Terminal 5 Arrivals Guide Preparing for travel Travel advice for anxious passengers About this guide Sections • About this guide • Finding your way around Terminal 5 • Sensory awareness – What you can expect • Information – Asking for help at the airport This guide is aimed at anyone who might feel a bit anxious about travelling through Heathrow. Heathrow is a large, busy airport and • Step-by-step journey planner – preparing for: the journey through the airport can seem complex especially if you • International flights arriving Terminal 5, C Gates don’t know what to expect or what is expected of you. • International flights arriving Terminal 5, B Gates Plenty of help is at hand, you just need to know where to find it. • International flights arriving Terminal 5, A Gates Over the years we’ve had a lot of experience in assisting anxious travellers and we hope that this guide will enable you to prepare for • International flights arriving Terminal 5, Remote your forthcoming trip to Heathrow and be confident in the • UK flights arriving Terminal 5 knowledge that Heathrow might be big, but we’re not scary. We understand that everyone is different and if after reading • Preparing for Passport Control this guide you still have concerns about your arrivals journey through Heathrow, or if you just need more information, then please • Additional sources of information don’t hesitate to contact us. • Preparation checklist Finding your way around Terminal 5 Finding your way around Terminal 5 Finding your way around Terminal 5 Signs you might see Terminal 5 is made up of 3 buildings. You’ll find plenty of information showing you The main terminal building, known where you are in your journey and what comes as A gates and two smaller next. buildings, B and C gates. The three buildings are connected via a tunnel and you can either walk or use the Transit train to travel between them. After landing at Heathrow your pilot will be told where to park the aircraft. Because Heathrow is so busy it is not possible to tell you this information in advance. Visual Symbols You will find details on all 5 potential routes in the step-by-step Visual symbols can be seen on signs journey planning section of this throughout the terminal, as well as within this guide. guide. In all 3 buildings there is clear signage telling you where you are. Exit Simply follow the yellow signs to Arrivals/Baggage reclaim then all routes will lead you to the Arrivals Here are some of the icons that you may see on your Arrivals journey Hall in the main terminal building Follow these yellow signs (A gates). If you have arranged for to EXIT the building. someone to meet you this is where they will be waiting for you. What you can expect Sensory awareness – A busy airport can be a very hostile environment if you have a sensory processing disorder. There are lots of reflective surfaces, bright lights, alarms, crowd congestion and lots of unfamiliar tastes and smells. Sight Taste and Smell Touch Reflective surfaces, different Gasoline, air fresheners, Temperature, crowded We cannot offer a sensory coloured lights, digital perfumes, materials, food areas, unfamiliar surfaces smells, cleaning products friendly environment but we screens. Things that might be helpful Things that might be helpful can tell you what you can Things that might be helpful Sensory toys, multi-layer expect and help you to come Sun glasses Scented handkerchief clothing, up with a plan. Things that might be useful: Sunglasses Sensory toys Weighted back pack Soft play area Headphones or ear defenders Hearing Balance Body awareness Using lifts instead of escalators Multi-layer clothing Tannoys, vehicle noise, Escalators, transit train, Escalators, congested areas alarms, crowd conversation, trolleys Things that might be helpful strange acoustics. Keep safe! Trolleys, escalators and Things that might be helpful Take your time, try to avoid the baggage reclaim belts can Things that might be helpful dangerous. Use lifts. If you feel dizzy or crowds by getting off the plane Music, headphones, ear faint please request a last, use the walkways or wait A wide range of snacks is available defenders. wheelchair loan or assistance. for the next train. Use lifts. to purchase from our food outlets. Asking for help at the airport Information Here to help locations We have a number of locations where you can find a person to speak to if you need help. These are located: B Gates Level 1 Arrivals Special Help call points How to Get Assistance Assistance Area Help Call Points can be found all around Heathrow. The call point could look different If you suddenly need help during your B Gates Transit Ambassador than the picture above. A map of Help Call journey, there are several things you can position on the transit platform point locations can be found here: do: http://www.heathrow.com/airport- • Look for a person wearing the Helping Passport control Ambassador guide/getting-around-heathrow/airport-maps Hand badge. position • Use a Help Call Point Calls made from one of our Help Call points • Speak to anyone wearing an Airport ID Arrivals hall Ambassador position at are answered by our Airport Operations who can direct you in the right direction the Information desk. Centre. It is just like calling someone on • Look for a nearby here to help location loudspeaker phone. Press the button and wait for someone to answer before speaking. Other people who can help me Please note that whilst we are passionate about transforming customer service at Can’t find help? Heathrow, we are on a journey with our Approach an hidden disabilities programme to develop Airport Worker – it to suit our passengers. We already they will be have over 1000 colleagues trained to wearing an ID. assist you and are working to expand this across our airport. Information Inside the Terminal Preparing For Transit Train Buggies Walkway Information Desk Electric Buggies are used to If you don’t want to use the Transit trains carry If you need help with your help passengers who can’t Transit train you could walk passengers between the onward journey then please walk very far. through the tunnel instead. main Terminal 5 building visit our information desk. and its two smaller terminal You may see them in the The walkway can be found on buildings – satellite Look for one of our Passenger buildings. Transit trains run walkway or around the Gates. level -4 and can be accessed via the lifts or using the Ambassadors, wearing purple, automatically between the and they will be happy to help They make a beeping noise so escalator or stairs from the three terminal buildings. you. The main part of Terminal 5 you know they are coming. Transit platform. is called Terminal 5A; the two smaller buildings are It takes approximately 5 called Terminal 5B and minutes to walk between C Terminal 5C. It is quicker to Gates and B Gates and an take the transit than to walk additional 5 minutes to walk to Terminal 5B or C, but it between B Gates and the Main can get busy. terminal building where you will find passport control and baggage reclaim. 1. Arrivals journey – International Flights, Terminal 5 C Gates Step-by-step journey planner 1 2 3 4 5 6 Terminal 5 Transit to Passport Baggage Customs Exit to arrivals C Gates Terminal 5 A control reclaim You should get on the If you have checked When the aircraft door Everyone arriving in to There are rules about After Customs you’ll first available train from any bags in then you opens there will be a the UK from another what you can bring in to come across some either platform. All trains will need to collect them walkway which will take country must have their the UK from overseas. large automatic doors will take you to the main at Baggage Reclaim. If you to the terminal passport checked. which lead to the building (A gates). You you already have all of building. Signs will tell You should read these arrivals hall. you which of Terminal don’t need to buy a ticket. It’s important that you your baggage you can rules before deciding Do not leave the train at go straight to Customs. 5’s three buildings you get into the right queue which coloured door The arrivals hall can be the first stop (B gates). are in. and that you have any you should exit through. very crowded with lots You should wait until the Information screens in documents you might of people waiting to train reaches its final stop the reclaim hall will tell need ready. There are information greet arriving (Arrivals/Baggage you where to collect posters in the area to passengers. reclaim). Exit when the Read the “Preparation your bag from. help you decide or you Take the lift to Level -2 on-board announcement for Passport Control” can check the UK and exit on to the transit tells you to “please leave section within this When you see your bag Government website. train platform. the train now”. guide. remove it from the belt. Avoid the rush and If the transit is busy Passenger Service There is no rush to Find out which exit to If you’re worried about stay seated on the you can walk instead. Ambassadors can be collect your bag it will use before you travel. exiting in to the crowd plane until the crowds Follow the yellow signs found in this area, keep going around on A link to the website is tell the security officer have gone.