GUIDE: LHR / London Heathrow, Connection, MCT inc. AA T3 <--> BA/IB T5
 

After arriving at T3 by bus, you now have to go up two escalators, walk quite a distance, and go down an escalator to get to flight connections. I don't remember it being quite so circuitous in the past. Has it changed in the last few years?

Also, my flight to JFK today is leaving from 24A, a bus gate. I've never had a bus gate flying AA out of Heathrow before (and I've done it a dozen times or so). Is this new? Temporary?

Yes, a temporary flight connections centre is in place while the old one is being rebuilt.

Bus gates are unfortunate but they happens from time to time.

Checked bag through LHR: BA-AA experiences?
 

So I have a 7 hour connection at LHR in a couple weeks.

ATH-LHR-ORD and the first segment is on BA in J. The downline segment is AA J.

I'm actually tempted to check it at ATH for ATH-LHR-ORD despite multi carriers.

Does anyone have positive experiences at LHR with BA-AA bag transfers (checked through)?

Lots of people have positive experiences checking bags with oneworld carriers through LHR. And a number of people have had multi-day delays recovering their bags when LHR is plagued with OSO in particular.

The likelihood is the will be no problem, but that's far from 100% certainty.

With seven hours you could choose to check through and transfer using Flight Connections, or check baggage to LHR, recover baggage and go landside, trek to Terminal 3 and re-check, pass through security, etc.

It's entirely your choice. If I was doing this I'd check my baggage through. If my baggage is delayed getting home, it's not a major inconvenience for me. Doing the landside baggage dance at LHR is a PITA.

My original plan was to carry the bag on to LHR and then carry it from T5 to T3 landside and check it with AA. Then I realized that this would consume time that I need for my mission during the connection.

I'm trying to escape LHR quickly at 10AM but the bag is an issue unless I check it through. Checking bags violates my MO.....

Yes I have had nothing but positive experiences with baggage handling at LHR (from BA originated trip connecting to AA at LHR). They seem to be very efficient. I would definitely check the bags all the way through to ORD. Otherwise you would need to clear customs at LHR, and then re-check in and go through security all over again. It would be such a hassle and wouldn't give you any more assurance. They should give you a boarding pass at at ATH for the LHR to ORD portion. You could use this to go through security at LHR in case you are leaving the airport during you're 7 hour layover.

I have flown LAX-LHR-DUS DUS-LHR-LAX every year for the past 25 years. A couple of times I've gone to CPH, BRU or AMS instead of DUS. The LAX-LHR flights have been in AA; LHR-Europe in BA.

Only once was my bag not delivered properly at baggage claim. They found it within a day and delivered it to my friend's house in Düsseldorf.

I've had my luggage lost twice in 10 years of flying frequently, both times at LHR on transfers. Both times I got it back the next day, once with damage.

Much better ratio than me!

Well, 90% of the time I don't check bags at all.

Connecting at LHR
 

I am booked from AMS to LHR and connecting on to CLT. The schedule has changed and the layover went from over 2 hours to 15 minutes. Knowing that the 15 minutes won't work, the next best schedule will allow for a 90 minutes connection. I'll be flying BA from AMS to LHR, arriving at Terminal 5, and them departing on an AA flight from Terminal 3. Will the 90 minutes be enough time for a connection at LHR? I've flown through LHR in the past where we had a one hour wait for a gate - more than once!

Yes thats enough time.

T3 > T5 / No Bags / Separate Ticket
 

So after reading the 30 pages in this very helpful thread, can someone please tell me if I have this correct?

I am a US citizen, transferring from an international flight (that arrives from the USA into LHR T3 at 650am) to a within-UK flight (that departs from LHR T5 at 955am), on separate unprotected tickets, with no checked bags, and with a boarding pass.

I do NOT have to go through Passport Control at T3, exit T3, take the underground to T5, go through security, and proceed to the gate?

Instead, I transfer airside, follow the purple Flight Connection signs, go from from T3 to T5 via the free connections bus, go through passport control and security, and proceed to the gate, all at T5.

I am trying to make travel plans and make good decisions. Thanks!

Proposed Itinerary Details
> Fly from Raleigh Durham USA on AA to LHR. Arrive at T3 at 650am. No checked bags.

> Fly from LHR T5 on BA on a separate unprotected ticket at 950am. No checked bags.

I wouldn't be so quick with the 'yes'.

90 mins is MCT for a T5-T3 transfer and yes, if all is on schedule it is just enough time, but if there is any delay at any point then no, the flight will be missed.