Ins & Outs of (and times needed for) transiting through LHR?

[ShopperfiendTO]

Does anyone have knowledge on how flights at LHR work in terms of terminals and time needed to transfer from the "domestic" (Europe to/from LHR) terminals to the "transatlantic" (LHR to/from North America) terminals?  I recall you have to go through security again even though you already went through it at the initial departure airport, but do you have to go through any other line(s) such as customs/immigration/passport control even though you're just in transit?  If it depends on the airline, then for simplicity's sake let's assume it's all BA flights.

 

The last time we did LHR, it was horrible and haven't gone through there in over a decade but it seems that with fewer options it might have to be used again.

 

We are trying to figure out what is a reasonable connecting time at LHR for possible flight itinerary options (North America <-> LHR <-> Continental Europe). 

[LHT28]

pre covid  it was bad  so I would allow as much time as you can now

They were notorious  for late flights then sitting waiting for  a gate or bused to the terminal

Now with strikes & other  things going on  I would avoid  but  take a long connection time

JMO

[Globaliser]

7 hours ago, ShopperfiendTO said:

Does anyone have knowledge on how flights at LHR work in terms of terminals and time needed to transfer from the "domestic" (Europe to/from LHR) terminals to the "transatlantic" (LHR to/from North America) terminals?  I recall you have to go through security again even though you already went through it at the initial departure airport, but do you have to go through any other line(s) such as customs/immigration/passport control even though you're just in transit?  If it depends on the airline, then for simplicity's sake let's assume it's all BA flights.

 

Even making it all-BA doesn't make it simple, because BA usually operates from two different terminals at LHR. Domestic, short-haul and long-haul flights are all mixed within the terminals, so the distinction you are thinking of does not exist.

 

The process is the same for your itinerary is basically the same whichever terminals you use, assuming that you are flying on one through ticket. You will go to the terminal for your departing flight (possibly the same terminal as that at which you arrived), you will clear security there, and then you will go to the gate for your onward flight.

 

How much time you need depends on airline and terminal allocation (and that has recently changed at very short notice for many airlines). If you want a safe margin and you don't mind waiting for a while, three hours should be fine and well over what is normally needed. So far as the effects of staff shortages or even strikes are concerned, that's in the lap of the gods. You simply can't predict what may happen; all you can really do is to allow more time if you are nervous.

[Markanddonna]

We had an 8:00 AM flight on TAP out of LHR in May. We fretted about the timing and allowed way too much time. Everything was quite efficient in mid May. Keep in mind you board about 50 minutes before scheduled takeoff, so allowing 3 hours isn't a bad idea.

[iancal]

Pre covid the worst ever for us was about three hours.  Changing terminals.   We made our connection with five minutes to spare.  Despite our flight being delayed we were told than many making connections to NA flights did not make it.  Lonts of angst in the lines to get through security.

 

This was probably an exception.  There was a security alert.  It caused massive backups.

 

Edited July 8, 2022 by iancal

[Lois R]

I just returned home and had to stop at Heathrow on my way to Barcelona. OMG it was totally confusing and inefficient. Don't want to have to stop there for a connection again!

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

I just returned home and had to stop at Heathrow on my way to Barcelona. OMG it was totally confusing and inefficient. Don't want to have to stop there for a connection again!

 

Not quite sure how it is confusing.  LHR has huge purple signs labeled "Flight Connections".  One just follows the purple signs to the proper terminal area, then to your gate.

 

Yes, the walks can be long.  Yes, you have to know what terminal you are headed for.  All part of going through a major international hub.

 

And FWIW, the Heathrow website does a pretty good job of letting you know, in advance, what's involved for your connection.  You did go to the LHR website before your flight, right?  Or do you just show up at airports without doing any advance research and planning?

[Lois R]

55 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Not quite sure how it is confusing.  LHR has huge purple signs labeled "Flight Connections".  One just follows the purple signs to the proper terminal area, then to your gate.

 

Yes, the walks can be long.  Yes, you have to know what terminal you are headed for.  All part of going through a major international hub.

 

And FWIW, the Heathrow website does a pretty good job of letting you know, in advance, what's involved for your connection.  You did go to the LHR website before your flight, right?  Or do you just show up at airports without doing any advance research and planning?

It was my connection so yes I just showed up. When I saw the gates named for my flight I went there and was told no, you have to go back from where you came and go through security and then come back here. The train said it was full and had to walk for a long, long time and to me, it was very confusing, along with some other folks who also had to do the same thing. I would have thought the BA flight crew might have helped a bit more. Sorry you sound as though it's not allowed to be confused. I had a 2 hour layover and it took all of it to get through to my gate.

