EWR >> LHR >> CDG: What will my 2 hour layover be like?
Dec 21, 2017, 4:58 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 3
EWR >> LHR >> CDG: What will my 2 hour layover be like?
We are flying British Airways from Newark (USA) on Christmas Eve. We will arrive at London Heathrow around 6:30 a.m. local time, and taking a connecting flight to Paris about 2 hours later. I do know that we will arrive and depart from the same terminal (5).
Will we have to go through Immigration or Customs? Or will it be as simple as walking from our arrival gate to our departure gate just like I was on an American domestic flight?
Also, with it being Christmas morning, will there be food stands/restaurants open that morning?
Any advice you can give this first-time transatlantic traveler will be VERY appreciated!
Will we have to go through Immigration or Customs? Or will it be as simple as walking from our arrival gate to our departure gate just like I was on an American domestic flight?
Also, with it being Christmas morning, will there be food stands/restaurants open that morning?
Any advice you can give this first-time transatlantic traveler will be VERY appreciated!
Dec 21, 2017, 5:04 am
#2
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Everything will be open.
Youll go through transfer security, which could take some time. There is an excellent thread on LHR connections in the BA dashboard.
Is this on one ticket?
Youll go through transfer security, which could take some time. There is an excellent thread on LHR connections in the BA dashboard.
Is this on one ticket?
Dec 21, 2017, 7:31 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 3
Thank you! I'll try to find that dashboard (I'm new to this forum as of a few hours ago).
yes, it's all one ticket, all one booking ... I chose a flight from Newark to Paris, and must change planes in London.
It it looks like my flight will be fairly empty (in the 14 economy rows, with 9 seats per row, there are only about 30 seats listed as "unavailable" when I try a dummy booking). I'll assume the other cabins are proportionally empty, and other flights as well. Do you think this will mean a shorter wait at transfer security, or just as long as usual because it will be similarly short-staffed?
THANK YOU!
yes, it's all one ticket, all one booking ... I chose a flight from Newark to Paris, and must change planes in London.
It it looks like my flight will be fairly empty (in the 14 economy rows, with 9 seats per row, there are only about 30 seats listed as "unavailable" when I try a dummy booking). I'll assume the other cabins are proportionally empty, and other flights as well. Do you think this will mean a shorter wait at transfer security, or just as long as usual because it will be similarly short-staffed?
THANK YOU!
Dec 21, 2017, 9:10 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
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Posts: 6,776
The seat maps aren't a great way of gauging loads unfortunately. Many people's bookings do not include seat selection before check-in. But I like traveling on Christmas Eve as the loads do tend to be light. You might get lucky as you and your travel companion(s) might get at least an empty seat next to you which makes thing much more comfortable. If you're really lucky you can get a whole section of an aisle to yourself to really spread out.
Stores at LHR should be fully open and staffed. Transfer security is pretty simple and at 06:30 shouldn't be too backed up. If it were a bit later you'd spend more time waiting for it. With two hours you'll have plenty of time to get through security, wash up and grab a snack.
An extra kind word/acknowledgement of working on Christmas Eve goes a long way with the crew I've found. It is their job but always nice to hear something nice.
The Dashboard can be found by going to Forum>Miles&Points>BritishAirways. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...tive-club-446/ here is the link to make it a bit easier for you. And specifically for Terminal 5 connections A Guide to Connecting at LHR T5
Stores at LHR should be fully open and staffed. Transfer security is pretty simple and at 06:30 shouldn't be too backed up. If it were a bit later you'd spend more time waiting for it. With two hours you'll have plenty of time to get through security, wash up and grab a snack.
An extra kind word/acknowledgement of working on Christmas Eve goes a long way with the crew I've found. It is their job but always nice to hear something nice.
The Dashboard can be found by going to Forum>Miles&Points>BritishAirways. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...tive-club-446/ here is the link to make it a bit easier for you. And specifically for Terminal 5 connections A Guide to Connecting at LHR T5
Thank you! I'll try to find that dashboard (I'm new to this forum as of a few hours ago).
yes, it's all one ticket, all one booking ... I chose a flight from Newark to Paris, and must change planes in London.
