London Heathrow Airport

So we are flying British Airways from Chicago, ILL to London Healthrow Airport on May 29th for our May 30th Viking Homelands Cruise. Our layover in London Heathrow is one hour.. 5 minutes. I've heard some nightmarish things about London Heathrow Airport, and will be curious to see if we have any prayer of making our connection. Our reservations were booked through Viking Premium Economy, so I know we will be okay. But it will still be a very tight connection.

Good luck... You are right Heathrow can be a nightmare. Are you in the same terminal coming and leaving?

Check out this site. BA is recommending 90 minutes between terminal 5 and 3.

http://www.heathrowairport.com/heathrow-airport-guide/flight-connections/terminal-5-international-connecting-to-terminal-3-international

I wish the cruise lines wouldn't use BA. Ugh. We barely made OUR 1 hour 5 minute connection last year, which was the same type of deal - 2 terminals involved. Wear your running shoes. Of course, my husband had requested a wheelchair because his feet swell up on overnight flights, and we had to wait almost 15 minutes for it to appear at the gate. That gave us a late start. At least once it came, the wheelchair attendant practically ran down the aisles, with me practically running behind! I think the only thing that saved us was that the connecting flight was a little late in leaving. In the end though, we made it with at least 10 minutes to spare, and were stressed out but relieved.

Good luck. I'd suggest knowing what terminal and gate you need before getting off the plane. I think they announced that info before we landed. Keep in mind that (I think, anyway) there's a security check between terminals (was for us, though didn't take too long) and maybe a bus involved, but I forget!

Enjoy the little tiny cans of soda on BA (see attachment)! We found them amusing.

If at all possible, change it..you might make it if: you deplaned first; the wheelchairs were waiting for you; the bus to take you to T3 is waiting for you and there was nobody in the security line.

LHR is a nightmare.

I agree with CTLeeA. If you can change it, you'll not only have a better chance of making your connection, but your vacation won't start off on an unnecessarily bad foot with stress and worry over making your connection.

If you can't change it, head on over to Flyer Talk for advice from frequent flyers on how to navigate a short connection at LHR.

1:05 is enough time for your checked bags to make their connection even if you don't so the usual reminder about being able to live out of your carry-ons potentially overnight is especially apropos, especially if your connecting flight is BA's last one out that day.

Good luck... You are right Heathrow can be a nightmare. Are you in the same terminal coming and leaving?

On BA.com it states we arrive at Heathrow (London) Terminal 5 at 10:20 and we depart at 11:25 again at Heathrow (London) Terminal 5. So maybe that will increase our odds.

I agree with CTLeeA. If you can change it, you'll not only have a better chance of making your connection, but your vacation won't start off on an unnecessarily bad foot with stress and worry over making your connection.

 

If you can't change it, head on over to Flyer Talk for advice from frequent flyers on how to navigate a short connection at LHR.

 

1:05 is enough time for your checked bags to make their connection even if you don't so the usual reminder about being able to live out of your carry-ons potentially overnight is especially apropos, especially if your connecting flight is BA's last one out that day.

Is Flyer Talk a different website, or is that a sub-forum here at CC.com? I did a quick search when I was on the main forum page and I didn't see any Flyer Talk sub-forum. There are three more flights after that from London to Stockholm that day so surely they can get us on one of them.

If at all possible, change it..you might make it if: you deplaned first; the wheelchairs were waiting for you; the bus to take you to T3 is waiting for you and there was nobody in the security line.

 

LHR is a nightmare.

Surely we won't have to pass through security since we are in the same terminal. Thank you everybody for your feedback.

Is Flyer Talk a different website, or is that a sub-forum here at CC.com? I did a quick search when I was on the main forum page and I didn't see any Flyer Talk sub-forum. There are three more flights after that from London to Stockholm that day so surely they can get us on one of them.

With three more flights available and leaving out of the same terminal, you should be fine. It's the T5 to T3 connection that's dicey.

Flyer Talk is a different website -- Flyertalk.com -- frequent flyers sharing info and not-so-frequent flyers seeking advice. The link to the forum is at the top. it can occasionally and quickly get a bit ugly in there depending on the topic but that's easily ignored.

With three more flights available and leaving out of the same terminal, you should be fine. It's the T5 to T3 connection that's dicey.

 

Flyer Talk is a different website -- Flyertalk.com -- frequent flyers sharing info and not-so-frequent flyers seeking advice. The link to the forum is at the top. it can occasionally and quickly get a bit ugly in there depending on the topic but that's easily ignored.

Thank you! I got a little less lazy and did a search after I posted, and found the website and asked my questions on there already. Thank you for the advice.

I would definitely check whether you have to go through security again at Heathrow.

Since they are both BA flights probably not but best to check. If they have a separate area for European flights it's possible you might....anyway better to be sure.

We had a very unpleasant surprise once at Heathrow....they required a second security check (with a long line up) probably because they dont trust the security at some airports but that wasn't T-5.

And Heathrow does some pretty rigorous tests....very time consuming.

I agree with roothy - I just wish they didn't use Heathrow for those transiting....

.... in our case we are ok....staying in London for a few days then flying to Stockholm.

I was assuming you were going between 2 different terminals. Guess you're not, so you'll probably be fine with your timing as long as there's no major catastrophe.

If, however, the BA folks put the attached special tag on your checked bags (see attached picture) THEN you really need to fear!

Surely we won't have to pass through security since we are in the same terminal. Thank you everybody for your feedback.

Ummmm..here's the bad news: T5 is actually 3 separate buildings...We thought the same thing you did..same terminal, what's the problem? Had I not commandeered a golf cart, (we got on it and I refused to get off until I got to the proper gate since the wheelchair people never arrived), we wouldn't had made it..and yes, we did have to go thru security a second time in the other T5 building....be advised that the LHR to BCL went out of T5 until last October, when they changed it to T3. I was booked with a 1.5 hr turnaround with this trip and I changed it to a 3.5 hr turnaround flight.

Ummmm..here's the bad news: T5 is actually 3 separate buildings...We thought the same thing you did..same terminal, what's the problem? Had I not commandeered a golf cart, (we got on it and I refused to get off until I got to the proper gate since the wheelchair people never arrived), we wouldn't had made it..and yes, we did have to go thru security a second time in the other T5 building....be advised that the LHR to BCL went out of T5 until last October, when they changed it to T3. I was booked with a 1.5 hr turnaround with this trip and I changed it to a 3.5 hr turnaround flight.

I guess either way they have to get us there. But that is discouraging.