British Airways/Heathrow

Looking for information on Heathrow airport. I found some great prices on British

Airways Boston to Stockholm return Copenhagen to Boston. They both connect in Heathrow with layovers of 1 hour. Given the size of Heathrow I am wondering if that will be enough time to make the connecting flight.

It should be, but I wouldn't want to do it.

 

Boston and Copenhagen are both from terminal 5, and I'm pretty sure Stockholm is (never flown there). That means that you shouldn't have to travel between terminals.

 

However, you need to get through customs and then go back through security to get your connection. Add on to that the fact that your long haul will come into one of the satellite terminals which involves a short train journey and that both of our Copenhagen flights this summer were on a remote gate involving a bus trip to the gate, and you can see that you may well struggle to do it in an hour.

 

If it's booked as one trip then you are obviously covered if you miss your connection, but it depends how much the delay will mess up your plans. You will probably be transferred to another flight later that day (although the Connection to Boston may be too late).

 

Make it or not, it won't be fun.

First question is are these flights guaranteed connections? Boston, Stockholm and Copenhagen flights are all routed through T5, but just like The States you have to go through security again and so depending on the queues or how well-oiled BA's ground staff are, one hour might be tight.

 

The killer will be whether your bags are through-ticketed to your final destination. If they're not and you have to re-check bags, I'd argue that one hour is too tight.

Looking for information on Heathrow airport. I found some great prices on British

Airways Boston to Stockholm return Copenhagen to Boston. They both connect in Heathrow with layovers of 1 hour. Given the size of Heathrow I am wondering if that will be enough time to make the connecting flight.

 

1 hour is short time for making connecting flights though it can be done, especially as it's all in Terminal 5; the arrival/check-in (may/may not have to get another boarding pass) process might be slow-ish. Imagine the luggage ought to be checked through unless for some reason, can't think why it wouldn't be since it's British Air but you never know.

 

As these are flights to both make a cruise and then, return home - I get how cool it is to save some $ on flights, plus cool to fly into wonderful Stockholm and then leave from stunning Copenhagen - also can add immense worry to what is otherwise meant to be (to the extent air travel can be) a relaxing holiday. Personally, I wouldn't....but if you're a bit more relaxed about things or just more flexible or optimistic...it could work, maybe? Of course, flight arrival/departure times at Heathrow would be key too - air and ground traffic at airports like this can add other variables to travel that go beyond actual flight time but then maybe I've been accustomed to flying from JFK for too long (and listening to their peak traffic from where I lived for even longer :( )

 

Sometimes a little bit more in air fare can equal a lot more in peace of mind and a great start to your holiday? Whatever you decide - have a wonderful and safe flight :)

We just completed the same travel plans after our recent Baltic cruise, flying into Boston. Flights to the US all depart from Terminal 5. As someone else posted, Heathrow is a busy place and you will still need to take the terminal train, go through customs, then security and then find your gate.

 

You can print out all of your boarding passes in advance to save time.

 

A one hour connection will probably not be enough time- I believe Heathrow even tells you to plan 2 hours+ for connections. We hung out for 3 hours, better to wait then rush.

I just had a layover in Heathrow and I overheard someone say recommended time is 90 minutes minimum. On the way to London my originating flight was delayed in Chicago and despite planning a 3 hour and 40 minute layover I missed my connection and got to spend an extra 7 hours at Heathrow. you do go through security again when you arrive off an international flight.

We had a one hour connection this summer (not our doing, flights got changed by the airlines and then Celebrity air said that one hour was fine for a Heathrow connection from Barcelona.) I protested and pleaded and tried to make different connections pre cruise, as did my travel agent, but Choice air held firm and assured us it was ok. No, no and no.

