Yep, in order to get a FFlyer flight we had to take a via Heathrow flight on the way back to Australia, with a 5 hours wait....how would you kill the 5 hours?

The flippant answer is to say the five hours will kill you and you'll use them up changing planes anyway.

Even if your flights are all within the same terminal, you'll have little trouble kiling the time by browsing the shops. If you really, really, think you've got time to kill (that is, your five hours is the gap between getting to passport control and the latest boarding time for the onwatd flight) there are are a few options possibly open:

- bus to Windsor.
- Heathrow Express to Paddington, then either follow the signs to the Paddington Basin complex, where there's a pleasant canalside walk to Little Venice, or download a map showing the walk to Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens. Bith of these will give you a fair amount of the fresh air you need before a flight to Oz
- Tube to Osterley Park, then a walk round the park
- Tube to South Ken for the museums or Knightsbridge for the shopping (or to be flabbergasted by the awful taste on display, according to taste) in Horrids and Harvey Nicks)

But, to be honest, by the time ATC has held your incoming flight for an hour or two and they drop you about a marathon's length from passport control, you'll have litle time to do much more than browse the bookshops, cigar stands or winestores.

Get something to eat, sit and people watch, read a paper, read a book, wander round the shops. Surely it's not that bad. You could book space in one of the lounges if you want to find a quieter spot.

Yes, I know its a no good answer question... just wishful thinking that there was a "great fodors solution" ...I think the 5 hour hangaround just takes on a whole different aspect when you know there is another 21hour journey in front of you when you get on that plane....

Check and see if there is a spa service there. In many airports there are places to get massages and facials, etc.

Ahhhhh!cmcfong! Your brilliant.. Im off to do a search.... as I said I really considered it a no win question but it always seems as if someone always come thru on this forum..ha ha.. now fingers crossed....
thanks cmcfong!

I think you'll find the only massage etc facilities are in the Virgin and BA premium class lounges (and the BA spa in T4 had very weird opening hours last time we tried to use it)

One other option we've occasionally done by car, but seems to work by public transport: the 105 bus from the T1-3 bus station takes 25 mins to Southall (every 10 mins from 0500 to 1900, then every 15 till midnight).

Britain's best (not quite only) East Africa/Indian restaurant (a huge proportion of apparently Indian people in Britain came here after Kenya and Uganda expelled second-generation immigrants), Madhu's Brilliant, really is the best place to eat in the Heathrow area. And its Sikh temple, just by the station, is spectacular and visitable. If you're on BA and they're still having their catering problems, the local shops sell spectacular sweet and savoury take-away food you can eat cold.

I spent three or four hours there in 2002, umm, err, drinking. We didn't really mean to, but there's this great pub that is decorated to look like an old English pub, and it allowed us to forget we were in the airport. We met interesting people there and just kept drinking pints. I do remember the food being quite terrible though.

It may not take more an hour, but there is exceptionally good shopping in Heathrow. There's a mini Harrod's where I did 95% of my Christmas shopping -- and quite a few other shops that specialized in "British" items.

We're here right now at the BA lounge waiting for connection to Rome. I guess it's off to Harrods!

travelphile, I don't know if all airlines are this strict, but you have to watch out about the alcohol consumption before you board. I know that some airline will refuse to let you board if you smell of it or appear to be the least bit drunk.

that is a good tip sandi - as I mentioned, we didn't mean to, went in to eat and have 'A' pint, but hung out with fellow travelers for quite a bit longer than we expected to.

First i hit an ATM and take out some GBP to use at the airport.

There are public showers at Heathrow that I always use which are pretty nice (if you don't have the luxury of an airline lounge, maybe you do if so take a shower there). That kills about an hour.

There's one large pub/restaurant that is fun. I have a couple glasses of wine. Second hour.

Then I pick up a sandwich from a take-away place and sit in a different area of the terminal for awhile. There are great shops and a large well-stocked book store. I always buy one of those incredibly trash British tabloids to read on the next flight. The third hour.

I may be twisted but find Heathrow a world-class people watching spot.

Also with a long flight ahead I'd probably add trying to get out into the air if possible, or at least walk walk walk around the terminal during your break.

Seems my layovers are usually about 3 hours, so I'm a bit short on ideas for you... but hopefully something above strikes your fancy.

Suze: Tell me more about the public showers! Anytime I go to Spain, I end up with hours to kill at Heathrow. I never knew about the public shower option: do they supply you with towels, soap, etc.? How clean are they? Is a hairdryer available for use? Tell all, please.

I used the public shower at Heathrow. Very private. They provided a towel so pack your essentials in your carry-on. The prices at the airport are very high. I would recommend purchasing a little wine and while taking a shower, pour it in a plastic bottle. As you are waiting for your flight, cheers.

Gailw- they're great and very clean. it took some sleuthing to figure this out before my last trip, but now i'll use them every time.

The one I went to is at the beginning of Terminal 1 (as you go to the right from the Term 1/2 entrance it is then on your immediate left). they are run by the same company as upkeeps the rest rooms, I believe. And I know there are other locations but not sure exactly where (i noticed one by a boarding gate somewhere sometime).

There's a front desk clerk where you pay... you get a private white tile room with a shower, vanity, sink, toilet, bench, clothes hooks. I don't remember about a hair dryer since I don't use one myself, but am guessing might be one. You pay ~4GBP for the room and soap packets, and ~2GBP for a towel (if you wanted to bother to pack your own it would be a bit cheaper but then you're stuck with a soggy towel not worth the couple extra pounds IMO). There didn't appear to be a time limit.

Wally, great idea, and here I went to the bar to drink my wine *after* the shower. Silly me

Thanks a lot. This is a great idea -- kills time, and makes you feel better after the long flight with hours left to go before arriving So. Spain.
Muchisimas gracias.

no problem Gail. Glad to help. My friends think I'm a bit crazy but for whatever reason I get a kick out of finding stuff like this when I travel.

Cosmo- If you don't mind dropping some money there is one (maybe more?) very nice looking "fancy" restaurants (white linen table cloth, maitre'd, peaceful & quiet) within the terminal.

thanks all for the responses.
Just wanted to add to the shower theme as I highly recommend it on long hauls. When flying Australia to Europe/UK there is usually between one hour and one and 1/2 hour stop in Singapore.
I found that there is a transit hotel inside the transit lounge and make it a point of spending that short time (an hour is pushing it but Ive done it easily with 1 1/2 timeframe to beeline straight there and for $15Singapore get towel, soap, shampoo the works in lovely private bathroom. Its around 10 hours Melb to Singapore and I found that if I jump off here and do the works even wash my hair (blowdryers are supplied), when I get back on the plane for the last looooooog leg, my body actually feels like Im just starting - not sure if it's the water rehydrating the body or if its just pyscological but it really makes a huge difference. I do it going both ways and my jet lag is minimal since finding this trick.