remymartin

I don’t think fast track is relevant in T3 transit?

c1223

Yes. Even if you decide to take a flight to JFK and then connect the following morning then you would be entitled to duty of care costs.

pho9187

Excellent, thanks to all.

ijgordon

FWIW, it looks like the best alternative option to get to TPA quickest might be the ~5:25pm to IAD, overnight in DC (and airport change) then 8:30am flight from DCA to TPA.

Or go to LGW for the nonstop the next day but that gets you in a few hours later than via WAS.

seanp7

I'm stressed for your itinerary just thinking about it. If you find award space through MAD or NYC, consider rebooking. Or even overnighting in LON prior to returning to TPA. You need a lot to go right for you to make that LHR T3 CLT connection - the AA flight will start boarding at T3 ~30 mins after you land at LHR and start taxiing to T5. Risky. What about your bags...

pho9187

Thank you both. I'm going to roll the dice, we'll see what happens. And I do think the Gatwick direct flight would be the best alternative, just in case.

JD1905

In a one-horse open sleigh?

Ldnn1

Other points aside, when it starts boarding is irrelevant. What matters is when boarding closes.

While it’s a tight connection, it’s far from crazy. Many people make such connections every day.

lcylocal

Passengers in this situation may be offered a voucher for the National Express coach down to Gatwick, if not I would ask for one. If not forthcoming I would just buy a ticket for next coach and claim back from BA. Some passengers have reported here getting some or all of a taxi fare/minicab/Uber reimbursed, but the coach is straightforward.

I would then book myself into Hilton Gatwick which is connected to South Terminal and claim that back from BA.

navylad

I wouldn’t worry if you are on one ticket (PNR), you are protected.

I disagree with a poster up thread who said if you disconnect go to T3 anyway/ my advice would be to go direct to flight connections if you misoconnect and get a solution sooner rather than laterz

if you can, you may be able to persuade them to book you onto the Virgin Atlantic direct flight which departs at 2pm (yes that is from T3).appreciate the timings likely wouldn’t be working if you were disconnections but I’d much rather a night in a hotel and a direct flight than a coach hotel and flight or a flight then hotel then another flight. But of course your view might vary so pick what you would like to do and ask for it.

there will no doubt be other options too. It is worth having your ideals and ask for them/ they can only say no. Sometimes one can thing outside the box better than the operative can- would they agree to a flight into MCO and then one-wayhire car for example.

ijgordon

I'm not sure how a VS flight at 2pm would help them if they missed their AA flight that departs at 3:15pm.
(And if you mean the next day, it would probably be unlikely unless there was no availability on a Oneworld itinerary).

seanp7

You are absolutely right - I am referring to peace of mind & stress levels. If I am still in T5, or on the bus to T3, and it's boarding, and the status is indicating as such, I am very stressed! I can't handle it and always book 2.5hr+ LHR connections. YMMV...

pho9187

Thank you again. These days, I believe you can no longer "build" an AA award. You just look online and see the "combo pack" offered from city A to B, and that's what you take. At the time I booked, this itinerary was the only option. But as I mentioned upstream, the time at LHR was a bit longer before. I knew we were going home, so I figured it was ok.

So, in summary, the majority of you are saying to go to the T5 BA connection desk, but only if there is no chance that we will get on the flight? Where is the desk located, again? Last year, we had an analogous situation--we were on a BA flight from IST to LHR, and then onto CLT, and the flight to CLT was allegedly boarding. When we got to the gate, the agent told us that there was a delay, and we should head back to the Admirals Club and wait for updates. So it is true, it's not the boarding, it's the take off.

Cross your fingers for us. I'm annoyed that we can't lounge hop. I like the meal service in the Qantas Lounge.

corporate-wage-slave

There is a big hall in the middle of T5A's arrival level, mostly filled with the UK Border and all its works. But on the northern side there is Flight Connections, which would apply if you were doing an onwards flight from T5 (whereas if on time you would be following Flight Connections T3, which is in a different location). In that hall, along the wall on the northern side, are the customer service desks. I would only do this if you were down to < 45 minutes to the AA departure, since it's still possible to make your original flight from T3.

pho9187

Thank you, corporate-wage-slave, for the detailed instructions. However, I think I'll only go to the BA T5 connection desk only if the LHR-CLT flight has already departed. As I mentioned upstream, last year, the same flight said on the departure board that it was boarding, and when we got to the gate, there was a delay. Maybe a skunk or snake on board? Anyways, they sent us back to the Admirals club for an hour before the flight actually boarded.

Thanks again.