Do I really need to avoid connecting through Heathrow (including changing terminals) at all costs? About 10 years ago we had 3 hours to make a connection there and still ended up running to make our flight. I don't think things have gotten better.

But now that I'm planning a trip to Bologna, I'm considering crazy things to avoid connecting at Heathrow - like flying a day later (meaning the trip would be a day shorter), having an 8 hour layover in Madrid, etc. Is it worth any of this to avoid connecting at LHR?

If I had 4 hours to connect at LHR, would that be relatively stress-free?

Do I really need to go to extreme measures to avoid connecting (including changing terminals) through Heathrow? If I had 4 hours, could I connect in a relatively stress-free manner? About 10 years ago we had 3 hours and still had to run for our flight.

Welcome to Fodors -- not quite sure why you tagged half of Europe?

Anyway -- There are too many missing details to answer your question. Same booking or separate tickets? Same airline or different? Where are you flying from and where to? Same terminal or two? If on the same booking I'd feel more than comfortable because I'd be protected if the arrival flight is delayed.

I don't know why it shows I'm a new member; I've been around for a few decades - I guess I signed in a different way. I tagged countries where people might have encountered connecting through LHR on the way to somewhere else,

Flights would be on one ticket. Terminal change would be required.

Your two threads have been merged.

Oh -- I didn't see the other post - so you are flying to Italy.

Your profile shows you just joined and these are your only 3 posts. It looks like maybe you opened a new account somehow. Maybe contact the moderators to straighten this out.

OP here. I made the mistake of signing in with Google.

Of course, I was here long before 2019, too - my first account was tied to the work email of a job I left years ago.

Don't you hate it what that happens?

Maybe ask the Moderators what to do about thisif anything. Its probably against some rules to have 2 active profiles. Now back to your question.

I know people complain about LHR but maybe its because I'm pretty used to it, but me personally, I'd rather connect at LHR over say CDG. It really does depend on which airline/terminal(s) though. Most BA flights arrive/depart through Yerminal 5 while most of its partners use Terminal 3. There is a bus connection between the two. If you are talking bouut other airlines/alliances some use Terminal 2 and some Terminal 4. There are specific 'issues' related to the different terminals. But on one ticket I wouldn't worry about a 4 hour connection. As I mentioned, being on one booking you are protected and they will put you on the next available flight if you miss your connection.

sorry for the typos

We are flying through LHR to visit Sicily in late April due to more affordable business seats. Arrival at 0720 in Terminal 2 with a connection on another flight on another ticket on another airline at 1345 in same terminal. Bought a flex fare which allows taking an earlier flight at 0930 or 1030 or 1210 for no additional charge. The flex tickets were not that much more expensive than standard tickets with baggage. Its not as good as being on the same ticket but the cost savings were worth it.

I hope you have been watching the news about Heathrow - there is/was a big fire 4km away and all the power is out in a huge radius around the fire. People are being cautioned that the airport is closed and to avoid it for now. They said it might take several days for Heathrow to reopen and it will have an impact on airports and flights around the world.

Lavandula

Just saw that. Our trip will be in October, but I feel for all the folks traveling now.

It looks like you logged on again as missypie. You might want to post as realgirl -- just in case they deactivate your 'new' account.

whilst it has been a considerable mess and there will be knock on consequences for several days things are now improving. LHR hopes to start some long haul flights from 19.00 GMT and run a “normal” service from tomorrow.
We are sat in a hotel by Delhi airport hoping to get back to LHR tomorrow. We are checked in and there is a plane here that set off and came back this morning but we know there are two plane loads of passengers as well as everyone on our flight trying to fly tomorrow, less anyone successfully re routed today.

Last May I had a T3>T5 connection with 1:55 layover. We did it in 50 minutes! There were no lines at checkpoints or shuttle, not sure of this was just really good luck. I watched a youtube video in advance that explained exactly how to do that transfer, what signs to look for, etc. so as soon as we got off the first plane, I knew what to do. In fact, everything looked familiar from the video.

We have only had an issue at LHR one time. We had a short layover and missed the connection to Paris when my husband’s bag got delayed at the security line. BA put us on the next flight so it worked fine. My sisters had a layover at LHR from Bologna last week and did fine. I believe both flights used Terminal 5.

I would not be scared to fly through LHR and I would definitely not shorten my trip to avoid it.

Just curious. Anyone have any experience with immigration and Baggage T2 LHR at 0720? Have been flying in at 2040 for the last 10 years or so where there is almost no wait with immigration.

Haven't used T-2 in years but re LHR in general: Short haul / European flights land about equally all day long, but a LOT of the long hauls land in the early-mid morning. So immigration lines and the pressure on baggage handlers are heavier in the morning. But usually the E-gates work well so unless they are down or there is some sort of baggage glitch it shouldn't be that much worse than what you are used to.