 

Even if our flight had not been 15 minutes late leaving Barcelona and then circled Heathrow because of air traffic or some such and we were 20 minutes late landing--- and the aircrew was great as were the passengers---letting the four of us who found ourselves in this condition deplane first---we had to pass security (rescreen bags the whole bit) before we could even leave the gate area and enter the terminal, then it was a long and bustling walk and we realized at the time we got to the first BA help desk, we were not in any way shape or form getting to the correct place in the terminal and then finding the gate (sometimes confusing itself because there can be many gates in one small area) and then taking the bus from the gate out to the plane on the tarmac to make a connection in time.

 

We got rebooked and got the last two seats leaving Heathrow for a reasonable connection in the states that day. The couple behind us, who had not prepared for rescreening and were delayed at the first security check were not as lucky.

 

Even with our magic "get to the head of the security line" card that the rebooking BA agent gave us, we barely made the next flight. And there was at least one if not more security checkpoints within the terminal that day, even though we did not leave the terminal nor have go collect and redistribute our checked bags.

I would take the short layover and I wouldn't be stressed about it. They need to get you to your final destination and will put you on the next flight ( which is what you would have been booked on anyway if you booked a longer layover)

 

 

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Even if our flight had not been 15 minutes late leaving Barcelona and then circled Heathrow because of air traffic or some such

 

 

 

Leaving Barcelona late is not usual, but the circling Heathrow is. I have flown into Heathrow dozens of times and have never not spent 10-20 minutes circling. It is just what happens (and is actually built into flight times I believe).

I found some great prices on British Airways Boston to Stockholm return Copenhagen to Boston. They both connect in Heathrow with layovers of 1 hour. Given the size of Heathrow I am wondering if that will be enough time to make the connecting flight.

Boston and Copenhagen are both from terminal 5, and I'm pretty sure Stockholm is (never flown there). That means that you shouldn't have to travel between terminals.

 

However, you need to get through customs and then go back through security to get your connection.

Stockholm is indeed at Terminal 5. So these should both be intra-T5 connections. The published Minimum Connection Time is 60 minutes, so on most days, most passengers will make their connections even at 60 minutes. But it will be almost guaranteed not to afford any spare time or margin for error.

 

Doing these connections, you do NOT need to clear customs. The connections stream is simply disembark --> clear security --> go to gate. However, the timing can be affected by the location of the respective gates, which could in theory be anywhere in any of the three buildings making up T5.

 

It would help to know the exact schedules being offered to the OP, because then more focused advice can be given than simply in response to "layovers of 1 hour". And the advice may be different for the different directions of travel.

Leaving Barcelona late is not usual, but the circling Heathrow is. I have flown into Heathrow dozens of times and have never not spent 10-20 minutes circling. It is just what happens (and is actually built into flight times I believe).

Correct: airlines allow for normal holding times when publishing schedules. The most important things to remember are that scheduled departure and arrival times are for pushback from gate and parking at gate; and how long you spend holding before landing is irrelevant because almost the only thing that matters is whether you arrive and park at the gate on schedule.

It is not just about the passenger, but the baggage must be transferred from one aircraft to another, as well, thus, 1 hour is a very short time ...

It is not just about the passenger, but the baggage must be transferred from one aircraft to another, as well, thus, 1 hour is a very short time ...

I don't think that this should be a major worry. The T5 baggage system is designed to do this; it's perfectly capable of getting bags across in an even shorter time and it gets lots of 60-minute bags onwards every day. Arguably, very long connections are as liable to go wrong if not more so. The only time that T5 failed to load our bags was when they were dropped off 8 hours before the flight.

Thank you all for your information. I thought that an one hour layover might be cutting it close. We have done that once connecting through Dublin going to Barcelona. Pretty stressful for me. The flights that I were looking at were listed on the Royal Caribean Air2Sea site. I checked the British Airways site and found better connections. The difference in cost was minimal.

Doing these connections, you do NOT need to clear customs. The connections stream is simply disembark --> clear security --> go to gate.

 

 

 

You are correct, I believe.

 

The only connection I've ever done at Heathrow was to an internal flight, so we did need to clear customs. For a transfer to an international flight then I'm sure you are correct that there is no need for British customs.

