1 hr 10 mins transfer @ LHR + customs = Possible??
#1
Original Poster
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1 hr 10 mins transfer @ LHR + customs = Possible??
I am on BA flight 1511 from JFK to LHR which lands at 6:20 AM.
My connecting flight departs LHR at 7:30 AM, on BA in the same terminal (3).
Is it possible to make this connection, going through customs, even if both flights are in terminal 3?
Anyone with experience doing a 1 hour layover with customs at LHR?
I'm getting the feeling that I will need to sprint the entire way and ask people to cut in line at customs.
My connecting flight departs LHR at 7:30 AM, on BA in the same terminal (3).
Is it possible to make this connection, going through customs, even if both flights are in terminal 3?
Anyone with experience doing a 1 hour layover with customs at LHR?
I'm getting the feeling that I will need to sprint the entire way and ask people to cut in line at customs.
#2
Join Date: Apr 2015
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I presume you mean you are flying on AA100 (BA is the codeshare). At LHR if you are in transit you should not have to go through customs, just immigration/security. Which is you onward flight (you mention BA at T3 - but only a few BA flights go out of T3). Certainly for T5 I did an international connection in 23 minutes last week.
#3
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That's uncomfortably close for me, at T5 I allow an hour minimum with no customs/immigration to go through, and I'm pretty much moving all the time. The lines at immigration can be unpredictable, but early in the morning a lot of longhaul services are arriving.
I would feel more comfortable with a 2 hour connection.
I would feel more comfortable with a 2 hour connection.
#4
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Use this tool from the LHR website which out lines the process
You don't have to clear customs - unless your bags aren't tagged through to your final destination and if that is the case then you have no chance of making it.
Is this on one ticket?
it would have helped if you had stated your onward destination ...
You don't have to clear customs - unless your bags aren't tagged through to your final destination and if that is the case then you have no chance of making it.
Is this on one ticket?
it would have helped if you had stated your onward destination ...
#5
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Possible? Yes
Recommended? No
There can be some long walks in T3, but if everything runs on time and you don't hit any road blocks, you can do it. Too close for comfort for me. You run the risk of some long lines for security (very possible at that hour), or a hiccup with your boarding pass that needs to be worked out by BA ticket agent, or a plethora of other snags.
Where are you heading and in what class? Being in biz helps due to fast track.
Recommended? No
There can be some long walks in T3, but if everything runs on time and you don't hit any road blocks, you can do it. Too close for comfort for me. You run the risk of some long lines for security (very possible at that hour), or a hiccup with your boarding pass that needs to be worked out by BA ticket agent, or a plethora of other snags.
Where are you heading and in what class? Being in biz helps due to fast track.
#6
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"Immigration" would normally be taken to mean moving to a different country permanently and all the formalities associated with it, rather than just determining admissibility as a visitor.
Divided by a common language...
#7
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Probably just a terminology thing, in North America the process of being admitted to the country at the border is generically called "clearing customs", as both the customs and immigration process are done by the same officer at the same time; there is no distinction between the two, unlike in Europe.
#8
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#9
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There are separate immigration and customs officers and processes into the USA. It is done consecutively, and even if your final destination is different you have to do both, dut they are different. You can be denied entry to the US without seeing a customs officer, for example.
#10
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I am on BA flight 1511 from JFK to LHR which lands at 6:20 AM.
My connecting flight departs LHR at 7:30 AM, on BA in the same terminal (3).
Is it possible to make this connection, going through customs, even if both flights are in terminal 3?
Anyone with experience doing a 1 hour layover with customs at LHR?
I'm getting the feeling that I will need to sprint the entire way and ask people to cut in line at customs.
My connecting flight departs LHR at 7:30 AM, on BA in the same terminal (3).
Is it possible to make this connection, going through customs, even if both flights are in terminal 3?
Anyone with experience doing a 1 hour layover with customs at LHR?
I'm getting the feeling that I will need to sprint the entire way and ask people to cut in line at customs.
It's tight, but if your TATL is on time and the connection is within T3 as you say (probably PRG, HEL, MRS or LIS at that time), it is doable.
If you are on separate tickets and have checked bags which are only checked to LHR, you'd have to clear immigration and get bags, and I would say no chance of making the connection.
If hand luggage only, you don't have to clear immigration regardless of whether one ticket or two, but would be advisable to have your BP already printed for the connecting flight.
Last edited by Oaxaca; Sep 29, 2015 at 12:03 am Reason: Typo
#11
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Yes I would say it's possible, and if on one ticket it's not necessarily a problem since you would be rebooked on to the later service anyway if you missed the earlier flight. Depends a bit on where the next flight is going to, if there is one flight a day you may want to look at this again. Also if you are put on the next flight it depends on whether there are spare seats going - and again it depends on the final destination as to the likelihood of that. VIE would normally be fine for example.
