Brexit and its implications for British, HU and any other citizens

If you wanted to go and live anywhere in the EU you can, but your wife must go with you.
-@SimCityAT

I can also work if she goes with me and she works and I'm the hanger on.   

I still use the EU lanes
-@SimCityAT

Oh! That's good and practical.   But you probably cannot use the machines.

There's no such system at Budapest.  We have to go in the lesser mortal queue at BUD airport.   

When I arrived (from Gatwick), a plane had arrived from Seoul ICN (Korea) and it was an absolute zoo.  Must have been 100 people in front.

Some people, me included got taken around to one of the other areas of passport control.  Never seen that happen before.

Been though Schengen controls at BUD and VIE airports this week.

Passport stamped on exit both places despite showing my Article 50 residence permit.

A couple of weeks ago, I went through WAW (Warsaw) and they didn't stamp it in either direction. Clearly they know the rules.

Variation was on leaving BUD for the UK last weekend, they wrote my residence permit card number on the exit stamp.

At this rate, my passport will be full up (again).

Been though Schengen controls at BUD and VIE airports this week.
Passport stamped on exit both places despite showing my Article 50 residence permit.

A couple of weeks ago, I went through WAW (Warsaw) and they didn't stamp it in either direction. Clearly they know the rules.

Variation was on leaving BUD for the UK last weekend, they wrote my residence permit card number on the exit stamp.

At this rate, my passport will be full up (again).
-@fluffy2560

Its all going digital later in the year, so there will be no stamps. But it is up to the officer if they stamp or not there are no ground rules.

Been though Schengen controls at BUD and VIE airports this week.
Passport stamped on exit both places despite showing my Article 50 residence permit.

A couple of weeks ago, I went through WAW (Warsaw) and they didn't stamp it in either direction. Clearly they know the rules.

Variation was on leaving BUD for the UK last weekend, they wrote my residence permit card number on the exit stamp.

At this rate, my passport will be full up (again).
-@fluffy2560

Its all going digital later in the year, so there will be no stamps. But it is up to the officer if they stamp or not there are no ground rules.
-@SimCityAT

In theory, it's going digital but it keeps getting delayed. Not that I care about their EU immigration project. It could be delayed forever as far as I'm concerned. I have little respect for border police and their McJobs. Absolute waste of time. They should just check the passports before boarding from wherever.

But anyway, they always scan the residence permit upon entry/exit to/from Schengen borders. There are new machines at BUD airport and fingerprint scanners ready for this EU borders system. None of them are in use.

We already give our dabs (fingerprints) and photos when we get a residence permit so they shouldn't bother. We don't even know if RP holders will need these new documents/permits. I cannot see why we would need any of that. It's just repeating the same stuff.

Interestingly, I went in the All Passports queue at BUD and I was through much faster than the EU passport machines. I'd already collected the bags by the time my kids and missus were through. More people checking All Passports and faster than the machines.

Apparently at BUD, you have to be over 18 to use the automated gates but in the UK, it's over 12. Bit strange.  So my kids and missus had to queue up at the EU passports to be manually checked. My missus complained about it and the McJob passport person said they are working on it. Yeah, right.

Apparently it's looking quite bad at Dover again for this long weekend.  Delays will no doubt be long and come summer, it's likely to be very difficult indeed. 

Last night, I went through the Vienna Airport Schengen border. 

Passport scanned but RP just inspected and no stamp.

Didn't seem to be very interested at all.  That's more like it!

‘The UK today doesn’t feel like my country’: six Britons who moved to the EU reflect on expat life post-Brexit

‘The UK today doesn’t feel like my country’: six Britons who moved to the EU reflect on expat life post-Brexit
-@SimCityAT

That about sums it up.

The Fluffy family are on holiday in Italy.  We've happened to get on a ship travelling between EU countries and while all the HU family members were just given a cursory glance on their passports/IDs, they looked for my entry stamp into the EU and seemed confused if I was allowed on the ship at all.  I didn't have an entry stamp. Showing my residence permit satisfied them.  But just another hassle for Brexit Bonkers British people.  What a crock.

We were at a famous archaeological site near Naples called Herculaneum.

Kids free under 18 are free and adults pay full price, EUR 14.

EU citizens between 18-24 pay EUR 4.50.

Another Brexit benefit.

