trvlr70

Does anyone know if the British Airways shuttle to T5 is still running. I heard a rumor that even it's been curtailed. I have a tight connection in August.

ords

I've seen the shuttle bus around T5. I just don't know the specifics.

However, the busing date startup is now June 19th and that seems pretty set.

There will be one stop at B1, another at the end of the H concourse and another by K19. UA for some reason only wanted one stop.

It's about a 20 minute trip from B1 to T5, less than that from H and K.

cheltzel

For international arrivals, will you still need to take the ATS to one of the domestic terminals and then re-clear security there? Or will you be able to go back through security at T5 and take the bus?

ords

Yes, at this time it's just DOM>INTL. I'm not sure how you could run a INTL>DOM busing operation as you clear out landside from the customs hall.

This will be summer seasonal only and between 1400-2200 to start.

cheltzel

I was assuming it would only be DOM->INTL but just wanted to make sure.

Thanks!

linglingfool

Sounds like it will be a long walk for the Eagle customers who previously picked up the shuttle at the end of G to get over to BA.

Will you be able to board the shuttle in T5 and take it to T1/T3? I think there are a lot of Priority Pass cardholders who would avail themselves of the (subpar) lounge options in T5 if they were able to get back to their gates on AA/UA.

cheltzel

That's what I asked ords just upstream. He indicated it was only one way, form the domestic terminals to T5. To get back to the domestic terminals you will have to ride the ATS and re-clear security.

linglingfool

You can be airside in T5 departures without being considered an international pax, since you haven't cleared any outbound immigration/customs. In the past, I know there were some domestic flights that left from T5, so in theory you could arrive T5 airside without needing to clear USCBP and transit back to T1/2/3. I don't know if any of those still exist, but not sure why the shuttle wouldn't be able to pick people up from the departures lounge at T5.

I agree that an actual post-customs transfer would be more or less logistically impossible (and I think int'l pax are probably required to be rescreened anyway).

ords

I've written down a few notes from this thread and going to ask the PM about it. I know for now not even badged employees (outside of the escort) will be able to access the bus. UA/AA have their own employee shuttle anyway.

Everyone's in agreement, it will be useful but there will be learning pains the first week or two and adjustments will be made.

ords

A quick update and correction. T3 Stops will be at the end of G (G17) and K (K20), not H and K as I had posted up thread. Also, DL is now interested with this after seeing the presentation. For right now, you'll see it start with T1/T3 and if it's doable for T2, you'll see T2 added. UA will still be at B1.

June 19th seems to be holding. Signage will start to be placed within both Terminals, it will also be on the CDA website, Twitter and other social media content.

This is seasonal to start but end goal is year around.

I asked about reverse for those that already have cleared at T5 and perhaps wanting to go over to Domestics. That's totally off the table for now.

cheltzel

Do you have any idea if BA will continue its T3/T5 shuttle if this becomes permanent?

ords

For now they'll be some overlap, but the goal for the summer season is to operate only this service. It was asked what happens during the winter when this goes away and that will be up to BA and QR to decide to operate or not.

fairviewroad

I'm pretty sure those don't exist anymore. When the hilariously-badly-named USA3000 Airlines existed, I'm pretty sure they used T5 for their Florida flights.

According to this website, there are no domestic flights arriving at T5 today. However, there are a handful of flights from pre-clearance airports such as DUB and AUH. But even in those cases, passengers would have to re-clear security in ORD, so I assume they're dumped out landside at T5.

EDIT to add: Actually, I'm not sure about the need to re-clear security from overseas pre-clearance airports. Come to think of it, when I pre-clear in Canada, I don't have to clear security again in the states. I'm not sure whether that's the case for the overseas version of pre-clearance. I only used that once (in SNN) and that was more than a decade ago, and I can't remember if I went through security again once I got to BOS.

cheltzel

All of my pre-clearance flights were on US domestic carriers and we landed at one of the domestic terminals as if it was a US domestic connection. So there would be to additional security for connecting flights. But if you land at T5 from a pre-clearance airport, how could you connect without having to go through security?

fairviewroad

Well, I think that's part of the question up-thread about the shuttle. The idea that maybe those folks could connect to domestic flights in the other terminals by taking the shuttle. (Though it appears that's not on the table right now.)

But without the shuttle, I guess the only option to connect without re-clearing security would be on the off-chance that you'd be connecting to another outbound international flight from T5. Unlikely, but possible.

To make that happen, the gate would need to be configured to let the arriving passengers into the sterile area. I assume this is possible logistically, but whether it's currently done that way, I don't know.