LHR T5 -> T3 delay today
 

Would it be quicker to do T5 to T4 and then T4 to T3? [T4 I believe has fewer flts than either T3 or T5.]
S(n)ide:p comment: reading this post makes me happier that I abandoned AA (and LHR connections) for DL with lots of n/s flts out of JFK.

No. There is no direct airside bus between T5 and T4. You have to take a bus to T2 and then change busses. There can be a very long wait for a bus, the busses often take forever for each stop, and can be very uncomfortable. Just last week I landed in T4 with a connecting flight out of T5. After walking most of T4 to get to the airside bus area, we got in the short line for the T2 bus but as we were waiting a massive crowd came into the line from the side and cut in front of everyone. It took another 15 minutes before the bus arrived, and we all piled in, squeezed in cheek-to-cheek. The bus just sat there for another 15 minutes before the driver came out, and then, seemingly just to torment us, he walked towards the bus but stopped just before getting in and went back to the T5 door to chat with someone. Then he walked back towards the bus, but again, just before stepping in he turned and went back to the T5 door and made hand signs with someone. He did this over and over, with a bus packed full of hot, sweaty people, several stinky. When we finally did get underway, the bus drove a few feet and stopped, at another part of T4, but was too full for anyone else to get in. Still, we waited there for a while, then proceeded on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, careening around the airport to T2, where we all got out and a few of us got in the T5 bus line. Even with the frequent delays in the train between T4 and T3, it would still be quicker or at worst the same but far more comfortable.

Just to add that the lack of direct airside buses from T5 & T3 to T4 is not permanent - albeit I am sure this is not of any comfort to you considering your experience.

The cargo tunnel which is an airside tunnel connecting the central terminal area and T4/cargo is currently closed for refurbishment. This tunnel is used by the airside buses which go to/from T4 to T2/3/5. I am afraid I can't find out when the work is going to be completed by, so if anyone knows that would be useful to know.

The impact to the closure is that the only airside buses running to/from T4 go to T2 - there are no direct airside buses from T4 to T5 or T3. The airside buses take a long and slow overground route now between T4 and T2 which goes around the eastern edge of the southerly runway. If you need to get between T5/3 and T4 you will need to get an airside bus to T2 and change.

Until the cargo tunnel reopens if you have a passport which can be used in the e-passport gates I would strongly recommend taking one of the landside options if going between T5/3 and T4 - so TfL buses, tube, or HEX.

Yeah, I should have mentioned that there used to be direct airside busses. I wasn't aware of the specific reason, but had a general idea that it was some sort of construction project. The fact remains: don't try airside connections between T5 and T4 if you can go groundside fairly easily.

Connecting @ LHR
 

Hello,
I'm planning a trip with my 77 yr old mother.
Will be connecting @ LHR. PRG-LRH-CLT
Flight from PRG-LHR AA 6632 arrives in Terminal 3, and flight leaving LHR-CLT AA 733 also leaves from Term 3.
Will we have to go through security?
Given same terminals, is 2hr connection easily doable? we'll be walking slowly.

Thanks in advance!

2 hours is plenty of time.

You will go through security. Follow the purple signs to flight connections

I concur depending on when you arrive and what the security lines are like but with a lot more people now able to use the automated passport lanes you should have plenty of time to spare. Just be advised it will likely be quite along walk to the gates in T3, you might want to hop a ride on one of the buggies.

There is no passport control on this connection

and you will still have time to stop at one of the lounges...
and remember to take out your liquids..

ALL liquids. And make sure to place it in a clear plastic bag (TSA approved clear bag from Target will work).

Thanks everyone!

This is especially good advice in regard to liquids. About a year ago we were connecting at LHR to BA from AA. My companion keeps a hotel room sized bottle of hand lotion in her jacket pocket, and has done so for years without being stopped, domestically or internationally. On this occasion she was stopped at the security checkpoint in T-5, and was detained for 25 +/- minutes, where her carry on and jacket were given something akin to the TSA’s SSSS treatment.

Fortunately we had ample time, so we were still able to visit the Galleries lounge before boarding our BA flight.

What lounges are open to us at LHR terminal 3? 3 of us are in J on AA metal to DFW. 1 platinum, 1 gold and 1 with no status.

T3 in LHR has AA, BA, CX, QF lounges. CX is the best, make sure to check out noodles bar ( I usually don’t eat noodles but it was really good).
And if you don’t have AA security stamp on your boarding pass - stop by at AA lounge 10 min before you Ned’s time head to the gate.

Much appreciated. Need to learn how to use the advanced search tool.

In my experience, LHR security is the most aggressive in the world at sending bags for secondary screening for anything that looks at all unusual to the X-ray person. My advice is to look at everything you bring to see if anything might possibly seem dense or electronic or potentially sharp or liquidy. For example, packages of wipes (surface, baby, hand, butt), electric razors, electric toothbrushes, charging adapters, battery packs, empty bottles, nail clippers. Put everything like that in a plastic zippy bag, as large as needed (e.g., gallon or 2.5 gallon), and when you get to the security belt, take that bag out along with your liquids bag and all electronic devices larger than a cell phone (laptops, tablets, readers, video players), and put all this in bins. If the belt person asks you what the large bag is, explain that it does not contain liquids but has everything that might look unusual on an X-ray.

