Questions Concerning Connnecting Flights at LHR

Hello,
I have been a lurker at your site since becoming a Virgin Atlantic convert last year and have usually found answers to my questions. I have searched but have not been as lucky with my current questions....so I apologize if they are answered elsewhere, and please forgive my ignorance.

I will be flying LAX-LHR-BCN but need some info before actually booking the flights. I will be flying UC and if I have VS book the whole itinerary, they are quoting me a price that is $2000 more per ticket than if I book the LAX-LHR and LHR-BCN separately through each airline (LHR-BCN on BA). For a $6000 savings (there are three of us traveling) I am willing to take some risk with two separate itineraries, but I want to limit that risk. Therefore:

1) What would be the recommended layover in LHR to ensure we make our connection?
2) This is the first time I have flown two different airlines on two itineraries...can bags be checked through all the way to BCN? Or would we have to pick them up from VS and re-check them with BA?
3) On my last flight to London, it took nearly two hours to get through immigration (a couple late flights all arriving at the same time) and I would really rather not have to clear immigration if I don't have to. Assuming we would not have to collect our bags, can one do an entirely airside transfer? Or would we have to clear immigration one way or the other? If it matters, it looks like the BCN flight will be leaving out of Terminal 1.

Thanks for any help you may be able to provide. This site is loaded with information and I appreciate everyone's willingness to help.

Hi Emmasdad and welcome to V-Flyer.

When are you flying? The reason I ask is that Terminal Five opens next month and AFAIK the LHR-BCN flight will transfer from T1 to T5 at some stage this year. This will mean that no one can be 100% sure on the exact process.

To answer your questions:
1. If on two seperate itineraries I would say leave at least 4 hours, especially if you have to make the treck over to T5.

2.Re thru checked bags I am no expert on this but I believe not. There will be someone on here who can give you the answer though.

3. I believe you can. You just follow signs for flight connections and then you will be taken via bus to the flight connection centre.

I am no expert on transferring at LHR so am sure there will be someone else who can be a bit more certain.

I am also no expert in transferring at LHR, but I do know that the BA BCN flights are not moving to T5 - these are one of the few flights which are moving to T3.

I think this is happening in June, but not 100% sure. So this might make the connection more straightforward as you won't have to leave the terminal.

Originally posted by mavml
I am also no expert in transferring at LHR, but I do know that the BA BCN flights are not moving to T5 - these are one of the few flights which are moving to T3.

I think this is happening in June, but not 100% sure. So this might make the connection more straightforward as you won't have to leave the terminal.

Apparently it is September 17th when the BCN flight moves to T3 from T1.

Do ask at check-in to see if VS will be able to through-check your bags to BCN. Even though VS says this is not possible on separate itineraries it never hurts to try. Allow sufficient time (3hrs) to clear immigration and re-check your bags if VS cannot interline your bags. Though I think since you are flying UC I'm pretty sure VS will be able to help you out. I would always ask at check-in in situations like this. You'd be surprised how many airlines at outstations are able to interline bags with other carriers when their offical policy is not to.

You can certainly transfer airside at T3. Just follow the signs for Flight Connections - it's to your right just before immigration - you'll need to clear security and then take the transfer bus over to T1. Have a copy of your onward itinerary to show at securty. Then you can pick up your boarding pass at the BA transfer desk in T1.

If you are flying before 17th September then all BA flights to BCN will still depart rom T1 and not T5.

I often fly on separate tickets, normally VS and UA. They always Interline my bags, both United and Virgin, depending on the starting point do this for me. Bags have never gone missing between the two companies, although United do have a habit of delaying my bag.

I suspect they'll do it for you too.

I connect through LHR relatively frequently and with both flights on a single PNR I would not even attempt less than 3 hours for a T3-T1 or T3-T4 connection. Even if you make it running to the gate, your bags probably won't.

If you are on two seperate PNRs it depends if your ticket is flexible or not.

If its fully flexible then even if you miss the second flight, you can jump on the next available (not always useful if there is only 1 flight per day though).

If you are not on flexible tickets then I wholly recommend as much time as you can afford. I often run two seperate PNRs because of the savings. I paid the price a year ago on a UAL service from SFO-SYD. I was connecting to a QF SYD-MEL flight on a seperate PNR and left a good 6 hour layover in case of delay. Unfortunately 1.5 hours over the Pacific we went tech and had to return to SFO. To cut a long (appalling UA service) story short, we arrived in SYD 30 hours late with QF saying the ticket had expired and we'd have to pay walk up fares for the onward flight to MEL. It was pricey and a wasted night in a SYD hotel would have been much cheaper. So its a judgement call and I always base it on how out of pocket I would be if I missed the connecting flight.

