Apr 7, 2019, 7:48 am
Last edit by: Prospero
This community maintained wiki lists out all known airports on the BA network grading each airport in terms of its practical suitability for quick flight transfers. Three transfer categories are considered (and indicated as traffic lights from left to right in the following order)
Back to back: Immediate turnarounds without checked baggage, with an airside transfer and flying out on the same aircraft that operated the inbound flight
Transfer: Immediate turnarounds without checked baggage, with an airside transfer and flying out on a different aircraft (or airline) to the one that operated the inbound flight
Landside: Full arrival and departure sequence. It is assumed check-in for the onward flight is processed prior to the arrival at the airport.
Grading:
☻ Excellent generally means you will leave the aircraft and find yourself in the boarding area for departure.
☻ Good suggests that you may have to clear either security and/or passports before reboarding, but it should still be possible.
☻ Reasonable: suggests possible but with risks attached
☻ Poor: high risk and not advisable
☻ Ungraded
Two caveats:
A) Sometimes things don't go to plan. E.g. EDI sometimes uses buses, which puts passengers landside and thus needing to reclear security. Ditto HAM.
B) The above needs to be combined with the turnaround time. MXP often has a generous back-to-back time, for example.
ABZ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if domestic, otherwise Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable. Arrivals decant into departure hall
ACE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable (if off season, there is a transfer channel just before passports); Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable
AGP: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent for Schengen, Risky if not. Schengen - immediate turnaround possible at gate area. Non-Schengen - there is a transit passageway back to airside on the left after passports, but there can be long delays at passports, achievable if you are willing to politely push in the queue. see here.
ALC: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable if off season, but you do need to go fully airside if non Schengen. Small and efficient airport. Peak time: see here
ALG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Impractical due to visa and immigration processes.
AMS: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent; Landside: Poor. Arrivals decant into departure hall normally
ANE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good - very small airport, tarmac walk. You may want to telephone the airport to let them know since there's no OLCI facility.
ARN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable (arriving pax should watch for sign to gates 70-82) * see posts 593, 238 & 1298 for more details. Post 174 is a pictorial guide.
ATH: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable but don't hang about, you need to enter Schengen immigration, then leave Schengen, and a fairly efficient security check. Distances aren't great.
BCN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good to excellent (bit of a walk, small flight connection facility to the left of passport control, dedicated security but no passports; Transfer: Good (if non-Schengen), Reasonable (if Schengen); Landside: Reasonable
BEG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good: Landside: Good. There is a transfer route, at the end of the long corridor used by arriving passengers. BA does OLCI and App boarding passes. Just a bit of a hike.
BER: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good: Landside: Reasonable to Poor. Not much transfer traffic here so no queues for transit security when doing B2B - bit of a walk though. Note you can't access the lounge if doing B2B.
BGY: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable to Poor; Transfer: Reasonable to Poor: Landside: Reasonable to Poor. More details, click here.
BHD: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent (use stairs upwards between gates 5 and 6, against flow); Transfer: Excellent if domestic, otherwise Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable
BIO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable, does involve going landside but small airport, airbridge rather than bus; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable
BIQ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable, involves going through passports to landside, security and passports again, but you need to be off early since passport checks are thorough.
BJV: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Not really feasible, there is no online check-in or App facility, you must check in at the gate. More details click here.
BOD: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable but does involve going landside and back again. However it's a small airport and efficient.
BLL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good (there is a clear transfer route after passport control to avoid a security check; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good
BLQ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good (small airport but you have to go landside); Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable (bus gates)
BRI: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good (small airport but you have to go landside); Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable
BSL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back:: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good (Bit of a walk to landside, but it's not a huge airport. See this post for info)
BRU: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent on the transfer route, reasonable if not; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Poor (see comments in post #246 , also 64 onwards)
BUD: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good. Airside transfer with quiet security channel (might need to ask staff to open it for you). More details here: BUD Back-to-back?
CAG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable, does involve going landside but small airport, airbridge rather than bus; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable
CDG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Terminal 2A closed from Jan 2023 and BA now at 2D (confusingly 2B is closed but flights still go from the B gates - check in is in 2D). No airside transfer so out through immigration (long queue if on UK passport) and back in again through security (long queue unless you have fast track). Then immigration again. Sometimes busses from/to a remote stand can make it even worse.
CFU: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Near impossible, no OLCI, you must present yourself at check-in. Process involves bus, passports, out to landside, short walk to departures building on right, security and bus. Security is bad on peak days
CGN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: No OLCI, but on some dates it is still possible. See this post for details.
CHQ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Near impossible despite being a small airport, no OLCI so you can only get a boarding pass at the airport, and bus to and from gates
CMB: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent. Easy to do airside. Arriving and departing pax are not segregated. If you have your return boarding pass, just walk directly from arrival gate to departure gate.
