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ARCHIVE: BA T5 <-> AA T3 transfer /connection at LHR / Heathrow

ARCHIVE: BA T5 <-> AA T3 transfer /connection at LHR / Heathrow

 
Old Aug 1, 2010, 10:30 pm
  #256  
 
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Yes, you do not clear immigration if you stay airside. There will be another security check at T5.
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Old Aug 3, 2010, 6:03 pm
  #257  
 
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Originally Posted by Hyperacusis
Yes, you do not clear immigration if you stay airside. There will be another security check at T5.
Hi, I will be landing at T3 and have to depart by T5. But there will be a 9 hour layover in between. I thought to stop over at T4 and book one of the Yotel rooms to take a nap. Is it possible to stopover at T4 by staying on the "airside" (ie. not clearing immigration) this way?

Never been to LHR so would appreciate your advice. Btw, I am travelling coach.

Thanks.
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Old Aug 3, 2010, 6:38 pm
  #258  
 
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Nope. You will not be allowed to enter T4 airside without an appropriate boarding pass. I am not familiar with the Yotel rooms, and whether they are airside or landside. If they are airside, you are out of luck. And if you do somehow manage to make it airside to T4, you will have trouble getting back landside or transferring to T5.
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Old Aug 4, 2010, 1:06 am
  #259  
 
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The Yotel is landside.

(I am not sure there is such a thing as an airside hotel?)
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Old Aug 4, 2010, 10:55 am
  #260  
 
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Originally Posted by nbevan
The Yotel is landside.

(I am not sure there is such a thing as an airside hotel?)

So all I have to do is pass thru immigration at T3 to go landside, take the HEX to go to T4 and then onto T5 and go through arrival check-in again?

Also if my luggage is to be checked-in all the way to the final destination, will I have to retrieve my luggage when I pass to the landside? Logic tells me no as the airline couldn't possibly know my intention to go landside. Unless it is the rule to retrieve and re-check-in the luggage at Heathrow for all international flights (as was what I have experienced at Chicago airport) anyway..?

Sorry if my questions sound silly.
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Old Aug 14, 2010, 11:30 am
  #261  
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Plans to extend underground T5 train to T3?

Apologies if this has been asked/answered before but I was wondering if anyone knew if BAA/BA/AA/the power that be at LHR would ever consider extending the underground T5 train to T3's gates to better facilitate airside connections without having to use the bus?

Thanks!
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Old Aug 14, 2010, 11:45 am
  #262  
 
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Originally Posted by Long Haul Flyer
So all I have to do is pass thru immigration at T3 to go landside, take the HEX to go to T4 and then onto T5 and go through arrival check-in again?
IIRC it's the "tube" or "underground" that connects T3 - T4 and the HEX that connects T3 - T5.

You'll pass through immigration when you get to T3, take the Tube to T4, then on return take the Tube to T3, connect immediately to the HEX to T5 and then go through the regular departures in T5 as though you were originating in the UK. Hopefully you'll get the boarding pass from LHR to your final destination in Canada.


Originally Posted by Long Haul Flyer
Also if my luggage is to be checked-in all the way to the final destination, will I have to retrieve my luggage when I pass to the landside? Logic tells me no as the airline couldn't possibly know my intention to go landside. Unless it is the rule to retrieve and re-check-in the luggage at Heathrow for all international flights (as was what I have experienced at Chicago airport) anyway..?

If your baggage has been checked to your final destination it won't be put onto the carousel and you wait see it in London.
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Old Aug 15, 2010, 9:51 am
  #263  
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Originally Posted by J.Edward
Apologies if this has been asked/answered before but I was wondering if anyone knew if BAA/BA/AA/the power that be at LHR would ever consider extending the underground T5 train to T3's gates to better facilitate airside connections without having to use the bus?!
It's been mentioned before in this thread over in the BA forum as "speculation":

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...pdates-41.html

but as I just posted in a question there, it seems to me they first have to get T5C (the C set of gates at T5) up and going, and figure out what'll go there, before it makes sense for them to consider extending the train beyond C. How can a train go beyond C if doesn't even go to C yet?

And to me, the bigger upside would be not so much avoiding the bus per se, but avoiding the FCC and its security parade after you get off the bus. (I guess the bus isn't secure enough, and/or comes from too many different places, that they can't trust the security you got somewhere, even though they can when you stay instide the terminal you arrived at.)
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Old Aug 15, 2010, 11:16 am
  #264  
 
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Originally Posted by sdsearch
And to me, the bigger upside would be not so much avoiding the bus per se, but avoiding the FCC and its security parade after you get off the bus. (I guess the bus isn't secure enough, and/or comes from too many different places, that they can't trust the security you got somewhere, even though they can when you stay instide the terminal you arrived at.)
I maybe pessimistic but I don't see the US trusting UK security or vice versa any time soon, let alone the security of some third world country. If they do manage to implement a fixed link from T3 to T5 I would asume you'll have to be re-screened as you leave the plane and before entering the terminal. I think the reason that's done in the FCC at present is it meansthey only need one set of screening equipment and staff.
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Old Aug 15, 2010, 12:42 pm
  #265  
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Originally Posted by sdsearch
It's been mentioned before in this thread over in the BA forum as "speculation":

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...pdates-41.html

but as I just posted in a question there, it seems to me they first have to get T5C (the C set of gates at T5) up and going, and figure out what'll go there, before it makes sense for them to consider extending the train beyond C. How can a train go beyond C if doesn't even go to C yet?

