V-Flyer

Usually we use Virgin to fly from LGW to MCO, usually twice a year in PE, me the wife two children 5 & 2 (Ahhhhhhh do I hear)[:(]

After collecting all these companion tickets and miles from flying and the Virgin AMEX I thought I would try and put them to use next year, especially as we would now be (at the time of flying) me the wife and three children 5 & 2 & 10 Months (More Ahhhhhhs)[:(] [:(]

Could we get any reward flights in school holidays to MCO - Not a chance !!!!!!!

Anyway we have decided to fly via IAD, and managed to get PE reward seats for April & July Next Year, requested the Bassinet seats fingers crossed there.

We are travelling out on the VS21 and back on the VS56

Having never been to IAD some advice as to how long we should leave for a connecting flight, there are some connections within three hours of landing is this ok or tight ?

Your advice would be appreciated, without the need to comment upon travelling with young kids that is stressful in itself [:#]

[8D] Mark

3 hours is about the right connection time, please do not cut it any shorter. I usualy have a 2.5 hour connection, and at times it can be tight. I usually am the first off the plane at IAD, and this helps. There are other techniques to shorten your transfer time.

Mark

I would be very wary of connections of less than three hours after various experiences in IAD. The VS flight arrives at the same time as other international flights and I have on occasion taken over an hour to go through Immigration. Another difficulty has been the mobile lounges they use for transporting passenger between the gate and the international terminal. Between waiting for them to fill up and positioning yourself in the wrong place you could lose any priority being in PE will give you.

Having said that, I've found the transfer desk in the arrivals hall easy enough to deal with and to check in for on-going flights.

I'm sure the experts at transiting via IAD such as ukcobra will be able to offer further insights. However if it had been me I think I might have chosen to go through JFK and then on to MCO with jetBlue

I'm sure the experts at transiting via IAD such as ukcobra will be able to offer further insights.

He beat me to it!! [:D]

Originally posted by honey lamb
I would be very wary of connections of less than three hours after various experiences in IAD. The VS flight arrives at the same time as other international flights and I have on occasion taken over an hour to go through Immigration. Another difficulty has been the mobile lounges they use for transporting passenger between the gate and the international terminal. Between waiting for them to fill up and positioning yourself in the wrong place you could lose any priority being in PE will give you.

What HL (the other one) said.

H

Hehe, I can type faster, or at least type less !

I'll post the tip I was given here, which is to board the mobile lounge, and stay near the entry door, as when it docks with the Immigration Hall you will get off first.

NOTE : Even with the 3 hour connection window, there is a chance that your bags will not make your flight when you re-check in. You can read my TRs to IAD on the matter. This is my experience with United.

I am heading there again on Saturday, and will post a TR on Sunday.

Originally posted by ukcobra
Hehe, I can type faster, or at least type less !

I'll post the tip I was given here, which is to board the mobile lounge, and stay near the entry door, as when it docks with the Immigration Hall you will get off first.

Believe me I've tried this! Problem with this is that the nazis that drive 'em make it clear in no uncertain terms that you should move down. The only way I can see to have a chance at avoiding this is to get off the plane last.

I thought I'd found a safe spot last time, only to be told by the Treiber that no one was allowed to stand there.

H

This hopefully will not be such a big problem next year with the opening of this;
Aerotrain

-Steve

Thanks for the Quick responses

Here are the connection possibilities

VS21 Lands 14.40

Jet Blue 1825
South West 1810
United 1700
United 2145

So Jet Blue is my Favoured flight here



Return VS56 Departs 2310

South West Lands IAD 1315
South West Lands IAD 2100

United Lands IAD 1557
United Lands IAD 2040

So United Landing at IAD 2040 2.5 Hours !!!!!

Originally posted by markyl
Thanks for the Quick responses

Here are the connection possibilities

VS21 Lands 14.40

Jet Blue 1825
South West 1810
United 1700
United 2145

So Jet Blue is my Favoured flight here



Return VS56 Departs 2310

South West Lands IAD 1315
South West Lands IAD 2100

United Lands IAD 1557
United Lands IAD 2040

So United Landing at IAD 2040 2.5 Hours !!!!!

OK, from the flights you have listed from IAD I would avoid the 17:00 like the plague. On my last trip via IAD to GSO (in North Carolina) my onward flight was 16:40. Between the VS plane leaving late, the gate not immediately available at IAD and the bags taking forever to come out I got to the transfer desk at 16:30. The only reason I made the flight was that the airport had been closed because of a security alert and the plane was late. I was on my own so could hoof it in double quick time but as you will have three children plus their paraphernalia.......well 'nuff said! Either the Southwest or jetBlue should be fine.

With regard to your return trip ask the check-in agent at MCO to check all your bags through to LHR and then do what has been described in this thread

Note, that in order to Interline a bag all the way through, you normally need to have all your flights on one ticket. If you buy them separately you will find that in order to save cost, they may not do this for you.

I do not recall any problems in this area, but I cannot recall which flights I had booked which were on separate tickets.

Originally posted by ukcobra
Note, that in order to Interline a bag all the way through, you normally need to have all your flights on one ticket. If you buy them separately you will find that in order to save cost, they may not do this for you.

I do not recall any problems in this area, but I cannot recall which flights I had booked which were on separate tickets.

While that is generally true ex-LHR I have never had a problem interlining ex-USA when on separate tickets. This has generally been through UA but Delta have also done it for me. Even earlier this year the VS agent in SFO interlined me all the way through to ORK, bless him [y]