I think the first two posters were talking about BA's maddening propensity for using remote stands that require a bus from plane to terminal. The good news is that they say all their flights, LH and SH, into T3 now arrive on airbridges, so assuming no fluke exception on the day that eliminates one time suck on this connection. But as others are pointing out security is still likely to be the main bottleneck and at LHR "variable" is the only word you can use for that...

If you are flying J, you will be allowed the fast track security screening. Make sure you don't forget to remove any liquids and have them in a small plastic bag. If you forget, it may cost you 15-20 minutes while they go through everything!

AA do this as well at CDG

(Never encountered the lounge questioning anywhere though)

Had both of these experiences at lhr, and yes, composing yourself is critical. It is maddening to see the emptying of all items of every person. I've seen this with young children to the elderly in wheel chairs with every prescription bottle opened and swiped. And yes, T3 makes T5 look good.

I make this connection regularly several times a year. 70 minutes is pushing it, but definitely possible. They opened a new security screening area recently, which helps a bit.

Like others said, you basically go back to the terminal entrance, go through security (I've had success getting into the Fast Track lanes by showing an elite card, even when flying Economy). After security, you also might have to stop at the AA desk to get an AA boarding pass and answer some of those stupid security questions. After that, it's a bit of a hike to the gate, so allow time for that.

90 minutes is comfortable, with time for a drink in the lounge. 70 minutes is possible, but you have to move quickly.

Even when flying Y, I've always been able to do Fast Track through LHR Flight Connections by showing my EXP card. Yes in theory they should be able to see Emerald on the BP for AA, but the card seems to make it go faster.

Don't waste time at the AA connections counter, assuming you have a BP of some kind for your AA flight. Go directly to the gate where you will be shunted into a security interview and AA will probably reprint your BP.

Haven't seen any AA security screeners at the entrance door of the LHR AC in recent months. But they're everywhere else.

*****

Yes of course it's possible.

I did DUB-LHR-ORD in December which was BA T5 to AA T3. The AA transfer counter process was security questions by ICTS, and then reprinting boarding passes I already had.

When I got to the gate, more ICTS people were doing security interviews, so I could've easily skipped the desk. It's before security, and as per the stories further above, you really can't risk wasting time at the AA counter if a 30-minute game of security theatre will kill your connection.

Anything under 120 minutes to connect at LHR is uncomfortable. It's nice to have the F lounge access, but you'll never likely have time to use it. Heathrow really is my least favorite aspect of AA/OW TATL.

LHR does have the "theater" of security mastered. Most inefficient process I've encountered. If there is something "unknown" in your bag, your entire bag is unpacked piece-by-piece, rather than finding the one item pulling it out, re-scanning your bag. In my case it was an 8-once tin of cashews. :rolleyes:

Please see the wikipost in the existing thread, where your query has been merged. There's a link to a very easy to use tool for LHR connections. /Moderator

Things have changed, although not sure how recently. There is now a room/set of counters prior to security where one must get a BP to be able to go through security (used to be that no BP was required for this and one could go to the desk after to get it). If one has a valid BP, of course, no need to stop in the room.

If getting the BP there, they also ask the questions.

The new area has moved and now lets out much closer to the lounges and gates than previously. The hike is quite a bit shorter and does not involve going through the shops.

The connections counter that used to be after security often had a short line and we would stop there to avoid doing it at the gate. Failing that, we pop into the AC to answer the questions there. This way we can go to the gate just to board and not be shunted aside.

Cheers.

Worried about a late arrival and early departure at Heathrow this summer; get a hotel or spend a night in a terminal, customs & passport control, restaurants closing down, transportation buses/trains shut down, etc.... I fear my wife and I will be sleeping in Terminal 3 until 5 AM when buses/trains start running again.

We arrive on a late Saturday night, 10:45 PM from Chicago on American Airlines #90 (Terminal 3).
We leave next day, Sunday morning at 7:00 AM from Heathrow on British Airways #638 (Terminal 5).

Any advice would be appreciated.

You cannot get into Terminal 5 until the morning of your flight. Security opens about 5.30 am.

You are not supposed to go into the "wrong" terminal so sleeping in Terminal 3 would be discouraged (if it's even still possible?).

Therefore you might end up stuck outside next to the check in counters for 7 hours—rather unpleasant!

I advise you get a hotel room near Terminal 5.

LAST thing I want would be to slum around an airport for 8 hours after a torturous flight overseas.

land, get bag, clear customs- take the train from the terminal to T5/Sofitel. Asleep by 11:30, get 5-6 hrs and a shower!

The Sofitel is great- it is an easy walk to T5 in the AM, all connected. It can be pricey but a Saturday night is usually less by quite a bit than a weekday (business travelers). Keep searching and see if they drop prices- dont buy non-refundable unless you are sure it really IS a deal. Some consolidators offer sofitel on occasion. I usually spend US$150-300 for a weekday night, plus or minus over the last 3 years.