[praedo-maritimus]

Just went through there Sunday Flying BA from Rome to LHR to EWR.  We had to go through security again at LHR but it went quickly.  Our connection went smoothly at the airport but they didn't get our luggage on the connecting flight.  We received it today, Wednesday, and one of the bas was badly damaged.

[Globaliser]

12 hours ago, praedo-maritimus said:

We received it today, Wednesday, and one of the bas was badly damaged.

 

Was it delivered to you at home? (I'm presuming this because of your location and the direction of travel, and I think this is what you've said in another thread.) If so, and if you haven't already done it, make sure that you report the damage to BA because there is a strict time limit for doing so, after which the airline may have no responsibility to you for the damage.

[ShopperfiendTO]

Hi again,

 

Is it possible to make a connection at LHR under the following circumstances?:

 

1. Flights are in early November 2022.
2. Flights are from continental Europe to LHR (the first flight) to connect to another flight from LHR to North America (the connecting flight).
3. Flights are both British Airways flights.
4. Apparently the first flight lands at Terminal 5 and the connecting flight departs from Terminal 5 as well.
5. The first flight lands in the afternoon and the connecting flight departs an hour later. 

 

Thanks in advance for any insight.

[Globaliser]

Would these be on the same booking?

 

If so, then the connection is legal, and most people doing such a connection will make it to the next flight. But because 60 minutes is exactly on the Minimum Connection Time, there's a significant misconnection risk even in normal times.

 

So it is possible. But that's not the same as whether it's advisable, or whether you'd be happy to run the risk (which depends on your own circumstances).

[ShopperfiendTO]

Thank you for the response.

 

Yes, the flights are on the same booking.

 

These flights were assigned by the cruise line and I have to pay a lot more to change them which I don't want to do if I don't have to. 

 

We're mobile so the concern about the timing is not as much about the time needed to walk/run to the gate as it is the time used up to get off the first flight, clear security, passport check, etc. 

Edited August 30, 2022 by ShopperfiendTO

[megr1125]

I had a similar situation in May.  BUT my inbound plane to Rome had a bird strike on landing.  90+ minutes later, the decision was made that we could fly.  I originally had a 3+ hour layover at LHR.

 

While in the air, I was informed that I'd  miss my connection but that I was rebooked onto a different flight.  I should have had about 90 minutes to connect.  We had a delay landing.  I ended up with about 45 minutes to get off the plane, go get my new boarding pass, go through passport control and security and haul it from one end of T5 to the other.  No time to even stop to use my 10 GBP food voucher. 

 

Don't dawdle, hope that all the planets align and keep it moving.  I will say BA did a great job rebooking me albeit to a different airport that is not easy to get home from (JFK vs EWR), but they made it right so it's all good. 

[Globaliser]

18 minutes ago, ShopperfiendTO said:

We're mobile so the concern about the timing is not as much about the time needed to walk/run to the gate as it is the time used up to get off the first flight, clear security, passport check, etc. 

 

You should have boarding passes for both flights before you board the first flight. When you get to Heathrow, you'll need to clear security and then go to the gate for your onward flight. There will be a passport check at the gate before boarding the second flight but this is to check your identity against the boarding pass name, rather than for immigration clearance.

 

The best route through the terminal will depend a lot on where your first flight arrives. You're likely (but far from guaranteed) to arrive at the main building. If you do, that's where you'll clear security before going to the gate, which is likely (but far from guaranteed) to be at the Terminal 5B satellite, to which you'll need to take the transit (basically a shuttle train).

 

However, if you arrive at one of the satellites, keep your wits about you and read the flight connections information, because you may be allowed to save time by clearing security at the satellite. The signs should tell you whether or not you can. If you can't, you have to take the transit to the main building, clear security there, and then take the transit back to the relevant satellite.

[Dancer Bob]

I'm connecting from AA to BA. I believe AA now arrives T3? If I recall correctly, you procede out of the Terminal and use the Underground to get to T5? I have an Oyster card and lots of time, if this is the case I might head into Hounslow for some fine (i.e. not airport) dining.

[Globaliser]

2 hours ago, Dancer Bob said:

I'm connecting from AA to BA. I believe AA now arrives T3? If I recall correctly, you procede out of the Terminal and use the Underground to get to T5?

