Heathrow-Does it matter what time of the morning or airline we arrive on?

[daju22]

Choice of two flights from Newark to Heathrow: arriving 6:20AM on British Air and arriving 9:25 AM on Virgin Atlantic.

 

Earlier flight costs 150 per person more.

 

Is there any reason (congestion, British is better than Virgin, etc.) to take earlier flight?

We are not in any hurry as we are transferring to Dover to stay the night before the cruise.

 

Thank you for any advice you can give us.

[claud925]

I've flown both carriers out of Newark - do yourself a favor and fly Virgin Atlantic. BA can't hold a candle to them!

 

Better service, roomier and more comfortable seats, better food, friendlier attendants -- all pluses for Virgin.:) They even serve wine with dinner (free).

[daju22]

Hello Claud925,

Thanks for the recommendation. Have never flown with either carrier. Just once to London with American.

[greatam]

A lot really depends on what you are doing when you arrive Dover.

 

Hotels usually don't let you check until after lunch or later. So that is a consideration.

 

Are you taking a tour on your way to Dover? Or just straight to Dover?

 

If you are NOT taking a tour, I would save the money and NOT arrive too early for hotel check-in.

 

I have never flown Virgin. I am a loyal BA flyer and love the service. But the later flight seems to make more sense, unless you are doing some kind of tour on your way to Dover. Customs at Heathrow can be a long line.

[daju22]

Hello Greatam,

 

We aren't taking a tour on the way to Dover, but thought about seeing Dover castle when we reach Dover. Just depends on how tired we are. Have no firm plans.

Seems as though the Virgin flight might make more sense since we can't check in earlier.

 

Do you or does anyone have a favorite place to stay in Dover?

 

Thank you for your thoughts,

[Keith1010]

Based on what you've said (you are going in a day before the cruise, etc.), you are really not in a rush the day your arrive and plan to just take a leisurely tour of Dover, and the fact that you will save money on your flight and the opportunity to try Virgin Atlantic, if it was me I would go with the Virgin Atlantic flight.

 

Keith

[daju22]

Keith1010,

What you're saying makes sense. I am thinking the same thing, based on what everyone has been saying.

 

Thanks for your opinion,

[Globaliser]

Better service, roomier and more comfortable seats, better food, friendlier attendants -- all pluses for Virgin.:) They even serve wine with dinner (free).

To each their own, but the most common recent complaint about Virgin is the cramped seating - some people think that BA offers more space - followed by the increasingly-dissatisfied and disaffected cabin crew. These are complaints that I have seen more over the last 9-12 months.

 

But BA economy isn't a step change from VS economy, so the differences between them will be relatively slight.

 

For the record, alcoholic drinks are also complimentary on BA, as indeed they are on most decent airlines around the world.

 

One of the things that I would personally take into account is that the BA flight arrives at 1.25 am east coast time, and the VS flight at 4.35 am. You will want to ask yourself how well you think that you will cope with arrivals formalities and the transfer with each of those times. Neither is fun, but you may either naturally be a late owl or a dawn lark, and be bettter able to deal with one rather than the other.

[The Scotsman]

You are certainly wise to come in a day early. Not wanting to spread the doom but jet-lag can be an issue with some people and having done the trip many times from the US (Miami, New York, and las Vegas) jet lag can be a real factor. On the other hand you may cope with it fairly well.

 

My tip to minimise it is to take a nap in the afternoon for a couple of hours and then try to go to bed at your normal time that evening. HAs helped reduce the effect for me but then I suppose everyone is different. Don't plan too much for the day you arrive just in case.

 

With regards the airlines I don't see much difference in product. both fly modern aircraft and in Economy there is virtuall no difference in leg-room. It is BA for me because of their reliability and being the national carrier they get preferred status at Heathrow. So if there are delays due to weather BA will always be at the top of the list.

 

Also as has already been pointed out alcohol is complimentary on BA flights too.

 

If it were me I would go with cost first and foremost as there is really no meaningful difference in there product.

 

Have a great trip.

[daju22]

Thanks for you input Globaliser and Steven,

 

We decided to go with Virgin because of the price difference.

We have also picked a transfer service LHR to Dover for 120GBP.

Also staying at the Premier Travel Inn Central in Dover-$

We saved $400 over Celebrity's air and transfer package. We like going in a day before the cruise and we're excited about the "meet and greet" transfer! Have always seen those in the movies and at airports and it will be neat to see our name on the sign!

 

We even included money for tips and the extra day of food etc. and still saved $400.

 

Thanks for all your help. All the information you give helps me to be brave and do it on our own! Just hope everything works out as planned!

[Globaliser]

Sorry to have got the time translations wrong. It's a 5 hour difference, so obviously I would have said 1.20 am and 4.25 am if I'd read the first post correctly! :o

[daju22]

Globaliser,

You weren't off by much!

 

Thanks alot,

 

PS I have some currency exchange questions that I'll ask on the Britian ports board. Hope you look there when you have time. I value your input.:)