We are flying into Heathrow on British airways, but then continuing on to Geneva on Swiss Air - two separate tickets, but can have the boarding passes for Swiss before we land at Heathrow. We have an hour and a half between flights and will not be checking bags.
We are not clear what we will have to do - for example, do we have to go through passport control?
You shouldn’t need to go through passport control, but you will need to pass through security. Just follow the purple line on the floor. Connecting flights is well marked. Use the link to see how much time you’ll need for your connecting flights. If you’re changing terminals 1.5 hours will be cutting it close.
You will most likely land at T5 but will not be leaving from there - you need to transfer, probably by train. That will be an effective non airside transfer so you will go through security and passport control. There are some routes to transfer that are air secure in which case you don't - but that's normally single ticket flights And this all depends on exactly where you come in.
90 minutes is a tight change time - T5 is large and sprawling. You will need to get moving on arrival.
With your boarding pass in hand for the Swiss flight you should be able to stay airside and transfer to the next terminal. Your British Airways flight will most likely land at T5. It appears that Swiss uses T2 but confirm that on your boarding pass. There are dedicated buses that provide free transport between terminals for connecting passengers. You will indeed follow the purple “Flight Connections”signs, but pay attention and follow the signs to the terminal you need to go to.
When you disembark from the bus you will pass through security in the terminal. Make sure you are ready—no water in your water bottle, 3-1-1 liquids bag out of your luggage, laptop, iPad or tablet out too. Once you exit security area, look for the Departures board to find your gate.
That is a tight connection, even on one ticket. The problem with separate tix is not that connecting takes longer, but you are not protected. BA has no obligation to help you get to the next flight ASAP, nor to put you on a later flight if you miss it. But I am sure you had good reason for booking it this way, and chances are it will work out, IF (a big unknown) your incoming flight is reasonably on time. Just do not dawdle on the way.
It seems to me that on every connection we’ve had at Heathrow, whether landing and still connecting at Terminal 5, or connecting to a separate terminal, has involved a passport check, followed by a security screening. How close to the front of the plane will you be? Have your bags ready to roll, ASAP. Walk fast once you’re off the plane. If there’s a queue, don’t hesitate to explain your connection situation to an airport staffer in a purple uniform. Once when we had a late plane arriving at Heathrow, they moved us up in the queue to get us thru the passport check and onto security.
Heathrow seems to wait until the last minute to announce from what gate your ongoing flight will depart. Get to your departure terminal as fast as you can, but then you might still be waiting to determine from which concourse and gate you’ll be going to Geneva. Make sure SWISS knows you’re at Heathrow, with your carryon luggage, and await the announcement of the gate for your flight. You’ll be scrambling as much then, to make it to the gate, as you’ll have been, making it off the plane, through the checks, and to your departure terminal. Don’t tarry, but you should be OK, as long as your flight to London doesn’t arrive late.
The only passport check you should have is the airline checking you have a passport. This is not an official immigration check. (It's amazing how many people don't know the difference.)
Ninety minutes is the minimum suggested time for changing terminals. It will be tight.
When I went through Heathrow they were experimenting with new security procedures. 90 minutes will be tight especially if you don't have Fast Track. And BA has a horrible habit of changing the flight times.
The only time there is a passport check when changing planes at Heathrow is when you are connecting to a flight within the UK. Then you have to “enter” the UK, so there is a passport check. But it is separate from the main T5 immigration entry point, and quicker.
Transferring to the Swiss airline for a flight presumably to Switzerland, the OP does not have to worry about that
You should make sure you have a plan B, 90 minutes for self connecting between different terminals at Heathrow is very optimistic.
...will not be checking bags
Have you checked the Swiss Air carry on allowance? It is decidedly less than what BA allows in the cabin.
Given the number of flights Swiss has from LHR-GVA, I would be looking at a later choice, to avoid a 90 minute connection that requires perfection to have a reasonable chance of success.
My $0.02
WOW, I wish you well, but no way would I book separate flights at Heathrow with only 90 minutes to connect.
90 minutes is the minimum that airlines will risk selling a connection. You are taking the same risk as they do.
90 minutes is the minimum that airlines will risk selling a connection. You are taking the same risk as they do.
That statement can be a bit misleading.
I see that BA will sell an 85 minute connection at LHR, BUT both the arriving and departing flights use T5.
OP has to get from T5 to T2 to get the SwissAir flight.
Thank you all for the feedback and insights. Sounds like we will need to be ready to move fast and be ready to try for standby on the later flight(s) to Geneva. Our hope is that our small carry on only approach will help enable success. Our trip to the UK last summer was our first with small luggage backpacks (one for each person) and from now on it’s the only way we travel.
I see that BA will sell an 85 minute connection at LHR, BUT both the arriving and departing flights use T5
BA will sell same terminal connecting flights down to 60 mins but the transfer in this question is one involving a terminal change which are minimum 90 when sold as proper connecting flights.
you need to understand that standby may not even be an option for you. You will have missed your first flight when you don’t make that Swiss air flight. At that point it is at the mercy of the airline to let you fly standby on a later flight, it is not something they have to do. As someone who does connections like this a lot my requirements are 4 hours and a willingness to pay the price. In your case, the price is walking up to Swiss air handing over credit card and buying a new ticket to Geneva, and keep in mind if you have a round-trip ticket to Geneva and you missed that first flight they can cancel you return flight.
As I said I do this a lot and this one os scary
