How? There is no changing of terminals within T5, it is all one terminal, albeit spread over three buildings.

You cannot easily swap between the airside departures and arrivals streams at T5.

I suppose it depends on what your definition of easy is, but using the train, it's fairly "easy" to leave the secure airside area. With that being said, I don't think someone would easily do that accidentally, unless they tried to take the train to go back to T5A.

Yes using the train is possible and a known route in the FT community, but it is the only non escorted way I can think of. You would have to miss quite a few signs and announcements to do it accidentally.

I would not describe swapping from the departures to arrivals streams as easy to do accidentally.

Indeed I don't know what remedy means by took the wrong elevator. Which elevator?

int-int quess that is why I went thru security.

Yes. All international arrivals at LHR who are connecting onwards go through security whether they connecting to a domestic or another international flight. This is (I believe) a UK government requirement so it is not specific to just LHR.

Not sure I remember myself after a 10' flight from PHX! All I remember was being on the wrong side of the tracks - literally, and finding my way beck up to the gate level outside of security. Might have been the Ambien....

:confused:

I guess it does happen. ;)

Just so we're clear remedy, you're saying that after going through security, you wound up outside of the secure area again?

I didn't say it doesn't happen. I said it is not easy to do accidentally.

I still don't undertsand remedy's explanation. All arriving international pssengers can do is head to T5A and out landside through the border, or to the FCC at T5A (or if dpearting from B or C through the FCC at B pr C) and up to security to go back in to the airside departures area for their next flight, or to the airside transfer bus from T5A or B to T2/3/4. There is no escalator that will lead you from the airside departures area out to landside.

I have an upcoming BA flight that arrives from CDG @ 11AM, then a connecting flight that leaves from T3 at 2:50PM. I was hoping to use the lounge before my connecting flight and I have to re-check luggage. Will I have enough time for this?

As you have bags to collect and recheck you will have to exit through immigration on arrival at T5, collect your bag, go landslide and get to T3 using the Heathrow Express (every 15 mins and no card required) or tube (every 8 mins but requires oyster or contactless card but still free), and then check your bag and go through security. If you arrive on time from CDG you should have some lounge time and can use either the BA or AA lounge.

I'll be subject to this T3->T5 transfer at LHR tomorrow... Not by choice... My ORD-PVG flight went mech. AA seems to be having teething issues with the 787s lately as the NRT flight was massively delayed too for similar reasons and the AKL flight out of LAX last night had mechanical problems delaying the flight.

So I was auto-rebooked tonight via LHR then onto BA to PVG. This was the quickest option for today and kept me in business class all the way to PVG. I land at 1135 then the BA flight departs at 1410.

No checked luggage, so hopefully I'll be be through everything very quick and afford myself some time in the BA F lounge to eat as I have heard the BA J product is not good in general including the food. Many seem to rate BA J below US 3 and the US 3 is not that great to begin with altough they have come a long way in the last couple of years but BA hasn't done anything to up the game.

I find the BA J catering out of LHR to be fine, typically the indian dishes are quite good. I'd put it about on par with AA and the other 2 US carriers, not much better, but not worse really.

BA J wines / champagne are still better than AA/DL/UA though

Awesome this is the exact detail answer I was looking for. We both have contactless French cards, so hopefully they'll work. Thanks for this info!

That is good to know. What about the business class hard product? Easy to sleep for 6-8 hours? Good duvet and pillow(s). Going to need this more than anything. Been a long day since I flew in on a redeye from LAX and my fit bit states I only had 2.25 hours of real sleep :o feeling the effects already.

One thing I am looking forward to is half way decent black tea not the gross Bigelow or Lipton stuff that US carriers serve.