Concern about Arrival at Heathrow and Lines

Have a look here at Heathrow assistance

https://www.heathrow.com/at-the-airport/assistance-and-accessibility/request-assistance-before-leaving-home

You go to immigration first, then baggage claim, then customs

Whilst you might not be registered disabled you clearly have a condition which means you require help. You should ask for assistance- you do that through your airline, although the service will be supplied by the relevant airport.

Customs is usually a straight walk through and takes seconds and can obviously only be after you collect checked luggage. The area for possible delay is immigration. Most people most of the time will not be hugely delayed, especially is you are able to use the automatic machines, but there can sometimes be delays. With assistance you will be looked after.

As mentioned already, just ask your airline for assistance, in advance. They can arrange help at both your departure and arrival airports.

Thank you for your helpful advice. On my previous Heathrow arrival I seem to remember that I was OK collecting my luggage but that there was this horrible, long line after the luggage collection and if I did not show my doctor note to the security person I would have missed my bus. I remember having to wait a long time in some line before I could intercept the security person that could help me. There were people in this line that had huge trunks, like they were moving. It was insane.

Some of you mentioned asking assistance from the airline. I do not need assistance getting off the plane. I just cannot stand in a long line that is more than 15 minutes. Should I still ask for the airline assistance? I remember asking for airline assistance on one trip at Dublin and they brought me in a wheelchair. I felt bad because I did not need a wheelchair. I just cannot stand a long time.

There shouldn’t be any queue after you’ve collected your luggage. At that point you simply exit the airport through the ‘nothing to declare’ gate. There can be long queues sometimes at passport control and this is where you may end up having to stand. Definitely ask for assistance in advance. The airport will then be aware of your needs and should help you.

If you don't want a wheelchair there's nothing else.

How do I ask for assistance for the passport control? Not sure who to contact? I have a heart condition also and cannot get my heart rate up too high so I have to plan everything in advance. The previous time I was at Heathrow the line extended so long and there was no one to ask for help. I need to plan ahead this time. Cannot get my heart rate up. Thanks!

Lisa - ask your airline for assistance. Don't worry about the wheelchair - plenty of people in your situation ask for help even if they don't need a wheelchair for the whole trip. You will be able to tell everyone that you can get on and off the plane yourself.

I don't know what queue you would have been in previously. The only real place you will have to queue unless something exceptional happens would be immigration, which is before baggage reclaim.

I think you are overthinking this, as you do have a limitation. If you can't stand then you need to sit, and a wheelchair is what you would need as a solution. Just explain to the airlines what you need, when you make prearrangements with them. I doubt that every person you see in a wheelchair at the airport is necessarily permanently in a wheelchair. But it may fit the bill to help them navigate the airport which is physically taxing enough for able bodied folks. So, do not hesitate to ask for what you need.

When was the last time you went through Heathrow and are you sure you are remembering correctly?

You call the airline and say you need assistance. It is not necessarily a wheelchair if you can walk. As you exit the gate, you will be met by a large golf cart type vehicle that will drive you to immigration. I arrived last Tuesday (Terminal 3), the line at immigration seemed long but they managed it well and I was throught the electronic gates in just over 5 minutes. If you arrive by golf cart, they will guide you to the front of the line. If you have a US passport, you no longer need to see an agent but can use the electronic gates. (Assuming you have a US passport.)

Once through there, you take the escalators down to baggage claim. From baggage claim, you walk through customs. If they want to stop you they will. I have gone through Heathrow dozens of times and have never been stopped. Nor have I ever seen a line. As I went through on Tuesday, the customs agents were there but I didn't see them talking to anyone.

You'll have to ask the airlne what the procedure is to get you to the Central Bus Station from Terminal 3.

My mom has severe arthritis. In day-to-day life, she manages okay with the use of a cane. But on a recent (domestic) flight she contacted the airline and was set up to use a wheelchair through the airport (there and back), which was immensely helpful for her.

She sometimes, understandably, struggles with asking for and accepting this kind of help; but in this case, she acknowledged how much stress, and physical pain, it alleviated and she was ultimately really glad she did.

My mom has really bad knees. Walking long distances can be hard for her, and the airport terminals can be long treks. She learned to ask for assistance, and it has helped her to get from point A to point B without causing too much stress to her knees. She is also not a person who is wheelchair bound, but she has found that she is at an age where being offered it is really a godsend for a person who bad knees.

You might also get something like this:
https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/sport-seat-folding-seat-walking-stick-16sseudsgsprtstxxacc/16sseudsgsprtstxxacc?sku=16054196&camp=CSE:DSG_92700080069003181_pla_pla-2300070911921_58700008711410694_71700000118496819&segment=&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvaGknbLKhwMVhSytBh0dTQt8EAQYDSABEgKUe_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds .
A Portable Folding seat-it allows you to sit down in places where no seats are available (like in airplane check in lines/baggage claim/security lines) or the guide on your tour stands in a place talking where seating is either limited or not available. My mom got one like the one after watching another lady on one of trips who had one-the lady could sit without having to find available seating close by or stand for long periods in a place with no seating while guides would be talking on our tours. In fact, one person jokingly told my mom they nearly wanted to swipe it because they realized it really helps when you have to stand listening to a guide on tour in places where no seating is available. It also acts as a cane, which helps my mom as well. You can probably a do google search for portable sports/travel chairs and get more results.
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I have entered the UK multiple times in the last few years. There is a long walk to passport control, but passport control has never been more than 5-10 minutes due to e-gates. You scan your passport, you get your picture taken, and you walk through....... Last time I was through in less than 2 minutes from arrival at the entry area.

I think your biggest challenge could come in the luggage collection area and the standing and waiting there. You might really want to consider the wheelchair assistance being offerred.

As noted, highly unlikely you'll face a queue at passport control. But if you do, there are Border Force staff directing people as they enter the queue. They are very helpful and can direct you to the front.

I've been through London Heathrow twice in the past year. I remember it moving smoothly, the biggest delay is people not knowing how to place their passport on the scanner. I also saw a passenger with one of those portable seat/canes as someone suggested, I thought he was brilliant for planning ahead. I was also talking with a woman who needed a wheelchair to get to the gate and then saw she was able to get up and go to the bathroom on her own. There is no judgement, if you want assistance through an airport because it will keep you healthy and allow you to enjoy the rest of your vacation, definitely use it. Plan ahead as the others suggested.

I arrived at T3 last week to the longest lines I had ever seen at the egates. They went as far back as up the stairs and partially down the hall.

But the people working the lines were amazing, redirecting people all over the place. I was through in about 5 minutes.

Compare that to my previous entry where there were less than 10 people ahead of me when I got to the line for the egates.

BTW, the toilets in the baggage claim area are next to the exit. (Green "door")