 

Apologies for the error.

The only connection I've ever done at Heathrow was to an internal flight, so we did need to clear customs. For a transfer to an international flight then I'm sure you are correct that there is no need for British customs.

It still should only have been immigration, though? No need for customs if you go through the posted flight connections route in the main T5 building, and conformance and immigration are pretty much integrated at that point, being at successive desks immediately before you go upstairs to security.

 

As it happens, UK chipped passport holders (and those from other countries who can use the gates) may actually find it faster to clear immigration through the gates, then go downstairs and clear customs before heading back up to the departures level and clearing security through the normal departures routes - particularly if entitled to use Fast Track security. This would work whether it's an international --> domestic or an international --> international connection.

 

But I wouldn't recommend this for a US passport holder, who (AIUI) can't use the gates and would have to join the (often long) queues for the standard immigration desks for arriving passengers.

 

One time-saver that the OP could in theory find useful is if the onward flight to Stockholm happens to be departing from one of the satellites that day. (Gate numbers are different every day.) Arriving from Boston, they are likely to arrive at one of the satellites. If the onward departure is from a satellite, they can clear security out there rather than going to the main building which is where the long queues usually are. But that wouldn't be recommended if there is a long connection time, as the facilities and "entertainment" are better in the main building if there is a longer wait.

It still should only have been immigration, though? No need for customs if you go through the posted flight connections route in the main T5 building, and conformance and immigration are pretty much integrated at that point, being at successive desks immediately before you go upstairs to security.

 

 

 

Yes, I've meant immigration all the time, not Customs. I'd better move on now before I confuse things any further. :)

Thank you all for your information. I thought that an one hour layover might be cutting it close. We have done that once connecting through Dublin going to Barcelona. Pretty stressful for me. The flights that I were looking at were listed on the Royal Caribean Air2Sea site. I checked the British Airways site and found better connections. The difference in cost was minimal.

 

Think you were wise. On more than one occasion we have landed on time with BA at heathrow only to sit on the Tarmac for 10-20 mins waiting for a gate to open up. Usually our saving grace at heathrow is that the back end of the connection is also delayed but cannot guarantee it.

Thank you Keith for your contributions in the thread, it is apparent you were making an effort to be helpful! :)

 

Very often, and on nearly every Port Of Call board I moderate, I see posts wherein the word "customs" is used when referencing the process of presenting ones passport in order to enter the country of arrival, aka "immigration" as the process is usually combined with the declaration, if any, of what one is bringing into said country along with the payment of the required duty/tax/tariff there upon, if applicable. They are two separate, unrelated steps though they happen near about the same time and somehow, the word customs seems to have "stuck" more than the word "immigration" has.

 

Along with the glamour applied to word "customs" that might possibly have transferred over from the movies, it's also possible that a lot of people, past or present, for all sorts of reasons have wanted or needed to not use the word immigration. Immigration tends to feel less related to "travel" and more traditionally related to the process of persons instead permanently entering a country to live and remain in a country.

 

In this way I think "customs" became the term most people associate with the "showing of the passports and presenting their declaration cards" rather than the two separate, proper terms because of the actual meaning of the word immigration. If we are arriving in country to visit, why ever would we say we are going through the immigration process? Except that in the eyes of the law, even for a short duration, we are. Hence the passport, photo inside, keeping it current and the ever popular waiting in line to check in. They always need to know who is where...now more than ever.

 

Again, thanks to you and to everyone for helping out our OP and well done to the OP for finding alternate flights that permit for more breathing room to transfer upon arrival! :)

I kind of have the same question about BA abd Heathrow. We leave Stockholm and arrive in Heathrow at 8:45 am and according to my flight info, its Terminal 2. Then we depart from Terminal 5 at 10:35 on BA for direct to Austin TX. They only have one flight a day from Heathrow to Austin so if we miss it then I guess we grab a hotel for the night and get the next flight the following day. So we have an hr and 50 min to get from Terminal 2 to Terminal 5 and our flight. Do y'all think this is doable?

