Originally Posted by
milepig
Dear Aerokitties,
If your flight was at 5:55 instead of 6:55, I'd say you'd be OK at LHR. LHR opens for flights at 6:00, and I've hit the gate on the dot of 6:00 and was pretty much the first in the queue for everything and sped through. By 7:00 things will have heated up. If Mrs. Aerokitty was in C, I'd advise to head for the immigration fast lane and connect landside. In economy, odds are low of making it. I'm traveling in C in October and making an LHR connection to LHR, I've schedule 4 hours, which is probably overkill in the other direction. The entire situation is unfortunate, but that's the way it is. I don't see any real relief coming until the new *alliance terminal is up and running in, what, 2060?
Does she need to conntect at IAD, or could she rebook onto SFO/ORD/LHR, and get the flight that arrives at 5:55 (958)?
LHR opens *way* before 6am, with both runways operating as landing runways between 05:00 and 06:00 - unless you are one of the first few 747s in from Asia or NA you will not be at the front of the queue. I would much rather land at 6:55 than 5:55 (although of course you would get the extra hour to queue!)
That said there are rumours that LHR has been getting its act together over the summer (very busy with inexperienced pax) period due to the appalling press coverage. Also rumours about the FCC relaxing carryon restrictions. My last time thru was less than 20 minutes from wheels down to BA Terraces lounge (althoug admittedly it was T1 to T1 and Fastrack saved 5 mins at the FCC)
Come September I suspect this will only have improved and we may be back to the situation of 60 minutes being perfectly do-able thru the FCC (anyone remember them days?!!)
I think your connection at IAD is *far* more at risk...
Personally, unless I had an NC seat riding on it I'd go with the cheaper and quickest itinerary and hope for the best. If you miss at IAD they may well route you thru FRA anyway!!