Is 1h50 enough time to connect in Heathrow if it's a different terminal?

[NattyBeaker]

It's a BA ticket that's giving me a 1h50 connection time and it says "different terminal"

Is it enough time and if it's not will they sort you out (BA)?

What time of day and where are you flying from into Heathrow?.

It should be fine. There minimum connection times are listed here www.britishairways.com/content/information/airport-information/flight-connections#:~:text=Minimum%20connecting%20times,and%20international%20flights)%3A%2075%20minutes

You can travel between the terminals quite easily. There are loads of options, bus, trains etc. There are free shuttle buses. The most it should take (depending on where you are coming from/going to etc) is about 20 minutes.

The thing that is unknown is getting through biometric security when transferring between domestic / international. Sometimes it can be 5 minutes, sometimes longer. If I was pushed for time, I'd let staff know.

If BA have deemed it enough time, then it probably is.

That's too short for me.

When BA state their connection times, they're basing those on:

1. The inbound flight departing on time and arriving on time.

1. The gate for the inbound flight being free when it arrives.

1. LHR staff being available at the gate to hook up the jet way to the plane.

1. Depending upon where you arrive from, minimal queues at Passport control.

1. Minimal queues at security.

If there are any delays in any of the above which, from experience, there usually are, your transit will end up being a stressful event where you either:

1. Arrive at your connection a hot, sweaty mess, or
2. Miss your connection.

and with zero time to grab a coffee, look in shops if you want to.

BA also never seem to realise that flights - especially international ones - start boarding 40 minutes before departure time, so you need to factor that in too.

I always look for a min 2h30 connection at LHR to make it comfortable

It's tight but doable as long as your first flight isn't delayed getting in.
If you booked your flights together in one booking you won't need to collect your bags or check in again.
Travelling between terminals is really easy and well signposted.
You probably won't have much time for food or shops though.

It's doable definitely and likely to be fine, would make me anxious though

Do you have checked bags that will need to be collected and then re checked?

If you do, then not a chance.

If you dont, then it would work if you are efficient (dont stop for shopping or faff around) dont get lost and everything runs on time.

Definitely check in and print your boarding pass for your second flight before you leave home. That way, they know you are coming and it is easier to get through the flight connections gates if there is a technical problem (happened to me and took 30 mins of faffing to get through)

Are you sure it’s a different terminal?

I had 1hr 50 last flight and was panicking, but I’d misread the take off terminal for the landing one.

so it said airport terminal3- terminal 5 Heathrow. So it read like I flew into t3 when in fact it took off t3 and landed t5

most BA flights will go in and out of terminal 5.

What time of year and what time of day?

I agree with the idea it’s tight but should be doable, and of course if it’s a connected booking it’s up to BA to pick up the pieces if the connection doesn’t work.

most BA flights will go in and out of terminal 5.

That’s correct but these days there are a significant and seemingly increasing number of BA flights into/out of T3….

londonairtravel.com/british-airways/british-airways-london-heathrow-terminal-3/

It's from Alicante to Glasgow via Heathrow. Can't remember the times, but day time. Presume I wouldn't need to check in bags as they'd sort that

I wouldn't risk it, last time I landed in T5 from Edinburgh, they were short of ground crew and it took ages before we got off the plane. Then another 20 minutes waiting on the bus moving off and what seemed like a 5 mile journey to the terminal.

As long as you have booked it as one ticket . That way, if you miss the connection at LHR , BA will put you on the next shuttle to GLA. Unless it’s the last flight of the day of course.

If its coming into the UK from abroad (Alicante), you will likely have to clear customs in Heathrow before you then take the domestic flight up to Glasgow.

So then you will have to land, clear immigration, collect your checked bags, clear customs, change terminals, re check your bags and go through security.

I would call BA and ask for a longer connection time

I had this recently and unfortunately it wasn't enough time. Mine however was stupidly a separate booking so I had to collect a bag and re-check it in. If I didn't have to do that I would have made it. Hopefully you're on a connected booking so the bag would go right through. Also, if you miss it, they will move to you the next one so you won't be out of pocket. I will never book separate again!

@SeaToSki re I would call BA and ask for a longer connection time

10 years ago, they would have done that for free.

Unfortunately, now you have to pay to change. We did it last year when they changed one of our flight times leaving us with 90 minutes transit time instead of 150 minutes.

The person in the call centre was trying to assure me I could connect in 75 minutes, as that's what their website said. Asked him if he'd ever been to LHR - you can guess the answer

If it’s a connected booking at LHR there usually isn’t any need to collect bags, and go through all the faff of checking in again.

This might help:

https://www.heathrow.com/connecting-flights