In a move which spreads BA’s long haul flights between Terminals 3 and 5 at Heathrow, BA is moving a number of destinations to Terminal 3 from 14 October.
The following destinations are making the switch:
- Accra,
- Cape Town,
- Denver,
- Las Vegas,
- Miami,
- Nairobi,
- Phoenix
- Vancouver
Of course Terminal 3 is certainly the poor relation to Terminal 5. Older, darker and with worse lounges it is not a good experience. The T3 Security Staff are notoriously passenger-unfriendly. I am caught in this change for my flight to Miami at the end of the month. Of course, passengers in First Class have no Concorde Room either to escape to for decent service in Terminal 3.
There are other OneWorld lounges in T3 – American and Cathay Pacific – have their homes there. The AA Lounge has decent food in it’s First Class area (Flagship Lounge). I will be trying out Cathay when I travel to Miami. Currently the BA lounge is being used by Emirates whilst they rebuild their own lounge. This is supposed to stop at some point this month but currently there is no date so it could get pretty crowded in Galleries at T3.
On the bright side, your bags will be whisked between the terminals at ludicrous speed.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2528042/Ever-wondered-happens-bag-airport-Behind-scenes-Heathrow-Terminal-5.html
@Chris – what sort of traveller do you think I am? Checked bags, whatever next! 😉
T3 fast track security has improved. I think that Accenture have sponsored them as the entrance is all about Accenture. They got so bad in the past that I started taking the regular security route.
I actually prefer the BA First Lounge in T3 over any in T5. It has that quiet private club feel and everything is within reach. The food has been a little boring lately, especially since they stopped the fishcakes and the steak pies. The BA Burger, that can be ordered from the menu, remains as awful as ever.
The worst aspect is the transfer process between T5 and T3 which can take almost an hour. I’m only Gold and not Premier and wonder if the Premier private car transfer is able to do a T5-T3 rather than just aircraft to terminal?
2 questions:
1) is this departures only or do arrivals also go to to T3 for those destinations?
2) being not super familiar with LHR, how hard is it to go from T5 to T3 if you are flying into T5 but then connecting out of T3 (for my trip back to YVR in my case)
Aaron:
(1) Departure and Arrivals will go to/from T3 for these destinations I am afraid.
(2) There is a bus between terminals – just follow the signs to Flight Connections (they are purple) and they will take you to the other terminal. You clear UK security in your departure terminal.
Good luck.