 

You don't have to do that. You can follow the purple Flight Connections signs and use the airside transfer bus to get from T3 to T5 (assuming your onward BA flight is from T5 and not T3). If you still need an onward boarding pass for the flight from T5, the transfer desk would be your first stop. Even if you already have both boarding passes, you would still have to clear security when you get to T5, but because you are not going landside, you would avoid having to clear immigration.

 

Obviously, if you want non-airport dining you will have to clear to landside. But I think there aren't many establishments in the Heathrow/Hounslow area that would be worth the effort, let alone truly count as fine dining.

[jollyjones]

 

To add to Globaliser, don't bother leaving the airport, you're better off there for dining than anywhere in the even vague vicinity..

Stay airside, the less you tangle with LHR security the better, it's brutal. You will have to do a security check even staying airside between T3 and T5, but in the past (not sure about right now) it used to be less stringent than a full check when going from landslide to airside.

 

Also, double check the terminal for your BA flight, they used to use T3 as well as T5, again, not sure about now.

 

[ShopperfiendTO]

On 8/30/2022 at 1:14 PM, Globaliser said:

 

You should have boarding passes for both flights before you board the first flight. When you get to Heathrow, you'll need to clear security and then go to the gate for your onward flight. There will be a passport check at the gate before boarding the second flight but this is to check your identity against the boarding pass name, rather than for immigration clearance.

 

The best route through the terminal will depend a lot on where your first flight arrives. You're likely (but far from guaranteed) to arrive at the main building. If you do, that's where you'll clear security before going to the gate, which is likely (but far from guaranteed) to be at the Terminal 5B satellite, to which you'll need to take the transit (basically a shuttle train).

 

However, if you arrive at one of the satellites, keep your wits about you and read the flight connections information, because you may be allowed to save time by clearing security at the satellite. The signs should tell you whether or not you can. If you can't, you have to take the transit to the main building, clear security there, and then take the transit back to the relevant satellite.

 

I take it that "clear security" at LHR means that I shouldn't buy liquids over 100mL (e.g., bottled water, large fragrance bottles, wine, etc.) at the airport where the first flight departs since I will be forced to forfeit them when clearing security at LHR? 

[Dancer Bob]

Thanks to all.

"Fine dining" was meant tongue in cheek! Only if I can't transfer airside!

[Zach1213]

17 hours ago, Globaliser said:

But I think there aren't many establishments in the Heathrow/Hounslow area that would be worth the effort, let alone truly count as fine dining.

 

I don't know, I had a pretty killer Taco Bell in Hounslow a few years back after an evening of too many pints. 

[Globaliser]

3 hours ago, ShopperfiendTO said:

I take it that "clear security" at LHR means that I shouldn't buy liquids over 100mL (e.g., bottled water, large fragrance bottles, wine, etc.) at the airport where the first flight departs since I will be forced to forfeit them when clearing security at LHR? 

 

You'll be fine if the liquids are in an appropriate security bag by the shop at your European airport of origin. Off the top of my head, I think that the requirements are that the liquids are sealed into an approved STEB (security tamper-evident bag), the bag has not been opened or tampered with, the receipt for the goods is visible and legible inside the bag (some bags have a special pocket to ensure this), the receipt matches the goods, and the receipt shows that the goods were bought no more than 24 hours previously.

 

Otherwise, you'll either have to comply with the 100 ml baggie rules, or dispose of the liquids (eg drink all the drinking water) before security at LHR (an obviously empty bottle is fine), or dispose of the bottle entirely before security.

[em-sk]

On 9/1/2022 at 5:34 AM, ShopperfiendTO said:

 

I take it that "clear security" at LHR means that I shouldn't buy liquids over 100mL (e.g., bottled water, large fragrance bottles, wine, etc.) at the airport where the first flight departs since I will be forced to forfeit them when clearing security at LHR? 

 

As Globalister indicated it has to be in a special clear plastic bag that is sealed by the duty free store. Usually with a red boarder and a green happy face/tick market on the front.  What is critical is don't break the seal on the bag until you get home.   

 

The duty free store knows the drill and if you tell them your making the connection they will package and seal the bag correctly.   If your making a domestic connection back in Canada they will let you through security with it as well.

 

 

 

 

[bennybear]

Precovid we found into and out of terminal 5 pretty decent with improved very quick customs.    That being said I would never choose less than three hours.  Too much margin for error 

[fbgd]

On 9/12/2022 at 1:24 PM, bennybear said:

Precovid we found into and out of terminal 5 pretty decent with improved very quick customs.    

 

I think you may be confusing immigration and customs. For decades customs going into the UK involves choosing the blue (EU), green (nothing to declare), red (items to declare) channels and is nothing more than walking through a short corridor.