On the question of immigration; if you are not collecting bags and connecting internationally, then no, immigration is not required. However everyone still has to go through a security screening at the Flight Connections Centre and it can be a real zoo. The same goes for flight connections at T4.

Hope that helps a bit.
AF

A solution to all of your problems would be to fly BA.

[preiffer]

Originally posted by stu
A solution to all of your problems would be to fly BA.

Dare I ask - How do you figure that?

You STILL have to connect between Terminal X and T1/3 for an LAX-BCN trip, SO... your point? [:?]

[RichardMannion]

Originally posted by stu
A solution to all of your problems would be to fly BA.

Genius. Of course because there is no need to worry about luggage at all as BA are bound to lose it. [xx(] Why not suggest they charter a private jet from LAX-BCN instead?

Emmasdad - I think you should be okay at LAX if you show them your itin for your trip for them to tag your luggage all the way through. You will need to still check in for your flight at Flgiht Connections or at the terminal.

I'd allow time to do all of this, don't try to cut it fine. Check your insurance policy to see where you stand for missed departure if things do go wrong.

Thanks,
Richard

Thanks to everybody for their advice.

Actually, I did price out the trip wholly on BA with the same results....much higher price (same as VS) booked all as one PNR. Would have ended up with two itineraries either way. Perhaps, there would be a slight advantage if I missed the connection having flown all BA, but IMHO, VS has the better product and therefore worth the risk.

Thanks again.

Originally posted by RichardMannion

Originally posted by stu
A solution to all of your problems would be to fly BA.

Genius. Of course because there is no need to worry about luggage at all as BA are bound to lose it. [xx(] Why not suggest they charter a private jet from LAX-BCN instead?

Emmasdad - I think you should be okay at LAX if you show them your itin for your trip for them to tag your luggage all the way through. You will need to still check in for your flight at Flgiht Connections or at the terminal.

I'd allow time to do all of this, don't try to cut it fine. Check your insurance policy to see where you stand for missed departure if things do go wrong.

Thanks,
Richard

Terribly sorry i suggested something you didn't quite agree with. I can see how you took that as a personal insult.
I should have realised that given i was posting on the worlds most cliquiest forum i should have perhaps followed the correct etiquette of reading what popular users think and then agreeing.

[HighFlyer]

Originally posted by stu
Terribly sorry i suggested something you didn't quite agree with. I can see how you took that as a personal insult.
I should have realised that given i was posting on the worlds most cliquiest forum i should have perhaps followed the correct etiquette of reading what popular users think and then agreeing.

Not at all Stu. We welcome diversity of opinions here, provided they are presented politely and with reasoning behind the opinion.

Your response to Emmasdad of 'A solution to all of your problems would be to fly BA' was not exactly concise. If you had advised that it may have been cheaper to fly BA, and enquired as to whether had he investigated that option then that would have been a credible response. As it stood, the response did not appear to assist to the original question in any way.

Thanks,
Sarah

Originally posted by AtlanticFlyer
I connect through LHR relatively frequently and with both flights on a single PNR I would not even attempt less than 3 hours for a T3-T1 or T3-T4 connection. Even if you make it running to the gate, your bags probably won't.

If you are on two seperate PNRs it depends if your ticket is flexible or not.

If its fully flexible then even if you miss the second flight, you can jump on the next available (not always useful if there is only 1 flight per day though).

If you are not on flexible tickets then I wholly recommend as much time as you can afford. I often run two seperate PNRs because of the savings. I paid the price a year ago on a UAL service from SFO-SYD. I was connecting to a QF SYD-MEL flight on a seperate PNR and left a good 6 hour layover in case of delay. Unfortunately 1.5 hours over the Pacific we went tech and had to return to SFO. To cut a long (appalling UA service) story short, we arrived in SYD 30 hours late with QF saying the ticket had expired and we'd have to pay walk up fares for the onward flight to MEL. It was pricey and a wasted night in a SYD hotel would have been much cheaper. So its a judgement call and I always base it on how out of pocket I would be if I missed the connecting flight.

On the question of immigration; if you are not collecting bags and connecting internationally, then no, immigration is not required. However everyone still has to go through a security screening at the Flight Connections Centre and it can be a real zoo. The same goes for flight connections at T4.

Hope that helps a bit.
AF

For someone who lives in London and never has to undergo this misery, that was a very useful post. Thank you. On the OP, my only sage contribution would be to plan 4 hrs and AF validated that. Also, don't expect VS to interline your bags, there is no guarantee to this.