CMF: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Generally Good, involves going landside. Best avoid Saturdays, the main changeover day, when security is stretched.
CPH: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. Arrivals decant into departure hall
CTA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable, there is a transfer route signed but seems obsolete. However small and efficient airport so still do-able if going via landside
DBV: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Impractical. There's no online check in so you have to go landside and collect a boarding pass. Otherwise a very small airport
DUB: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable if arriving on BA, Good if arriving on EI departing on BA, Excellent if arriving and departing on EI. Transfer: Excellent if arriving and departing on EI, otherwise Good. Landside: Reasonable. BA arrives into terminal 1, there is no transfer route and you will have to clear passports and security. There can be a lot of walking and a back to back BA to BA is quite risky without Fast Track. If your arriving flight is EI metal it will land at terminal 2 and you will usually go through a dedicated (and dead) passport check and no security. The terminals are connected airside. See this post for a slightly dated photo guide.
DUS: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if non-Schengen, Good if Schengen; Landside: Good. Arrivals decant into departure gate, though risk of bus to baggage hall
EDI: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if domestic, otherwise Reasonable to Poor; Landside: Reasonable to Poor. Arrivals decant into departure hall normally, risk of bus to baggage hall
EFL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: High risk on a Tuesday as only one flight, passport control is slow and turnaround time is approximately 50 minutes. OLCI is possible. Saturdays are possible if arriving on the early flight and leaving on the later flight. New terminal building is complete and fully operational, no buses involved, walk to terminal. Leave baggage hall via stairs, after the exit turn right and walk back towards check-in. Security is between arrivals and check-in. Exit the building and walk up the hill to Icarus for a coffee or snack or indeed a swim between flights. No lounge. UK flights now seem to be leaving from gates 1 & 2 which requires re-clearance of passport control after security. Only a vending machine and bare bones duty free shop.
EGC: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Impractical. Bergerac has its own check-in system and is currently not on App/OLCI, so boarding passes must be obtained in person, no later than 45 minutes before departure
EXT: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Not possible. Airport check-in only (check-in can't be done elsewhere due to FLY not being implemented). No airside transfer either.
FCO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable (return shuttle to main terminal); Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable (Possibly excellent as of Jul 22 - see post #1092)
FDH: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Impractical due to delays during ski season - see here.
FLR: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Poor due to use of bus transfers and airport layout; Transfer: Poor (no transfer track}; Landside: Reasonable
FNC: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable due to small airport. You do need to go landside and return to airside. Bus from aircraft, passports, security, passports, walk to aircraft. Note: high risk of weather related diversions.
FRA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable to Poor; Transfer: Poor (particularly if coming off Schengen); Landside: Reasonable
FSC: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Uncertain - if boarding passes can be issued in advance then it will be an easy landside transfer in a tiny airport. If boarding passes can only be collected in FSC then it's impossible.
FUE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable if out of the peak season, airbridges used. Have to go via passports landside and security, behind check in. Try Canaries+Families security if desperate.
GCI: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Infeasible. There is no online or App check in, check-in can't be done in LCY or elsewhere due to FLY not implemented in Guernsey. No airside transfer either.
GIB: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. Must go landside, bearing right and back up through security. Turnaround can be long. Leave the aircraft early so as to beat the queue at passport arrivals.
GLA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if domestic, otherwise Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable. Arrivals decant into departure hall normally.
GNB: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good: Walk to/from aircraft. Must go landside, outside and right back into departures. Long turnaround times make this feasible though Saturdays busy.
GOA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable
GOT: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent; Landside: Excellent. Borderline foolproof. Arrivals decant into departure hall.
GVA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good (but can be poor during ski season). Turn left in arrival lane to go back up to departures area.
HAJ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if non-Schengen, Good if Schengen; Landside: Good. Arrivals decant into departure gate. See posts 1670 and 1671 below.
HAM: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Very Good to Excellent - transfer security check (not busy, before immigration) then immediately back into the departures area; Transfer: Excellent if non-Schengen, Good if Schengen; Landside: Reasonable. Arrivals and departures are now separated, and very occasionally bus to baggage hall.
HEL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good: Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. Incoming passengers can reverse direction just before Schengen passports. If a bus from gate, you will need to rush.
HER: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Infeasible. There is no online or App check in, it's a bus transfer and arrivals / departures are in separate buildings.
INN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. You have to go landside, and there is a bus transfer to/from the aircraft, but the airport is very small and highly efficient.
INV: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good to Excellent; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. You have to go landside and through security. See here for more info.
