felixmendelssohn

I'm looking to book a Club World SFO-HYD trip and found a trip that meets my scheduling needs, but the transfer time in LHR to switch flights is only 1hr 5m. Is this doable? Is it wise? Etc.

Ldnn1

It's certainly doable if the inbound is on time. You will arrive at a B or C gate (C if on the A380) and will be departing from a B or C gate, so can do connection security there. All fairly simple if you follow the guide in the dashboard.

Of course if your inbound is delayed, it could become difficult. As such you might want to take the earlier SFO flight - it depends how crucial it is for you to make the flight to HYD. If not a disaster if you misconnect, then 1h05 is ok.

Prospero

To add to Ldnn’s advice, if you happen to miss the connecting flight to HYD, there is a later flight to DEL with an onward connection to HYD. Not the most desirable plan B, I’ll grant you that

Often1

The issue is always the consequences of a misconnect. It is within MCT and therefore doable, but you do not have time to waste. If you do misconnect, you will be rebooked, but the onwards flights may be less pleasant.

felixmendelssohn

Thanks for the responses. I've always made decent time on connections at LHR, but in the event of a misconnect what usually happens? I assume if you're paid CW, they try to book you to another CW seat. If CW is sold out, I assume they don't put you in First, and that you have the option of taking a coach seat or waiting for the next flight that has available CW. Do I have it right?

Jagboi

If everything is on time, and hour is about the minimum I like to change at LHR, also assuming you're in the same terminal. If you're inbound is late then you are eating away at slim margins.

colinscanner

Generally my decision to take a tight layover depends mainly on luggage. As long as the inbound isn't late, an hour sounds plenty to get yourself onto the next seat, but transfer of your luggage isn't something you can rush.

- Are you checking in luggage / how important is your luggage?
- Is where you're flying into the final destination / how inconvenient will it be if your luggage was delayed?

felixmendelssohn

1. I will be checking a suitcase. Maybe I'll see about getting around that with a large carry-on.
2. In any event, I carry enough essentials in my carry-on that in the event my luggage were delayed, I could survive a day, maybe two.

ratypus

I'd say the 65 minute connection is OK, as it's all within T5 and no need to clear the UK border or collect luggage. Overnight flights from the US often arrive early anyway (BA block longer flight times which the jet-stream normally cuts down: e.g. JFK-LHR is 'blocked' at around 6h45 but often takes under 6h). So as long as your SFO flight departs on time, I'd say that connection is OK.

Personally though, I wouldn't book it. I'd take the earlier SFO flight. That's two long Club World flights back to back; frankly I'd want at least a couple of hours to have breakfast on the ground, shower, freshen up not in an airplane bathroom etc. There's a Club World lounge at the B Gates in T5 would be perfectly serviceable for this if you had the time. You'd board your flight to India much fresher...

felixmendelssohn

That's an interesting point that I hadn't really considered. Are there showers in the CW lounges at B? I've been there countless times but I never saw any.

The alternative, from my perspective, is that I take the two back to back CW flights, check in at hotel upon arrival, freshen up, and then face the day.

airb330

Agree, I've traveled EWR-LHR-HYD and that was long enough. Coming from SFO is even worse. I enjoyed my couple of hours getting a shower and in the lounge as you stated.

T5B has showers and a (slightly less crowded) Elemis Spa. As others have echoed I'd strongly advise the earlier (16:10) SFO flight. 4 hours is just about perfect to shower and relax a bit in the lounge. At least the HYD flight is a 787 now, it used to be a 767. That should also help to arrive a bit better.

dylanks

I've done a CW PHX-DFW-LHR-BOM with an hour layover at LHR. The connection was tight, arrived into the B or C gates, the flight to BOM was A10 (bus gate)... arrival into LHR was delayed about 20-30 minutes. I cleared security, walked down to A10, they had a boarding pass printed out for me, and I was one of the last two or three passengers on the bus.

I would have preferred having a longer layover at LHR to grab a shower, but the option was 1 hour or something like 12 hours (and that's why I did not take the PHX-LHR flight), so I went with the shorter layover. After arrival in BOM I had a nearly 4 hour drive to Pune due to traffic, arriving around the time the sun started to rise. It was a long journey but I managed just fine.

Ldnn1

A bus gate like that for a long-haul is pretty unusual though, it must be said. Ordinarily you would expect a B/C connection.

That said I agree, the earlier flight would be more relaxed here and the B lounge is certainly a decent spot to freshen up.

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

When ever I have been in T5 GF I have ususally seen 1 long haul flight from A10 ( it does seem to change) so for a specific flight it would be unlikely to be from A10 it does happen.

Regards

TBS

felixmendelssohn

OK, I've booked the earlier SFO flight on the outbound so I'll have about 4h to freshen up. The return is going to have the 65m layover, though. Hard to avoid; the only other option is to fly into SJC, but I'm nervous about the recent SJC 787 engine-related cancellations. Moreover, the layover if I choose SJC is only slightly longer, on the order of 90m IIRC.

One additional benefit of the earlier SFO flight: 62A on the 744 upper deck!