kcaluwae

We will be arriving from DUS tomorrow. If we land on time we have 30 minutes to clear the security checkpoint and 1h05 to make it to our next flight to SEA.
That's what BA has sold us so it should be OK but it sounds pretty tight.
Do they have a rush service/fast track or anything else for this kind of connections? (or should we just run ourselves :-D)
I have put some spare clothes in our hand luggage because I wonder if our bags will make it....

scottishpoet

The t5 connection time is 60 minutes. Is your total connection time 1:05 or 1:35?

kcaluwae

Total connection time is 1h05

scottishpoet

ok, in that case you are close to minimum conndction time. That time is set at a number the vast majority of people will successfully make their connection.

assuming your inbound is on time then younwill make the connection but i would not be hanging about.

There is fast track security but its for business class/status not for tight connections.

I expect, assuming an A arrival, you will be through security and in departures around 20 minutes after leaving the aircraft.

kcaluwae

OK thanks, I assume that BA should arrange a new flight if we don't make it? (And a hotel because it looks like we are on the last flight for that day.)

scottishpoet

assuming you bought 1 ticket, dus to sea, then yes, if your inbound is late and you miss the connection then ba would need to rebook you and if stuck overnight put you in a hotel.

etiene

Is there Fast Track at flight connections these days? Wife connecting ORD-LHR-AMS tomorrow morning, coming off the A380 at 0650. Is she likely to be better landside or airside?

megaloman

Still closed. Depending how long her connection is for - if more than 2h+ and immigration is clear, than I'd go via landside. Remember, bp has to be scanned at the flight connections or security (if going landside) 40 minutes before the next scheduled departure.

Radiation Station

I think the cut off for conformance is 35 mins, but I know that’s pedantic. Completely agree with the general message here.

etiene

Nominally 90 minutes, though I think they're already projecting a small delay. Have warned about conformance.

danmushman

Hi. On our MAD-LHR-CPT trip coming up in November, the MAD-LHR leg has been moved to T3.
Our connection time currently is just under 3h which sounds plenty.
If we want to maximise time in T5 lounge, with First Wing acces & UK Passports, looks like the consensus is go landside at T3, transfer to T5 on train/tube and go through FW security? Is it significantly faster than flight connections?
*Its an evening connection, landing 19.20 at T3 if that makes a difference

corporate-wage-slave

I don't think I've advised people to do this. Airside is almost always going to be faster, particularly if landside public transport has slowed down for the evening. You can still use the First Wing, if you are eligible for it and the e-passport gates, just go landside at T5 via the UK Border. Only do this if the e-gates looks rapid, and you have over an hour before departure time.

danmushman

Thanks - I was a bit confused. So it looks like arrive T3 -> FC -> bus to T5A. Then decide whether to stay airside FC security or go landside -> First wing. I understand at least an hour if going landside.

CKBA

...I wish I had gone landside...: late incoming FCO-LHR connecting onto LHR-BWI:
- due to A-gate being occupied, the FCO-LHR arrived at B-gates (horrah! - the BWI flight is in the gate next to us!)
- but, T5B connections was closed (a few shaddowy figures in the dark, but closed) - possibilty I could have made the connection IF they had been open!
- only option to do T5B- T5A flight connections, then back to T5B - which then meant the connection was missed :-(
- BA automatically reticketed onto LHR-IAD flight (email received when in T5A), but couldn't get a boarding pass - app wouldn't work and machines at T5A connections just printed 'seek assistance'
- queue for flight connections assistance was long - and even the first/club with only about 8-9 people took 40 mins to process the 4 in front of me.
- 40 mins into queing and 50 minute before the flight flagged down some unfortuante BA staff - who took me over to UK connection desk - but they couldn't print out the BP - so told to go to the fast track BP check booth.
- clock's running: the person there tried, and tried ('duplicate booking' seemed to be the problem), thankfully perservering until a BP eventually popped out 5 mins before due departure time (although with Group 8 for Gold and some random economy seat in the bowels of the A380).
- dash up to the bight lights of security (or was it The End?) - thankfully fairly quite, dash over to the train to C-gates to be amongst the final few boarding (but sat on the plane for another hour before pushing back - as always!).
Given that our late arrival and tight/missed connection had been noted we were advised on the incomng flight (as per normal) to go to flight connections - which in T5B wasn't open. Given I had 80-90 minutes before my rebooked flight, I could probably have gone airside, but no guarantee that the FW/others could have got the computer to say 'yes' quicker - but if they had at least I would have had some time in the Flounge... .
Finally made it home 3 hours late.

jerseykeebs

Looking for a sanity check here, since I need to connect through LHR on 2 separate tickets, and with baggage delays and long lines, I'm super nervous about it (but don't really have a choice).

A friend and I are traveling LHR-EWR in October on United, in Premium Plus - so we'll supposedly have Premier Access for faster check-in and security. My friend is insisting on checking a bag for this trip. We'll be coming from Edinburgh that morning, and I think it's be faster to book BA EDI-LHR than than train, even with airport delays. We'd be arriving T5, getting the checked bag, and then transferring to T2 for the UA TATL at 18:00. How long of a connection should I leave for us? Options to book are

EDI-LHR, 11:40 - 13:15, for a connection time of 4h, 45m
EDI-LHR, 14:10 - 15:40, connection time of 2h, 20m

Normally I'd think 2+ hours is enough for a connection, even with retrieving and checking a bag, but the airports and bag delays seem crazy lately, and I'm not convinced it'll resolve in a month. OTOH, I don't want to spend 4 hrs in LHR