London Heathrow

[chinooks]

We arrive in Heathrow via British Airways at 6:25a.m. and depart for Rome on British Airways at 7:30 a.m. Is there sufficient time to make this connection?

[LHT28]

If you arrive on time & do not need to change terminals

your bags are through checked & on one ticket you might make it

 

If you can book another flight with a longer layover I would do it

Edited October 22, 2013 by LHT28

[Cotswold Eagle]

You don't say where you are arriving from, but assuming it is also in to T5 (most BA flights are, certainly their Canadian ones are) and, as LHT28 says, you and your bags are checked through (no obvious reason why not) then you'll be fine. Minimum 'legal' transfer at T5 is 60 minutes.

[lydnsyd]

In an ideal world you should be fine but all you need is a slight delay arriving into LHR and that is when things go wrong. I'm thinking more about your luggage connecting to your Rome flight in time -That would be my worst nightmare:(

You haven't said where you are coming from (looks like Canada) but having worked at LHR for 35 years I know it is peak time for flights arriving in the morning & they often get stuck in air traffic queue's and have to do a few circuits before they are allowed to land!!

If you possibly can try to re schedule to a slightly later flight to Rome

Edited October 22, 2013 by lydnsyd

[Rowsby]

We arrive in Heathrow via British Airways at 6:25a.m. and depart for Rome on British Airways at 7:30 a.m. Is there sufficient time to make this connection?

 

I'm glad you asked this question.....!!

I've been looking at the terminal 5 map and it looks like there are 3 different buildings just in this terminal......how do you get from one to the other.....and how "user-friendly" is the process.........???

[John Bull]

I'm glad you asked this question.....!!

 

I've been looking at the terminal 5 map and it looks like there are 3 different buildings just in this terminal......how do you get from one to the other.....and how "user-friendly" is the process.........???

 

 

Can't help with the main crux of this thread - transfer timing.

 

But T5, which is (exclusively?) BA is just one quite large open-plan building.

I just wonder whether your "three buildings" come from a map showing three different floors of the one building?

If not, link the map & I'll try to fathom it for you. It's a pretty easy terminal to use.

 

JB :)

[Cotswold Eagle]

There are now three separate bits of T5 - 'A' gates are in the main building, 'B' and 'C' gates in their own satellites. They are linked by an underground transit system, which works very efficiently in my experience. Takes about a minute, but add on a few minutes to wait for the next train.

 

There are some Iberia-operated flights out of T5 as well as BA (they are, in effect, the same airline) and BA operates a small number of flights out of T1 and T3

Edited October 22, 2013 by Cotswold Eagle

[Cotswold Eagle]

I should add that the transfer to T5B and T5C is airside - check-in and security for all flights is in the main building and it's not until the gate is displayed for your flight that you know if you need to go down to the transit for B or C. They have some shops and food/drink outlets, so no need to leave it until the last minute, but the main building has more facilities.

[Rowsby]

I should add that the transfer to T5B and T5C is airside - check-in and security for all flights is in the main building and it's not until the gate is displayed for your flight that you know if you need to go down to the transit for B or C. They have some shops and food/drink outlets, so no need to leave it until the last minute, but the main building has more facilities.

 

What type of transit system....is it similar to the tube....??

[Cotswold Eagle]

Strictly speaking, no, it's an automated people mover - but, yes, it's underground and it's like a train :) Very few seats, though, most people have to stand.

 

To be exact, it's one of these (but underground!):

http://www.bombardier.com/en/transportation/products-services/rail-vehicles/automated-people-movers.html

Edited October 23, 2013 by Cotswold Eagle

[MarlboroBell]

If you've ever been to Atlanta, Seattle, Denver, Las Vegas, etc., it's the same idea as the inter-terminal transit they have there.

 

One big caveat -- to transfer at Heathrow, you have to reclear security. I believe that involves going back to the main T5 building (so even if you arrive and depart from T5C, you'll have a roundtrip on the transit to handle that). Just follow the signs to Terminal 5 Connections and they'll guide you. You do not need to go through immigration or recheck your bags.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Yes, the Flight Connection Centre is in T5A - of course, if you are an hour out, the outbound flight won't yet have a gate displayed. If delayed inbound to the extent that it is, grab a member of ground staff and they'll help :)

 

We are in danger of making this all sound harder than it is - as long as you realise there may be a transit involved and allow a few more minutes to get to the gate, just follow the signs. T5 works very, very well.

[Rowsby]

One big caveat -- to transfer at Heathrow, you have to reclear security. I believe that involves going back to the main T5 building (so even if you arrive and depart from T5C, you'll have a roundtrip on the transit to handle that). Just follow the signs to Terminal 5 Connections and they'll guide you. You do not need to go through immigration or recheck your bags.

 

I hope the OP is reading this.......I wouldn't attempt 55 minutes between flights........!!

[Rowsby]

Yes, the Flight Connection Centre is in T5A - of course, if you are an hour out, the outbound flight won't yet have a gate displayed. If delayed inbound to the extent that it is, grab a member of ground staff and they'll help :)

 

We are in danger of making this all sound harder than it is - as long as you realise there may be a transit involved and allow a few more minutes to get to the gate, just follow the signs. T5 works very, very well.

 

I have to say......it does sound a little scary.......

After going thru security (and customs ?)....then you wait in T5A for the flight gate designation......and possibly a mad rush to B or C......??

