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Old Jun 20, 2023 | 3:46 am
  #15  
13901
10 Years on Site
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 8,119
Originally Posted by orbitmic
Yes, that is a critical point: the current timetable is based on 60 minute MCT, typically offering 60-120 minute connection on many itineraries, and unless the whole timetable changes, so that connection "banks" or whatever they are called these days are spaced up, which seems hard to imagine given the rigidity of LHR slots, the effect on many itineraries will not be to lengthen them by 15 minutes but often by a lot more as, if a flight existed within 60-70 minute of a given that can no longer be selected, the next available one may well be around 180-220 minute after arrival instead.

BA is already not the most obvious choice for connectors in the European landscape, now some itineraries will look even more significantly longer than AF, KL, LH or LX equivalents, all of which are already advantaged by greater convenience (not least lack of transfer security on many itineraries in both directions).
The point in bold is the key.

If we want Heathrow to have shorter connection times, or a better experience overall, then the first thing to do is to have the DfT and Home Office to allow security-free transfers from Europe and US/Canada/Japan. And to allow tail-to-tail baggage transfers. Unfortunately none of them want to listen and it's a frustratingly cross-party thing, though some ministers have been more useless than others.
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