LHR's MCT and Misconnecting at Christmas
Dec 13, 2015, 12:09 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: YYZ (ex-LHR)
Programs: BA Silver, VS Red, OZ Silver
Posts: 446
LHR's MCT and Misconnecting at Christmas
My poorly planned ex-EU Christmas trip is approaching, and as this is my first ex-EU, I have some newbie questions.
I will be on BA833 DUB-LHR 08:50-10:15 on 23/12. From LHR, I'm on AA47 which departs for ORD at 11:50. When I booked this, while I realised this was a tight connection, it seemingly didn't click that this involved a terminal change, and that this is the ever-congested LHR.
So, my questions are:
I'm assuming the advice of going back landside doesn't apply when it's a terminal change? (5 to 3 in this case, although no Border Force.)
The MCT for this is 90 minutes. The layover is 95 minutes. Previous posts on here suggest it takes about 30 minutes, gate to gate. If, for example, the flight arrives with 85 minutes to connect, am I going to be annoyingly booted from my flight and rebooked?
If I misconnect, considering this is 23rd December, am I going to be screwed? I've only ever flown at Christmas once before, and that was during Snowpocalypse 2010. My VS flight was cancelled and they couldn't rebook me until the 27th December. I have visions of being told by AA that there's no room anywhere and goodbye Christmas. Okay, it won't be that bad, but I doubt carriers are oozing availability at this time of year.
I will have checked bags, if this affects anything.
I will be on BA833 DUB-LHR 08:50-10:15 on 23/12. From LHR, I'm on AA47 which departs for ORD at 11:50. When I booked this, while I realised this was a tight connection, it seemingly didn't click that this involved a terminal change, and that this is the ever-congested LHR.
So, my questions are:
I'm assuming the advice of going back landside doesn't apply when it's a terminal change? (5 to 3 in this case, although no Border Force.)
The MCT for this is 90 minutes. The layover is 95 minutes. Previous posts on here suggest it takes about 30 minutes, gate to gate. If, for example, the flight arrives with 85 minutes to connect, am I going to be annoyingly booted from my flight and rebooked?
If I misconnect, considering this is 23rd December, am I going to be screwed? I've only ever flown at Christmas once before, and that was during Snowpocalypse 2010. My VS flight was cancelled and they couldn't rebook me until the 27th December. I have visions of being told by AA that there's no room anywhere and goodbye Christmas. Okay, it won't be that bad, but I doubt carriers are oozing availability at this time of year.
I will have checked bags, if this affects anything.
Dec 13, 2015, 12:16 pm
#2
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
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Posts: 13,248
It won't affect your chances of making the connection but it will affect the chances of your checked luggage making the connection.
It will probably be fine.
Dec 13, 2015, 12:50 pm
#3
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Definitely go airside. Here are my timings from earlier this week, I think it was on the good side of normal, with slightly elevated numbers of passengers:
15:43 Aircraft arrives at gate A5 (domestic, effectively the same as Ireland arrivals however, it's kind of a mirror image geographically and the same distance)
15:45 leave A5 gate
15:50 arrive bus departure level T5
15:53 board bus
15:57 leave T5, no T5B stop (no passengers to collect there)
16:07 arrive T3 bus stance
16:12 arrive T3 Flight Connection start security, Fast Track, on the left.
16:17 emerge Flight connections
16:20 Arrive T3 Flounge (lounge F in HAL speak).
I think you should be fine. Even if you do misconnect then someone else probably will elsewhere, so standby seats pop up as a result even on totally full flights. Very little you can do about it, unless you pay to change your ticket to the earlier flight or to Aer Lingus (T2 to T3 is quicker than above), and not worth worrying over.
I doubt you will be auto rebooked unless your arrival looks to give you less than an hour for the transfer (I don't actually know the parameter), given it's an AA flight. But keep you phone handy, and remember there is a boarding pass refresh button on the App's top line.
15:43 Aircraft arrives at gate A5 (domestic, effectively the same as Ireland arrivals however, it's kind of a mirror image geographically and the same distance)
15:45 leave A5 gate
15:50 arrive bus departure level T5
15:53 board bus
15:57 leave T5, no T5B stop (no passengers to collect there)
16:07 arrive T3 bus stance
16:12 arrive T3 Flight Connection start security, Fast Track, on the left.
16:17 emerge Flight connections
16:20 Arrive T3 Flounge (lounge F in HAL speak).
I think you should be fine. Even if you do misconnect then someone else probably will elsewhere, so standby seats pop up as a result even on totally full flights. Very little you can do about it, unless you pay to change your ticket to the earlier flight or to Aer Lingus (T2 to T3 is quicker than above), and not worth worrying over.
I doubt you will be auto rebooked unless your arrival looks to give you less than an hour for the transfer (I don't actually know the parameter), given it's an AA flight. But keep you phone handy, and remember there is a boarding pass refresh button on the App's top line.