It it looks like my flight will be fairly empty (in the 14 economy rows, with 9 seats per row, there are only about 30 seats listed as "unavailable" when I try a dummy booking). I'll assume the other cabins are proportionally empty, and other flights as well. Do you think this will mean a shorter wait at transfer security, or just as long as usual because it will be similarly short-staffed?
THANK YOU!
yes, it's all one ticket, all one booking ... I chose a flight from Newark to Paris, and must change planes in London.
It it looks like my flight will be fairly empty (in the 14 economy rows, with 9 seats per row, there are only about 30 seats listed as "unavailable" when I try a dummy booking). I'll assume the other cabins are proportionally empty, and other flights as well. Do you think this will mean a shorter wait at transfer security, or just as long as usual because it will be similarly short-staffed?
THANK YOU!
Dec 21, 2017, 11:33 am
#5
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,544
We are flying British Airways from Newark (USA) on Christmas Eve. We will arrive at London Heathrow around 6:30 a.m. local time, and taking a connecting flight to Paris about 2 hours later. I do know that we will arrive and depart from the same terminal (5).
Will we have to go through Immigration or Customs? Or will it be as simple as walking from our arrival gate to our departure gate just like I was on an American domestic flight?
Also, with it being Christmas morning, will there be food stands/restaurants open that morning?
Any advice you can give this first-time transatlantic traveler will be VERY appreciated!
Will we have to go through Immigration or Customs? Or will it be as simple as walking from our arrival gate to our departure gate just like I was on an American domestic flight?
Also, with it being Christmas morning, will there be food stands/restaurants open that morning?
Any advice you can give this first-time transatlantic traveler will be VERY appreciated!
Thanks....
Obscure2K
TravelBuzz Moderator
Dec 21, 2017, 11:40 am
#6
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Join Date: Feb 2010
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Posts: 63,853
Welcome to Flyertalk, and welcome to the BA forum CleveRocks, and I hope you have a great time in the City of Light. I think you have had the relevant information already, I hope you get a mince pie somehow during your brief trip to London, given the time of year. By all means reach out for more advice, but assuming you are more or less on time then you'll probably have about an hour spare in Terminal 5.
Dec 21, 2017, 12:02 pm
#7
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plug your flight details in th the LHR connections planner and it will explain step by step the process
https://www.heathrow.com/flight-connections
https://www.heathrow.com/flight-connections
Dec 21, 2017, 7:49 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12
I fly EWR > LHR frequently (will be on it on Boxing Day). My advice is that even though the airport likely won't be very busy, hustle along after you get off your flight. If you get in at 0630 then you are on the earlier of the two EWR flights. That one (at least my last several trips) always seems to come in to the last gates in C Gates. So it is quite a walk down the jetway, on to the catch the tram to A gates to Transfer. You will be fine on time - just hurry along in case. Also since you have not been to LHR before, it is worth noting they do not make flight announcements (unlike US airports). So watch the monitors for your gate for Paris flight. Most likely it will be out of A Gates or B. Safe travels.
Dec 22, 2017, 12:42 am
#10
Join Date: Nov 2004
Programs: BA GGL, LH FTL
Posts: 3,578
Welcome CleveRocks!
Your flight looks reasonably empty on expert flyer (they show seats available for sale by the airline rather than seats not occupied on the map), so realistic chance of some extra space.
2 hours should be a reasonable amount of time to get from your arrival gate through security and then to the departure gate - it can probably be done in 45 minutes.
Enjoy Paris!
Your flight looks reasonably empty on expert flyer (they show seats available for sale by the airline rather than seats not occupied on the map), so realistic chance of some extra space.
2 hours should be a reasonable amount of time to get from your arrival gate through security and then to the departure gate - it can probably be done in 45 minutes.
Enjoy Paris!