neuro0

Hi all,

Not sure this is a good thread to post but..

Is 1 hour enough time to connect from a US flight to a Greece flight all on BA on Saturday? I know it is close but doable? Any immigration and security to clear?

Thank you for anyone who knows!

bisonrav

Depends on timing. You should be able to use e-gates assuming a US passport, it's usually fairly quick. You will have to clear immigration and collect bags as far as I know. On a clear run you can be wheels down to landside in 10 minutes.

1 hour would be well below my comfort zone for a transfer to Greece, even on one ticket and with a BP (on two tickets I wouldn't go near it). If everything is on time it's possible, but you don't need much to go wrong for it to be unworkable. Things that can go wrong include being slow to deplane because of no gate or because the path to deplane is occupied by another aircraft (this is a problem in one of the circular sections at the end of the long gate corridor), being late to arrive, having a delay at immigration or when collecting bags.

Note that at Gatwick South Terminal, you reach a hall with a ramp downwards going round it just before passport control. This is the most obvious route and most people take it. There is also a staircase right in front of you. Take that, it's a lot quicker. Off a transatlantic you will be in a herd of people heading for passport control, and this is a great way of getting ahead of a lot of them.

Krisz

if you can’t through check your bags then it’s not going to work as if you have to wait to pickup your bag and drop it off you will run out of time. (45 min for short haul ) if no checked bag again too tight. Any delay and you missed your flight. You need to go through immigration and security. (Not sure what is the latest with LGW flight connections but sometimes it closed. )

goldencondor

Hello. I've got a BA flight from Malta arriving into LGW at 15:20 on a Friday afternoon later this month. What's the best way to get to LHR for an 18:55 flight? National Express looks the easiest solution - I avoid London - but will the M25 cause me problems at rush hour?

Bohinjska Bistrica

Taxi/Uber will probably be faster, but also will be much more expensive. I drive on the M25 a fair bit just after 4pm and generally it'll be slow between J10-12, with further slow traffic further up towards Heathrow. I come off the M25 at J12 so can't comment on what it's like after that, but the maps always show it being slow by Heathrow. Hard to give an indication how long it'll take, but you will be very fortunate if it's under an hour at that time.

I am not sure if there's a decent rail routing as it's not something I've ever done.

Not to be overly pessimistic, but is your connection protected?

sammyg901

I'd check Google maps and then Uber if looking OK You've got the option of going via Farringdon these days onto the Elizabeth line but will take around 90mins

goldencondor

Thank you for your thoughts. My holiday is booked with BA Holidays but the airport transfer wasn't included.

goldencondor

Thank you. Uber is a bit pricey for me (£82) but I'm bearing LGW->Farringdon->LHR in mind. Assuming there are no rail strikes happening that day. You have to watch so carefully these days

bisonrav

I'd be surprised if you got Uber for £82, but anyway what slows National Express down also slows Ubers down so if the bus timings work there's no real issue with taking one.

It's about two hours via Victoria and District/Piccadilly line (change at Barons Court by simply crossing the platform and wonder why Barons doesn't get the Earl's apostrophe) and is very reliable for time. You can tap in and out the whole way and it's inexpensive. I usually do this, and there's time in your schedule for this to be fine.

Alternatively go on the Heathrow Express via Paddington which is quicker, or I guess the Elizabeth line but I've never done this personally.

flyingmonkie

Also note that Elizabeth Line is a TfL service so sightly different to main line strikes. In my experience when GWR have been in strike, the EL has been running fine and even with reduced trains the capacity is huge.

Confus

The northbound Thameslink to westbound Crossrail link at Farringdon is very short (it’s at the rear of the train, if you’re in a hurry) so this is now the easiest rail-based connection. An often forgotten alternative is to change at Clapham Junction for Feltham, followed by a short hop on the 490 bus (for T4/5) or 285 (for T2/3).

That all said, National Express operates non-stop between LGW S and LHR T5, so is by far the easiest. Uber or other taxi is totally not worth it, as it follows the exact same route as the coach.

Scotair

Flying GLA/LGW/TPA next week. I understand that there is no “connections route” at LGW and that on arrival I’ll be bussed to the terminal and will arrive via domestic arrivals into the south terminal where I’ll have to re-clear security to access the lounges.
My question is in regard to checked bags - I'm assuming at checkin at GLA the bags will be tagged to TPA and will be transferred automatically. Hoping that I don’t have to collect at domestic arrivals and head for the checkin area. I’m assuming the same works in reverse - bags will go TPA/LGW/GLA without needing to be collected. Once again I’ll have to arrive landslide and re enter security as there’s no connection route.
Anyone able to confirm my assumption re automatic bag transfer?

Speedbird676

Assuming that's all on one ticket your bags will be tagged to the final destination. No need to claim and re-check at LGW.

goldencondor

Thanks for all your contributions, gents. I got home yesterday and the transfers between LHR and LGW were fine. I got an 11:15am service to LGW and a 3:40pm service to LHR. I sailed through on both trips. I also sailed through LGW immigration in one minute, which was most welcome.

One little niggle I will be prepared for the next time: I bought an NX 'Change And Go' ticket, which means you can use a service up to 12 hours before the service on your ticket, or 12 hours after. This cost me an extra £5 both way as I couldn't be sure that my flights would be on time. I figured it was worth the extra expense. At LHR I simply waited for the next NX service with my old ticket but the driver denied me entry.

Apparently with Change & Go, when you want to switch services, what you have to do is go to the NX office who will reprint your ticket for FREE with the next service details, before you can board the next service. You cannot turn up with the old ticket. The website didn't state I had to do this. I didn't have a smartphone to do it online either. Fortunately I had so much time between flights that I was able to do this easily at the NX office. Lesson learned.

bisonrav

Something for avgeeks really. Yourparkingspace (referrals available via PM) are offering spaces at the Beehive, which is the original Gatwick terminal. It costs around £5 a day.

I'm not sure I'd recommend it in the general case, it's about a 25 minute walk down a cycle track by the side of the railway, and there aren't really any fabulous LGW spaces on the app, but there is something ineffably cool about taking a spot outside this iconic terminal and tracing the original tracks of the canvas airbridges which radiate from the building.