We were at a famous archaeological site near Naples called Herculaneum.
Kids free under 18 are free and adults pay full price, EUR 14.

EU citizens between 18-24 pay EUR 4.50.

Another Brexit benefit.
-@fluffy2560

Stop this now, I find this to be complete rubbish down to BREXIT. Never seen a sign like that. Post proof Mr fluffy.

We were at a famous archaeological site near Naples called Herculaneum.
Kids free under 18 are free and adults pay full price, EUR 14.

EU citizens between 18-24 pay EUR 4.50.

Another Brexit benefit.
-@fluffy2560

Stop this now, I find this to be complete rubbish down to BREXIT. Never seen a sign like that. Post proof Mr fluffy.
-@SimCityAT

I do apologise for challenging the UK government narrative on non-EU membership.

Here's a link to the official online ticket seller (in Italian and English):

Tickets to Herculaneum

Click on Bookings and Options to see discounts etc for EU citizens 18-24.

We were at a famous archaeological site near Naples called Herculaneum.
Kids free under 18 are free and adults pay full price, EUR 14.

EU citizens between 18-24 pay EUR 4.50.

Another Brexit benefit.
-@fluffy2560

Stop this now, I find this to be complete rubbish down to BREXIT. Never seen a sign like that. Post proof Mr fluffy.
-@SimCityAT

I do apologise for challenging the UK government narrative on non-EU membership.

Here's a link to the official online ticket seller (in Italian and English):

Tickets to Herculaneum

Click on Bookings and Options to see discounts etc for EU citizens 18-24.
-@fluffy2560

The link is broken.

I am telling you now. If it was true, it was breaking every rule in the book and the company could be sued.

The link is broken.


I am telling you now. If it was true, it was breaking every rule in the book and the company could be sued.
-@SimCityAT

I think it's because it generates a session ID which changes according to each visitor.  But you can Google it easily.  I changed the link in the original posting to see if it works better and it seems to.

It says for sure 18-24, EUR 4.50 for EU citizens. 

@SimCityAT Well, it should read EU residents and not citizens. But other than that I think it is permitted. In many European cities residents of a town have free access to some museum.

The link is broken.


I am telling you now. If it was true, it was breaking every rule in the book and the company could be sued.
-@SimCityAT

I think it's because it generates a session ID which changes according to each visitor. But you can Google it easily. I changed the link in the original posting to see if it works better and it seems to.

It says for sure 18-24, EUR 4.50 for EU citizens.
-@fluffy2560

Its illegal

Does anyone know about something called a “pre-settlement”?

I have the prospect of a job and they asked if I have one and then she also went on to say if I don’t have one I should get one with or without the job, but everytime I Google it just comes up with eu>uk and not uk>eu, and it’s confusing.

The link is broken.


I am telling you now. If it was true, it was breaking every rule in the book and the company could be sued.
-@SimCityAT

I think it's because it generates a session ID which changes according to each visitor. But you can Google it easily. I changed the link in the original posting to see if it works better and it seems to.

It says for sure 18-24, EUR 4.50 for EU citizens.
-@fluffy2560

Its illegal
-@SimCityAT

Having been in Italy a few days, the definition of illegal is somewhat elastic.

Some countries operate dual pricing - Ukraine used to and so did Thailand.

@SimCityAT Well, it should read EU residents and not citizens. But other than that I think it is permitted. In many European cities residents of a town have free access to some museum.
-@nz7521137

It says it's free to all first Tuesday of the month.

And I think residents of the town can visit anytime free of charge.

It does say EU citizens for the 18-24 years old age band.

Might be a mistake but it used to say EU citizens of pension age could travel free on the Budapest metro/bus system.  The wording changed a little bit to say over 65 or something and in receipt of a pension.  Still not 100% clear if it would apply to seniors visiting.

I received an e-mail letter (in English) from Immigration about data deletion:

Please be informed that documents uploaded before 1 January 2022 into the “Enter Hungary” electronic aliens policing procedure initiation platform, which is operated by the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (hereinafter referred to as NDGAP) based on Act II of2007 on the Admission and Right of Residence of Third-Country Nationals (hereinafter referredto as ARRTCN Act) and Act I of 2007on the Admission and Residence of Persons with theRight of Free Movement and Residence (hereinafter referred to as ARPRFMR Act), recorded in cases adjudged and closed by the authority shall be deleted by NDGAP following 5 days. Deletion in the “Enter Hungary” system does not affect the processing of data by NDGAP under the ARRTCN Act and the ARPRFMR Act; your data, provided within an aliens policing procedure, is processed by NDGAP in its official registry and records as provided under the law.In case you need any of the documents, uploaded to the “Enter Hungary” platform for administrative and procedural purposes or forwarded to you by NDGAP via the platform, for future reference, please arrange for the relevant documents to be downloaded within 5 days.