And to me, the bigger upside would be not so much avoiding the bus per se, but avoiding the FCC and its security parade after you get off the bus. (I guess the bus isn't secure enough, and/or comes from too many different places, that they can't trust the security you got somewhere, even though they can when you stay instide the terminal you arrived at.)
Even if there is a train you would still have a security check. T5/T5 connections have a security check so I would assume folks using the proposed train link would too.
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Old Aug 16, 2010, 6:25 pm
  #266  
 
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Originally Posted by TheFlyingFoodie
If you end up having to go landside take a taxi between terminals. I've done this before and it is much faster than the bus BUT tip the driver 20 GBP (or more if they're particularily friendly) since they were likely hoping for a fare into the city. Of course, if you don't have to go landside that's a different story.

P.S. Welcome dawheat. You may hold the record for longest lurker! Oct 2006 to July 2010 first post ^
Thanks FlyingFoodie - I'll likely go this route as I'm not expecting desk agents to bypass their policies (especially to a rival carrier) for me - though my minuscule hope is that they'll have leniency since i have an IATAN card.

And yes, I'm a terrible lurker, but it's a testament to the content in these forums that I've been able to get all my questions answered via previous posts.
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Old Aug 17, 2010, 2:31 am
  #267  
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Originally Posted by bernardd
I maybe pessimistic but I don't see the US trusting UK security or vice versa any time soon, let alone the security of some third world country.
But what about the US trusting German security and vice versa? Two years ago I flew United LAX<->FRA then SAS FRA->Western Norway (in one direction with a stop in CPH, the other a stop in OSL), and never another secuirty check past the initial one at LAX outbound or in Western Norway inbound.

While you may be right about the existince and plans for security at LHR, I think the reason for the difference is that Germany is a Schengen country, as is Norway. But the UK is not a Schengen country, so no connections to/from LHR are Schengen connections. (The only connections that would be "borderless" at LHR are to/from UK domestic flights.) I bet that, rather than "trusting", is the reason that additional security screenings are needed when switching int'l planes in LHR but not when doing the same in FRA.

(This is also probably why my current trip to Norway, which is my thrid, is the first time I've had my passport stamped by Norway, because it's also the first time that I didn't come in through a Schengen country.)

Presumably the same would be the case for OW if you switched at Madrid (since Spain is Schengen) instead of London, with your ultimate destination another Schengen country, but of course AA has way fewer flights to MAD than to LHR, so connections to IB there are way rarer than connections to BA at LHR for most AA FFers.
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Old Aug 18, 2010, 5:12 am
  #268  
 
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Originally Posted by TheFlyingFoodie
If you end up having to go landside take a taxi between terminals. I've done this before and it is much faster than the bus BUT tip the driver 20 GBP (or more if they're particularily friendly) since they were likely hoping for a fare into the city.
A convenient though expensive option, even without the tip.

But cab drivers on short trips from LHR are allowed back to the front of the cab line, so although they moan, they don't deserve an extra tip!
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Old Aug 27, 2010, 7:32 pm
  #269  
 
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LHR BA->AA Connection

I just flew ATH-LHR-JFK.

Arrived to T5 on BA, took the bus to T3, cleared security (x-ray) and then I got to the Airline Desk area. BA TA had given all my boarding passes in ATH. However, there was a sign near the AA desk that said to see an agent.
I went to the First Class line and there were two guys in front of me who where chatting forever with the AA agent. IT was finally my turn, she asked me the usual questions ("has your bag been with you all the time, etc") and put a sticker in my passport. Then, she directed me to the TA. I said "I already have boarding passes". She said, you still have to get your boarding passes issued by AA. So I did. The whole thing took at least 25 mins. At the end, the 2+ hours connecting time I thought were enough to at least check out the famous BA Terraces were not and I just had to proceed directly to my gate.

Now, here is my question: IS there anyway I could have avoided this whole process at the "airlines desk" area since I had boarding passes? Like just skip the AA security questioning/ seeing the TA and proceed directly to the gate or to the AA lounge? Did I really need the "AA issued" boarding pass?
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Old Aug 27, 2010, 8:21 pm
  #270  
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You could have gone to the AA lounge and they would have issued your new boarding pass.
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