Flew into T5 last Sunday. Well, at least tried to, got diverted to Birmingham due weather, different story...... anyway, after a couple of hours on the ground there, finally got to LHR/T5 - and sat about 50 m from the stand. After about 10 mins captain comes on and declares 'this is chaos - there's nobody to switch on the guidance system and nobody to operate the skybridge'. After another 10 mins or so we finally made it to the terminal.....
Once in there, the signage is a joke (to put it charitably), nobody had any idea where to go to. At the platform of the shuttle to the main terminal there was no sign indicating which train to use. It may be clear if you KNOW that this only runs between midfield and main terminals, but how many people do? Lots of people in hi-viz vests (what would the UK be without them
) milling about, quite obviously clueless as to what to do where. In any case, nobody, and I mean nobody, on the ground gave the impression to care a rat's a** what was going on. Anticipating chaos, I only travelled with carry-on luggage, so got out of this shambles rather quickly.
While I'm not sure who technically operates what in there, BA or BAA, as BA are the sole user of this terminal it is incumbent on them to ensure smooth operations. They have failed miserably.
To sum up - T5, best avoid.