<p>We flew from Canada on the 31st - no carry-ons at all (only a small purse allowed and men could carry just their laptop) plus a full pat down for every passenger. On the return from Chicago, nothing had changed from when we flew from there a year ago. It seems the US only responds to the latest threat. Coming from Canada you had extra security, but from the US no observable change. Have they forgotten 911 was on domestic flights? I don’t get it and I don’t feel any safer - that’s for sure. They definitely need to take some lessons from the way Israelis do security - it isn’t necessarily “nice”, but it has been effective.</p>
<p>It might be too rude for the Brits but at LAX and other US airports if I am in line and my time is ticking down I find someone from the airline and see if they will help me cut the line. My sister once missed a flight standing in line at LAX. I told her she should have spoken up. The airline personnel would rather help you make a flight than deal with rebooking you.</p>
<p>OK guys. S is landing at Heathrow at 5:25 am (theoretically), and taking off again at 7:35 am. BUT, if he misses the 7:30 flight, there’s a 9:30, 11:30 and 2:30 to his destination. Even if he misses the first connection, I’m pretty sure he’ll get there that day! It just might not be the same flight as his luggage.</p>
<p>And he’s only bringing one carryon, a regular size back pack. He’s checking a suitcase and a bigger backpack.</p>
<p>But I will remind him to go STRAIGHT from the first plane to the second gate, and don’t look for food or a restroom until AFTER he’s in the gate area. </p>
<p>He has flown and changed planes many time in the US, including Philadelphia, which must be one of the worst places on earth to change planes. (If you have luggage you never want to see again, and you like riding busses that dodge their way around moving jumbo jets on the tarmac, change planes in Philly). I’m sure he won’t panic, even if he misses the first connecting flight.</p>
<p>My H and D flew out internationally out of JFK today and the security line took one and a half hours. May be the end of the holiday rush or the increased diligence?</p>
<p>LAF,
The thing about Heathrow that folks are saying is true. You might go online to see the path your S will need to follow before he leaves.</p>
<p>D went to Madrid last Tuesday via Copenhagen, from O’Hare. Security at O’Hare was not too bad, but her flight was at 10PM. She said she got the full body pat down in Copenhagen, though. On both portions she was allowed 2 carryons.</p>
<p>D just texted from the airport (H dropped her off) as she starts her trip back to NC. She was through security at Bradley in 15 minutes with her carry-on bags. She said the lines to check luggage was very long, though.</p>
<p>Has anyone flown out of Laguardia this week? D is returning to college tomorrow and needs to check a bag. Just wondering how much extra time she might need, if any.</p>
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Not sure about that experience. My son arrived at LAX about 9 am on Jan 3 and by noon had still not made it through security. Luckily his flight was not until the afternoon.</p>
<p>I flew out of Chicago on Tuesday and out of Denver on Wednesday. Didn’t notice any differences in security at all. Uneventful security. Both flights were delayed, but that was weather-related.</p>
<p>Oddly enough, my D had the opposite experience of 3bm103’s son at LAX yesterday. She arrived 3 hours early (around 2 pm) for a London flight and was through the check-in/baggage line and security in just over 20 minutes. Then she was very lucky that it only took off 30 minutes late. The British flight just before hers was canceled and I gather that the UK is rather chaotic with all the snow.</p>
<p>Flew out of detroit for Amsterdam Tuesday and encountered no lines anywhere.</p>
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<p>OK, now I’m scared. My d will be flying BA, changing planes in Heathrow. How do I find out if it’s the same terminal or a different one? She’s got 5 hours, assuming all goes well - will that be sufficient?</p>
<p>S1 flew out on Monday from home airport on NWA. Expected slower security, but not 2 lines where previously there had only been 1. S made it through the longer line fairly quickly, but security at our airport is so hit/miss.</p>
<p>Took 93 year old aunt in wheelchair to same airport in mid-Dec and escorted her through security. TSA paid more attention to an 80 lb old lady, her wheelchair(actually airline wheelchair) and walker than anyone else I saw while there. Amazing who they focus their attention and security process on.</p>
<p>Chedva,</p>
<p>I think there are 2 ways you can find out the terminals. On the e-ticket or e-mail confirmation the terminals for all flights are likely listed. They were on my D’s , but she flew SAS. Also, there should be an internet accessible plan of Heathrow to look at. Good luck. Much of Europe is having unusually cold/bad weather.</p>
<p>This week, S-2 flew out of LAX on El AL, direct flight to Tel Aviv.</p>
<p>No worries, me happy. I must say though, I stopped my day to say a prayer at the hour of takeoff.</p>
<p>Son is in the air on the way to Barcelona by way of London as we speak. No delays or lines at security at Logan/Boston. </p>
<p>But the snow situation in London has made things interesting. It caused his flight to London to be delayed 1 1/2 hours, which meant there was no way he would make his connection to Barcelona. Luckily, helicopter-mom was on British Airways website all morning and saw the delay, so I called BA and waited on hold for 25 minutes but was able to easily change him to a later flight from Heathrow to Barcelona. So he originally only had 2 hours to change planes, but after the re-book he had 4 hours. Mom breathes a sigh of relief. Drop him at airport (sniff, sniff), come home to BA.com to find out that the connecting flight is delayed and now he has 6 hours between flights. So now instead of him not having enough time to change planes, I’m afraid he’s got so much time in Heathrow that after flying all night he’s gonna fall asleep and miss the connection! He’s supposed to meet the Study Abroad staff in the Barcelona airport by 5pm local time, at this point his flight is landing at 4pm. I hope there are no more delays… </p>
<p>When DS called the Study Abroad organization’s office to report his change in flights (before we knew the second flight was delayed), and to tell them he’d be at Barcelona’s airport at 2:30pm instead of 10:30am, they said, “Oh that’s fine. We’ve got kids who are stuck all over the place.” Plus he got an unsolicited email from the Study Abroad organization telling him if he were to get stuck in London overnight he could stay at their dorm in London for only a low price and giving him the phone number of the London dorm. </p>
<p>Oh, when I get that email that he AND his luggage are at the dorm in Barcelona, I will be a very happy camper.</p>
<p>Oops, just checked BA.com again. Now he won’t leave London until 4:40 and get to Barcelona a 7:40. He - or I - or both of us - will have to contact the Study Abroad organization again, because he will be arriving after 5pm (they’re at the airport to meet students until 5pm). I’m sure he’s not the only one… :(</p>
<p>Laf,</p>
<p>You might somehow be able to get him a/some meal vouchers to eat while at Heathrow. I did that once when my own flight was delayed, causing me to miss my Heathrow connection. It’s very expensive to eat in London, and worse at the airport.</p>
<p>OK, for all you folks who told me S would never make a connection in 2 hours - he got off his flight in terminal 5 and was waiting in the departure lounge in terminal 3 just 45 minutes later. He heard them call the flight that was 2 hours after he landed - the one we were afraid to book him on - and now he has 5 more hours to wait for his flight!!!</p>
<p>You guys scared us to death! We were sure he would miss a connection that only gave him 2 hours - but in reality he would have made it with over an hour to spare. Now he’s waiting 5 hours, with no sleep, and arriving at his destination AFTER the IES program people will have left the airport.</p>
<p>Pizzagirl, thanks a lot. 
I know you meant well, but…</p>
<p>Is there room on first flight? I’ve found airlines are happy to move someone up</p>