[fabnfortysomething]

we flew British Airways from New York to Heathrow terminal 5 and then had a domestic transfer also on British airways to our UK domestic airport.Our luggage was booked all the way through to final destination

 

we had a 3 hour connection time which was just as well as we had to go through airport security despite doing so in New York and literally being as "sterile " as possible! This took ages despite following the flight connections path

 

I absolutely hate terminal 5 and will avoid in future if at all possible

[Cotswold Eagle]

we flew British Airways from New York to Heathrow terminal 5 and then had a domestic transfer also on British airways to our UK domestic airport.Our luggage was booked all the way through to final destination

 

we had a 3 hour connection time which was just as well as we had to go through airport security despite doing so in New York and literally being as "sterile " as possible! This took ages despite following the flight connections path

 

I absolutely hate terminal 5 and will avoid in future if at all possible

 

Of course, your situation was fundamentally different to the OP as you were connecting with a domestic flight and would therefore have had to enter the country at Heathrow. The OP is connecting to an international flight, so will not be 'landing'.

[Rowsby]

I have another Heathrow question.....I've looked on the

terminal 5 maps and can't seem to find the baggage claim area.....is it on the ground floor.......??

[lydnsyd]

I have another Heathrow question.....I've looked on the

terminal 5 maps and can't seem to find the baggage claim area.....is it on the ground floor.......??

Yes, the baggage reclaim is on the ground floor. Once you have gone through Immigration (there can be queue's) you take the escalator down 1 floor and the baggage reclaim is there.. Luggage carts are free to use.

[newport dave]

I have to say......it does sound a little scary.......

After going thru security (and customs ?)....then you wait in T5A for the flight gate designation......and possibly a mad rush to B or C......??

 

It isn't a mad rush once the gate details appear, literally takes 10mins max to get to your gate if you're paying attention to the boards and not shopping or drinking.....

[lydnsyd]

I have to say......it does sound a little scary.......

 

After going thru security (and customs ?)....then you wait in T5A for the flight gate designation......and possibly a mad rush to B or C......??

 

I'm a bit confused :confused: I'm presuming from your questions that you are landing at LHR T5 and not intending to catch another plane hence you asking about baggage claim- am I wrong??

Edited October 24, 2013 by lydnsyd

[PORT ROYAL]

We arrive in Heathrow via British Airways at 6:25a.m. and depart for Rome on British Airways at 7:30 a.m. Is there sufficient time to make this connection?

 

Here is my earlier post - please be warned

 

Hi Guys

 

Warning to anybody flying from London Heathrow via Terminal 5 to Europe

 

The BAA Security Service (Term used loosely) are being overzealous in their interpretation of thorough.

 

The actual security process can take over one hour, then you may then miss your BA Flight to Europe if you observe the advice of your ticket, being to check in 45 minutes prior to flying.

 

Also if you are unlucky enough to get BA Gate C61, note that this gate is a comfortable 20 minutes journey (walk/train/walk) after getting past security for an able bodied person. [if you do not stop to shop]

 

Please allow a minimum of one hour and 30 minutes after BA check-in.

 

PS: Do not blame BA - It is not their fault!!

Edited October 24, 2013 by PORT ROYAL

[SwissDave]

If BA sold the ticket (as a single through ticket) with a connection time of 1hour 5minutes, then BA have already approved that as a 'legal' connection and that they are confident that you will make the flight. It is not in their interests to have people constantly miss connections. They will know what flight you arrive on and what your next flight is. If there is a delay in arriving on the first flight then they will either 'fast track' you through connections, or, will rebook you onto the next flight. As you are connecting you do not go through immigration or have to collect bags, or go through customs. You just need to go through security at the connections center.

 

I have personally tried to buy tickets with connections of less than one hour and the system has always prevented me from doing so. If you book as separate tickets then of course you are on your own as far as the connection goes, and if you miss it then it's your bad luck and BA have no responsibility to you for the missed connection, whereas they do if you booked on a single through ticket.

[newport dave]

Here is my earlier post - please be warned

 

Hi Guys

 

Warning to anybody flying from London Heathrow via Terminal 5 to Europe

 

The BAA Security Service (Term used loosely) are being overzealous in their interpretation of thorough.

 

The actual security process can take over one hour, then you may then miss your BA Flight to Europe if you observe the advice of your ticket, being to check in 45 minutes prior to flying.

 

Also if you are unlucky enough to get BA Gate C61, note that this gate is a comfortable 20 minutes journey (walk/train/walk) after getting past security for an able bodied person. [if you do not stop to shop]

 

Please allow a minimum of one hour and 30 minutes after BA check-in.

 

PS: Do not blame BA - It is not their fault!!

 

If you are on a single through ticket, then you DON'T have to check in again. You go through Security at the connections point, and then straight to your gate which would be showing on the electronic display by this time.

[Cotswold Eagle]

I travel through T5 on a regular basis and can't remember the last time I spent more than about 15 minutes getting through security. I usually time my arrival for no more than an hour before flight time (hand baggage only) and always have time for an airside coffee.

[Rowsby]

I'm a bit confused :confused: I'm presuming from your questions that you are landing at LHR T5 and not intending to catch another plane hence you asking about baggage claim- am I wrong??

 

The OP is the one trying to make connections....

I will be landing at Terminal 5 and then departing there two weeks later........just trying to understand the logistics of finding my luggage on arrival and how to transfer to the B or C gates when departing....

It is much clearer now......:)