FlyerTalk Forums

FlyerTalk Forums (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/index.php)
-   American Airlines | AAdvantage (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage-733/)
-   -   GUIDE: LHR / London Heathrow, Connection, MCT inc. AA T3 <--> BA/IB T5 (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage/1321109-guide-lhr-london-heathrow-connection-mct-inc-aa-t3-ba-ib-t5.html)

ijgordon Feb 5, 2018 7:51 am

Agree that BA is very inflexible when you miss a flight.
My husband was connecting LHR-GLA (same ticket), stayed a few minutes too long in the lounge, and then went to the wrong gate. There was an earlier delayed GLA flight that he went to instead -- easy enough mistake when you're jetlagged. A couple other pax did the same. No pity from BA - had to buy a new ticket and since it was the last flight of the evening, had to pay for a hotel.

Also agree that you're probably 50/50 on the connection. Everything has to go well, including timing of the HEX. I would strong advise you to avoid checking a bag. That probably increases the likelihood of success to 90%+. (1h30m is usually plenty when you can take the airside bus).

I would add that if the AA flight from LHR is delayed, I *think* their policy is to protect you for travel on other OneWorld carriers, even if it's ticketed separately (and even though they won't check bags through). If so, this all might be moot. Am I wrong on this?

SCEflyer Feb 6, 2018 4:57 am

My wife and I will be arriving into LHR T-3 on AA 106 from JFK, on February 15, at 7:50 AM. We are then scheduled to connect with BA 450 to PMI (Palma) at 10:15 AM. We will be travelling in J and are on the same PNR. It appears that the MCT for connecting to T-5 for our connection is 1:30.

I will be appreciative if someone would let me know if there are any potential pitfalls here, based on AA 106 arriving as scheduled.

Also, our PNR covers four flights (AVL/CLT/JFK/LHR/PMI), with the first three being on AA. We will each need to check one bag, and I would like to confirm that we will be able to check the baggage through to PMI, when we check-in at AVL. Will we also be able to obtain boarding passes for all flights in AVL? The scheduled elapsed time between our departure from AVL to the departure time for BA 450 will be well < 24 hours.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

KARFA Feb 6, 2018 5:44 am


Originally Posted by SCEflyer (Post 29385084)
My wife and I will be arriving into LHR T-3 on AA 106 from JFK, on February 15, at 7:50 AM. We are then scheduled to connect with BA 450 to PMI (Palma) at 10:15 AM. We will be travelling in J and are on the same PNR. It appears that the MCT for connecting to T-5 for our connection is 1:30.

I will be appreciative if someone would let me know if there are any potential pitfalls here, based on AA 106 arriving as scheduled.

Also, our PNR covers four flights (AVL/CLT/JFK/LHR/PMI), with the first three being on AA. We will each need to check one bag, and I would like to confirm that we will be able to check the baggage through to PMI, when we check-in at AVL. Will we also be able to obtain boarding passes for all flights in AVL? The scheduled elapsed time between our departure from AVL to the departure time for BA 450 will be well < 24 hours.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Yes, MCT is 1.5hrs for your connection at LHR so you are well over that. You follow the signs for flight connections T2/4/5 and when you get to the airside buses take the one for T5. There will be no immigration to do at any point. When you get to T5 you follow the signs for international connections and then up to security. As you are in J, in T5 you can use the Galleries Club lounges, there is one each end of T5A, and another in T5B. There are showers for each of the Galleries Club lounges if you want to freshen up a bit. Have a look at the guide for T5 connections, there is a section on arriving at T2/3/4 and connecting to a T5 flight - see post 9, and also you can see the details of where you will go in T5.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...ng-lhr-t5.html

As this is one ticket AA should check your bag all the way through to PMI - there is no requirement for you to pick it up at LHR and it would be transferred from your AA flight to the BA LHR-PMI flight. I can't why AA wouldn't be able to issue all bps to PMI. However, if for some reason they can't issue the LHR-PMI bp it isn't critical. Your bag will still be checked through anyway, and all it will mean when you get to T5 you will need to stop off at a BA customer service desk in the flight connections centre to collect a bp. You do not need to show a bp when you board the airside buses at T3.

As an alternative should you wish to use the AA arrivals lounge you can go through immigration at T3 and use the lounge - get a fast track voucher from your AA flight so you can use the fast track immigration. When you have finished you can take the HEX or tube to T5, The tube service interval is between 8-12 minutes and HEX is every 15 minutes. The tube requires a card to check in and out and this can be either an oyster card or contactless credit/debit card although I think US cards sometimes don't work. Even though you check in and out for inter-terminal transfers you will not be charged as they are free. The HEX requires no cards to use and is also free between terminals. The HEX station is much close to T3 arrivals but the HEX is less frequent and departs from the central station for T5 at 10/25/40/55 past the hour. Once you get to T5 get the lift as that will take you all the way up to departures floor and go through security. North and south security both have fast track lanes but I find north fast track can be quieter. Make sure you get to security in T5 no later than 35 minutes before your flight - T5 operates a system called conformance which means you need to be marked as ‘Ready to Fly’ at 35 minutes before your flight and if you do not meet conformance you will very likely be denied to travel. You are marked as ‘Ready to Fly’ and deemed to meet conformance when you first have your boarding pass checked at the entry gates on the departures floor for north/south security. Going landside will not affect your bags being checked through.

