Brisbane Airport slower than Heathrow.

[bazzaw]

After returning home last night through the Brisbane International airport, I can state that it now takes longer to enter Australia than it does to enter the UK via Heathrow. It took us 12 minutes to get through Heathrow Border Control and Customs - it took nearly an hour last night at Brisbane.

 

They now line ALL passengers up in a line - about 12 at a time, for the puppies to have a sniff of you and your luggage. With aircraft holding around an average of 300 people, work the maths out yourself. After a 24 hour journey, I was not impressed!!!

 

BTW - it took us about 1 minute to pass through Border control into Russia at the St Petersburg port.

 

Barry

[sherri3802au]

I can understand your fatigue.

My own two daughters, on returning from a European holiday, were exhausted by the process.

A tip from my eldest. Always buy a swiss army knife (not double bladed though) and then you can declare a dangerous weapon. If you go in the dangerous weapon line, it is very short and you get out in about 10 minutes, while the other line stretched forever.

My second daughter was in the second line and it took her an extra 40 minutes to come through.

If you buy the knife, it also makes a little present for someone who goes camping or whatever.

 

But just speaking generally, I am happy to hear the aussie authorities are pretty tight with security. I guess it is just a shame there aren't more dogs on, so the process could be a bit faster.

[diy dave]

Shame about that Baz, welcome home anyway.

[Sandielle]

Welcome home, Barry.:) BTW did you enter the UK with a British or Australian passport? Admittedly it was back in 1999 when we went, but the Australians had a long lineup, and as we used our British pps, we just had to switch on our laptop, then we were through (and had to catch a bus to another terminal to catch a shuttle to Manchester).

 

We did have the puppies when we arrived back in Brisbane, on Aussie passports, but I can't remember how long it took. (I was so thankful to get off that plane I could have kissed the ground! :D)

[bazzaw]

Sandy

 

Was using an Aussie passport when entering UK. There had been a big "stink" in the papers just before we went over - about how long it was taking to get through UK Border control. They must have taken the harsh criticism to heart - because when we went through the Border was well staffed. In Brisbane, there were a reasonable number of staff - but only one puppy.

 

Barry

[NSWP]

After returning home last night through the Brisbane International airport, I can state that it now takes longer to enter Australia than it does to enter the UK via Heathrow. It took us 12 minutes to get through Heathrow Border Control and Customs - it took nearly an hour last night at Brisbane.

 

They now line ALL passengers up in a line - about 12 at a time, for the puppies to have a sniff of you and your luggage. With aircraft holding around an average of 300 people, work the maths out yourself. After a 24 hour journey, I was not impressed!!!

 

BTW - it took us about 1 minute to pass through Border control into Russia at the St Petersburg port.

 

Barry

Welcome back Barry. Yes it is the quarantine line that delays pax at Australian Airports, took us nearly an hour to get through Sydney Airport a month ago, returning from USA.

It was quicker at LA airport, arriving from LHR.

 

Blame the Australian Quarantine Service (AQIS) but you have to have those checks to keep our country 'clean.'

 

PS Now Barry, go back to sleep and get over your flight!

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

We must have been lucky as it took only about 10 minutes at the most to get through.... we have an -e- passport and I declared food on my card. The patrolling officer (look for one) asked what type of food, I said lollies, and bob's your uncle, they signed us through. We do this every time and it works well.

[NSWP]

We must have been lucky as it took only about 10 minutes at the most to get through.... we have an -e- passport and I declared food on my card. The patrolling officer (look for one) asked what type of food' date=' I said lollies, and bob's your uncle, they signed us through. We do this every time and it works well.[/quote']

Eileen, lollies? you mean the Princess 'pillow choccies' you bring home for the grand kids, like we do! We often have a big pack of the Princess choccies to declare.

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

Eileen, lollies? you mean the Princess 'pillow choccies' you bring home for the grand kids, like we do! We often have a big pack of the Princess choccies to declare.

