Pet pick up after flight

I have just been informed that it should take 5 hours AFTER my dog's flight lands before I can pick her up... Can anyone share their experience with this?  Did it actually take this long!?! 

My cats flew into Gatwick and I flew into Bristol (they stopped accepting pets into Bristol after I booked them). By the time I got my stuff and my friend drove me to Gatwick, which was less than 2 hours, the cats were ready for me to pick them up. I didn't wait for them at all. I think it really depends on what airport they're flying into and how many other pets are arriving at the same time. I imagine Heathrow would take a little longer.

I think I remember I was told it would be about two hours before my cat would be ready for pickup at Gatwick, last July, and it turned out to be just about that, or a little bit shorter than.

We flew Boston to Heathrow on a night flight last November with our 2 cats and were told to expect up to a 4 hour wait at the Animal Reception Centre.  We de-planed, went through immigration, got our luggage, hopped in a taxi and went directly to the ARC.  We arrived at the ARC less than an hour after landing and we were the only people there.  The Virgin representative arrived to do our paperwork and we were out of there in just under an hour.  We were really impressed.  

I flew in on a Saturday morning. My husband and I walked to ARC (.... bad idea! don't do it! It was less than a mile so we "thought" it'd be easy.. except when you end up getting to the end of the path .. there's no way to cross the road! Running across with five suitcases is NOT fun) and sat down, my cat was ready within an hour. So, it was probably 2 hours total? However, I saw people leave quicker. Like having only sat down for 10/20 minutes and their animal was ready. I stayed in ARC for a while, speaking to an American whose cats were Quarantined, and most people were out within an hour.

I flew in on a Saturday morning. My husband and I walked to ARC (.... bad idea! don't do it! It was less than a mile so we "thought" it'd be easy.. except when you end up getting to the end of the path .. there's no way to cross the road! Running across with five suitcases is NOT fun) and sat down, my cat was ready within an hour. So, it was probably 2 hours total? However, I saw people leave quicker. Like having only sat down for 10/20 minutes and their animal was ready. I stayed in ARC for a while, speaking to an American whose cats were Quarantined, and most people were out within an hour.

What airport did you fly into!? It didn't seem the ARC at Gatwick was anywhere near the actual airport.

Thank you everyone!  I called them in a tizzy and they said I should plan to be there 2 hours after she lands... That sounds more reasonable.

We have been told to expect 4 to 5 hours for our dogs when they land in Heathrow terminal 4. I got the impression that it just depends on how busy they are at the ARC at the time. We are doing this on October 22nd so I'll let you know.

My dog is flying in on the 17th and will be landing at Terminal 5.  Who knows if the terminal makes any difference, but I will be hoping that 5 hours is a worst case senario!

I flew a few days before or after Ophinky. Same route. I think it was an hour and a half.

What airport did you fly into!? It didn't seem the ARC at Gatwick was anywhere near the actual airport.

Heathrow! It was like a quarter of a mile away? Maybe a bit more.

Yeah, I had to take a cab from the terminal at Heathrow to ARC. You can imagine how thrilled the taxidriver was to pull a quarter mile fare.

Yeah, I had to take a cab from the terminal at Heathrow to ARC. You can imagine how thrilled the taxidriver was to pull a quarter mile fare.

Yeah that's one reason we didn't, I was afraid of the glares we'd get and I hate confrontation and luckily, another pet owner gave us a lift back as we were taking a train to Paddington

I'm a confrontationphobe, too. I tipped the HELL out of him 

If we had taken the cab (and I wish we had, trust me!) I'd have done the same