For me a few more $$ is worth not having to take the hotel shuttle (Hoppa?) as it adds a time uncertainty for me and cuts an extra 30+ minutes out of bed-time. Plus I like the sofitel and the restaurant.

Yes I've done that too when I have sufficient time to visit the club. But if the connection is tight, it's straight to the gate.

Agree on both points!

I'm not entirely clear on what is being recommended in the more recent posts on transfer.

What is the preferred way to go from T5 to T3 without excessive time and security annoyance, if travelling in a premium cabin, having printed BPs through OLCI?

The last time I went through flight connections there was no way to avoid the questioning security types at the desks.

You will be questioned. The only variable is where... at the T3 transfer counter when you get off the bus, or at the Admirals Club, or at the gate, or at check-in if you decide to go landside through UKBA and then reenter.

People arriving BA at the satellite T5B and T5C should note that they can catch the T3 bus from the satellites without having to go all the way to T5 main.

How do you avoid being questioned at the transfer counter?

A few months ago, the security types stopped us as we walked past the counters (this was T3-T3 and we already had BPs). In prior transits, we could just walk through if we already had BPs.

So I screwed up. I purchased a J class ticket on the super sale late last year to fly US-LHR arriving at 6:20 am, and then a cheapie onward ticket on BA intra-Europe departing at 7am. I clicked on the wrong time, and didn't notice it until a month later.

Is it even possible to do T3-T5 in ~40 minutes?

Secondarily, there's another flight at 8:50. When I inevitably miss my connection, will BA let me on the 8:50 flight as a standby, or will I be charged for a walkup fare? I'm trying to decide if I need to just bite the bullet and buy a new ticket.

According to the last post in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...isconnect.html
"BA has no policy to provide protection on separate tickets and indeed states that there is no protection".

You might find a kindly agent, but if the problem is too short a connection time rather than a BA delay they might not be too sympathetic.

C'est impossible. BA will proactively offload you if you are not airside in T5 at T-35 minutes.

If AA 100 arrives 30 minutes early, maybe.

When we went through last month, we were not issued BPs in OTP, so we did have to stop in that room for BPs and questions. I saw people in the hall walk by, however, presumably by saying that they had BPs. May be a policy shift/clarity, or individual "initiative" at work.

Cheers.

That's often the problem with any attempt at planning in connection with air travel. Research, find the best course and then learn that policy has changed or personnel are making things up there's individual "initiative" at work.

Your chances of that working are just about zero. Your flight won't be allowed to land before 06:00 because there's a hard limit to the number of flights that can land at LHR before 06:00 due to noise control regs, and all the slots are already used. You need to get your BP scanned at the entrance to T5 security by 06:25 or you will be offloaded. Even on a T5-T5 connection your chances of making that work are very poor indeed; from T3 it just isn't happening.

BA does not offer standby and when you miss your flight it will be a new walkup fare unless the agent takes pity on you. Best to get your ticket changed now; if your onward BA ticket is in economy, it's changeable usually for £60 plus fare difference. If it's cheapest business, you're boned. Doubly boned if you booked a roundtrip, as when you no-show for the LHR-XXX your return leg will be auto-cancelled.

Generally not. Today, though, we probably set a personal record. We disembarked at 11:35 (would have been 11:25 except for 10 minutes of futzing with the jetbridge) and were through a very short T5 security queue at 11:59. 24 minutes.

Don't count on it :)

Cheers.

Hello, after reading through many posts in this thread, I'm trying to confirm how a T3 (American Airlines) to T5 (British Airways) connection works when I've purchased the flight from Miami to London, and then separately purchased the British Airways flight from London to Paris.

I arrive at 8:40AM at T3 in London. I have a 1:05PM from T5 to Paris. So, 4 h 25 minutes to go from one to the other. Unless forced, I will not have any checked luggage (all within measurements, and have premium economy w/ early boarding so will have overheard space I hope).

Can I use the Flight Connection bus? (And does the answer change if they force me to check some of my luggage?) I've read on another travel website that since I bought a separate ticket that I cannot use the Flight Connection buses, but instead have to clear immigration, go to T5, and re-enter. I understand the Flight Connection buses saves having to clear immigration.

If I check in and print boarding pass to London and boarding pass to Paris in US, do I need to stop at a BA counter and reprint boarding pass from the Paris ticket and get a sticker before I go to the gate? A couple posts ago...it seems to be no. I can do any security questions at the gate, but I'd like to confirm.

I thought ~4.5 hours would be fine even if I had to go out through immigration and come back in...but I then read 5-6 hours is recommended for that.

Thanks.

This is ample time. Like more than ample. Unless your inbound is heavily delayed, you'll be fine, and even if it is BA will move you to a later Paris flight.

You heard incorrectly: you will have no problems following the purple Flight Connections signs and making your way to Terminal 5 that way.

