tooblue

Mrs tooblue and I will be finishing the return of an ex-EU TATL on BA814, into CPH at 12:50, next Wed. Our final destination is BCN and we have been booked on Iberia IB5424; which is really Vueling VY1873: 17:25 ex CPH. As far as I know, Vueling open check-in 2.5 hours before departure; so 14:55. We will have one bag each for checking in (included in our Optima fares) but we already have our CPH-BCN boarding passes. I’m hoping that some Kastrup expert can give us a few pointers.

Does anybody know of a way whereby we can get our bags from the incoming BA flight and onto the departing Vueling flight; while avoiding the need to exit and re-enter the secure area of Kastrup? Perhaps there is a common bag transfer within Arrivals / Departures? A decent lunch sounds much better than leaving the secure area: not to mention the wait for Vueling to open up their bag drop; with the only Kastrup choice I know prior to security: Starbucks or a hot dog.

Any workable advice would be greatly appreciated.

flatlander

I expect you're aware that getting BA to through check onto the IB/Vueling flight on a separate ticket is very unlikely. So you will have to get your bags and recheck. I don't think you will be able to get anyone to reclaim and transfer your bags for you at CPH.

(as far as I know) There is no other bag collection point other than the baggage reclaim on the arrivals route, and from there you go through the customs exit and emerge landside in the arrivals area.

So since you will not (I am confident) have any through checking, I suggest you get your bags at the baggage claim, leave them at the CPH left luggage lockers and go into Copenhagen on the train or the metro, find something to eat, then return in time to check into Vueling.

Addendum: There is a cafe with hot and cold drinks, pastries, smørrebrød and so on at the Terminal 2 side of the checkin area. With the time you will likely have available, personally I would still go into the centre. If you are so delayed on arriving that you run out of time to go into the centre of town, then you will be close to the Vueling checkin opening time and you can go airside again and eat there.

tooblue

I wouldn't even dream that BA would interline the bags. They just don't care to do that. It seems like little effort to stick on a label but the current BA program seems aimed at eliminating such courtesies.

I don't think that a 12:50 arrival and a 14:55 check-in opening allows time to travel into town for lunch. Even if I left the bag drop until cut-off time (I think 16:45) it would be too close for comfort. Perhaps Fields would be an option. Also, I need time at Kastrup to shop for life essentials (like smoked eel and æggesild); so need some time in Departures. As it seems we must exit the secure area, I like your suggestion of the left luggage lockers. That makes the Hilton a reasonable lunch possibility. Thanks very much.

mec72

Toverhallerne is a great place for food (smorrebrod) and coffee (Coffee Collective) and is approx 20 minutes from the airport by metro. That would be my choice.

flatlander

How much you want to do depends on your preferences, and how long it takes you to pass Schengen passport security, but I will note that both the train and metro to the city centre are efficient and reliable, so the 20 minutes to Torvehallerne (I assume that's what mec72 meant) is something you can rely on (metro M2 to Nørreport, 17min journey, train every 4 mins).

If you want to have airside time to shop and wander, then the Hilton may be your better choice as you say. The Hilton has a lunch buffet 12:00-15:00.


You're welcome.

tooblue

Torvehallerne sounds like a great option. Thanks. I'll be sure to visit when I have a little more time. This time, to accommodate my Danish specialty groceries shopping at Kastrup, I think that I'll stick to either Field's or the Hilton.

UKtravelbear

It's not a simple as sticking a label on a bag.


Interlining bags places all sorts of obligations on the airlines involved which is why many are ceasing to do it for separate tickets.

It can cause them considerable expense if bags get delayed and people need to buy clothes and toiletries let alone the cost of couriers.

tooblue

It causes me "considerable expense" to buy a plane ticket: yet my return from the airlines, particularly BA, continues to shrink. If Iberia/Vueling can get my bag onto a BCN flight from CPH; it doesn't seem much of an ask for BA and Kastrup to combine a little (very little) effort to transfer it from an incoming flight to an outgoing flight. My bags will leave the baggage handling area: simply to be returned to the baggage handling area. I am merely the unnecessary mule.

flatlander

They are externalising as much cost and risk as possible, instead of being helpful to the customer and relying on being competent so that the loss is minimised.

They say "we won't transfer bags between separate flights, way too risky mate!" - I hear "We can't transfer bags for toffee, we'd have to pay out too much".

I note that some airlines, like Norwegian, while they are nominally an LCC, charge you some extra money for bag transfer. The charge is for connecting flight protection and bag transfer, so to issue the flights on one ticket. It's about EUR15. Other airlines could choose that middle ground of charging a bit extra for bag interlining to separate tickets.

We're a bit off topic now, perhaps we should continue over in the thread about BA (and Oneworld) not interlining bags to separate tickets thread.

DaveNCL

I have been to MASH before in Copenhagen which was good, I don't know if the airport outlet is the same standard.

You will get what you expect from the Hilton, stayed there a few times without issue.

If you wanted bag transfer you could have always bought your flights on one ticket. I think you will find this small effort worth the saving.

tooblue

Indeed, I have used the Hilton quite often; in preference to staying downtown. One ticket was not an option as this is a return TATL leg which commenced in CPH, after a pleasant week at (coincidentally) that very Hilton.

There once was a great steakhouse at Kastrup; 'A Hereford Beefstouw'; now sadly gone. However I strongly recommend their remaining restaurants: one of which is near the Central Station.

Thanks for the MASH recommendation. I took a look at their menu and now look forward to comparing MASH with A Hereford Beefstouw when my next Copenhagen visit permits..

tooblue

I hear the same excuse as you. Thanks for the interesting info on Norwegian. I'd have no problem in paying for such a service. Now that BA is deep into the 'nickel and dime' business; maybe they'll learn something from Norwegian.

simons1

Isn't it called buying a single journey?

In other words you want the advantage of lower fares from ex-EU fares and roundabout itineraries but don't want the hassle that comes with it.

Why not just buy a single ticket and you will be able to interline your bags.

tooblue

Quite simply, this is because I had reason to be in Copenhagen for some time prior to my TATL trip. That's hardly a roundabout itinerary. It's called: "starting out from where you are". If BA and the UK APD people want to make it cheaper: well, thanks a lot. Rather than abuse the ex-EU advantages by omitting the LHR-CPH portion, I'm going back to CPH (where I choose to get some specialty purchases at Kastrup). What would you have me do? Give up my interlining at LHR? Pay unnecessary APD? Cheat on the ticket conditions? Buy a single ticket from LHR-BCN via CPH (with whom)?

simons1

But regardless of that we all know that when your journey involves booking separate tickets then it also involves additional complexities. So if you want the bag tagged through then a single ticket is the answer.

Could you not have included the final leg to BCN as part of one ticket?