Minimum Connection Time at Heathrow - Will we make it?

[Tery]

We leave on May 17th for our trip to Italy. We're flying LAX-DFW and DFW-LHR on American, and then LHR to Pisa on British Airways. Our flight from DFW is "scheduled" to arrive into LHR on 5/18 at 6:55 a.m. and then we have only 1.5 hours to connect from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5 for our 8:25 a.m. BA flight to Pisa. This is LHR's minimum stated connection time between these 2 terminals.

We've done the transfer between T3 and T5 before, but never with this short a connection time. I know we'll need to walk through T3 to catch the bus to T5 and then go through security there. I'm now very concerned because since the last time we connected through LHR in 2013, they apprarently now have people in T5 who check your boarding pass before they allow you to pass into the security check area. If you have less than 35 minutes before your flight's departure from T5, you are apparently denied entry into the security check area and you will need rebook your flight. If our flight from DFW arrives late, there is a very real possibility we will not make this 35 minute cut-off time.

Has anyone else encountered this 35 minute prior to departure rule for getting admitted to the security area at T5 at LHR? Are they really that strict about it?

Our flight to Pisa is the only one BA has from LHR each day. So, if we get denied entry to security at T5, would BA rebook us on another airline's flight to PSA that same day, or would we be forced to stay overnight at LHR/London and be booked on the BA flight to Pisa the following day?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

 

[Ian Sutton]

I suspect the best advice would be a direct query to BA, as although I'd expect them to honour a scheduled connection (sorting you out properly if you miss the connection) it's better to get their (written) advice of what they would do in this situation.

 

[Rome Addict]

Seems tight. There will be other people at immigration when you land (everyone else on the plane plus other flights). I have seen immigration at Heathrow take over an hour with ALL he desks open. There are a ton of flights from London to Rome even some on BA!

 

[Tery]

Fortunately, we are on a connecting flight from AA to BA and do not need to go through immigration, as we are not staying in the UK.

We just have to follow the Flight Connection signs in T3 to the shuttle bus, then take the bus to T5, and go through security there (IF we make it to the pre-security "checkers" more than 35 minutes before our flight to Pisa departs).

 

[Andrew]

There's a FlyerTalk discussion about this type of Heathrow connection, a long discussion even if it's just starting from Jan. 2016 (split from an earlier thread). The wikis there seem to have gone away at this writing, but I see comments such as:

90 minutes is a bit too close for my personal comfort, however, I am the type who would much rather sit in the departure lounge with a good book than sprint through the terminal on a fast connection.

If your incoming flight is late, then you are toast.

Many people would be willing to take the risk of a 90 minute T5-T3 connection [OK, opposite direction]. I am not one of them.
​

Others saying they'd consider 90 minutes to be the minimum within the same terminal.

 

[Tery]

Thanks, Andrew. I also searched the Flyer Talk boards for info on this subject. Some say the T3-T5 connection is a little faster than the other way round.

Unfortunately, there is no way for us to change our flights at this point. That tight connection at Heathrow was the main reason our RT fare was so cheap ($716 each for LAX-DFW-LHR-PSA and FCO-DFW-LAX on the return). However, when I originally booked the tickets, we had a 1 hr 55 min connection at LHR. Shortly after completing our purchase, we received an email from Fareboom (the online agency I used) that the connection at LHR had been reduced to 90 minutes.

My mother-in-law and brother-in-law are leaving the day before us and they have a 1 hr 45 minute connection between T3 and T5 on their way to Copenhagen. We all have just decided that it is what it is at this point. If we don't make our connecting flights, we'll just deal with the situation as best we can and hope all goes well.

I am going to ask AA/BA for wheelchair assistance though, as my the pain from the re-torn meniscus in my right knee has flared up again and it will likely be difficult to walk fast through the long distances in T3 and T5 at LHR (or DFW) without a lot of pain.

 

[Rome Addict]

Assistance at Heathrow sucks. The attendants pass you around like a hot potato. We got off the plane and got parked in some corridor. 20 minutes later with a short time left to go we said screw this and Tom pushed me the rest of the way.

 

[Colo]

Well today is May 19, and Tery should be in Italy.
Taking bets on did they make their connection at LHR in 90 minutes.
I preface my vote with - I sure hope so!

I vote No

Hope Tery checks in to let us know.

 

[Andrew]

We'll see if she posts here, but on Facebook she posted that she made it, but it was close.

 

[Colo]

Thanks for the update Andrew!
I am not a Facebooker

 

[Tery]

Yes, we made it, but just barely. And, only because our flight arrived almost 30 minutes early! If it had arrived at the scheduled time, we definitely would not have made our flight.

First, the arranged wheelchair assistance for me was not at our gate when we disembarked the plane, so we had to wait 5 minutes for one to arrive. Then, I was dumped at another area to wait for a "buggy" to take me to another area where I was told to wait for a wheelchair to take me to the shuttle bus (by this time, almost 1/2 hour had already passed). I then just decided to walk to the bus stop on my own rather than wait any longer.

After we arrived at T5, it took us another 15 minutes to go through security there. Then, both my friend and I set off the alarm on the machines (likely due to underwire bras, no other metal on either of us), and we were pulled aside for enhanced screening. Also, they separated my husband's laptop from him for additional screening because he had a ziplock bag of various electronic cables and power supplies in it. All this took another 15-20 minutes.

We had to then fast walk to our gate (me with a cane), which luckily was in the same part of T5 as security screening. We arrived at our gate only about 5 minutes before they started boarding the flight.

Overall, it was very stressful and I would not recommend anyone trying to make that T3 to T5 transfer with only 90 minutes connection time.

 

[Ian Sutton]

So glad you made it! Hopefully not too stressful.

I recall from my regular work trips to Dublin, that some of that enhanced screening is done on a random basis, rather than anything you have setting off the sensor - at least that's what they told me when I asked what it was that set the buzzer off.

 

[Colo]

CONGRATULATIONS!

I landed 45 minutes late and had to make the same dash at LHR. I had a two hour window that was reduced to 75 minutes. Wasn't even close - not sure I would of made in two hours that day.

I have to repeat it in December, but I scheduled a 3 hr 30 min layover. I would rather wait than rush.