 

Teanne

I haven't ever travelled from terminal 2 to 5, but I believe that it takes between 20 to 40 minutes depending on how long you have to wait for the transport.

 

Add in walking through the terminals, getting through immigration and going back through security and it would be very close. I wouldn't want to be relying on it.

We leave Stockholm and arrive in Heathrow at 8:45 am and according to my flight info, its Terminal 2. Then we depart from Terminal 5 at 10:35 on BA for direct to Austin TX. They only have one flight a day from Heathrow to Austin so if we miss it then I guess we grab a hotel for the night and get the next flight the following day. So we have an hr and 50 min to get from Terminal 2 to Terminal 5 and our flight. Do y'all think this is doable?

A few questions:-

1. Am I right in thinking that the first (Stockholm-London) flight is on SAS?
2. Do you know whether you have one ticket or two?
3. If you have two separate tickets, do you have any reliable information about whether your bags will be through-checked, so that you don't have to collect them in London?

If the bags will be through-checked, then you should be fine even if there isn't a huge amount of margin.

 

If you have one ticket covering both flights, it is not a disaster if you miss the flight to Austin, because there should still be routings that would get you there the same day. At worst, if you have one ticket and you can't be flown to Austin on the same day and you have to stay overnight, then the airlines are required to house you and feed you.

 

If you have to collect your bags in London, then this is not a practicable connection.

I would take the short layover and I wouldn't be stressed about it. They need to get you to your final destination and will put you on the next flight ( which is what you would have been booked on anyway if you booked a longer layover)l

 

Not, they put you on the next 'available flight, in other words the next flight that has seats free, which is not necessarily the actual next flight. They don't go bumping people off a full flight to make room for someone who's missed a connection.

I haven't ever travelled from terminal 2 to 5, but I believe that it takes between 20 to 40 minutes depending on how long you have to wait for the transport.

 

Add in walking through the terminals, getting through immigration and going back through security and it would be very close. I wouldn't want to be relying on it.

 

Since there's only 1 flight per day-maybe they'll hold the plane for us? haha

I made the reservation on the BA site-I would hope they wouldn't offer that connection if its too close. Maybe they'll change the terminals? Oh well-if we have to spend the night in London-I wouldn't complain.

 

Teanne

Since there's only 1 flight per day-maybe they'll hold the plane for us? haha

I made the reservation on the BA site-I would hope they wouldn't offer that connection if its too close. Maybe they'll change the terminals? Oh well-if we have to spend the night in London-I wouldn't complain.

 

Teanne

 

 

 

BA don't actually use terminal 2, so I assume that part of the journey is on a partner airline.

 

At least you are protected if you miss the flight. Given that you don't seem to mind the possibility of that then at least you can be a bit more relaxed about it.

I made the reservation on the BA site-I would hope they wouldn't offer that connection if its too close. Maybe they'll change the terminals?

I am baffled by this.

 

I am baffled by why the BA website would put you on a flight from Stockholm to Heathrow that arrives at Terminal 2, which (on current schedules) can only be on SAS. The BA website will normally only offer BA flights, and it would be more obvious for you to be put on a BA flight from Stockholm to Heathrow Terminal 5, to connect to the Heathrow-Austin flight also operating from T5.

 

I am also baffled by why the BA website would book you an SK-BA connection from T2 to T5 with only 110 minutes between flights. While as a matter of generality that should in practice be enough time to make the connection, it so happens that there is a specific official Minimum Connecting Time for an SK-BA T2-T5 connection, which is 180 minutes. So your connection is illegal and the BA website would not have offered it or booked it.

 

In addition, I cannot see any date on which the Austin-Heathrow flight departs London at 1035.

 

So something is not right here. It might be worth your while checking all your travel documents, and perhaps posting the flight numbers (even if not the specific dates) here so that we can check what is going on.