Enter Hungary never really worked, so I don't care much but they cared enough to e-mail me about it.

I went through BUD airport yesterday. 

No stamp.

Yay!

Has anyone attempted to get a job in Hungary with a Hungarian employer based on holding an Article 50 residence permit?

In theory, no working visa/permit would be required as Article 50 ensured rights were maintained (in theory).

But what's the experience on the ground?

    Has anyone attempted to get a job in Hungary with a Hungarian employer based on holding an Article 50 residence permit?
In theory, no working visa/permit would be required as Article 50 ensured rights were maintained (in theory).

But what's the experience on the ground?
   

    -@fluffy2560

With an Article 50 Card, you should be treated as an EU citizen, if you have issues you need to contact the Embassy.

        Has anyone attempted to get a job in Hungary with a Hungarian employer based on holding an Article 50 residence permit?In theory, no working visa/permit would be required as Article 50 ensured rights were maintained (in theory).But what's the experience on the ground?        -@fluffy2560

With an Article 50 Card, you should be treated as an EU citizen, if you have issues you need to contact the Embassy.
   

    -@SimCityAT

Yes, I think so too as that what the WA said.

But I'm keen to hear if anyone has done it in Hungary.

I'd like to know if a work permit is issued separately or just included with the residence permit.

What proof does an employer need to provide to the authorities?

Is it necessary to have a medical?

            Has anyone attempted to get a job in Hungary with a Hungarian employer based on holding an Article 50 residence permit?In theory, no working visa/permit would be required as Article 50 ensured rights were maintained (in theory).But what's the experience on the ground?        -@fluffy2560With an Article 50 Card, you should be treated as an EU citizen, if you have issues you need to contact the Embassy.         -@SimCityAT

Yes, I think so too as that what the WA said.

But I'm keen to hear if anyone has done it in Hungary.

I'd like to know if a work permit is issued separately or just included with the residence permit.

What proof does an employer need to provide to the authorities?

Is it necessary to have a medical?
   

    -@fluffy2560

I can only give you how its done in Austria....

As you know I have had health issues and I have been unemployed and on sick leave. Nothing has changed, I still have had monies from from the state, all they wanted was a copy of my Article 50 Card. I have continued to be fully insured on the health service. (Had an operation, and having physio.)

I can't see why you would need a medical unless the employer asks for one as standard. If so that cost should be covered by them. 

I can only give you how its done in Austria....As you know I have had health issues and I have been unemployed and on sick leave. Nothing has changed, I still have had monies from from the state, all they wanted was a copy of my Article 50 Card. I have continued to be fully insured on the health service. (Had an operation, and having physio.)I can't see why you would need a medical unless the employer asks for one as standard. If so that cost should be covered by them.          -@SimCityAT

I am sure it's clear and organised in AT but here in HU, we're all left wondering.  It's such a narrow set of circumstances having an Article 50 card, that case isn't covered by the Employment office blurb.

Pre-EU here in HU, I used to have to have  medical and it was quite intrusive.  Blood tests and even an ECG.  It wasn't necessary to have it done in HU, it could be done elsewhere like Germany or the USA.   In my early days here, I did have a yearly medical here done at a private clinic. But all that just went away on accession.  Currently, HU and EU/EEA citizens do NOT need medicals when they get jobs. 

The  other point is the labour market assessment.  In theory,  if you are entitled to free movement and "right of residence" in HU, it's not needed.  Article 50 is not a right of residence (at least in my mind), it's just permission.   If a work permit is required, then this could lead to a combined work and residence permit which might even cancel or convert Article 50 status.  That could be a horror show.

It's already ridiculous - my Article 50 card expires 2027.  I was obviously registered before that but it's like my pre-2021 cards count for nothing.  I mention this because I should have been able to leap straight to the permanent residence status which would definitely allow rights equal to HU or EU/EEA citizens.

