Flying Redhead

I'm scheduled to arrive at Heathrow on American at 9:00am next Friday and scheduled to depart for Russia on a BA flight at 11:05. I looked on Heathrows website and that shows that I should arrive at T3 and depart from T5 and said 90 minutes was the minimum time.

It's been quite awhile since I transferred through Heathrow and I can't remember for sure, do I have to go through security to change terminals?? I don't think I remember doing that.

I would have liked a bit longer time but this was my best option when I bought the ticket (and still is). However now I'm hearing lovely stories about extra long queues due to thoughts of exploding breast implants. I'm planning to travel carryon only, if I have to go through security would I get through significantly faster if I checked my bag? I can't really get there any earlier and this is the last useful flight of the day.

Thanks for any help and advice!

cornishsimon

Hi

One quick question for you, are your AA & BA flights on one or two tickets ?

cs

layz

You have over two hours. That's fine unless your inbound is seriously delayed.

You will have to go through security in T5. Follow the flight connection signs.

Flying Redhead

The entire journey is on one ticket cornishsimon.


Thanks for the info layz! I just didn't know since they said 90 minutes normally but many news sites are talking about extra long queues to go through security.

layz

90 minutes has a lot of contingency built in. I don't think there's much to believe in these stories, sounds like the papers scaremongering.

The papers that have carried this story have all used old photographs, so they've not even sent a photographer down to take pictures of these alleged long lines.

As you're on one ticket you're protected. Miss your flight and BA will put you on the next one.

I've been lucky since T5 opened never to have had a ridiculously long security queue. The last time was in the old (now demolished) T2 and they had staff calling forward people who's flights were getting close to boarding. I don't know if they still do that but you'll very most likely be fine.

I'll be making a shortish connection early next week at LHR and don't anticipate any problems.

Frenske

The owners of Heatrow (and their website) wants to make sure you have enough time to spend money at their airport.
Probably they also don't want get sued by an American saying it took him 35min whereas website says 30min.

corporate-wage-slave

And just to add a few specifics to your question. The actual elapsed time from T3 gate to airside T5 gates is about 45 minutes. I have done it in 22 minutes, but I must have been on a green wave that day.

Upon arrival in T3 follow the signs for Flight Connections to T5 (just watch which escalator you use in the last bit of the Flight Connections complex, the signs are a bit confusing at one point), there's a holding area there for the T5 bus, which runs every 5 to 8 minutes. Then it's a 12 minute bus ride around Heathrow and to the foot of T5. The escalators upwards bring you to Flight Connections, you want the furthest side from where the bus left you. Fast Track is right up against the wall. Your boarding pass will be scanned, your Russia visa checked and then you'll be sent up to Security, which is typically the only bottle neck. With your timings, and if all goes to plan, you should have about 30 to 60 minutes spare in T5.

Flying Redhead

You guys are wonderful, thank you!