Question about Heathrow

[ging466]

I arrive at Heathrow at 0700, collect my bag and then go to another terminal to catch a flight to Lisbon at 1010.

 

Is this sufficient time to get my bag, clear customs and then go to the other terminal to check in again?

 

I'm doing it this way because I've got separate tickets on separate airlines and want to make sure my bag arrives.

 

Thankx

ging466

[Gardyloo]

I arrive at Heathrow at 0700, collect my bag and then go to another terminal to catch a flight to Lisbon at 1010.

 

Is this sufficient time to get my bag, clear customs and then go to the other terminal to check in again?

 

I'm doing it this way because I've got separate tickets on separate airlines and want to make sure my bag arrives.

 

Thankx

ging466

Yes it should be adequate time. Which are the arrival/departure terminals/airlines?

 

It is also okay to check your bags through; all it requires is that you show both tickets/PNRs when you check in. Most likely the two airlines have interline baggage agreements so having them transferred at LHR should be no problem. That would save you considerable time, since you could stay airside and just use the flight connections procedures for a sterile transit.

[Globaliser]

I arrive at Heathrow at 0700, collect my bag and then go to another terminal to catch a flight to Lisbon at 1010.

Airlines? Routes?

 

You should be OK with this. But if you post more details, someone may know whether it's possible to through-check your bag.

[ging466]

Hi

 

I'm flying Sydney to London on Qantas and then London to Lisbon on British Airways.

 

I wanted to pick up my bag in LON so that I definitely had it when I checked in for Lisbon. I only hv 2 days in Lisbon before I get on a transatlantic cruise...I'm paranoid about making sure my bag is ok.:)

 

Thankx for the help.

 

Cheers

ging466

[Globaliser]

I'm flying Sydney to London on Qantas and then London to Lisbon on British Airways.

 

I wanted to pick up my bag in LON so that I definitely had it when I checked in for Lisbon. I only hv 2 days in Lisbon before I get on a transatlantic cruise...I'm paranoid about making sure my bag is ok.

Are you flying on two separate tickets, or does one ticket cover the whole trip? If you are on one ticket, there is a chance that Qantas will not let you short-check your bag only to London.

 

In any event, I think that through-checking it is a better idea. Qantas will do this for you, even if you happen to be flying on two separate tickets.

 

Planning to pick up your bag in London does not guarantee that you will have it then. I have had as many bags mishandled on single sector flights as during connections. You just need to ask yourself: What if your bag doesn't make it to London? It could take you over two hours at the airport before you have (a) discovered that the bag hasn't come with you from Sydney to London; and (b) sorted out all the paperwork that comes with a missing bag. You will then have used up the majority of your connection time.

 

Better that everyone knows from the outset that the bag actually needs to go to Lisbon.

 

You don't have to change terminals for this connection. You will arrive at Terminal 3 and depart from Terminal 3. If you through-check your bag, all you need to do is to clear security and then you will have a lot of stress-free time at leisure in the departures area. You will have time to take a shower, get breakfast, and do some shopping. All you need to do, if you are very concerned about your bag, is to go to the gate a few minutes earlier than you would normally and ask there whether your bag has made the transfer OK.

[ging466]

Are you flying on two separate tickets

 

Yes I am travelling on 2 separate tickets, Qantas is frequent flyers and BA is paid for.

 

Thankx for the info and understand what u have advised. I will try to check bag all the way through to Lisbon.

 

Thankx again.

 

Cheers

ging466

[sharktums]

I also agree with checking the bag all the way through. Twice at Heathrow it has taken over an hour to get our bag once arriving at baggage claim. They seem to be in no hurry, and never have a place for bags. Ugh, really bad experiences!!!

 

Almost as bad as my home airport...LAX!

[fbgd]

I also agree with checking the bag all the way through. Twice at Heathrow it has taken over an hour to get our bag once arriving at baggage claim. They seem to be in no hurry, and never have a place for bags. Ugh, really bad experiences!!!

 

Depends on the terminal. Every terminal at LHR is handled independent of the other and some are better than others. T5 being a new facility is excellent, although on my last trip through there a few weeks back I did have to wait about 10mins at the belt for my bag to show up.

[ging466]

Hi

 

Can someone pls tell me where TAP leaves from? I'm thinking I might fly LHR-LIS on TAP rather than BA since there have been all these strike issues?

 

In my research, I've found Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 so am a bit confused as to which one it really is.

 

Does anyone know?

 

Thankx

ging466

[Gardyloo]

Hi

 

Can someone pls tell me where TAP leaves from? I'm thinking I might fly LHR-LIS on TAP rather than BA since there have been all these strike issues?

 

In my research, I've found Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 so am a bit confused as to which one it really is.

 

Does anyone know?

 

Thankx

ging466

Qantas uses Terminal 3. TAP uses Terminal 1.

