Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > British Airways | Executive Club
Reload this Page >

Ex DUB logistics and positioning | clinic thread

Old Jan 9, 2016, 2:35 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: Pilot37
This is a "clinic" thread, so a great way to find out how to go via Dublin Airport en route to somewhere else (probably!). It covers issues such as back to back flights, overnight stopovers, passport and security issues, and logistical issues. There have been some recent posts about the viability of back to back trips, for which more reports of recent experiences would be helpful. See post 1468 onwards for more information.

Other threads which may well be useful include:
BA Tier Point Runs 2017
Premium Fare deals (J and F)
Ex-Mainland Europe Travel Planning Guide
Back-to-back / Immediate Turnarounds at BA Destinations
Travel with BA from Cork, Shannon and Knock - a pictorial guide

These sorts of flight arrangements aren't for everyone. If you have a family and luggage to check in, the potential cost savings have to weighed against the additional hassle and risk. Generally speaking it is safest to go either back to back or overnight - the latter is easier with checked luggage. The underlying logic for this is in this post.
Print Wikipost

Ex DUB logistics and positioning | clinic thread

Old Jun 9, 2017, 6:48 pm
  #1561  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA
Posts: 10,103
It's enough if everything is on time and operating - if your connecting LHR-DUB is cancelled, then the next one is probably the same aircraft operating the 15:20 DUB-LHR, in which case you certainly won't have enough time to collect your bags and recheck.

I'd go for the 16:30.
BA6501 is offline  
Old Jun 9, 2017, 6:50 pm
  #1562  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA
Posts: 10,103
Furthermore however nice some people think the CCR is, I would personally grab a 9 Ryanair (+ bags etc) and have a quick hour hop home from DUB... After all that travelling I couldn't face another two shorthaul flights, out of the way, reclearing security again at LHR, spending 9k Avios + 35... just for a couple glasses of the same champagne you've been scoffing for the past 24 hours!
BA6501 is offline  
Old Jun 9, 2017, 7:06 pm
  #1563  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: Seigneur des Tarifs Utils First Class Mucci with Honours :) - BA GGL / CCR
Posts: 1,548
Originally Posted by BA6501
Furthermore however nice some people think the CCR is, I would personally grab a 9 Ryanair (+ bags etc) and have a quick hour hop home from DUB... After all that travelling I couldn't face another two shorthaul flights, out of the way, reclearing security again at LHR, spending 9k Avios + 35... just for a couple glasses of the same champagne you've been scoffing for the past 24 hours!
Thanks., It was more for the novelty factor than anything else lol. The Ryanair thing wont really work as we will be using pretty much 2x32kg each as we do like shopping when we are in HNL Ryanair would have no chance getting that for a reasonable cost
cgtechuk is offline  
Old Jun 9, 2017, 11:58 pm
  #1564  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London
Programs: Ba Silver ( for now!)
Posts: 768
64kg each !

I am not sure I have ever topped 15kg all in
jeremyBA is offline  
Old Jun 10, 2017, 2:36 am
  #1565  
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,883
Originally Posted by cgtechuk
Thanks., It was more for the novelty factor than anything else lol. The Ryanair thing wont really work as we will be using pretty much 2x32kg each as we do like shopping when we are in HNL Ryanair would have no chance getting that for a reasonable cost
Enjoy the CCR ^

As for your bags on FR - it'll cost you 10/10 per kg in excess weight, so between 120 and 170 each from DUB to UK!
Tobias-UK is offline  
Old Jun 10, 2017, 6:10 am
  #1566  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: Seigneur des Tarifs Utils First Class Mucci with Honours :) - BA GGL / CCR
Posts: 1,548
Originally Posted by jeremyBA
64kg each !