In my experience, having anything unusual or electronicy or liquidy or potentially sharp in your bag can cause that bag to get marked for secondary, which is usually a time-consuming and unpleasant process at LHR. There is often a lengthly wait for secondary inspection agents to get to your bag due to the large number of bags being so selected, and depending on the agents and what the issue is, your bag may be slowly and meticulously unpacked, with an agent pawing each and every item (one even stuck her (gloved) fingers into each a boxed piece of chocolate handed out on my flight just before landing), often sending many of them for additional X-ray checks as well. In my own experience, it is well avoided.

Of course, YMMV, and I have had bags zip through LHR security unmolested even with liquids left inside, but far too many times I had bags sent to secondary because of something minor that the X-ray person didn't like the looks of.

Yes I would say the opposite tbh in my experience. I will take my liquids out along with laptop and ipad, but other than that everything remains in the bags and 90% of the time there is no problem. To be honest the remaining 10% of the time it is just a random swab of electronics or liquids anyway. I can't remember the last time I had a bag pulled for a problem inside.

What remains in my bags are laptop cable, wash bag full of cables/adaptors/spare batteries, small power pack (bit bigger than a lighter), small camera (canon M100), and dslr when I have that too. These don't seem to cause an issue.

You described it pretty well! It is absolutely worst airport when it comes to security theater.
I always travel with the same liquids bag and I’ve noticed I never get selected in T3, but most of time I get selected in T5

Any reason given? Sounds very odd it is happening so often to you. I am through T5 very frequently and rarely get bags pulled for secondary.

We can only hope that by 2022 this all will be just a bad memory- from: https://www.theguardian.com/business...-says-heathrow

"Airport security queues could soon be less stressful for Heathrow passengers who should be able to keep liquids and laptops in their hand baggage when new 3D scanners are introduced.

Following successful trials of the new equipment, the UK’s biggest airport plans to spend £50m on new scanners across its four terminals by 2022."

They have had one on trial in T2 for a while. Will be great when they are rolled out across all terminals. Some may be familiar with the machines from AMS (and some US airports) where they are already being used - absolutely great since everything can just stay in your bags :)

Well what I said only applies when i connect. My liquids bag is staffed to the max since I travel with carry on only. Sometimes my back pack gets searched also because I have a lot of cables there as well for all my devices. If I originate in LHR and go thru fast track (not connecting) I never gotten searched. I’m not sure why this is happening but I tried removing everything etc. seems to be bad luck in T5 flight connections security. Very annoying but nothing i can do

You've quite clearly never been to Manchester (MAN).

Did anyone else notice that they started using the exact same (and same size) gray bins and the whole bin assembly line contraption system (with the dreaded wait-with-bated-breath-during-that-forever-pause-as-you-stare-at-the-bin-before-it’s-flung-over-to-the-secondary-inspection-lane) in US security lines now eg LAX? I swear it must be the same contractor who sets it up

Checking in the previous night at LHR?
 

Flying out of LHR on AA tomorrow morning. Will I be allowed to check in for my flight (and check luggage) this evening, assuming the AA counters are open? Don't think it makes a difference but just in case I'm OW emerald flying business.

TIA ^

No. It’s not an option at LHR.

airport decision rather than individual airlines deciding to offer it or not

Absolute no! On AA....

Thanks for the quick replies! It'll be an early start tomorrow then.

Get to the airport as soon as the counters open
and enjoy the lounge hopping in T 3
board the plane happy and sleep

Check the opening hours on the lounges for Sundays - CX doesn't open until 7.30am on Sundays and QF opens at 8am.

There's no point getting there early to enjoy lounge hopping if half of them are closed.

Flying into LHR for the first time next month on my way back from Asia. I have a 23-hour stopover during which I plan to visit London. Will I have arrival access to any lounges or are arriving international pax sent straight through customs and immigration? Thanks.

Are you in F or J? Do you have status? BA has arrivals lounge in T5 after customs. AA has lounge arrivals lounge in T3.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...19a971b469.png

You will not have access to any of the departures lounges, as yes, you will need to clear immigration and customs for your layover, but if you are flying BA you'll have access to BA Arrivals Lounge if flying J or above or OWE.

If flying CX or QF, here are the rules for access to the AA Arrivals Lounge:

**Flights must be marketed and operated by British Airways or marketed by American and operated by British Airways.

***Flights must be marketed and operated by Qantas, or marketed by British Airways and operated by Qantas.

Thanks for the replies. I'll be AA Plat Pro arriving on a Finnair flight from HEL in J and then departing on a BA flight in Club World to YYZ 23 hours later.

The AY flight is what counts and you should have stated that right from the outset.

You won’t have AA arrival lounge access as you aren’t arriving into LHR off a long haul flight operated by BA/AA/CX or QF but off a Short Haul operated by AY

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...als-lounge.jsp

Your next day departure in J on BA will only get departures lounge access on the day you depart to Toronto

There is a land side pay to enter plaza premium lounge that has showers.

Anyone have an update when the Flagship remodel will be completed?

I'll have 2 hours and 35 minutes to hop from T3 to T5. What are the chances of being able to enjoy a quick shower in a BA T5 lounge? I'll be traveling in J over there.