Hope that helps

SCEflyer Feb 6, 2018 7:48 am

KARFA,

Thank you for such a comprehensive response.

berkeleysquirrel Feb 7, 2018 12:18 am

Thanks everyone for the advice, and thanks KARFA for the very well detailed response! I'm just going to change my LHR-EDI flight to a later flight since the Avios change fees are minimal compared to changing the destination of the AA award, and now I know better for next time.

Ldnn1 Feb 7, 2018 1:01 am


Originally Posted by berkeleysquirrel (Post 29388724)
Thanks everyone for the advice, and thanks KARFA for the very well detailed response! I'm just going to change my LHR-EDI flight to a later flight since the Avios change fees are minimal compared to changing the destination of the AA award, and now I know better for next time.

Don’t pay the avios change fee. Just book the new flight and cancel the existing one. That way you only forfeit the £17.50 you’ve paid so far - the change fee is double that.

TechflyerinCT Feb 10, 2018 6:47 am

American or British through Heathrow
 
Hello there! Great community this is!

I've been a United flyer for a number of years but owing to corporate contracts we are now on American which sucks as our partner firm in Europe is in Germany.

I am flying to and from Munich next month and need to decide between American through Heathrow or British through Heathrow. I hear moving from terminal 5 to 3 is beyond annoying.

Any advantage to staying on American versus British? Lounges at JFK or Heathrow better on one? How about inflight - American 777-2 versus British 747.

Through flying and corporate agreement I am platinum.

how I will miss the Senator Lounges.!

The _Banking_Scot Feb 10, 2018 6:57 am


Originally Posted by TechflyerinCT (Post 29401190)
Hello there! Great community this is!

I've been a United flyer for a number of years but owing to corporate contracts we are now on American which sucks as our partner firm in Europe is in Germany.

I am flying to and from Munich next month and need to decide between American through Heathrow or British through Heathrow. I hear moving from terminal 5 to 3 is beyond annoying.

Any advantage to staying on American versus British? Lounges at JFK or Heathrow better on one? How about inflight - American 777-2 versus British 747.

Through flying and corporate agreement I am platinum.

how I will miss the Senator Lounges.!


Hi,

Welcome to flyertalk TechflyerinCT!

What Cabin are you travelling in ( is it from JFK?)

If in business and using your ( AA Platinum status?) you might be able to get a upper deck seat on BA in the 747 which is very good ( although I understand there can be aircraft swaps between the 747-400 and 777)

The T5-T3 transfer at LHR can be a bit of a pain but generally is not too bad ( be prepared to stand on the bus and you will be clearing security when you reach the other terminal) but you wolud have to clear security each way if you had a T5 T5 connection on BA)

Regards

TBS

kpfleming Feb 10, 2018 7:00 am

I just flew JFK-LHR-BRU about a week ago, transiting from AA to BA and T3 to T5. The transit was easy, there are dedicated buses which allow you to stay 'airside' the whole way, although you will have to go through a security scan along the way (but not through the border). While I haven't done the reverse in quite a while, I remember the experience being pretty similar.

Comparing equipment will require knowing the cabin/class you plan to fly in; if you are flying in J, I'd suggest that that AA 777s are better than the BA 747s, but that's only because I really don't like the Club World seats. If you can fly on an AA 777-300 instead of a 777-200, you'll have an even better seat, but the -200s are OK (I had one each on this trip).

JJeffrey Feb 10, 2018 7:19 am

Why not fly through PHL and take the nonstop straight to MUC and avoid LHR all together?

UKtravelbear Feb 10, 2018 7:19 am

British Airways (never shortened to just 'British') Munich flights depart from T5.

As you are starting at JFK if you fly BA you will be able to do a T5-T5 transit which is simple and involves a passport check (not immigration) and security.

If you fly AA in to T3 you are still going to have to get from T3 to T5

TechflyerinCT Feb 10, 2018 7:22 am

Unfortunately it looks like it will be in coach.

I live in New Haven so going to Philadelphia is not the best option.

dave_261 Feb 10, 2018 7:26 am


Originally Posted by TechflyerinCT (Post 29401288)
Unfortunately it looks like it will be in coach.

I live in New Haven so going to Philadelphia is not the best option.

Doesn't AA fly New Haven-PHL? If so, you could hop on that and then take the PHL-MUC non-stop.

DataPlumber Feb 10, 2018 7:28 am


Originally Posted by TechflyerinCT (Post 29401190)
Hello there! Great community this is!

I've been a United flyer for a number of years but owing to corporate contracts we are now on American which sucks as our partner firm in Europe is in Germany.

I am flying to and from Munich next month and need to decide between American through Heathrow or British through Heathrow. I hear moving from terminal 5 to 3 is beyond annoying.

Any advantage to staying on American versus British? Lounges at JFK or Heathrow better on one? How about inflight - American 777-2 versus British 747.

Through flying and corporate agreement I am platinum.

how I will miss the Senator Lounges.!

T5 connections (BA to BA) are a breeze versus busing between terminals. The only difference is if you fly AA to BA you might be able to get a better Y seat on the TATL leg.

TechflyerinCT Feb 10, 2018 7:55 am

I looked at Philadelphia but the connection time is almost five hours. Plus colleagues have a preference for JFK.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:56 pm.


This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.