IOM: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good (no flight connections but small airport)
IST: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Poor ( Would lose 15-20 minutes if lanside option is preferred )
JER: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if domestic, otherwise Good; Landside: Good. Arrivals decant into departure hall, sometimes you need to double back to the BA lounge.
JMK: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Nearly impossible due to clunky arrival processing and use of buses.
JTR: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Impossible: bus transfer, slow passports.
KEF: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if non Schengen, Good otherwise; Landside: Good. BA flights tip arriving passengers into the departure gate. Foolproof. NB LCY flights pax use a bus from a remote stand, still easy as dropped off less than 100M from the departure gate.
KLX: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Moderately risky due to boarding passes only being issued at check-in. No buses used normally, walk off plane straight into very small building.
KRK: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Nearly impossible due to clunky arrival processing and use of buses.
LBA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. Have to go landside for any connection or b2b but small airport, see here for further details
LCA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. There is a "Connecting Flights" channel on the left of the arrivals corridor, half way along, well before passports.
LEI: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Moderate to risky: you have to go via landside, and you need the return boarding pass before travel. But it's a small and efficient airport. No buses are used, it's similar to LCY in operation.
LHR T3: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. Follow connecting flights route, which can be as quick as 11 mins from disembark to through security. No conformance unlike T5. see here.
LIG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good to Excellent; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. See this post for more information
LIS: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. There is a security check to the right, immediately before and avoiding the passport desks. Risk of bus gates, but still OK.
LIN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Not a good place due to bus transfer and needing to go fully landside; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable to Poor (bus gates)
LPA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Possibly OK if off peak. Some flights are bus gates, but it's a relatively small and efficient airport. OLCI and App check in both work.
LUX: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Very Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. Landside route is described here: Airside transfer door described here.
MAD T4: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Very good; Transfer: Good to Reasonable depending on arriving terminal. Landside: Reasonable See this post for full details.
MAH: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good to excellent, see post number 563.
MAN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable to Poor; Transfer: Reasonable to Poor: Landside: Reasonable to Poor
MCT: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent - direct transfer route
MJV: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good provided you avoid a peak time More information here. (Murcia San Javier airport closed in Jan 2019 and was replaced by RMU)
MLA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. See this post and linked blog for details.
MRS: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. There is a transfer and security point just before going down to passports. Use the phone on the post to ask for it to be opened it for you; however, there is no guarantee that it will and you may have to exit to landside and re-enter through departures security.
MUC: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Very good; Transfer: Good but note 2 terminals; Landside: Good. Transfer point after passport, details in this post
MXP: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good (bit of walk to Transfer facility); Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. Thread links here.
NCE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable; Transfer: Poor; Landside: Good. There is a direct transfer route by turning into the door way on the right before the slope up to passports
NCL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if domestic, otherwise Good; Landside: Good. Arrivals decant into departure hall.
NQY: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good (no flight connections but small airport). See post 475 for more information.
NTE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. see this post.
NUE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Impractical unfortunately due to no OLCI, all check in done at the airport
OLB: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent; Landside: Excellent. Arriving into Olbia is via jetty to the departure gate, no passports or security. Note no OLCI via the App, more info here.
ORK: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good, do need to clear passports and security but very small and efficient airport.
ORY: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Not recommended due to fast turnarounds on LCY services. You have to go fully landside and back in again, via 2 passport checks and a security check.
OPO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent (Look for grey escalator going up); Transfer: Good (reasonable if Schengen); Landside: Reasonable
OTP: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good as at April 2019. Poor as of 29 Dec 18; Transfer: Excellent (See post #1919); Landside: Good to Reasonable. Arrival experience and speed of transit depends on arrival gate. On some arrivals, there is a Connection facility on the right at Passport Control after leaving aircraft although sometimes it is up some stairs and on the left. If this is the case, you need to go to the top of the stairs to see a passport official / go to passport desk (to explain you have arrived from London and are going straight back to London - likely resulting in a confused look on the officer's face) before returning half way down the stairs to go through security.
OSL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good on the whole; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable. (See experiences in this post, this post, this post and this post.)
OVD: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Not really suitable. This is really an Iberia Express route but leaves T5 under BA code. The aircraft is based in OVD not LHR. Small efficient airport though.
PFO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good on the whole, but you do need to go landside. However it is a small airport. May not be so good on a busy Saturday during school holidays. Note bus transfers however.
PMO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Airport is currently being rebuilt. Once completed potentially a good option due to airbridge. Departure security is two floors above arrivals (use lift)
PMI: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent; Landside: Excellent. Borderline foolproof - you are landed direct into boarding area
PRG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Ungraded; Landside: Ungraded. For back-to-back the LHR-PRG arrival dumps you right into the main corridor of that pier; walk 100 ft. to security check for the BA boarding lounge and you'll be good to go.