But most times here, it's very difficult to 100% believe anything you read on a HU government web site or even get from a government help line.  It's a process of triangulation.   It's common here to ask the same question to different departments to try and find the truth.  The ideal way around it is often to find someone with a personal connection to the relevant department to get a direct answer from someone in authority.   Of course it doesn't work because at the moment we don't know anyone in those departments.

But it would be good if someone has direct experience and knows about the HU jobs process for those with Article 50 cards?   

Are  we really  treated the same as pre-Brexit? 

 

Are  we really  treated the same as pre-Brexit? 
   

    -@fluffy2560

Yes.

But, I am lucky in the sense I hold the trump card. I have the personal email address, direct telephone number and mobile number of the Bundesministerium für Inneres. So should I have any issues I can contact her.

You really should be holding a 10 year card.

      Are  we really  treated the same as pre-Brexit?          -@fluffy2560Yes. But, I am lucky in the sense I hold the trump card. I have the personal email address, direct telephone number and mobile number of the Bundesministerium für Inneres. So should I have any issues I can contact her. You really should be holding a 10 year card.         -@SimCityAT

I totally agree I should be on the 10 year card.  It makes no real sense.  We did ask but it was all new to immigration and they didn't know but I get their thinking. Even Article 50 was not a given when I applied before the deadline.  It  still had to be sent for approval.  I felt I had to take what I was offered there and then because the plonkers Johnson and Frost had left it to the 11th hour.  Arguing about it would have just delayed obtaining any viable status.   

It was the same as the driving licence.  I had to swap it because no-one knew if it would be valid post-Brexit.  My DL had to be approved at ministerial level for some reason.  It's arguably worse now as UK licences valid to 70 years old but now, as I'm 63, I need a cursory medical every 2 years. At 65 I will need one each year I believe.  What a nuisance.

As we know, different countries did things differently.

Back to residence cards etc., what they did here was stream the British applicants into the third country nationals processing.  So everything was treated that way and became "automatically granted" applications with Article 50 as the reason.

Unfortunately, the clock for the EU permanent residence was set on the date of application.

BUD Airport Update:

I was at the airport yet again last night and there's a new sign up saying UK citizens can use the e-gates. I was surprised so asked the helper and he said yes.

So I tried it and unsurprisingly it didn't work. 

So I had to go to the normal non-EU queue and of course, the McJob passport inspector stamped my passport despite my protests and her seeing my RP card.  She just shrugged her shoulders.  I am always irritated by this kind of behaviour.

Anyways, I was thinking the e-gates don't work if you have an RP or maybe there was no entry record or maybe it just doesn't work anyway due to the usual incompetence.   

I wonder if the e-gates option is something new EU wide or just Hungary.

    BUD Airport Update:
I was at the airport yet again last night and there's a new sign up saying UK citizens can use the e-gates. I was surprised so asked the helper and he said yes.

So I tried it and unsurprisingly it didn't work. 


So I had to go to the normal non-EU queue and of course, the McJob passport inspector stamped my passport despite my protests and her seeing my RP card.  She just shrugged her shoulders.  I am always irritated by this kind of behaviour.


Anyways, I was thinking the e-gates don't work if you have an RP or maybe there was no entry record or maybe it just doesn't work anyway due to the usual incompetence.   


I wonder if the e-gates option is something new EU wide or just Hungary.
   

    -@fluffy2560

I read elsewhere (and ofc can't find the link when I want it) that some EU air/sea ports are introducing a new sort of Recognition (related to the ANPR system, but extended to include biometric recognition); the bottom line is that the system is much quicker than e-gates and can be used by anybody with a biometric document; Budapest was one of the sites in the initial rollout.  I'll send you the link when I stumble across it.

I have a 10 year perm resident permit and I'll tell ya, it's almost worthless even inside of  Hungary.

I honestly think illegal boarder breakers in the US have more rights then I have in Hungary with my perm resident card.

Illegal in the US can still get welfare, driving papers, food stamps, more at times then a citizen gets there.

I'm still waiting now a fulll week to see if I can be on my husbands new bank account as a nothing little beneficiary. Not even my own bank account or have any access to our shared money.

What I get here is no checks inside of Budapest as a senior aged person on the transport and a slight discount for my age at the spas.

