UKC

Im looking at flying home for a holiday.

I will be landing at heathrow and then will need to catch a domestic internal flight.

How much time would you leave between the fight landing and for transfer around heathrow?

Two totally different operators as well so i'll have to drag my bags.

I can already see this going so pear shape.

Any experiences let me know. Thanks.

In reply to floss_81:

3 hours is sensible

In reply to floss_81:

I don't think it is possible to do internal connections at airports any more. In coming through Gatwick several times you are discharged into the arrivals hall and then have to go back through departures and security. I think the same is true for Manchester. So at least an hour if not more.

Air travel never seems to exist for the convenience of passengers.

In reply to floss_81:

I wouldn't do less than 3hours.

Infact, if at all possible I would avoid the scenario completely from previous experience.

In reply to floss_81:

Just depends if your flight is with thge same carrier (or codeshare). If you have booked separate legs you might have a bit of trouble. 3 hours on a reasonable day should just about get you to the gate in time (in my previous experiences...)

In reply to floss_81:

You are best to book a through ticket, even if it costs more, that way if you miss it they will sort you out.

Neil

In reply to floss_81:

I've done 45 minutes. Very touch and go, not recommended.

In reply to Thickhead:

I lot of people saying 3 hours. Whenever I have been told 3 hours I have ended up getting through all the faff in 30 minutes and then having to kick around for 2.5 hours. I guess there are forces at play that think you are going to spend lots of money in that time. It is certainly overkill if the connecting flight is only 30 minutes long. My mate did a connection from Gatwick to Heathrow in two hours the other year despite the M25 being completely blocked. It can be done!

In reply to floss_81:

18 minutes at Chicago - the bags made it too which I though was incredible.

E

In reply to floss_81:

Depends on a lot of factors - more info needed. Incoming flight through EU? Any priority luggage/check in rights? Which terminals in and out?

I came in though 5 and out through 2 this summer (Sweden/LHR/LAX/NZ) and it took 90mins of the 2.5 hours available. The train from 5 to the other terminals was them major issue for me (and my 50kg of luggage without a trolley...). It was a relief to get that lot checked in. But then I get to waltz in to the premuuim check in for Air NZ these days so once I was there it was fine

What terminals are you looking at? If you don't need to change it's easy....

b

In reply to ben b:

Can your onward journey viably be done by train instead? Then you could travel on a flexible off peak ticket and not worry about the connection? If you're having to sit around for hours to ensure the connection it might even be cheaper?

Neil

In reply to ByEek:


Flights to and from LHR in my experience are nearly always late - so in this case it could be wise to give yourself time. I've regularly got connections on Lufthansa and Swiss at Zurich and Munich 30 minutes apart but those airlines/airports run much more efficiently.

Also the OP doesn't say if its to/from the same terminal - in which case there's a transfer involved within the airport which can add to the ball ache.

In reply to floss_81:

When working in the Gulf I did everything I could to avoid having to do a transfer at Heathrow - which I had to do during my stint in Riyadh as my empoyers insisted on booking me with Saudia. That was back in the early 90's.

As I was generally flying to Scotland or Cumbria it made sense to route my flights via Amsterdam - (then latterly to Manchester when Emirates started flying direct).

Customs, Immigration and Baggage reclaim were always less hassle than at Heathrow. T3 to T1 was always a PITA - yet the walking route was often quicker than the transfer bus.

Now that I'm only 45 minutes away from Manchester there's no way I've any intention of using Heathrow again.

In reply to floss_81:

It can take a long time to get between terminals at Heathrow. If you are flying with different operators who don't code share and you have to pick up your bags and re-check them in, I'd allow 3 hours minimum, but even that could be tight.

In reply to floss_81:

Hi there, I work in travel and so can give the definitive advice and save lots of "one time in '86 I did...." suggestions

It depends on the airline(s) involved and the terminal(s). Also whether you're booked as a through ticket or two separate. Oh and on your cabin class.

(if there's no or little difference in the fare it's always best to book a through ticket because as long as the change time is more than the minimal recommended time - as any airline system or agency would offer - then the airline is legally obliged to help you if a delay on your first flight or at the airport causes you to miss the connection. This usually means sticking you on the next one at no extra cost, though can mean taxis home paid for in some circumstances)

If I had the flight numbers and routes I could check the minimum recommended time for you.

Recommended times at Gatwick if I remember right range from 30mins to possibly 2 hours. Realistically you should be fine with 30mins on any same airline connections but I wouldn't want to say for sure without the details. If the flights are booked on the same ticket or through an specific airline website take whatever they offer.

In reply to ByEek:



It can, but you have to factor in delays out of your control...

I have been extremely quick through airports, and extremely slow too, especially if bags have gone missing.

My choice would be to fly directly into regional airport if possible or overland journey, again if possible.

These days the least number of flights and stops I find results in the least amount of stress.

Recently travelled CHC>SYD>BKK>DUB>MAN and return having to go through security checks at all of them despite only technically changing planes once. NOT pleasant.

In reply to floss_81:

Not much help to you but I prefer to fly to/from Manchester via Amsterdam if I need a connection. Very quick and efficient. 45 mins is fine there.

I positively avoid transfers at Heathrow/Gatwick because it is so slow and unpleasant!
3 hours is optimistic!

In reply to ewar woowar:

Not all connections through LHR are the same. I recently did MAN-LHR-AMS-LHR-HKG and the reverse and didn't have any problems, but then that was all with the same carrier (BA) and all through LHR T5.

Booking travel flying in on one airline into one terminal and getting a connection out from a different one on a non-partnered airline is just making life hard for yourself! Let alone if you need to get a ground connection between airports...

In reply to floss_81:

Cheers everyone. It seems a bit of a mine field.

Im coming from nz, so loads of possibility for delay. So I'll take your advice that 3hrs ish would be sensible, which was about what i was thinking.

Everything is against me. Booking flight separate, long distance ect but hopefully all will work out.

thanks again

In reply to floss_81:

Bear in mind NZ2 always appears to be late - not actually late arriving in the air over LHR, but always last in the ATC/stand queue. I've had a few occasions where we have touched down on time and then got off the plane 40 minutes later - no fun (especially with frazzled kids).

If you book the onward flight with another Star Alliance airline you can book your bags all the way through to your destination, which makes things *much* easier. Worth doing if you can.

Good luck

b

In reply to floss_81:





My Dad flies all over the place and generally allows 2 to 3 hours.

In reply to floss_81:

Another thought: what nationality is your passport? There can be long delays at the border nowadays for foreign nationals. Generally quick for domestic connections with a UK passport.

In reply to floss_81:

Another tip: make sure you get the most favourable seating for exit on your long journey; this will be determined by the classification of your ticket (see http://hackmytrip.com/2012/02/understanding-airline-inventory/ ). This can vary from airline to airline: make sure you get a seat allocation as soon as they have been released (premium price tickets get first go of course)

Next, I think its well worth making your circumstances known to one particular flight attendant: and do everything to be reasonable & civil etc during the flight. Again, my own experience is that FAs can make life as easy or as awkward as they wish for Self-loading Freight - so you don't want them being an obstacle to getting off the plane quickly. I've certainly seen a passenger moved right up the cabin to a spare seat close to the exit in the final part of a long flight - just so as he could get an un-ticketed connection.

Good luck.

In reply to Greenbanks:


Yes, this is a good idea. I was on late-leaving flight from LHR once and it was putting my onward Chicago-Denver connection in jeopardy. Was flying cattle class, we explained our worry to the flight attendant and they moved us up to Club class for the landing so we were off the plane first. It saved us valuable time and we made the flight.