DeadManFlying

We are on this flight in July and I've been keeping an eye on the gate as Mrs DMF is using a stick now.
From Monday to Thursday the flight was leaving from a low numbered gate but today its saying gate 42 and looking at the terminal map and google maps gate 42 has only one air bridge and does not look big enough for a A380?
Am I missing something, how will people get upstairs?

DMF

PETER01

It's a very large gate area IIRC, split into two, lower deck to the left and UD to the right.

DeadManFlying

PETER01 thanks for the quick reply, do you mean they attach an air bridge on the right hand side of the plane?
I've never seen that

DMF

PETER01

No I meant at Gate 42 it splits into two and both board from the usual port side.

I went to Miami in January and IIRC from T3 there is a very large open space area at that gate. Group boarding signs/lanes as usual then if UD you go to the right entrance and if downstairs you go down the jetbridge to the left. It's very easy and very visible but unfortunately I don't have a photo.

MPH1980

I'm not sure quite what you're looking at.

Heathrow Terminal 3 gate layout is here:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/ifly-airpor...-Terminal3.jpg

Gate 42 is up near the top and corresponds with this google maps overhead:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/...9!4d-0.4592907

Which clearly shows 3 airbridges attached to an A380.

It's arriving at Gate D65:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/...4d-123.1815123

Which appears to have 2 airbridges.

PETER01

I was just away to post that MPH1980 so thanks. ^

DMF, it's a dead end at Gate 42, almost like a large hall area and that's how I remembered which the google photo confirms.

DeadManFlying

Thank you MPH1980 I can now see where I have gotten confused, I downloaded a map of terminal 3 a couple of weeks ago and its obviously out of date as its showing gate 42 on the other side of the terminal!
Looking at your map and from what PETER01 has said, and looking at google maps, it is obvious that that gate has 3 air bridges and is on the west side of the terminal.

I've also been looking at aeroseek and can see that takeoff's are on the north runway where earlier in the week they were from the south so that gate makes more sense for a shorter taxi time
So again thanks to you both for your help and I think the best thing to say to everybody is move along here nothing, other than a confused middle aged man, to see here

DMF

DeadManFlying

Its up on aeroseek now on the way to the runway and has just run over BA994 to Berlin if the aeroseek map is to be believed!

DMF

PETER01

Aaaah, but that is what Flyertalk is for to answer queries, confirm things etc and no member should hesitate in asking as everything has something to offer including yourself who has made some very valuable contributions (^) with your travel experiences etc.

Globaliser

It's only a minor point and there's no effect on passengers, but FWIW: On most days the takeoff and landing runways are swapped in the middle of the afternoon, and on those days there is a regular alternation between starting the day with the northern runway and starting the day with the southern runway. And the runway can change between the time the stand is allocated to the aircraft (eg before its previous arrival) and its next departure. So I doubt that shorter taxi time has much if anything to do with the allocation of the gate. And IIRC, there are more A380 gates on the southern side of T3 than on the northern side anyway: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/...9!4d-0.4592907

DeadManFlying

Thank you for that Globaliser for that information, that is why I've been keeping an eye on it this week as I'm off.
I was hoping for the south gates as they are nearer the lounge so less walking for Mrs DMF.

DMF

MPH1980

I am wondering if you're mis-reading the wrong map.

Vancouver Gate 42 is kind of where you describe:

http://flightsnation.com/wp-content/...rminal-Map.png

Globaliser

As you won't be able to know that until you're actually at the airport, would you consider asking for special assistance for her, in case it does end up being 42?

DeadManFlying

MPH1980 I've got that terminal map from the Vancouver airport website but thank you for the link.
I'll have to go back to the source of the map I downloaded and see what date is on it because it was different to the one in your link

DMF

DeadManFlying

I have raised this as a possibility with her and translated the distances into going from point A to point B in Reading where we live but she is not keen on the bother as she put it of getting assistance.
We talked about a fold down wheelchair for use while we are away and I'm going to buy one to take with us so as I understand it if I speak to the check in staff I should be able to take it air side and I would then be the assistance?
That's the plan at the moment anyway, its our first time away as a couple for a number of years and there is and has been lots of other things happening in the last 6 months so things are still stressful

DMF