BA arrivals lounge LHR Terminal 5 v Airside Terminal 5 lounges?

[Littlewizz]

Good day all,

Looking for a little advice from the many well-travelled on here.

We are traveling in club and landing in LHR at 0550 but our connection to MAN isn’t until 1405, as this is rather a long time I was wondering if it’s worth clearing immigration (UK citizens) and using the T5 arrivals lounge? as I’m sure this is much quieter than the usual madness that is T5 airside lounges?!

Thanks in advance for the advice.

Best Regards

[Rob]

Frankly I’d do both given that gap. Couple of hours in arrivals, which is better set up for showers and breakfast, and then wander back through security mid morning after the AM peak has gone.

I’d also remind you that the Elizabeth Line can get you to Bond Street in 40 minutes, no train change needed, so a few hours in the West End may be better.

[Littlewizz]

Hi Rob,

Thank you for the swift reply and advice, which of course I will follow.

Best Regards

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

Later this month I arrive LHR 06.35, depart to DUB 08.15. I assume it’s too tight a connection to go landside for the Arrivals lounge? Abd I should just try my luck airside?

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

Blair Waldorf Salad wrote:

Later this month I arrive LHR 06.35, depart to DUB 08.15. I assume it’s too tight a connection to go landside for the Arrivals lounge? Abd I should just try my luck airside?

As the minimum recommended connection time for flights within T5 is 1 hour there is no way I’d risk exiting airside to pop into the arrivals lounge and then having to go back through full security again, although I suppose if you’re a Gold / OWE level then the First Wing might de-risk it but still feels very tight to me!

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

Blair Waldorf Salad wrote:

Later this month I arrive LHR 06.35, depart to DUB 08.15. I assume it’s too tight a connection to go landside for the Arrivals lounge? Abd I should just try my luck airside?

Just to put some timings onto that

It appears you have 1 hr 40 mins but knock off 20 mins for doors close time then you’d have 1 hr 20.

But to meet conformance you need to have been scanned at security no later than 35 mins before departure so that would give you 1 hr 5 mins.

Out of that you’d need to account for the time to get from the plane to immigration. If your flight lands in A that’s very quick but not if you land at B let alone C.

So your time is rapidly eaten into and you’d have very little – if any – lounge time.

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

Understood thanks. I’m doing a non-connecting turnaround at DUB back to the UK a few hrs after landing there. So I will hopefully be in time for the EI DUB T2 lounge showers before they arbitraily close them for the rest of the day.