Nothing else really after more then 14 years living here.

I get in the foreign passport line at the airports, once I showed my resident permit to a passport agent in Budapest and he just smiled like I was a fool.

The only way to get any respect here is to become a HU citizen.

I'm still a bit out of sorts as to why my oncologist asked us if I was a HU citizen or not before my life saving treatments started.

He said it was, "to bad" I wasn't a citizen. Still makes me think there might of been a short cut or more up to date treatment plan they kept from me.Why would anyone say something like that when I am legally here and have all the documents? I could understand a layperson with political views asking such a lame question but a professor?

My friend up in Sweden gave me some distrubing news about her status as the wife of a Swedish citizen.

She got yet another letter of deportation from their immigration services this weekend.

3 years of marriage and they still want her out.

She has a lawyer and is about to contact the EU human rights commission and the media.

What else can a person do?

I know she allowed her immigration status to slip in Hungary before entering Sweden but darn, how much pressure can a person take?

She made a mistake while C-19 was going on, I think they should cut her a break and let her pay a fine or do community serivce but to break up a marriage?

She believes Hungary is behind all her troubles.

Somewhere i have the paper which states my rights as a 10 year perm resident holder.

As far as I remember I am SUPPOSE to have all the rights as a citizen except the right to vote and I could be deported for crimes etc.

In reality, they discriminate or at the least don't know what their own rules are.

In the US it is criminal to discriminate anyone by race, religion   or creed.

I know I'm not in Kansas anymore...

    Somewhere i have the paper which states my rights as a 10 year perm resident holder.
As far as I remember I am SUPPOSE to have all the rights as a citizen except the right to vote and I could be deported for crimes etc.
In reality, they discriminate or at the least don't know what their own rules are.
In the US it is criminal to discriminate anyone by race, religion   or creed.
I know I'm not in Kansas anymore...
   

    -@Marilyn Tassy

Oh discrimination?  Here in HU?  Or the USA?  Or UK?

There's discrimination everywhere regardless of the law.

When the UK was in the EU, the HU border guards didn't really care.  Now there's an air of hostility. 

I feel discrimination every time I engage with the government. 

Interestingly our 18-year old reports this kind of thing all the time.  So much so, dead keen on leaving for University somewhere else overseas next year. 

I can even feel it. It's a subtle oppression.  You see it at the airport.  I find it sinister.

I read elsewhere (and ofc can't find the link when I want it) that some EU air/sea ports are introducing a new sort of Recognition (related to the ANPR system, but extended to include biometric recognition); the bottom line is that the system is much quicker than e-gates and can be used by anybody with a biometric document; Budapest was one of the sites in the initial rollout.  I'll send you the link when I stumble across it.
   

    -@Cynic

There was an article about that  I read. I think I read it on Euronews Travel.  It mentioned Singapore as an early adopter.

I remember years ago someone complaining about biometric passports enabling smart bombs.  A person with matching passport passing a bomb could be blown up.  Another person passing would be ignored.   I could see AI facial recognition being an deadly addition later on if a specific person was targeted.

BTW, I should add on my arrival in London (LGW), the UK e-gates were mobbed.  25m wait. I ask one of the "meet and greet" people what the problem was.  He said it was just sheer volumes of passengers.   It seems to me to be a case of PPP (P*ss Poor Planning). 

    I read elsewhere (and ofc can't find the link when I want it) that some EU air/sea ports are introducing a new sort of Recognition (related to the ANPR system, but extended to include biometric recognition); the bottom line is that the system is much quicker than e-gates and can be used by anybody with a biometric document; Budapest was one of the sites in the initial rollout.  I'll send you the link when I stumble across it.        -@Cynic

There was an article about that  I read. I think I read it on Euronews Travel.  It mentioned Singapore as an early adopter.

I remember years ago someone complaining about biometric passports enabling smart bombs.  A person with matching passport passing a bomb could be blown up.  Another person passing would be ignored.   I could see AI facial recognition being an deadly addition later on if a specific person was targeted.

BTW, I should add on my arrival in London (LGW), the UK e-gates were mobbed.  25m wait. I ask one of the "meet and greet" people what the problem was.  He said it was just sheer volumes of passengers.   It seems to me to be a case of PPP (P*ss Poor Planning). 
   

