DXBtraveller1987

I had a poor experience with the personal shopper, would this still work as I want to go to T3 but both my BA flights are T5 and shop at my own pace:

"There is a workaround though if you want to do a (significant) amount of shopping. As described in this FlyerTalk thread at the end, Heathrow provides a Personal Shopper service. If you contact them in advance about it, they can apparently arrange for the item to be brought to another terminal so you can look at it and purchase. Apparently, if you have a lot of time, and it's quiet, they might be able to arrange a transfer, but that part isn't guaranteed.
That looks to be your only way. Well, other than booking a fully refundable (check the T&C closely!) ticket out of T3, follow flight connections to T3 for that, shop, go online and cancel the ticket, ask customer services in T3 to "land" you, follow flight connections back to T5 on your onward boarding pass, then collapse in a heap on your return...!"

UKtravelbear

what it is that you want that is available in T3 that isn't available in T5?

BA6501

It is a hassle, but it is doable.
You do not need to be escorted out of T3, there is a path to the exit from the departure hall (I believe towards gates 21+).

DXBtraveller1987

Well for starters Bvlgari and Missoni. I have six hours in between BA flights in CW so plenty of time.

DXBtraveller1987

Thanks, I would want to get back to T5, I assume after ticket is cancelled I would just go back through flight connections showing my onward T5 boarding pass.

BA6501

Are you connecting between two BA flights?

If so, upon arriving at T5, take the transfer bus from either T5A or T5B to Terminal 3. Scan your T3 departing boarding pass at FCC Security. Make sure you do not scan your T5 boarding pass. Clear Security and go shopping.

When you are done, follow the signs for Arrivals which start appearing near the gate 21+ pier if I am not mistaken. You will take the bus back to Terminal 5 where you will scan your T5 onward boarding pass (this should be the first time you scan it). Go to the lounge and call BA to refund your T3 departure.

To be comfortable you should leave T3 at the latest 2 hours before your flight from T5.

corporate-wage-slave

I think it can be easier than the above, you don't absolutely need at T3 boarding pass since you are allowed to access the T3 paid-for third party lounges even if flying elsewhere, and HAL have gone to some effort advertising this facility. So you can just say you are going to Club Aspire. Furthermore I'm almost certain that if you simply turn up at T3 and say you are shopping before returing to T5 then that's fine too, though I haven't tried it myself or seen it happen. You won't be able to use Fast Track security at T3, they have to send bills to different airlines so they do need a valid boarding pass there.

For the return to T5, what you need to do in T3 is when you are ready to return, go to the Lounges area, head for Lounge H (which is AA Admirals Club) then there you will see the purple sign for Flight Connections re-advertised. Just follow it around in the usual way to get to T5. Though 2 hours is indeed sensible, the bus trip actually takes 12 minutes and the service frequency is 6 minutes. MCT T3 to T5 is 90 minutes, and T5 conformance is in broad terms 35 minutes. So putting this together, 90 minutes should be more than adequate.

One recent change, and where personal shoppers is definitely a help, is that they can now get you access to T5 when travelling elsewhere, but you do need to be accompanied for this and you're probably buying something of significant value. It is being used to get to Louis Vuitton, for example.

El_Duderito

I had to problem getting into T3 without a boarding pass through the bus connection/security hallway. I told them that I needed to talk to somebody at the Cathay transfer desk (which is behind the checkpoint).
I've also seen people arrive there without a connecting boarding pass. If that was an issue they would have the transfer center before the checkpoint.

Development

Interesting-- so could.a lassenger with a BA flight departing T5 use the T3 one world lounges if they were eligible? I see no reason on long layover not to go and use the new Cathay Pacific lounge for example.

irishguy28

The lounges would be well within their rights to refuse admission when you are not actually departing from that terminal.

If only to ensure that you don't miss your flight.

PS: no need to quote entire messages when you reply. Please edit so that only the relevant part is shown again.

corporate-wage-slave

There's a difference between being allowed through the pre-security check and the various admission criterias for the different lounges, and HAL aren't employed to enforce these criteria. So while you would get admission into T3, I can't see you getting admission to the CX lounges, the list of airports served from T3 is actually quite small and the CX agent will simply send you on to the appropriate terminal. I guess the exception may be the paid-for Admiral Club membership but that's pretty much a Third Party lounge style offering.

DXBtraveller1987

Just to update, it took maybe 30 minutes to go from T5 to T3 and vice versa. Absolutely no issues. In fact I also paid a brief visit to the new CX lounge after shopping and was granted entry without issue. Shopping was good in T3 and the new CX lounge seems to be the one to beat. The BA T5 galleries lounges are overcrowded and dirty. The advertisement center on the galleries terrace is appalling -sad to see BA lounges fall so far I used to rank them as some of the best.