You have 3 options for the boarding pass, in the order of ease:

1. Check in online and either print your own BA boarding pass or use their mobile boarding pass.
2. When you check in with AA, advise them that you bought a separate BA ticket and ask the agent if he/she can check you in for that flight too. AA should be able to do this, but not all agents are trained on how.
3. If all else fails, take the Flight Connections bus to T5, and once you arrive, before you approach conformance (a BP scan) and security, you'll find a BA service area–the kind folks there can print your BP if you've not been able to check in up to this point.

BA will have no special security questions for you, you'll board as normal, just have your passport available when your BP is scanned at the gate. As mentioned above, 4.5 hours is bucketloads of time at LHR, you will have plenty of time to kill. The only way this isn't the case is if your inbound is delayed, and that could affect you no matter how long you plan for the connection to be.

moogsonskates, You have ample connection time, and very good advice from Microwave.

Just follow the Flight Connections signs.

Get your BA bp asap, whatever that means in practice: online yourself, AA check-in agent in MIA, some BA/transfer desk at LHR etc. However tis is just a matter of convenience, not a do or die deal.

In practice, your greatest time-waster is likely to be the T5 security line if you forget to separate some toothpaste or shampoo or mouthwash bottle from the carry-on. Take care of that, and you'll be fine. :)

We just came through yesterday, so I can provide some updated information here. The first point is that one cannot answer questions in the AC. The check-in folks can't do it, and the security person who used to be at the podium is no longer there. I explicitly asked at the desk and was told that it is no longer an option.

One can go into the room prior to the security checkpoint, but there generally seems to a line. if you have a boarding pass, just keep walking past the folks trying to draw you in. The sticker is not necessary for security. Just keep walking.

After security is another transfer desk where one could do this. It also had a line yesterday, so we opted for the AC (under the impression that that still worked).

So, we were down to the gate. We did not get there particularly early. Prior to going to the GA desk, there were security people out front to look for stickers. There was no one else coming in, and we were done in about 15 seconds.

Going forward, we will:

1. Look into the little room to see if there are short/non-existent lines and use that if so.

2. Look at the after-security transfer desk to see if they have a short line.


3. Do it at the gate. Given that so many people are snared by the first two locations, this seems (granted, n of 1), very short.

Not completely correct. They do stop at T5B, but not at T5C.

Cheers.

Aye, but you may walk or take the train from 5C to 5B, get off and then catch the bus. It'll shave off ten minutes or so, and you'll be at the front of the queue (no one else will get on the bus there).

See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22770027-post2.html for a detailed guide

It's fine but you have not noticed that he has two seperate tickets so unless his baggage is checked through at his start destination he will have to collect and go landside for a transfer. I sugsest that he tries initially to have the bags checked to Paris and then determine if he can use the airside transfer. Even saying that with the time between flights there should be no problem either way.

Those residing in glass houses should not throw stones ;)

FWIW, I'm told that the security staff are gone from the lounges and won't be coming back in the foreseeable future, so people who are transferring at LHR are well advised to answer the questions at the transfer area if it's not too busy, else to arrive at the gate with enough time to answer them before boarding is called.

When I transferred at LHR in December (a rarity for me), the desks after security were bereft of AA personnel and signage, while the new area was as you mentioned quite busy. I wonder why AA have both places populated, and whether it's only some of the time? In fact... I wonder why they moved at all, since there was nothing inherently wrong with the old setup? Oy.

Even if the poster did have checked bags, there's absolutely no reason whatsoever not to check them through to Paris. It's easy for AA to do, and well within policy to expect it to be done, so checking bags through to London only would add a huge helping of wasted time onto this transfer.

*****

So I have a flight in late September RDU-LHR-NCE. I have a 2 hour and 20 min layover which I'm starting to think might not be enough. I can look into the possibility of being booked on a later connecting flight if that's really necessary.

My question is, if I miss my flight, how do I get on the next one? There is one another 3 hours later if necessary. Can I just go to the gate and ask to be put on the flight? Is there a customer service desk for BA that I could go to? Would it be better to make a phone call from my US phone to UK BA customer service?

Coming back I have a 3 hour layover which seems like enough.

2 hrs and 20 minutes is a good connection time at LHR, MCT is 90 minutes so you are well above.

If for some reason you did miss it, it would depend on the reason. If your flight from RDU is extremely late then you likely would be met at the top of the jetway by someone from AA who has already arranged your rebooking or is there to help you get rebooked. If for some reason you messed up getting over to T5 (you won't) and didn't make it to the beginning of security by T-35 then you would be stopped going through security and directed to a BA customer service desk to rebook. If somehow you made it to the gate at T5 and still missed the flight, again you will be redirected to a BA customer service desk to rebook.

Thanks. I am not used to that level of customer service for something like a missed connection. I normally fly United, sometimes in front, often in back. I don't remember United ever doing that for me, someone with no current status.

It's not guaranteed to happen but this express connect service is pretty standard at least for AA international flights and also BA I believe. If for some reason your flight from RDU is that late (unlikely), then look for people holding orange envelopes or signs at the top of the jetbridges. Most likely you won't need it and you won't even see it.