    -@fluffy2560

Day in the life of an Airport Ops manager, I'm sure Brexit hasn't helped, but this is a memory from 30 years ago in Germany.

PPP is a constant in airports, not helped by somebody else's screw-up on the other side of the world gives you a flow clash on your pan when 2 wide-bodies arrive at the same time and one airline hasn't paid to use the fingers to expedite the offload, but has some urgent operational reason to want to use the front crew door, so the captains are busy arguing the toss with Ops on the company frequency, then they moan at you because you only planned enough baggage handlers for 1 aircraft.  Then the caterers start nagging because they can't get their catering truck anywhere near the passenger door they use to get the old trolleys off, then the most important ground handling vehicle, the honey truck gets his hose run over by the tanker driver who's now gone home because he thinks the stench of poo is a hazard when mixed with the stink of his avgas.  The problems of the guys in the inbound baggage hall, Customs and Immigration while I'm sure are really worthwhile,  but they kind of melt away into the background, because I'm still trying to check in the 2 outbound flights (these are the same airframes who just arrived in the middle of a flow-clash and weather is beginning to cause ZFW issues and now the crews are moaning that there is no special security walk-through for them, then I walk into departures and find little Tommy (unaccompanied minor) sat there all by himself, well, that if you ignore the tortoise he has sat on his lap that has managed to get through check-in and security baggage check and I'm now stuck with until I can track down mum and dad to return the pet to them.

Eventually it all gets cleared because most people have better things to do than try and hunt me down at the airport and I've got to find a birthday present for my wife, who just so happens to be checking in one of my competitor's flights, in one of the airport shops without her spotting I've forgotten again.

Day in the life of an Airport Ops manager, I'm sure Brexit hasn't helped, but this is a memory from 30 years ago in Germany.PPP is a constant in airports, not helped by somebody else's screw-up on the other side of the world gives you a flow clash on your pan when 2 wide-bodies arrive at the same time and one airline hasn't paid to use the fingers to expedite the offload, but has some urgent operational reason to want to use the front crew door, so the captains are busy arguing the toss with Ops on the company frequency, then they moan at you because you only planned enough baggage handlers for 1 aircraft.  Then the caterers start nagging because they can't get their catering truck anywhere near the passenger door they use to get the old trolleys off, then the most important ground handling vehicle, the honey truck gets his hose run over by the tanker driver who's now gone home because he thinks the stench of poo is a hazard when mixed with the stink of his avgas.  The problems of the guys in the inbound baggage hall, Customs and Immigration while I'm sure are really worthwhile,  but they kind of melt away into the background, because I'm still trying to check in the 2 outbound flights (these are the same airframes who just arrived in the middle of a flow-clash and weather is beginning to cause ZFW issues and now the crews are moaning that there is no special security walk-through for them, then I walk into departures and find little Tommy (unaccompanied minor) sat there all by himself, well, that if you ignore the tortoise he has sat on his lap that has managed to get through check-in and security baggage check and I'm now stuck with until I can track down mum and dad to return the pet to them.Eventually it all gets cleared because most people have better things to do than try and hunt me down at the airport and I've got to find a birthday present for my wife, who just so happens to be checking in one of my competitor's flights, in one of the airport shops without her spotting I've forgotten again.        -@Cynic

Tough job but someone hasn't heard of contingency?   I looked at the queue for ordinary passports and it might have been faster.   As usual not enough staff or empty desks due to whatever. 

So it falls on the passenger to waste their time and we don't get a refund for our time. What did we even pay for? 

Worn out and tired LGW is well known for delays in ATC. My taxi driver said it's always a mess at LGW and even worse is STN.   It's better at LHR and LTN but wrong side of London. 

BUD has two long runways and new gates and even a spare terminal so has lots of capacity.  But it's not a great airport like Bangkok.

LGW only has one runway.  For a major airport that's crazy.  I reckon these airlines need to fly to more regional airports to spread the load but they don't.  I could easily fly into Southampton or even Lydd, Bournemouth, Farnborough or Biggin Hill.  Manston got closed so it could be used as a Brexit car park.

There's loads of capacity, it's just not used. No contingency and plenty of PPP.

Happy birthday to Mrs.Cynic.

Tip-of the day- my husband has given up buying me gifts.

He just hands over some cash and is done with it.

