BA Interline/Connection in ATH
May 2, 2012, 2:15 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London, UK and Occitanie, France
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 517
BA Interline/Connection in ATH
Hello all-
I'm taking advantage of one of the cheap ME fares to Oz out of Athens, because university academics get to pay their own business class fares
So I've booked myself onto a reward saver flight LHR-ATH, arriving in at 1740. The Qatar flight leaves at 1855. Two questions: Does anyone know if BA will interline bags from LHR so I don't have to collect/check them in ATH? And if not, what are the chances I can make that connection? I can always take the earlier flight on BA, just means I'll be sitting around for ages in ATH, which is not ideal.
PS--as far as I can see Qatar is still a BMI partner, which means I can get DC points->upgradios eventually... ^
I'm taking advantage of one of the cheap ME fares to Oz out of Athens, because university academics get to pay their own business class fares
So I've booked myself onto a reward saver flight LHR-ATH, arriving in at 1740. The Qatar flight leaves at 1855. Two questions: Does anyone know if BA will interline bags from LHR so I don't have to collect/check them in ATH? And if not, what are the chances I can make that connection? I can always take the earlier flight on BA, just means I'll be sitting around for ages in ATH, which is not ideal.
PS--as far as I can see Qatar is still a BMI partner, which means I can get DC points->upgradios eventually... ^
May 2, 2012, 2:24 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Dublin,Ireland and Nice France
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,057
I don't wish to scare you but that is scarey tight.
If you have a half hour delay(entirely possible) ,you will miss your paid flight with no redress other than insurance.
Cancel the award saver you have and book an earlier one.
Better still go to Athens the night before staying in the cheapest airport hotel room you can find.
Interlining should be possible via the code-share as that agreement is now with Ba but I wouldn't fancy arguing it at bag drop though.
As I said biggest worry is if your connection is delayed.
If you have a half hour delay(entirely possible) ,you will miss your paid flight with no redress other than insurance.
Cancel the award saver you have and book an earlier one.
Better still go to Athens the night before staying in the cheapest airport hotel room you can find.
Interlining should be possible via the code-share as that agreement is now with Ba but I wouldn't fancy arguing it at bag drop though.
As I said biggest worry is if your connection is delayed.
May 2, 2012, 3:44 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 399
MCT at ATH is 45 minutes so if you can get the bags interlined you might just be OK - I've done a connection this tight from BA onto an Aegean domestic flight without interlined bags but with online checkin/boarding card so I could use just the bag drop. International flights to destinations outside the EU might be more difficult though.
Don't rely on being able to pick up a boarding card at the ATH transfer desk, more often than not these are unmanned with a hotline phone instead, and you will definitely have to go through security again as this is at the gate.
However usually BA won't interline onto a non-OneWorld carrier unless the whole journey is on one ticket, which Expatbear doesn't have, so I'd definitely recommend the earlier flight or an overnight stop. In my case there were 3 later domestic flights to the same destination as backups.
Don't rely on being able to pick up a boarding card at the ATH transfer desk, more often than not these are unmanned with a hotline phone instead, and you will definitely have to go through security again as this is at the gate.
However usually BA won't interline onto a non-OneWorld carrier unless the whole journey is on one ticket, which Expatbear doesn't have, so I'd definitely recommend the earlier flight or an overnight stop. In my case there were 3 later domestic flights to the same destination as backups.
May 2, 2012, 7:19 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London, UK and Occitanie, France
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 517
Great, thanks all. Booked the much earlier flight, which gives me something like 6+ hours in Athens.
Been a while since I've been to that lounge... I guess I'll get to know it well
Been a while since I've been to that lounge... I guess I'll get to know it well
May 2, 2012, 12:41 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Worldwide
Posts: 12,949
On separate tickets, BA will not interline baggage to a non-OneWorld carrier as a matter of policy.
May 2, 2012, 6:59 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Edinburgh, UK
Programs: BA Gold, FB Petroleum Club, HH Gold, A-Club Platinum
Posts: 1,760
If you want, you can book a day-rate at Sofitel (I think it is not possible online), will cost you ~£50 and you can have nice runway views and relax. Check in: 11:00, Check out:18.00.
Iirc, Swissport is the lounge that Qatar uses at ATH, IMO this lounge has nothing to offer you in order to spend 6 hours pleasantly.