Need to go airside, but not fly

[Fas1975]

Bit of a strange one but hopefully someone can help. I need to meet someone who is transitting through T5 in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately they cannot come out land-side as they won't have a visa to enter the UK. They land 2pm and their connecting flight is at 9pm, but I only need to see them for a couple of hours within this window.

Would it be possible to purchase a flight ticket, go through, have my meeting, then change my mind about not flying and be shown the exit? I won't be buying any duty free or collecting any declarable goods, it's literally a meeting and that's it.

I'm a frequent traveller, but of course, have always flown. I can buy a ticket to somewhere like Newcastle and take the flight if absolutely necessary, if only to take the same plane back, but if I can avoid it, that would be great.

Appreciate any help

[Fas1975]

Appreciate the replies. The train to c gates and coming back actually makes sense. That will be the easiest I think. Will do that

[Fas1975]

surveyor said:

Are they definitely flying out of T5? Some BA flights depart from T3 now.

Appreciate the continued responses. Yes, they're flying out of T5. But they are coming into T3, but their onward outbound is T5

The transit to C gates, staying on, then coming back is the way forward. I've just spoken to a colleague, they've done the same before with no issues, so will do that.


Now to find the cheapest ticket to buy

[Fas1975]

sc0tt said:

Can we ask why?

Sure. Nothing sinister. I'm interviewing for role at a new company, we've had a couple of phone interviews and a face 2 face in london with a couple of VP's. Looks like I'm in pole position to get the role but the MD of the company wants to do a final face to face. The guy holds an Iranian passport and is currently travelling in Canada and is returning in June back to Tehran, transiting through LHR. He doesn't have a valid UK visa as his one has expired, so, either take the opportunity of meeting him while he's in transit for a couple of hours, or wait 4-6 weeks until he gets his visa and we meet when he comes to the UK. This is just an opportunity to expedite the process a few weeks, but not the end of the world if it doesn't happen.

[Fas1975]

ElectricSoup said:

Go meet him in Canada! Much more fun.

No time, otherwise I would have

[Fas1975]

Resurrecting this thread for a final update. Just wanted to say thank you to GCH for suggesting using the train to head to C gates and staying on and coming back through immigration in the normal way.

I've just arrived home after a 5 hour meeting with the company owner. Mission successfully completed and confirm that the train method works like a charm. Can't envisage needing to use it again, but great to know the possibility is there

[Fas1975]

Blaster72 said:

Good bit of news there, what did you do with the boarding card and getting a ticket refund in the end?

Nothing. I have half a million airmiles, I just used 15,000, paid £50 in taxes for a flight to glasgow and wrote it off.