My next trip anywhere I'm thinking of asking for a wheelchair just because I can't stand in one spot fr long before my knees give up on me.

Seems like it's a long wait everywhere.

I used a wheelchair in Vegas years ago before my knee surgery. It was fine, they walked us through back passages and took short cuts.

My brother and his wife both were American Airlines mechanics.

He said he worked with a bunch of idiots.

He said every flight was a miricale, so many "Boozos" in that industry it was amazing more planes were up in the air at all.

IDK, my husband worked as a areospace machinist for many projects for NASA and the US military.

Even a 10th of a hair off and the parts were rejected no matter how much the materails cst or how many hands had already worked on the parts. All scrape metal if not machined to perfection. Every single tiny parts was hand inspected on special tables etc.

In New Mexico he worked at a place that only made parts for commercial airlines.

I know no brother never ever checked in any luggage the few times he ever flew anywhere.

He avoided flying, he knew to much to trust being a passive passenger. Scary thought.

    Day in the life of an Airport Ops manager, I'm sure Brexit hasn't helped, but this is a memory from 30 years ago in Germany.PPP is a constant in airports, not helped by somebody else's screw-up on the other side of the world gives you a flow clash on your pan when 2 wide-bodies arrive at the same time and one airline hasn't paid to use the fingers to expedite the offload, but has some urgent operational reason to want to use the front crew door, so the captains are busy arguing the toss with Ops on the company frequency, then they moan at you because you only planned enough baggage handlers for 1 aircraft.  Then the caterers start nagging because they can't get their catering truck anywhere near the passenger door they use to get the old trolleys off, then the most important ground handling vehicle, the honey truck gets his hose run over by the tanker driver who's now gone home because he thinks the stench of poo is a hazard when mixed with the stink of his avgas.  The problems of the guys in the inbound baggage hall, Customs and Immigration while I'm sure are really worthwhile,  but they kind of melt away into the background, because I'm still trying to check in the 2 outbound flights (these are the same airframes who just arrived in the middle of a flow-clash and weather is beginning to cause ZFW issues and now the crews are moaning that there is no special security walk-through for them, then I walk into departures and find little Tommy (unaccompanied minor) sat there all by himself, well, that if you ignore the tortoise he has sat on his lap that has managed to get through check-in and security baggage check and I'm now stuck with until I can track down mum and dad to return the pet to them.Eventually it all gets cleared because most people have better things to do than try and hunt me down at the airport and I've got to find a birthday present for my wife, who just so happens to be checking in one of my competitor's flights, in one of the airport shops without her spotting I've forgotten again.        -@Cynic

Tough job but someone hasn't heard of contingency?   I looked at the queue for ordinary passports and it might have been faster.   As usual not enough staff or empty desks due to whatever. 
So it falls on the passenger to waste their time and we don't get a refund for our time. What did we even pay for? 

Worn out and tired LGW is well known for delays in ATC. My taxi driver said it's always a mess at LGW and even worse is STN.   It's better at LHR and LTN but wrong side of London. 

BUD has two long runways and new gates and even a spare terminal so has lots of capacity.  But it's not a great airport like Bangkok.

LGW only has one runway.  For a major airport that's crazy.  I reckon these airlines need to fly to more regional airports to spread the load but they don't.  I could easily fly into Southampton or even Lydd, Bournemouth, Farnborough or Biggin Hill.  Manston got closed so it could be used as a Brexit car park.

There's loads of capacity, it's just not used. No contingency and plenty of PPP.
   

    -@fluffy2560

Immigration and customs officers have always been a significant issue when dealing with flight delays and not only in the UK, They appear out of nowhere 5 minutes before the scheduled arrival; if your flight is early (it does happen on west-to-east flights where prevailing westerly winds give the aircraft a shove), or if it's late, they'll say phone us when it gets here.  LGW has always been an issue, mainly because despite having 2 runways, it operates a single runway policy, we would avoid it like the plague when scheduling our own aircraft.

Not known by many, but RAF officers can act as Customs officers; if you want a brilliant example, look at the photos of the Windrush ships, all the Customs and Security people were RAF Movements and ATSY officers drafted in (photo below) - probably because at the time, the London docklands were not established passenger terminals:

Of course, we, their Army cousins, blame them for getting it totally wrong, particularly after a few beers.

