eefor jfp

So, we booked the holiday biz sale fare to from London to San Francisco as a family but had to add on separate tickets to get from Croatia to London (and vv). On the way back we have six hours between the time our flight lands in London at T5 and the time we leave from T2. I know we can use the arrivals lounge in T5 but we won't have lounge access in T2 for all of us (i can only take one guest) so we want to stay in T5 as long as we can.

Assuming BA won't interline the baggage to the OU flight (they refused last time I flew a similar route and I know policy says no non-oneworld interlining), what is the best way to collect our luggage at T5, make use of the arrivals lounge until it closes, and then get everything over to T2 so we can check in for the flight to Zagreb? Do they have luggage carts in T5 arrivals? Can we take those carts up to the arrivals lounge? Does the arrivals lounge have a storage area for luggage? Can you take the carts onto the Heathrow Express? If not, are there carts where you get off the Heathrow Express at the stop for terminals 1-3? We will have six or seven suitcases plus one or two carry-ons, so luggage carts or some kind of help will be necessary. Is there something I am missing like a bus or taxi service to get us from one terminal to the other with all the luggage we'll have?

I've mostly done this on through tickets (both BA to BA and BA to OU) and therefore haven't had to deal with T5 -> T2 luggage transfers before. The time BA declined to through-check my luggage it went to Zagreb where I collected it and re-checked it to my final destination but that was easy because Zagreb is a very small airport.

Any insight would be appreciated.

QueenOfCoach

I can't answer your specific question, but will throw out the suggestion to get the family to an airport hotel and rent a room for the day. That way you can nap, shower, use the gym, watch TV and have some family privacy.

That is what I would do with a six hour connection and a family in tow. YMMV.

Oaxaca

If you want to use the T5 arrivals lounge you'll have to come landside, so if your bags are not checked through, collect as normal, go through customs and take lift up from arrivals to the lounge. You can take carts as far as the entrance, not sure if they allow them in the lounge. Never used the luggage storage there, but fairly sure they have it.

Assume your whole group is flying Club into T5? You can't take non F/J guests into the arrivals lounge unless you are GGL.

Also bear in mind the T5 arrivals lounge closes at 14:00, you don't mention your connecting flight time.

You can't take carts onto HEX/tube, but they can go as far as the platform entrance on HEX and you can get others at the platform exit in T123 station. I think the T123 tube station might be a slightly shorter walk than HEX to new T2, but haven't done it yet, maybe others can advise. Both are free from T5 to T123, though maybe you need Oyster/Contactless card to get the tube free.

I don't know if there are buses landside from T5 to T2.

corporate-wage-slave

BA won't interline out of oneworld unless it is one ticket (a travel agent may be able to through ticket). So lots of questions above, oh for the joys of Hand Baggage Only!

So: Yes there are luggage carts in T5 and they are free of charge. The T5 Arrivals lounge closes at 14 hrs, so only BA284 is practical for the lounge. It's the floor above Arrivals, there is a lift and I think there is cart park just outside the main section of the lounge - you can't take them all the way in. You cannot take the carts on the Heathrow Express but you can get them within 3 metres of the trains, there's an aluminium contraption on the gates to prevent you from taking them on board (and it would be a serious safety issue if lots of people did do that). There are carts in a similar way available at T1,2,3, so you merely need to hump them over a few metres, and then - as with T5 - there are lifts the whole way to check-in

You could take a taxi or bus, but I really doubt that makes it any easier. There are also HAL porters, Skycaps, available to assist, for a £9 fee.

Ldnn1

How many of you are there? I think you can buy $50pp day passes for the United Club as well getting two of you in for free using your Star Gold. Might be worth it you only need to buy one or two passes. It's a very nice lounge with good food options.

eefor jfp

Thanks for all of the responses. Yes, we're on BA284 arriving at 10:35 in Club World and leaving from T2 at 16:50. So It seems like the best bet is to grab carts, go up to the T5 arrivals and then at 14:00 head over to T2 on the HEX (we don't have oyster cards for five and getting them is, I think, too much trouble). Assuming boarding is at 16:20 that will only mean about 2 hours to kill in T2 and it might be better to find a restaurant than buy three UA club passes

Definitely appreciate the info from CWS and Oaxaca on luggage carts not being allowed on the HEX but being there for pick up at the T1-3 stop and also some kind of cart stand outside the arrivals lounge. I've been to the arrivals lounge once or twice before so I know how to get there but don't remember too many details of what is or isn't allowed in terms of luggage. Will search the Heathrow website to find info on porters, too.

Finally, I thought about getting a day room or two somewhere but transporting all that luggage to and from a hotel seems more trouble (not to mention expense) than is worth it.

Happy New Year to all.

KARFA

To add on your t5-t3 journey, you can use contactless debit/credit cards on the tube as well as Oyster cards. You would swipe in and out using the payment card but there would e no charge. Just thought I would add this in case it is an option for you.

Also it is worth noting that Oyster cards are not available for purchase at either the ground floor or platform level ticket machines for the tube.

eefor jfp

Thanks. Don't think we have these, so it looks like the HEX is still the way to go for us but I found the Wikipedia article on contactless cards interesting.

Gagravarr

Last time I used the T5 arrivals lounge, I wheeled the trolley up to the lounge agents, had my inbound boarding pass checked, wheeled the trolley over to the luggage area, grabbed out some clean clothes, then gave them the whole trolley. They seemed happy to store the suitcases and bags on it as-is, and an hour later (post-shower and post-breakfast) when I went back I got my trolley back with all my stuff on it.

You're not supposed to take the trolleys past the lounge agents, but I have once or twice seen them let someone wheel one in, pop a bag onto a nearby seat then return the trolley out and to the care of the luggage storage team.