I’ve connected at Heathrow plenty of times, but always on the same ticket and usually on the same airline. This time, however, my transatlantic ticket is on Virgin, and my intra-European ticket is on TAP; the tickets were bought at different times from different sources. I will have a checked bag. If I understand airport terminology correctly, I think this means that I won’t be considered a connecting passenger (such that Heathrow’s helpful Flight Connections Guide isn’t going to do me any good).
I think what I’ll need to do is this: Arrive at T3, go through Passport Control (e-gates?), retrieve my bag at Baggage Claim, stroll innocently through the Customs hall, and then walk to T2. At T2, it’s just a matter of finding the TAP desk to check my bag (or maybe there’s a self-check kiosk), and then going through Security and whatever else till I get airside. Is this correct? Have I overlooked anything?
My only real confusion is the walk from T3 to T2. In looking at the map of T3’s Arrivals hall, I don’t see where it’s possible to walk to T2. Does anyone know? I’m sure it’ll be signed well once I’m actually there, but it’s nice to know ahead of time roughly where I need to be.