Immigration and customs officers have always been a significant issue when dealing with flight delays and not only in the UK, They appear out of nowhere 5 minutes before the scheduled arrival; if your flight is early (it does happen on west-to-east flights where prevailing westerly winds give the aircraft a shove), or if it's late, they'll say phone us when it gets here.  LGW has always been an issue, mainly because despite having 2 runways, it operates a single runway policy, we would avoid it like the plague when scheduling our own aircraft.
Not known by many, but RAF officers can act as Customs officers; if you want a brilliant example, look at the photos of the Windrush ships, all the Customs and Security people were RAF Movements and ATSY officers drafted in (photo below) - probably because at the time, the London docklands were not established passenger terminals:


Of course, we, their Army cousins, blame them for getting it totally wrong, particularly after a few beers.
   

    -@Cynic

LGW always had ONE runway.  Point of contention hereabouts on airport expansion.  I really like aeroplanes so I'm OK with more planes.  I don't see how it could expand without destroying half the town around it.   

I seem to spend a lot of time in airports.  Far more than I should.  When my kids were little, they were at one point under the impression I actually lived at the airport.  They might have had a point.

I didn't know about RAF Officers being Customs on the side. i would have thought Navy would have been more aligned to it, what with the naval type uniforms and origins etc.

The problem with all these other airports are connections to other transport modes.  LGW is quite good because it has a train station but others are less interconnected.  I forgot to mention in my airport list Southend and London City.  But very awkward for luggage.  At one point there was a prop plane service to Southend from Budapest.   But really difficult to get to.

UK is a mess with airports.  The government always want to close them and use the land for housing.  Such a shame. So many historic airfields across the UK.

    Immigration and customs officers have always been a significant issue when dealing with flight delays and not only in the UK, They appear out of nowhere 5 minutes before the scheduled arrival; if your flight is early (it does happen on west-to-east flights where prevailing westerly winds give the aircraft a shove), or if it's late, they'll say phone us when it gets here.  LGW has always been an issue, mainly because despite having 2 runways, it operates a single runway policy, we would avoid it like the plague when scheduling our own aircraft.Not known by many, but RAF officers can act as Customs officers; if you want a brilliant example, look at the photos of the Windrush ships, all the Customs and Security people were RAF Movements and ATSY officers drafted in (photo below) - probably because at the time, the London docklands were not established passenger terminals:Of course, we, their Army cousins, blame them for getting it totally wrong, particularly after a few beers.        -@Cynic

LGW always had ONE runway.  Point of contention hereabouts on airport expansion.  I really like aeroplanes so I'm OK with more planes.  I don't see how it could expand without destroying half the town around it.   

I seem to spend a lot of time in airports.  Far more than I should.  When my kids were little, they were at one point under the impression I actually lived at the airport.  They might have had a point.

I didn't know about RAF Officers being Customs on the side. i would have thought Navy would have been more aligned to it, what with the naval type uniforms and origins etc.

The problem with all these other airports are connections to other transport modes.  LGW is quite good because it has a train station but others are less interconnected.  I forgot to mention in my airport list Southend and London City.  But very awkward for luggage.  At one point there was a prop plane service to Southend from Budapest.   But really difficult to get to.

UK is a mess with airports.  The government always want to close them and use the land for housing.  Such a shame. So many historic airfields across the UK.
   

    -@fluffy2560

They factually have 2, but only use one at a time, the 2nd, or northern runway runs parallel to the primary and is currently used as a taxiway until they need to do something to the main runway when they switch to the Northern; there is talk of moving the Northern 12m further away from the main so they can run both (like LHR).  The current layout may have something to do with when the place was a joint RAF/Army airfield during WW2 and then subsequently a civilian Air Cargo place, until increasing general aviation and charter flights caused reviews and what LGW is today.

I was involved in the trial for the City Airport; they used RAF BAE146 aircraft to test the Approach and the climb out with some walking freight on board that wouldn't moan when the extremes were tested, so we'd split our Monday morning 737 load out of Germany between 2 146's, send one to Luton and the other to the City.  It actually suited us better with those heading to the MOD main building being very happy.

Coastal derogations are split between the 3 services; the RAF look after Wales and the City of London, the Navy have Ireland and Scotland plus all of the Islands, and the Army the rest; I used to look after Felixstowe and Mistley.  I assume it's still the same, the MOD are slow to change.