Heathrow Connection

Was is this booked on one ticket or two? Because I think that’s going to make a lot of difference. If your flight itinerary with British Airways shows you connecting on then you’re probably going to be fine. If however you have a separate ticket on the other airline who knows what’s going to happen

And WHEN this is scheduled to happen could have an impact on what rules might be in place at that time.

Critical to know if two tickets or one. If one you should just be an intransit passenger and may eve stay outside of immigration.

Go to the following website for complete information:

https://www.heathrow.com/customer-support/faq/coronavirus-covid-19

Find the section marked "Travel Information" and expand the "Can I still transit/connect through Heathrow" question.

Read it carefully as it offers numerous scenarios depending on if it's one or two tickets, whether or not you have checked in luggage, whether or not you have the boarding pass for the second flight, etc, etc., etc.

Unfortunately, it is two separate tickets. I will keep checking on Heathrow's latest regulations, but if anyone has had experience in the past few weeks, I'd appreciate knowing how it was handled at Heathrow. Thanks.

Well reading the link Frank gave you you will find that it probably works. But unfortunately you haven’t given yourself a lot of time. I expect there’s going to be questions about what you’re doing etc. and this could take longer than the 2.5 hours you’ve allowed. Are you checking luggage? If you are this strikes me is really problematic

I’ve done a lot of non-protected connections at this airport. And my rule of thumb is no less than four hours. In the current environment you probably really want and that four hours. This could be really tight

If you have checked luggage, I estimate your chances of success are about equal to Satan having ice water

Good luck!

If you posted this a year ago, I’d tell you that I’d be sweating bullets. Remember, there’s all sorts of non Covid stuff that could mess with your plans, bad weather leaving the USA, having to circle when trying to land at Heathrow, massive lines at immigration. Wasn’t it just a year ago that climate activists were threatening to shut down Heathrow or else bring it to its knees.

Another problem is now when things change by the day. When’s the flight? A month from things could be easier or much stricter. The U.K. government has gotten flak for how they initially handled everything, they may try to slam the door after the horse has escaped and make it harder to transit

The U.K. 14 day quarantine was only introduced 2 days ago so few people are going to have experience of this situation. As I understand it, if you stay airside you will be ok. If you “enter” the U.K., you will have to quarantine.

The situation may change over time and I assume that your flight isn’t anytime soon. Lisbon has a rising number of Covid cases and therefore the reopening of shops etc has been delayed.

Do you have checked luggage?

When are you traveling?

If you tell us this, we can help you better. If not, good luck.

We will have just carry-on baggage, and the date is June 21. Thanks. - and we are healthy enough to run if we have to!

Some further bits of info - Heathrow requires face coverings at all times within the terminal buildings. Also temperature checks are being experimented with which could take up more time should this be required.

If you do not have your boarding pass for the TAP flight then you will have to go through immigration, ie no airside transfers just on an itinerary. This does not require quarantine as this can be cut short for an onward flight but it will require going through all of the extra immigration procedure.

Terminals 2 and 5 are currently the only ones operating - 3 & 4 are mothballed. Of course flights are reduced in both number and passengers but this could affect the transfer capacity also. Effectively British Airways and Iberia are in 5 and everyone else is in 2.

Is this your first time transiting through Heathrow?

No, but the first time during the COVID and with two separate bookings and two separate terminals.

I’ve done the “two tickets, two terminals” but, of course not under the circumstances that prompted your question. And, so far, no one on the forum appears to have traveled through recently. I didn’t find anyone on other travel forums who has either.

Familiarity with LHR is already answered, so that should help and you have no checked baggage. The next question is: can you get your TAP boarding pass before you leave on your BA flight? If you have a boarding pass for your next flight you can stay airside. That appears to still be the case.