Need help choosing flight please.

[cruise kitty]

We are flying Air New Zealand into Heathrow arrive on Friday, November 27 at 10:40 am. We want to take British Air business class into Rome the same day. There is a 12:35 flight that lands in Rome at 6:00, as well as a 4:10 that arrives at 7:40. I would much prefer the earlier flight, but is it enough time between our two flights? You all have been so helpful in the past, and I'd appreciate some advice again. Thanks

[fbgd]

You'll have to transfer terminals at LHR, from Terminal 1 where Air NZ use to BA's Terminal 5. You can walk from T1 to the Heathrow Express or underground and take them to Terminal 5. BA's check-in desks for Club Europe are at the opposite end of T5 from the Heathrow Express lifts but if you have no checked bags you could clear security at the north end of the airport. There is no priority security line here AFAIK since the premium check-in desks are at the south end of T5 and I always use South Security.

 

I'd say you have enough time but not with a lot to spare if you go for the earlier flight. Bear in mind at Terminal 5 that if you get to security less than 35mins before your departure time they will not let you through.

 

This assumes you are flying on separate tickets with no chance to interline bags to BA, the worst possible scenario.

 

I'd be tempted to go with the later flight, you can relax in the lounge once you are checked in with BA. Take a shower, get a bite to eat and enjoy the view.

 

BTW, how does a 12.35 flight arrive in Rome at 6.00pm yet a 4.10pm flight get in at 7.40pm?

[Twickenham]

BTW, how does a 12.35 flight arrive in Rome at 6.00pm yet a 4.10pm flight get in at 7.40pm?

 

I was wondering that too, so I checked the flights on ITA. The 12:35 flight arrives at 4:05 pm, which I assume the OP saw written somewhere as 16:05.

[cruise kitty]

Now I feel like an idiot;) Apparently my military time skills are on par with my LHR skills! So now I understand that the 14:10 flight translates to leave at 2:10 and arrive at 5:40, while the earlier flight arrives at 4:05.

My DH and I will have a total of 4 checked bags and a small carry on each, yes they are completely separate tickets I jumped on a good deal for ANZ premium economy a while back ( recommended by this board, I might add) and just decided to go with the business class for BA due to the new luggage restrictions. I still can't quite decide what to do... we are both in early 40's and in good shape, so we should be able to maneuver the terminal switch pretty easily... barring any unfortunate numerical misunderstandings on my part... however, if the first flight is delayed a bit, or if our luggage is delayed we'd have to go stand by on the next flight. Any thoughts on this?

[Globaliser]

Any thoughts on this?

Go for the 1410 flight.

 

You will have just got off a fairly long overnight flight, and not in business class. You may well have to collect your bags and get them over to T5 to check them in again. By then, you will be in need of a shower, a drink and a decent bite to eat.

 

A couple of hours in the BA business class lounge at T5 will be just the thing for doing all of that. You'll feel much more human by the time you board the next flight - and you will also have built yourself some margin in case there are any problems.