Is this enough time?

[MissStitch626]

We're due to fly with BA in November, flying from Glasgow to Heathrow then Heathrow to Orlando. Our Glasgow to Heathrow flight has changed a couple of times and is now due to land at Heathrow at 8.20am. The Orlando flight is at 10.10am.

For anyone with recent experience of connecting through Heathrow, what are your thoughts on the time? We had an airport lounge booked which we'll now cancel as we won't have enough time to use it but I'm concerned this might not be enough time to even make the second flight. It's been a few years since we flew via Heathrow and I can't recall if we have have to go through security again - will this be enough time?

I considered just changing the flight to the night before and staying at a hotel but BA are quoting £300 admin fee alone to change the flights

 

[Plague]

I'd say no. But if it was booked as a through ticket with BA and you've made them aware of the possible problem there isn't much else you can do. They will have the problem of getting you to Orlando and paying the compensation if it's long after the schedule.

However, that scenario is a horrible start to your holiday, so I would contact them again and say you are prepared to make your own hotel arrangements if they will change your Glasgow-LHR flight without extra charge. It's a win for them really, so if they refuse be prepared to give them hell if it all goes wrong. (Keep copies/records of all communications in anticipation.)

This is why personally I always plan for a night in an 'airport' hotel before the long flight. Flight times get changed on a whim. (In 2018 I 'lost' my prepaid breakfast in the hotel because the flight got pulled forward so I had to check-out before breakfast started )

 

[csimon]

Not a recent experience, but these things don't need a pandemic to happen!

I flew BA from Manchester to Los Angeles (for Disneyland of course) in November 2019, via Heathrow on connecting flights. 9:45 - 10:55 and then 12:45 - 17:10. So that was a 1hr50min allowance, from landing to take-off, but remember that gates close maybe 30-45 minutes before take-off. At Heathrow, we were waiting on the tarmac almost an hour after landing. I almost missed the connecting flight, I rushed through and arrived at the gate just as they were starting boarding.

Thing is, you can build in some contingency, because if all went well then I'd have had an hour to spare, but an hour's contingency can be easily used up.

Similar thing happened on the way back on my first trip to California. The fight from USA was held up and also delays aty Heathrow on landing. I then missed the connecting flight back to Manchester, but because it was a connecting flight they just put me on the next flight. That's not so easy to do if the problem happens with your transatlantic flight. I think that's the reason that airlines generally advise you to get to the airport 2 hours before departure, 3 hours for international flights. Not that it takes any longer to get through security etc, but it's to make even more sure that you don't miss the long haul flight because it's less likely that you'll be able to get on another one the same day.

Difficult to know what to advise you to do, only that your 1hr50mins allowance can get easily used up. Considering the time fo your flight from Glasgow has changed through no fault of your own, they might be more willing to put you on the flight the night before with no charge. Worth trying to negotiate that with them.

BTW I think you have to go through security again with a connecting flight, but it's a "different" security! You go through the Connecting Flights route at T5 and I think it ends up at a separate security place that's generally much quieter. Or am I gettting mixed up??

 

[MissStitch626]

Not a recent experience, but these things don't need a pandemic to happen!

I flew BA from Manchester to Los Angeles (for Disneyland of course) in November 2019, via Heathrow on connecting flights. 9:45 - 10:55 and then 12:45 - 17:10. So that was a 1hr50min allowance, from landing to take-off, but remember that gates close maybe 30-45 minutes before take-off. At Heathrow, we were waiting on the tarmac almost an hour after landing. I almost missed the connecting flight, I rushed through and arrived at the gate just as they were starting boarding.

Thing is, you can build in some contingency, because if all went well then I'd have had an hour to spare, but an hour's contingency can be easily used up.

Similar thing happened on the way back on my first trip to California. The fight from USA was held up and also delays aty Heathrow on landing. I then missed the connecting flight back to Manchester, but because it was a connecting flight they just put me on the next flight. That's not so easy to do if the problem happens with your transatlantic flight. I think that's the reason that airlines generally advise you to get to the airport 2 hours before departure, 3 hours for international flights. Not that it takes any longer to get through security etc, but it's to make even more sure that you don't miss the long haul flight because it's less likely that you'll be able to get on another one the same day.

Difficult to know what to advise you to do, only that your 1hr50mins allowance can get easily used up. Considering the time fo your flight from Glasgow has changed through no fault of your own, they might be more willing to put you on the flight the night before with no charge. Worth trying to negotiate that with them.

BTW I think you have to go through security again with a connecting flight, but it's a "different" security! You go through the Connecting Flights route at T5 and I think it ends up at a separate security place that's generally much quieter. Or am I gettting mixed up??

Thanks for your reply. This is exactly what's going through my mind right now.

We have always flown via Heathrow or Gatwick and have had delays here and there from Glasgow but we always had more of a cushion with timing.

The security issue is another concern, all the airport parts of previous holidays kind of blur into one now and I can't remember if we go through security again at Heathrow. I know we do on the way back (only time we've ever almost missed a flight was due to being stuck at security on the way home!)

I think we're going to have to weigh up that 'what ifs' and make a call to BA.

 

[gillybeaaan]

Not exactly the same situation but in 2019 we flew Manchester - Heathrow and then Gatwick - Orlando. (or possibly the other way round for the London airports!)

At the time it was all meant to happen on one day and then BA changed the time of the Manchester flight and it was going to be too tight. I called them and because they'd changed it and it was a tight time change they were happy to change the first flight to the day before. We got a cheap ariport hotel for that night and flew to Orlando as planned the next day. If you're able to do this and happy to pay for an airport hotel then it may be worth asking them if they'd conisider it for you.