 

That would be the ones.... yeah! :D

[Guest012]

Well you two will never make it on an episode of the customs show:p:p:p

some folks just don't quite get the "food" thing and it's not always foreigners:eek:

.....recently i put up "no food or drink permitted in store" signs and low and behold in comes lady eating ....so i politely advise her of my policy and she looks at me and says "yeah i saw the sign but i'm eating an apple" ... i rest my case:confused::D

 

 

Welcome home Barry and Christine hope you enjoyed your trip

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

Well you two will never make it on an episode of the customs show:p

some folks just don't quite get the "food" thing and it's not always foreigners:eek:

.....recently i put up "no food or drink permitted in store" signs and low and behold in comes lady eating ....so i politely advise her of my policy and she looks at me and says "yeah i saw the sign but i'm eating an apple" ... i rest my case:confused::D

 

 

Welcome home Barry and Christine hope you enjoyed your trip

 

It's the - it doesn't apply to me - attitude! :eek:

[Raison]

Welcome home Barry! It seems all our airports are similar, we have had a few really long waits at Sydney:mad:. I must say though, we flew into Melbourne from Singapore in March and it was a breeze to get through the formalities there. Don't know if it is always like that or if we were just lucky!

[thied]

After returning home last night through the Brisbane International airport, I can state that it now takes longer to enter Australia than it does to enter the UK via Heathrow. It took us 12 minutes to get through Heathrow Border Control and Customs - it took nearly an hour last night at Brisbane.

 

They now line ALL passengers up in a line - about 12 at a time, for the puppies to have a sniff of you and your luggage. With aircraft holding around an average of 300 people, work the maths out yourself. After a 24 hour journey, I was not impressed!!!

 

BTW - it took us about 1 minute to pass through Border control into Russia at the St Petersburg port.

 

Barry

Australian Air Ports are allways slower then any other Air Port in the world.

[The_Big_M]

Australian Air Ports are allways slower then any other Air Port in the world.

 

Actually, used to be always faster than most.

 

I think they've come down lately as many people were seeing us as of a 'soft touch' so they're ramping up security a bit.

[thied]

Actually, used to be always faster than most.

 

I think they've come down lately as many people were seeing us as of a 'soft touch' so they're ramping up security a bit.

heath row use to be one lane for UK pass ports and the rest for world pass ports.

[Debsta]

I had the best zoom through Sydney customs than I've ever had when I got back a few weeks ago from the US. And yes, I declared food - they asked me what I had, I told them - they didn't want to look, didn't even xray my luggage and sent me through. I wreckon from touch down (I walked very fast :D - no duty free stop), through immigration, grab bags, and out took about 15 minutes....yes I as in the pointy bit so I was first off and the bags were already there! Simple amazing Qantas :D Maybe it's because I had so much luggage from shopping hahahaha

[bazzaw]

I believe that it was the "doggy" thing which was the cause of the long wait. In past times it seemed to me that the dog only went around sniffing randomly - now, not a single bag gets past the dog. The "Nothing to declare" exit is also gone.

 

Barry

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Welcome Home Barry and Christine.:)

 

 

heath row use to be one lane for UK pass ports and the rest for world pass ports.

 

When I went through Heathrow they had 2 lanes

 

UK and ALIENS

 

do they still have the alien line?

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Welcome back Barry.

 

We seem to spend so long deciding what to buy in Duty Free in Brisbane by the time we've finished the queues have gone and our luggage is going round and round on the carousal waiting for us. :)

 

 

Jilly:)

[bazzaw]

Welcome Home Barry and Christine.:)

 

 

 

 

When I went through Heathrow they had 2 lanes

 

UK and ALIENS

 

do they still have the alien line?

 

David

 

yes - nothing has changed in that regard. I am not sure that it is now called "aliens" though. -- rather there are EU and non-EU channels.

 

Barry

[thied]

glad to see nothing has changed in 28 yrs

[jstern]

Just came through there and never saw a sniffer dog once. In fact slowest part of process was waiting for bags even after going through duty free and first stage of customs.

 

Agriculture is one of the biggest parts of our country so you will have to forgive us for doing our best to protect that.

[Sandielle]

Welcome Home Barry and Christine.:)

 

When I went through Heathrow they had 2 lanes

 

UK and ALIENS

 

do they still have the alien line?

 

That's it. In 1999 it was, too. I thought it was a bit of a cheek calling US aliens when they had sent all their convicts over here! and we had taken in many of their children in wartime. :D:D:D (I only qualify for a British passport because my father was born there.)

[thied]

That's it. In 1999 it was, too. I thought it was a bit of a cheek calling US aliens when they had sent all their convicts over here! and we had taken in many of their children in wartime. :D:D:D (I only qualify for a British passport because my father was born there.)

 

so you travel on your british pass port all the time?

[kiwipete]

so you travel on your british pass port all the time?

 

Why would you want to do that????????

We have both British and NZ passports but travel on the Kiwi one everywhere except UK, and proud to do so!