Transit from T5 to T3 - How and how long

[Borisdog]

I've just been subjected to an involuntary itinerary change on a BA leg from Toronto to Helsinki via Heathrow. BA's change.

Originally was a 5Hr layover, but now is 90 minutes. The ticket is a Qantas Frequent Flyer "Classic Oneworld Award" in J for 2 of us.

So - How does this work, it's Terminal 5 to Terminal 3. Surely I can stay airside and 90 minutes should be heaps but I've had this flagged by the QF Premium team while I was changing another involuntary alteration by QR.

There are no other BA flights on the day and the only other option is Finnair in Y.

Easy, Hard? What's the blow by blow method for anyone who's been in this situation?

Cheers, BD

 

[moa999]

Follow flight connections signs.
Will be bus between T5 and T3.

90min is the minimum allowed so it will be tight but doable. Are there any later flights in case things go badly?

 

[Borisdog]

Nothing later at all. But that's according to QF - I'll check BA.

Thanks for the reply. As said - it's BAs change so if it goes ugly it's theirs to fix. The real problem occurs in Helsinki the following day if I don't get there as I've got an internal flight to catch up to the Arctic circle.

 

[Himeno]

There are 2 ways to change terminals at LHR. Going landside (and through immigration) to use the train (trains are free between the Heathrow stations), or following the purple signs to flight connections. At flight connections, people staying in the same terminal go through the security checkpoint then to departures. People going to other terminals will need to wait for a bus to their destination terminal and will go through security upon reaching the other terminal.

It takes the bus about 10-12 minutes to change terminal from T5. Need to make sure you have the right bus, don't want to end up in T4.

Here's the process in detail (just ignore the selected flights)

Connecting flights

Essential information if you're transferring between flights at London Heathrow – get a step-by-step guide to your Flight Connection.

www.heathrow.com

 

[Borisdog]

Hi Himeno and Thanks.

I suppose the thing I'm really after is how long does the whole " Get off plane, walk to TX bus, get to other Terminal, get through security etc" actually take?

Have you done it and do you recall roughly how long it took.

I'm struggling for options if this isn't do-able, my real problem is due to an internal flight booking in Helsinki the following day. I suspect I'm gunna have to try ditching the BA leg from LHR to HEL and getting on an AY flight. The QF P1 desk lady only mentioned 1 AY flight but I can actually see 3 on the AY site.

Thanks for your help though, that LHR transit guide site is a beauty.

 

[AisleSeat]

I transferred from T3 to T5 a few years ago. Here's how that went:

Landed at T3 from HKG, went through immigration, collected bags, caught the train to T5 and rechecked bags within 30 minutes.

Now, I do have a UK passport so immigration was quicker. It was Mrs AS and I with our 18 month old, sitting way back in Y.

 

[Himeno]

What date are you looking at?
There are up to 7 BA/AY LHR-HEL flights/day. The issue may be award availability on the other flights.

Most of the time at LHR, I've gone landside and taken the train. I used the connections bus last year, but that was T4 to T3.

 

[Borisdog]

We come in from Toronto, arriving 0625 31st Oct.

AisleSeat - your comments encourage me greatly - particularly if I stay with the BA flight as I wouldn't have to collect luggage. I'd be taking a massive punt that the Toronto flight is on time though and I'm not really a big fan of tight connections in situations that I don't know well.

I need to get to Helsinki before midnight if possible but I think the Award availability is an issue as you say Himeno. I might have to pull the P1 DYKWIA and grovel for some award AY release. The flight I would like if I can con the change is a 1020 AY flight on a A350.

I'll have a crack tomorrow with the P1 team - better armed this time. I actually called them this morning about another flight on the same ticket and really hadn't even registered that the BA leg had changed also.

 

[drron]

We have done the reverse on BA T3-T5.Had a 2.5 hour transit and very nearly missed the second flight when security decided to strip search me.Had to run to the gate.

 

[kpc]

i don't know about T5 to T3 but T3 to T5 has taken me 2 hours...would it be quicker to go landside, and take the train from T5 to T3?

 

[moa999]

If no award availability BA likely won't get you a seat on AY now.
And arriving early AM you probably have less chance of experiencing delays.

That said if you do have delays it's BAs issue and I'd suspect they will then find a seat on AY.

 

[Kceips]

My son and daughter recently had T5 to T3 transfer on a Sunday morning. They missed the transit passenger sign and ended up exiting thro' customs, headed onto train , back thro' security into T3. Their luggage was checked though. They said this whole process took less than an hour. As long as your inbound flight is on time you should be fine. They were in J so disembarked quickly and able to use priority lines which should also be the case for you.

 

[Himeno]

There are 4 BA/AY flights that day after accounting for the 0625 arrival and min connect time.
They appear to have lots of seats available for sale, but little to no award inventory.

Provided the inbound from YYZ is on time, you'll make the connections bus without issue. The main delaying factor is security. LHR security is as bad as, if not worse then, TSA.

 

[Matt_01]

Bit of a quick high jack but similar, we are transiting T3-T5 arriving JL F leaving BA F with about a 2 hour connection. Would it be quicker to go landside or stay airside. Thanks

 

[Borisdog]

Thanks so far everyone. My gut feel is we'll be OK assuming the YYZ flight is on time, and it becomes BA's problem ( Mine too!) if they miss my connection.

I think they'll find me a seat on AY if push comes to shove and, frankly, in this case I'd take a downgrade to Y in order to get there. I'm down about 1000 Euros if I don't make it and have to buy another 2 tickets to Ivalo.

I'll still have a crack tomorrow at the P1 help line and see what they can do. I went direct to QR in the first instance above for their unforced change and they pushed me back to QF so I suspect if I go to BA they'll do the same.

 

[VPS]

Just make sure you luggage is checked through. I had this coming from the US once and they didn't check my luggage through so by the time I went through immigration and then back through security I missed my connection to Ireland. I think it was a TA error (it was a personal trip tacked onto a work trip) and I was OK because I just rang my friend in London and invited myself for the night. BA did book me on a flight the next day and the TA reimbursed my taxi fares.

 

[Aus ATC]

While award availability might be a requirement for rebooking ahead of time, if the connection becomes impossible on the day, won't BA simply rebook onto the next available flight (BA or AY) - award available or not? Assuming of course remaining flights that day are not full.