Pilot37

While I know it is frustrating to hang around for a while, the building works at the 200 pier are progressing (albeit much slower than originally anticipated) and the ability to do a very simple b2b at DUB (i.e. get off and on again) will be lost, so probably wiser to build in redundancy and have extra time on your hands rather than the other way around!

Pilot37

corporate-wage-slave

Well quite. I'll just reiterate anyway! Never, ever, do "a few hours" gap between flights on separate tickets - even after DUB changes over, it is a LOT more risky than a back to back since your flight to DUB could easily arrive after your flight from DUB has already left - you would thereby lose your longhaul ticket. If you're the disbelieving type, or perhaps not fully mobile, go the night before and enjoy a bit of Dublin in the process. [There may be case for doing a "few hours" on the return leg after the longhaul, the worst that could happen is having to buy a usually fairly inexpensive on the day ticket back to the UK, bearing in mind the LCC competition].

TravellerFrequently

The above posts following the luggage issue suffered by benjones250 confuse me.

I am flying to DUB on day 1 and then DUB-LHR-USA on day 2. I was thinking about leaving my suitcase at LHR and then checking in when I get back from DUB, especially as I have quite a few hours in between flights.

It seems that there is not a clear policy or practice for checking bags in when the itinerary has started or am I missing something?

Thank you.

corporate-wage-slave

You've got that correct: the advice on here has always been "don't 100% rely on being able to check in luggage for the second or subsequent flight on a booking, before the first flight has been flown". So a number of us have stressed the importance of a plan B, perhaps using the Excess Baggage company facilities in Arrivals at LHR T5, T3 and LGW South to leave a bag there until you can check-in for flight 2+. There are other options too (HBO, leave bags in car park near the terminal, help with a friends etc). Now there have been plenty of people who have had no problem, but every so often there is and was a chance the agent would decline to check-in bags in this scenario, plus for those travelling in WT and WTP without status there is a 3 hour rule on top. So always have a Plan B.

TravellerFrequently

Many thanks, corporate-wage-slave. I think I did misunderstand the issue, so thank you for clarifying.

I am thinking about leaving my suitcase at LHR at the Excess Baggage company place while I am in DUB overnight and then collect when I get back from DUB the next morning before my connecting flight to the US, which is several hours later. I was not sure I could check luggage mid way in after I had checked in for the whole journey.

Even though there are several hours between flights, even sufficient for me to go home and get the bag, I suppose there is a remote chance that my return to LHR is badly delayed and I lose the opportunity to go landside and get my suitcase. Unlikely I know, but nothing is impossible.

corporate-wage-slave

Indeed nothing is impossible in aviation. But if you are going the night before - very good idea I would say - why not simply take your bag to DUB, then of course you can check in the bag at DUB in the usual way?

There is a bit of another risk in this specific scenario: let's stay fog descends on LHR on the day you leave DUB, you may be rebooked on to a direct service from DUB, or via BA USA services from LGW. One of the reasons for being HBO is you maximise your flexibility in these arrangements.

TravellerFrequently

Agreed, corporate-wage-slave.

The simplest thing is to take the suitcase to DUB.

rossmacd

For DUB specifically, I agree with you - do a true B2B.

However, for other airports, I have to disagree with your point about "never, ever" do a layover with only a couple of hours layover. You can do it, provided you accept the consequences that if it goes wrong (and you still want to travel on your longhaul itinerary), you will need to purchase a new fare - possibly on another airline - to get to your destination.

I do separate ticket layovers on different airlines even different alliances to position to better (I mean cheaper!) departure points frequently, but I know if it goes wrong, I need to put my hand in my pocket to buy a new ticket, or cut my losses and head somewhere else/home. Yes, you need the financial ability to do so, but all of the ex-EUs (I can't really call them this - more like ex-non CHs departures for me) have saved me a bundle and if I had to buy a walk-up fare every so often, I'm still net ahead financially.

Please consider this when advising others in future - some people take what is written here as gospel, whilst there are multitudes of scenarios where the advice does not work/make sense.

corporate-wage-slave

This is certainly fair comment, if you are a sophisticated traveller with deep enough pockets and not too bothered if something goes off the rails once in a blue moon. But this is a specifically DUB thread, and generally speaking those seeking advice here are new to this since otherwise they wouldn't think "a few more hours is safer" - which was what drove my reply - since it's not safer.

dougzz

I understand. I read the info a month or so ago and I think panicked about having to rush through security and back, and switch from b2b to the gap. It's my first run at Ex-EU and we live and hopefully learn. I think next time I'll do the overnight, or look for a still simpler option. Homeward I also left a gap, but that doesn't matter to me, worse case as you say is buy another (cheap) ticket. While here thank you for your enormously informed and helpful advice, even the bits I failed to follow.

PeacefulWaters

I mitigated the risk of missing the final leg back to the UK by booking €9.99 Ryanair flights for the following morning. We didn't need them. Same day Avios redemptions out of Dublin were also a part of my back up plan.

UKtravelbear

A quick Q re if the list of B2Bs in the wiki is still valid.

Have a BA 4467 DUB-LCY 16.00-17.30 in a couple of weeks (rest of trip starts the next day)

Was planning on getting the BA4467 LCY-DUB 13.35-14.55

Is 1hr 5m enough to get through passport control and security? Am fairly fleet of foot and no luggage to hold me back at securuty.


And planning the reverse a week or so later to complete my ex-eu.

ginger50

Ms G50 and I have just gone through DUB on an ex EU. Our feeder was BA 824 yesterday, we were in ET (exit row) and checked in at the First desks at LHR. We arrived at Gate 204, if we had been doing a B2B it would have been simple.... up the ramp, turn around, down the ramp! (see picture below). Building work nearly finished. We went overnight because we had many bags for our ex EU. The bags were on the carousel before we arrived and we were NOT slow from the plane. The bags had been sent from the First counters but no priority tags attached and we were impressed at the speed of their arrival at DUB. We stayed at the Crown Plaza (good bus service) and had a great night downtown (http://www.odonoghues.ie/).

This morning we were on BA 831 so an early start (06:00). Priority security about 10 minutes - a bit of a zoo. The tricky part was that we were departing from Gate 207, getting there took a good 10 minutes and was like Dungeons and Dragons.... "you are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike".

If that helps!

G50

Ross0

There are two of us trying to get to DUB next month. We will fly US-LHR on AA issued award tickets. I was able to add LHR-DUB in club world (U) on BA 830 (14:10) to one of the tickets, but BA's award inventory on the day we are flying is non-existent so I could not get two seats. The best I could do was split the reservations and put myself on BA 838 (18:45). I obviously don't want to have to fly separate from my companion, sit at LHR all day and then meet up in DUB.

This leaves me with two questions:
1) Does BA tend to open up more award inventory (in either U or X as I would gladly downgrade) to DUB closer to departure?

2) Will I be able to standby on the 14:10 for either Club Europe or Euro Traveller as an Oneworld Emerald flying on an award ticket?

The only other option I can think of is it just buy the BA 830 segment for myself.

Thanks!

wanderingjock

Is it possible / recommended to do B2B at Dublin still?

I've got first leg of USA trip starting on Friday (May 5) on the 12.50 BA835 (second leg is on the Saturday 6th so going with laptop and nothing else). I've forgotten to book my positioning flight and am a bit panicked that B2B wont work if the changes are complete at Dublin? I can get the 834 LHR-DUB - will I be able to turn around in time? Thanks!

Help?