[ging466]

Qantas uses Terminal 3. TAP uses Terminal 1.

 

Thankx Gardyloo.

 

In an earlier post, people advised me to have my bags checked thru to LIS but the plan then was to go on BA to LIS from Terminal 3.

 

Should I do the same thing or collect my bag when I arrive and then go down to Terminal 1 and check in for my flight to LIS.

 

I arrive at 0700 in the morning with QF and the TAP flight leaves at 1130.

 

Cheers

ging466

[smallestdog]

Don't mean to scare you but you're assuming that there will be no delay in your flights. My personal experience with QF on long haul is not great. :( The last QF flight I was on was delayed almost 4 hrs on the SIN-Heathrow leg for technical problems and from talking to others I understand its not a rare occurrence.

[ging466]

Don't mean to scare you but you're assuming that there will be no delay in your flights. My personal experience with QF on long haul is not great. :( The last QF flight I was on was delayed almost 4 hrs on the SIN-Heathrow leg for technical problems and from talking to others I understand its not a rare occurrence.

 

:eek: Oh that isn't good at all. Perhaps I should book a flight at lunch time. It's difficult to know what is best since all the tickets are non refundable cheapies...i either lose my money or sit around Heathrow for hours on end.:confused:

 

Cheers

ging466

[fbgd]

Don't mean to scare you but you're assuming that there will be no delay in your flights. My personal experience with QF on long haul is not great. :( The last QF flight I was on was delayed almost 4 hrs on the SIN-Heathrow leg for technical problems and from talking to others I understand its not a rare occurrence.

 

Any airline can experience technical problems. A delay is something that should be factored into your choice of flights, especially when doing separate tickets.

[Grumpy100]

We traveled from Fla. to LAX and then to Sydney on two separate airline tickets. I also was worried about whether the luggage would arrive. Everyone said to go ahead and check it all the way through to the final destination from Fla. to Syd. Before I did that I called the original airlines and they did have a baggage agreement with Qantas so I decided to check the baggage all the way through.

It worked out fine. We did have our carry on luggage just in case but I have to go to say that the airlines handled everything perfectly. That is AA then Qantas. We had a long layover in LAX and I did this on purpose if our bags were not going to make it to LAX and thought I could rectifly the situation. So after we arrived in LAX I went to the baggage area and saw my husbands luggage just sitting there and mine was not there. I started to worry and talked with someone from the airilnes and they said that they would handle it and they did. They were great.

I must say that I was very releaved when we landed in Sydney and all our luggage arrived. It worked just like it was supposed to.

Also keep in mind that if it is checked all the way though the airlines have to make sure that it is delivered to the final destination. But if you only check it through to the first destination then it is not the second airlines problem to make sure it gets to the final destination.

[ging466]

But if you only check it through to the first destination then it is not the second airlines problem to make sure it gets to the final destination.

 

Hi Grumpy100

 

Thankx for this info. Since my original post, I have decided to stay overnight in LHR but I still have a connection via HKG. I have now got more time to get to LIS...so feeling a bit warmer & fuzzier inside.:)

 

Thankx for everyone's help.

 

Cheers

ging466

[Globaliser]

I'm thinking I might fly LHR-LIS on TAP rather than BA since there have been all these strike issues?

Although you've now changed your plans, you would still have been better off with BA, for two reasons: First, because BA departs from Terminal 3. And second, if there was any inbound delay causing you to miss your LHR-LIS flight, you'd be more likely to get BA to waive the change restrictions because it was a partner airline that had delayed you inbound to LHR. That doesn't mean that TP wouldn't, but it's more likely to happen when you're travelling within the same alliance.

 

Changing your plans in case of a possible strike at some unannounced and uncertain date in the future is a bit like changing your plans because it might snow heavily during the winter.

[ging466]

Changing your plans in case of a possible strike at some unannounced and uncertain date in the future is a bit like changing your plans because it might snow heavily during the winter.

 

I know what u r saying and I agree but unfortunately these things ALWAYS happen to me...Murphy's law and all that...so I like to be prepared for as many contingencies as possible especially since I'm coming from Australia.

 

Cheers

ging466

[Globaliser]

... I agree but unfortunately these things ALWAYS happen to me...Murphy's law and all that

Murphy's Law would dictate that if you change your flight from BA to TAP because BA happens to be having an industrial dispute now, by the time you come to fly it'll be TAP that's on strike. And to be serious: many airlines are from countries where you don't get any advance warning of impending strikes, unlike at BA (because of UK trade union laws that mean compulsory secret postal ballots, and minimum advance warning periods, for strikes).

 

Sometimes planning for contingencies just means knowing what you're going to do if it goes pear-shaped at the last minute; running away from a good plan merely because there's a possibility of a bullet flying that way sometimes means running straight into the next, real, bullet.