird to count only a few planes coming in when we normally count well over a dozen on the walk along one field alone.
Saturday morning I caught a Eurostar to Brussels and the Eurostars to Paris and London were sold out. Many people were originally scheduled to be on flights but were taking trains instead. This included several musicians who switched to trains rather than be forced to check their musical instruments (a cellist, for example...her cello was worth thousands of ££ and was a loan from a wealthy patron of the arts...no insurance company would cover it being shipped in a plane's cargo hold).

Some passengers (Brits and non Brits) were obviously frazzled by all the upheaval. Others took it in stride. Somewhat surprisingly, everyone seemed to be on extra good behavior on the train...no loud mobile phone conversations, no heavy drinkers in the bar car (you'd be suprised how much some people will drink even on morning trains).
The ride back from Brussels was busier than usual too. There seemed to be generally heightened security at the Gare du Midi, more police wearing their kevlar and carrying heavy duty weapons that I usually see.
Back in London, Waterloo station seemed much as usual.

luvlondon, they darn key/fob on my car is totally one unut. You can look at the Ford Fusion key fob website and see what I mean :-) It's new "integrated technology" - I suppose no one at Ford thought about terrorists when they designed it. I did contact several key making places and ALL said they might be able to make the key part (might be operative word) but that it would only open the door, you could not start the ignition. There is a chip in the fob that takes care of that.

Rex, I honestly did think about car rentals - may still think more about that. For international flights we need drive 2 hours, there just is no way to get there but driving. The flight to London is 10.5 hours and with 3 hrs at the airport ahead of time and a 2 hour drive you start looking for easy (and inexpensive) ways to do things like this. Staying at airport hotels the day before is not the answer, that adds more money to an already expensive trip.

I will keep thinking :-) Thanks for your responses !!!

See if the key shop actually CAN make one that at least opens the car doors. If so, you are OK since you can leave the ignition key hidden in the car.

If not - even though it is 2 hours, I'd probably ask a friend or relative to drive me down/back. I'm about 2 hours from SFO and most of my international flights start there. I've always been able to find someone to drive me down if needed.

BTilke, thanks for the on-the-spot observation of life in Britain today.

Lori, think about renting a car, or ask someone for a lift. That is a long way, I know. Sigh. Travel. It's all logistics, and it often ends up costing you more than you planned.

tonight's news is that heathrow is operating at about 70% capacity. some passengers flights were cancelled with checked baggage left airside so the passengers are sent to hotels with nothing but the contents of the plastic bag.

officials predict that the situation will improve in coming days. meanwhile, BAA (operator of LHR) is still under a lot of fire from several airlines who say that they can't run things properly.

anyway, it is fair to say that the situation at heathrow is far from "business as usual". it seems that the inability to carry certain items on board are the least of people's problems. many cancelled flights, waiting several hours, and huge queues and disorganisation appear to be the biggest issues right now.

I really appreciate all your thoughts on the key/fob "all in one unit".. I went to Ace Hardware this a.m. and they made me a key that will only open the door ($2.00) so I guess I'll just hide the key/fob inside the car. Since there are no close relatives around I would not want to ask anyone to drive 2 hours back and forth.

Apparently it is not just the flights to & from the US-UK where it is unclear about what one can take. Some US airlines are saying "electronic" stuff is ok, others are rather hazy on the subject. Would rather not get to Security after already checking in baggage & be told "throw you car keys away or don't board the plane".

Now if they could just decide once and for all if Lipstick (in a tube) is ok I'd be happy :-)

Lori, I've been following the key fob discussion, and hope you find a solution. For what it's worth, when I leave my car at Heathrow, I use a car park that keeps my key while I am away. I just drop the car off at their office, they move the car somewhere else during my trip, and have it waiting for me in front of their office when I return. Perhaps there is something like that near the airport you are departing from.

Glad I was able to help. Flew back yesterday and posted my experience in reply to a question about who flew out recently so will not retype it here. But my best advice is based on Gatwick, get to the airport at least 4 hours in advance and be prepared for a 1 to 4 hour delay inside the plane while the US checks passport info. Also make sure you have back-up plans in case you miss your connection. While in London I heard from quiet a few fellow travelers who had their plane to the continent cancelled so have a back-up plan for that too. If you need to be someone (as was the case for this family trying to catch their cruise) don't wait until the day of, give yourself at least an extra day. Also try to keep your spirits up by remembering you are traveling in Europe while many others don't have that opportunity. I told that to my two kids and it helped in stopping them from complaining and being real troopers through the experience.

Good luck to fellow travlers, Itsv

Lousy life makes for great stories. These difficulties are something you can tell people about for years to come! :)