I'm looking at booking on British air. The flight arrives from Rome at 9:45 and new flight leaves at 11:05. Both british air. It's actually british air I'm booking through so I'm thinking they would not present the option if it does not work? Is 1 hour 20 min doable? My other option is $150 more but a 3 1/2 layover. What would you do? I flew into Heathrow 3 years ago and remember the screening being very long but they did let people with connections cut in front.

It is British Air<u>ways</u> (Not British Air).

If BA is booking this it, is a legal connection. (I'm assuming you are booking the flights together - not separately) You really don't have much to worry about. If you land on time you have plenty of time. If you arrive late -- they will put you on the next available flight (which is probably the one 3.5 hours later anyway) .

Yes British airways and I am booking through their website all together. Sorry for the confusion.

It's BA or British Airways!!!!

Personally, I wouldn't spend the additional charge to book the longer connection. If you're on one ticket and miss your connection BA will rebook you on the next available flight. The main drawback is that you'll lose your seat assignment and may have a less than ideal flight as many of the seats will already be assigned when you need to be rebooked. Having said that, it's a short flight so it's not much of a big deal.

On arrival at T5 go through security and check the monitor for your gate info and head to the gate for your connecting flight. An hour and 20 minute connection is doable if your inbound flight is on time.

I wouldn't pay that much more to get more peace of mind, as they have to get you on another flight. I might just to avoid anxiety if it were not much. If you are going home so won't be inconvenienced much, I really wouldn't.

I hate sitting around airports, 3.5 hrs is a very long time in airport minutes.

I have made connections in the time you have but don't waste any time going from one gate to the other. I have also missed connections for short layovers in London and as mentioned by others they will rebook you at no charge.

Which terminal at Heathrow?

>>Which terminal at Heathrow?<<

The vast majority of BA flights use T-5 and a few T-3 -- but it doesn't matter if it is all on one booking the connection is protected.

Actually they have recently moved a few more flights over to T3 ( quite a few European ones) reason I ask which Terminal is T 5 tends to be more efficient than T3 so would make it marginally more doable....which is what the OP was asking.
Agree if they sell as one ticket they are protected but, still a pain if missed....