I am not sure I have ever topped 15kg all in
I would say it is mostly my wife that does all the shopping but I am guilty as well lol. I think we landed with 15kg lol. Mostly clothes and shoes. Incidentally the cost of baggage on Y was one of the reasons we decided to stretch out to Gold in the first place as it saves a fortune then I realised how much better J was



Originally Posted by Tobias-UK
Enjoy the CCR ^

As for your bags on FR - it'll cost you 10/10 per kg in excess weight, so between 120 and 170 each from DUB to UK!
Yeah this was a deal breaker for us, If that wasnt the case and we were not in F on way back from JFK id even have considered the Ferry and driving home to save the cost of baggage with FR lol
cgtechuk is offline  
Old Jun 10, 2017, 11:53 pm
  #1567  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
Originally Posted by cgtechuk
I would say it is mostly my wife that does all the shopping but I am guilty as well lol. I think we landed with 15kg lol. Mostly clothes and shoes.
64 kg of shoes, that's a valuable bag
Calchas is offline  
Old Jun 12, 2017, 8:34 am
  #1568  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA EC Gold
Posts: 214
Originally Posted by Kgmm77
Anyone doing back to backs good luck, you'll need it!
Wise words. I completed a B2B trip to DUB earlier today. It was a total nightmare and it was only through great luck, sprinting and pleading that I made it.

The outbound from LHR was delayed and landed at the 200 gates some 15 mins late. This left me with a notional 30 minutes to get through the airport and back to the gate. I was looking for the recently-reported way of doubling back to the gate but if there is one I couldn't see it.

The queue for passport control was enormous. I'd estimate at least 25-30 minutes. So with no other option I pleaded with a staff member for help. Very fortunately the person i asked generously got me close to the front of the queue, so was through in about 10 minutes all told. 20 mins remaining to departure!

I then sprinted to flight connections - the length of the terminal or at least it felt that way - to be confronted with another quite long line for security. I managed to beg my way to the front (thanks to some very kind and generous people in the queue).

Through security, I was then faced with a final sprint the length of the terminal again to gate 204. I made it with 8 minutes to spare before scheduled departure time. It seems I struck lucky that the late arrival mean't that the gate closed about 10 mins later than scheduled.

I was the last to board the plane and it took me about half of the flight back to LHR to recover.

So I avoided disaster, but only by the skin of my teeth. I'd say that B2B from Dublin is a categorical NO now. Far too risky and probably impossible without help to jump queues.

As an aside logistics-wise, back at T5 for some reason I decided to go through flight connections rather than the land-side > First Wing route. Another bad decision - the queue for connections security was huge too.

Lesson learned. I'd advise an absolute minimum 90 mins between flights at DUB and would rule out B2B all together.

Last edited by dca100; Jun 12, 2017 at 8:37 am Reason: detail added
dca100 is offline  
Old Jun 12, 2017, 8:45 am
  #1569  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,476
Thanks for sharing that experience, I presume this was the European queue. There is a report out there that may be a way of doubling back to airside before the passport control, at least from the 200 gates, it would be good to check the viability of this route. I'm not sure what the state of the e-gate project is in the DUB.

The one point which is worth re-iterating is that it is best to avoid the Flight Connections route. It closes in the afternoon (and they only put the sign up for this at the last stage) and it seems to me to be slower than using landside Fast Track on the whole. Broadly speaking afternoons are quieter in DUB anyway.

I don't agree with the 90 minute suggestion, in a way what happened to you - a delayed arrival and delayed departure - shows the value of a back to back. The 90 minute suggestion on a poor weather day could lead to a worthless longhaul ticket.

And yes, if you have First Wing access, always use that, particularly from DUB, and particularly before 16:00 hrs, when Flight Connections are busiest. From DUB Flight Connections is the long way around!
corporate-wage-slave is online now  
Old Jun 12, 2017, 9:01 am
  #1570  
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,706
Thanks for the report dca100.

Originally Posted by dca100
I was looking for the recently-reported way of doubling back to the gate but if there is one I couldn't see it.
Yes I had seen that report. I was looking to see if I could fit in a trip from LHR-DUB in the next few weeks to see myself but I was struggling to find something at a reasonable price when I am actually free.

I then sprinted to flight connections - the length of the terminal or at least it felt that way - to be confronted with another quite long line for security. I managed to beg my way to the front (thanks to some very kind and generous people in the queue).
Did you go to normal security or fast track? Fast track has a separate entrance to normal security. Basically as you walk the length of the terminal passing the check in desks on your right normal track is straight ahead but fast track is to the right at the other side of the check in desks. EDIT: or did you actually use flight connections rather than going out landside?

