thegreatmrsj

Due to a new corporate policy I am not doing my usual Edi-Lhr-Hkg - then on up to China trip and tomorrow night I am on EDi_LHR on BA then over to T4 for the flight to Guangzhou. I have a connection time of 2 hours in Heathrow which might be tight if this fog continues. I have just done my OLCI and can only get my EDI-LHR boarding pass, probably because someone needs to check my visa at the airport.
My question - will they issue my boarding pass at EDI check in for the CZ flight and if not where do I get it. Sorry, I have never had to change terminal and carrier at Heathrow for years so I am a bit dim on this one

Globaliser

Just to check: are you doing this on one ticket, or two separate tickets?

thegreatmrsj

Oh I should have said one ticket number but two booking references (which I believe is normal)

corporate-wage-slave

If one ticket (assuming this is a corporate single booking) I think it is unlikely they can do it in EDI, though certainly worth asking, but either way it's important to take a copy of the itinerary. since to use Flight Connections airside, HAL requires you to present proof of onwards travel in the case of domestic to international travel. It's not needed for international to international connections. You show this when you leave the UK arrival area and pass to T4 flight connections. If you don't have a boarding pass when you get to T4 there is a desk there for you to get it sorted out.

thegreatmrsj

Thanks a lot - not the kind of thing I want to do on a tight connection particularly if there is fog tomorrow but I have a copy of the e itinerary so fingers crossed the flight connections at T4 doesn't have long lines at it. I hate this new cheapskate policy!!!!

Globaliser

What "cheapskate policy" are you referring to?

If you have checked bags, don't forget to show the CZ check-in agent the bag tag receipts that were issued by BA in EDI, so they can take the numbers down. Otherwise there'll be a risk that the bags don't get loaded because they can't be positively identified as belonging to you.

flatlander

I assume the employer policy of making the employee transfer at LHR to China Southern rather than an in-alliance journey via HKG. Little I've read about China Southern makes me want to travel on them (other than as an... interesting cultural experience).

thegreatmrsj

Got it in one - add into this mix the fog and today is going to be fun....

Globaliser

Understood. Hope it goes well this evening.

flatlander

If you misconnect to China Southern, ask for rebooking on BA via HKG :-)

thegreatmrsj

That will be my approach but I suspect I will be unlucky

thegreatmrsj

Just reporting back Edinburgh were able to issue a boarding pass for the second leg so it was relatively straightforward at Heathrow from that point of view.
My plan to avoid CS catering was scuppered though. I’d planned to eat the meal on the Edi - Lhr flight but no catering was loaded at London. Apparently due to a supplier issue several flights had to go uncatered on Friday afternoon. Better than cancelling I suppose. Vouchers were issued for Ł10 which costa and WH Smith took. - not brilliant if you need like me to avoid most bread but a gesture I suppose.

I did have the misfortune to venture into the SkyTeam lounge in T4. Remember times there pre T5 days. I will never moan about galleries again. The food was so awful little choice and the lounge lizard had to be prized from her phone and chewed gum through our conversation- the issue was my generic boarding pass didn’t say J on it.

I won’t talk about the China Southern experience other than to say it did make me wonder if I would be better to push for premium economy BA rather than my usual business class given that it would keep the bean counters happy but be a better onboard experience. The best bit was the hot - yes hot not warm - tattinger served with a glass of boiling water on the side. I don’t know who died to give the main courses but I just had to pass on t hem. I did get a nice bit of cheese (singular) though. Not a business class product imho compounded by no in flight privacy to work or sleep

corporate-wage-slave

Thank you for reporting back. I did fear that this wasn't going to be a good experience. Even if BA is supposedly "middle of the pack", there are plenty of other airlines that lurk below and China Southern would easily be one of them. BA's fares to China can be expensive, it has to be said, though you can probably see why, given the so-called competition. If you have the misfortune to do this sort of trip again don't forget to reach out on this forum for alternative options, I suspect that starting in Inverness or Copenhagen may be part of this. Or going WTP and UuA into CW.

However I hope you are now enjoying the sights and sounds of Canton/Guangdong.