ORD T1, T2, T3 to T5 busing being looked at for connecting pax
Sep 27, 2017, 7:56 pm
#91
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,107
It looks like someone is doing something to get Star Alliance passengers on their way to T5. Today I came off a UA flight at ORD mid-afternoon and on the Jetway, next to the aircraft door, was an agent holding a large Austrian Airlines sign. I didn't stop to ask who was behind this but I imagine the person was there to help get someone to their Vienna flight with an airside transfer of some type.
Nov 13, 2017, 11:07 am
#93
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 2
Today I am flying out of terminal 3 to LAX, but I want to get to the airport early and use the priority pass lounges (either Air France or Swiss).
Can I check in at T5 and then go to T3?
Can I check in at T5 and then go to T3?
Nov 13, 2017, 11:57 am
#94
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,107
Welcome to the board. In short, airlines with departures from T5 will have check-in facilities in T5. No airline operating from T5 would have a departure to LAX, though. I suppose you could check in with your airline at T1 or T3 and then try to get into T5 but I don't think you can. Maybe someone else has been successful tying to do this.
Nov 13, 2017, 12:44 pm
#95
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
At ORD T5 security checkpoint, they check boarding passes and the signs to the TSA TDC say to show your passport. I don’t show my passport there, but they do check the boarding pass. If they check it closely enough, the TSA TDC can figure out if you’re supposed to be at T5 or not.
Nov 18, 2017, 7:54 pm
#96
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
Nov 21, 2017, 3:02 am
#97
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 71
Probably not going to happen but, it would be handy if the bus also worked in the opposite direction T5-T3.
The EI flights are precleared and we arrive into the gate area of T5, so could go to the drop off point for the bus. As it is, there are signs to follow through the gate area and they open a door that leads to the baggage hall, or you can bypass that and go directly to the arrivals hall. But, for so few flights that can avail of it, I doubt they would do it.
Best solution for me would be for EI to move out of T5 altogether.
The EI flights are precleared and we arrive into the gate area of T5, so could go to the drop off point for the bus. As it is, there are signs to follow through the gate area and they open a door that leads to the baggage hall, or you can bypass that and go directly to the arrivals hall. But, for so few flights that can avail of it, I doubt they would do it.
Best solution for me would be for EI to move out of T5 altogether.
Nov 21, 2017, 4:56 am
#98
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 848
Probably not going to happen but, it would be handy if the bus also worked in the opposite direction T5-T3.
The EI flights are precleared and we arrive into the gate area of T5, so could go to the drop off point for the bus. As it is, there are signs to follow through the gate area and they open a door that leads to the baggage hall, or you can bypass that and go directly to the arrivals hall. But, for so few flights that can avail of it, I doubt they would do it.
Best solution for me would be for EI to move out of T5 altogether.
The EI flights are precleared and we arrive into the gate area of T5, so could go to the drop off point for the bus. As it is, there are signs to follow through the gate area and they open a door that leads to the baggage hall, or you can bypass that and go directly to the arrivals hall. But, for so few flights that can avail of it, I doubt they would do it.
Best solution for me would be for EI to move out of T5 altogether.
As for moving EI out of T5, not until 2025 or so once the new T2 with FIS is built. Widebody gates at T1 or T3 are just not there and AA and UA have their own plans to use them. Rumors abound both IB and and LH might head back to T5 just so both AA and UA can gain their gates back. This could be why UA has taken interest in the busing operation.
Last edited by ords; Nov 21, 2017 at 4:57 am Reason: contect
Nov 21, 2017, 6:11 am
#99
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, GE
Posts: 5,122
EY did it for a while and the only reason it was done were most passengers coming off of EY was connecting on AA. EI connections are all over the place so sending them to T3 currently wouldn't make the most sense.
As for moving EI out of T5, not until 2025 or so once the new T2 with FIS is built. Widebody gates at T1 or T3 are just not there and AA and UA have their own plans to use them. Rumors abound both IB and and LH might head back to T5 just so both AA and UA can gain their gates back. This could be why UA has taken interest in the busing operation.
As for moving EI out of T5, not until 2025 or so once the new T2 with FIS is built. Widebody gates at T1 or T3 are just not there and AA and UA have their own plans to use them. Rumors abound both IB and and LH might head back to T5 just so both AA and UA can gain their gates back. This could be why UA has taken interest in the busing operation.