KARFA is online now  
Old Jun 12, 2017, 9:06 am
  #1571  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,820
I'm dubious about the mention of a bypass route from 200 arrivals to departures. It goes against the whole aim of the segregation.

It may well be that a connecting door is/was left open as they were implementing the change, but i don't expect it to last long.
Kgmm77 is online now  
Old Jun 12, 2017, 9:24 am
  #1572  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,820
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave

I don't agree with the 90 minute suggestion, in a way what happened to you - a delayed arrival and delayed departure - shows the value of a back to back. The 90 minute suggestion on a poor weather day could lead to a worthless longhaul ticket.
I think its a brave statement to say the risk of missing a back-to-back at Dublin is now less than the likelihood of suffering a 1hr + delay. I know BA's on-time performance is fairly dire, but even so.

Personally, I'd be padding the 90mins out a lot further (if I didn't live in DUB) but the clear point being made is that recommending a back to back is now reckless.
Kgmm77 is online now  
Old Jun 12, 2017, 9:46 am
  #1573  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA EC Gold
Posts: 214
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
Thanks for sharing that experience, I presume this was the European queue. There is a report out there that may be a way of doubling back to airside before the passport control, at least from the 200 gates, it would be good to check the viability of this route. I'm not sure what the state of the e-gate project is in the DUB.

The one point which is worth re-iterating is that it is best to avoid the Flight Connections route. It closes in the afternoon (and they only put the sign up for this at the last stage) and it seems to me to be slower than using landside Fast Track on the whole. Broadly speaking afternoons are quieter in DUB anyway.

I don't agree with the 90 minute suggestion, in a way what happened to you - a delayed arrival and delayed departure - shows the value of a back to back. The 90 minute suggestion on a poor weather day could lead to a worthless longhaul ticket.

And yes, if you have First Wing access, always use that, particularly from DUB, and particularly before 16:00 hrs, when Flight Connections are busiest. From DUB Flight Connections is the long way around!
Thanks for the reply CWS. A couple of further details:
  • The queue for passports was the only one available. It actually started with a queue for some sliding glass doors. The main queue for the passport booths was in a room entered through these doors. This room was packed with people (the sliding doors queue seemed to be to prevent overcrowding)
  • Agree with you that 90 mins might not be safe. I would however caution that B2Bs are almost impossible if passport control is anything like what it was today
  • Flight connections was very well marked from what I saw - loads of signs in the baggage reclaim area. I would def avoid it in the future though
  • I did look with eagle eyes for the short cut door but didn't see any way of doing this
  • Lesson firmly and harshly learned about connections at T5!

Last edited by dca100; Jun 12, 2017 at 9:58 am Reason: Typo
dca100 is offline  
Old Jun 12, 2017, 9:56 am
  #1574  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: Seigneur des Tarifs Utils First Class Mucci with Honours :) - BA GGL / CCR
Posts: 1,548
Originally Posted by Calchas
64 kg of shoes, that's a valuable bag
Damn punctuation lol

We still haven't worked out whether 3 or 4 hours is safer as a gap iN Dublin between our main flights and the Positioning flights on the way home. Want to maximize that CCR time lol
cgtechuk is offline  
Old Jun 12, 2017, 10:01 am
  #1575  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,124
Originally Posted by Kgmm77
I think its a brave statement to say the risk of missing a back-to-back at Dublin is now less than the likelihood of suffering a 1hr + delay. I know BA's on-time performance is fairly dire, but even so.

Personally, I'd be padding the 90mins out a lot further (if I didn't live in DUB) but the clear point being made is that recommending a back to back is now reckless.
I wouldn't blame BA in isolation for delays. DUB is a heavily congested airport at times, airside, with complex runway/taxy/ramp issues. I've experienced several long-ish delays on departure and arrival.

We always overnight at DUB, but obviously that won't suit everyone and is contrary to the 'B2B' principle.
T8191 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.