If on two tickets, OR you have checked luggage that needs to be rechecked (various rule apply here), then it's not a good idea.
T3 Flight Connections is quite slick, you can certainly do it in practical terms if the AA flight is on time or even 20 minutes late. The only slight problem is that some T3 gates are a long walk from Flight Connections.
If connecting at T3 without needing to recheck luggage then there is no passports, no customs (which is non existent in much of Europe these days) and no conformance either. There is conformance (or rather Positive Boarding) if you have to go landside to recheck luggage, which makes this journey infeasible.
If on two tickets, OR you have checked luggage that needs to be rechecked (various rule apply here), then it's not a good idea.
T3 Flight Connections is quite slick, you can certainly do it in practical terms if the AA flight is on time or even 20 minutes late. The only slight problem is that some T3 gates are a long walk from Flight Connections.
If connecting at T3 without needing to recheck luggage then there is no passports, no customs (which is non existent in much of Europe these days) and no conformance either. There is conformance (or rather Positive Boarding) if you have to go landside to recheck luggage, which makes this journey infeasible.
#12
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I wouldn't feel comfortable with this given that American flights tend to arrive at the gates furthest from immigration. I managed to get to T3 connections in 14minutes earlier in the year from gate 40something but that was by jog walking and by being first off the plane.
#13
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OP here.
Some additional information:
- On my JFK to LHR leg, I am on a 777-300ER (77W) plane, seat 17 which is the "main cabin extra" section right after business class.
- This is all on a single ticket (British Airways with AA codeshare on the JFK to LHR leg)
- I have no checked baggage, only carry on (hand luggage)
- The last leg of the journey is BA 854 (LHR to PRG) 7:30 - 10:30 AM
- While it is not my preference to run at the airport that early in the morning, I can and certainly will
From reading the responses, there seems to be some debate as to whether I have to clear customs/security/immigration or not.
Thanks to UKTravelBear who provided the useful tool to clarify the process which is outlined here: http://www.heathrow.com/flight-conne...-SEP-2015/3/5A
They recommend 70 mins so I feel a tad bit more comfortable that I can make this connection work.
My flight leaves later this afternoon. I will come back and post to let you know how everything went and whether I made my connecting flight (or not).
Thanks to all who responded.
Some additional information:
- On my JFK to LHR leg, I am on a 777-300ER (77W) plane, seat 17 which is the "main cabin extra" section right after business class.
- This is all on a single ticket (British Airways with AA codeshare on the JFK to LHR leg)
- I have no checked baggage, only carry on (hand luggage)
- The last leg of the journey is BA 854 (LHR to PRG) 7:30 - 10:30 AM
- While it is not my preference to run at the airport that early in the morning, I can and certainly will
From reading the responses, there seems to be some debate as to whether I have to clear customs/security/immigration or not.
Thanks to UKTravelBear who provided the useful tool to clarify the process which is outlined here: http://www.heathrow.com/flight-conne...-SEP-2015/3/5A
They recommend 70 mins so I feel a tad bit more comfortable that I can make this connection work.
My flight leaves later this afternoon. I will come back and post to let you know how everything went and whether I made my connecting flight (or not).
Thanks to all who responded.
Last edited by fried.food.is.good; Sep 29, 2015 at 4:47 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
OP here.
Some additional information:
- On my JFK to LHR leg, I am on a 777-300ER (77W) plane, seat 17 which is the "main cabin extra" section right after business class.
- This is all on a single ticket (British Airways with AA codeshare on the JFK to LHR leg)
- The last leg of the journey is BA 854 (LHR to PRG) 7:30 - 10:30 AM
From reading the responses, there seems to be some debate as to whether I have to clear customs/security/immigration or not.
My flight leaves later this afternoon. I will come back and post to let you know how everything went and whether I made my connecting flight (or not).
Thanks to all who responded.
Some additional information:
- On my JFK to LHR leg, I am on a 777-300ER (77W) plane, seat 17 which is the "main cabin extra" section right after business class.
- This is all on a single ticket (British Airways with AA codeshare on the JFK to LHR leg)
- The last leg of the journey is BA 854 (LHR to PRG) 7:30 - 10:30 AM
From reading the responses, there seems to be some debate as to whether I have to clear customs/security/immigration or not.
My flight leaves later this afternoon. I will come back and post to let you know how everything went and whether I made my connecting flight (or not).
Thanks to all who responded.
#15
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As rapidex highlights, it is important that ALL liquids and PCs are removed from bags to ensure a swift transit.