Nov 21, 2017, 1:14 pm
#100
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
Would probably relieve a GINORMOUS buttload of pressure from Polaris as well
Dec 4, 2017, 3:18 pm
#101
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
OK, just went thru there a few days ago
Polaris lounge had NFC about the bus other than there "Might" be one, but the train is the best way to get to T5
Person checking BP and Passport at the bus access point said she sees quite a few *A people boarding
BR is not prepared for people to take the bus, as we get to the terminal about 4 hours before the flight (we got there right as the arriving plane got there)
We got lounge access by letting them scan our BP (we couldn't get the access cards as we didn't go tthru the BR "Check in counter"
We were summoned immediately upon the gate desk opening to provide passport, and documents, plus our luggage tags to make sure our luggage got on the plane (was nice to get verbal confirmation they found our luggage and put it on the plane)
Bus driver and host person on bus both said they have been told expansion of service is coming, expect longer hours and expansion to T1 soon
Polaris lounge had NFC about the bus other than there "Might" be one, but the train is the best way to get to T5
Person checking BP and Passport at the bus access point said she sees quite a few *A people boarding
BR is not prepared for people to take the bus, as we get to the terminal about 4 hours before the flight (we got there right as the arriving plane got there)
We got lounge access by letting them scan our BP (we couldn't get the access cards as we didn't go tthru the BR "Check in counter"
We were summoned immediately upon the gate desk opening to provide passport, and documents, plus our luggage tags to make sure our luggage got on the plane (was nice to get verbal confirmation they found our luggage and put it on the plane)
Bus driver and host person on bus both said they have been told expansion of service is coming, expect longer hours and expansion to T1 soon
Dec 6, 2017, 4:33 pm
#102
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 848
OK, just went thru there a few days ago
Polaris lounge had NFC about the bus other than there "Might" be one, but the train is the best way to get to T5
Person checking BP and Passport at the bus access point said she sees quite a few *A people boarding
BR is not prepared for people to take the bus, as we get to the terminal about 4 hours before the flight (we got there right as the arriving plane got there)
We got lounge access by letting them scan our BP (we couldn't get the access cards as we didn't go tthru the BR "Check in counter"
We were summoned immediately upon the gate desk opening to provide passport, and documents, plus our luggage tags to make sure our luggage got on the plane (was nice to get verbal confirmation they found our luggage and put it on the plane)
Bus driver and host person on bus both said they have been told expansion of service is coming, expect longer hours and expansion to T1 soon
Polaris lounge had NFC about the bus other than there "Might" be one, but the train is the best way to get to T5
Person checking BP and Passport at the bus access point said she sees quite a few *A people boarding
BR is not prepared for people to take the bus, as we get to the terminal about 4 hours before the flight (we got there right as the arriving plane got there)
We got lounge access by letting them scan our BP (we couldn't get the access cards as we didn't go tthru the BR "Check in counter"
We were summoned immediately upon the gate desk opening to provide passport, and documents, plus our luggage tags to make sure our luggage got on the plane (was nice to get verbal confirmation they found our luggage and put it on the plane)
Bus driver and host person on bus both said they have been told expansion of service is coming, expect longer hours and expansion to T1 soon
While this is intended to operate year around, there will be times when snow events are taking place it will be shut down. Those decision will be made usually day of.
Dec 11, 2017, 9:06 am
#103
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 147
BR is not prepared for people to take the bus, as we get to the terminal about 4 hours before the flight (we got there right as the arriving plane got there)
We got lounge access by letting them scan our BP (we couldn't get the access cards as we didn't go tthru the BR "Check in counter"
We were summoned immediately upon the gate desk opening to provide passport, and documents, plus our luggage tags to make sure our luggage got on the plane (was nice to get verbal confirmation they found our luggage and put it on the plane)
We got lounge access by letting them scan our BP (we couldn't get the access cards as we didn't go tthru the BR "Check in counter"
We were summoned immediately upon the gate desk opening to provide passport, and documents, plus our luggage tags to make sure our luggage got on the plane (was nice to get verbal confirmation they found our luggage and put it on the plane)
Dec 11, 2017, 4:52 pm
#104
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
I suspect that will be the typical case though; it seems like usually that check in staff close the desks and move to the gate when there's only one flight a day, which would be when they catch anyone whose documents they haven't checked yet. Is there something different that you'd expect?
What I wasn't really expecting was the frantic nature of the EVA employees trying to track me down in the lounge literally wondering how the hell I could get passed the check in counter to the secure area without them knowing. When I explained to them I took the bus, 2 of the 3 EVA agents working the desk had no idea what "Bus" I was referring, the 3rd thought it was only for BA. All 3 gate agents seemed confused at how I got there WITH boarding passes by not going thru T5 check in counter or security. They probably are still wondering how my wife and I performed that Houdini trick and I told them exactly how I did it.
Dec 12, 2017, 5:31 am
#105
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 848
What I wasn't really expecting was the frantic nature of the EVA employees trying to track me down in the lounge literally wondering how the hell I could get passed the check in counter to the secure area without them knowing. When I explained to them I took the bus, 2 of the 3 EVA agents working the desk had no idea what "Bus" I was referring, the 3rd thought it was only for BA. All 3 gate agents seemed confused at how I got there WITH boarding passes by not going thru T5 check in counter or security. They probably are still wondering how my wife and I performed that Houdini trick and I told them exactly how I did it.