PRN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Possible but not recommended, see post 557.
PSA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable (not the best location since there are a lot of LCC and you have to reclear security from landside). (August 2018 review and comment)
PUY: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Unrealistic, due to the bus transfer process followed by passport control.
RAK: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Terrible; Transfer: Ungraded; Landside: Ungraded. See post #1353 below
RHO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Infeasible - no OLCI or App check in, bus transfers from gates. Also airport very busy on Saturday PM and Sunday AM.
RTM: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good (Reasonable during morning/evening peaks)
SEZ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent. Use the Transit desk at the right side of the immigration hall, opposite end to passport control, see this post.
SKG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable. Note bus transfers on apron.
SOF: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent; Landside: Reasonable. Arrivals decant into departure area.
SPU: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable but there is a bus transfer and then landside; Transfer: Reasonable but transfer routes seems to be from Star Alliance; Landside: Reasonable
STR: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable (stairs from baggage hall back to security. Can't avoid security/passports); Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable. Report here.
SVG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent; Landside: Excellent. Borderline foolproof, though only restricted number of flights
SVQ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable but need to exit landside and go up through departures, security. and passports is by the gate. Compact airport, fast security even if queuing.
SZG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable. No transfer channel and note bus transfers, but small airport.
TFS: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable but in all cases involves going landside. May be tricky to reclear security in peak holiday season.
TIA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Probably impractical. There is a bus transfer process and passport checks/stamps takes a while (Albania isn't in the EU).
TLL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Very good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. see this post.
TLV: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: At your own risk. There is a transfer route with security on the way to passport control just after the rotunda.
TNG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: No transfer or B2B route. Have to pass immigration, customs and security again. Airport is tiny (think 10 flights a day) and B2B is perfectly doable provided no problems at immigration.
TRN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable to Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. No short cuts to avoid going landside via passports x2 and security, apart from Fast Track security, but a small and efficient airport.
TXL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good (security takes place in limited area by arriving gate); Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. Security is at gates, if using A gates. NB: Currently, this usually includes LCY flights, which now mostly use A gates like LHR flights. TXL Closed in November 2020, replaced by BER.
UIP: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good - very small airport, tarmac walk.
VCE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Very good; Transfer: Good at off-peak times; Landside: Reasonable. See this post for details
VIE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent (BEWARE: see here); Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable
VLC: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. There's no transfer route so you have to go via landside. Departures is straight up from the arrival point. Disagree with the previous two sentences. For me, a direct turnaround from gates 12-14 was possible without going landside. Took less than a minute.
VNO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. Arriving passengers enter departing passenger area. [BA have codeshare and also has TP Run options via AY]
VRN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. There's no transfer route so you have to go landside but it's a very small airport and there is Fast Track.
WAW: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good (small connection facility on left after airbridge); Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable
ZAG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good (must re-clear security--this is effectively an international transfer); Transfer: Good (must re-clear security [there are separate transfers for international to international near east end of a/p and international to domestic with passport control near west end of a/p] but airport is small); Landside: Reasonable (must clear passport control, go downstairs through baggage claim to exit, outside and upstairs to check-in, upstairs again to the top floor for security and passport control and then back downstairs to the gate level.
ZRH: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Generally good but see this post and the replies for more information.
ZTH: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Infeasible due to buses and no online check-in possibilities. Somewhat unfortunate given the small airport. No transfer route, you must enter Schengen and go to landside.
Back to back: Immediate turnarounds without checked baggage, with an airside transfer and flying out on the same aircraft that operated the inbound flight
Transfer: Immediate turnarounds without checked baggage, with an airside transfer and flying out on a different aircraft (or airline) to the one that operated the inbound flight
Landside: Full arrival and departure sequence. It is assumed check-in for the onward flight is processed prior to the arrival at the airport.
Grading:
☻ Excellent generally means you will leave the aircraft and find yourself in the boarding area for departure.
☻ Good suggests that you may have to clear either security and/or passports before reboarding, but it should still be possible.
☻ Reasonable: suggests possible but with risks attached
☻ Poor: high risk and not advisable
☻ Ungraded
Two caveats:
A) Sometimes things don't go to plan. E.g. EDI sometimes uses buses, which puts passengers landside and thus needing to reclear security. Ditto HAM.
B) The above needs to be combined with the turnaround time. MXP often has a generous back-to-back time, for example.
ABZ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if domestic, otherwise Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable. Arrivals decant into departure hall
ACE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable (if off season, there is a transfer channel just before passports); Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable
AGP: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent for Schengen, Risky if not. Schengen - immediate turnaround possible at gate area. Non-Schengen - there is a transit passageway back to airside on the left after passports, but there can be long delays at passports, achievable if you are willing to politely push in the queue. see here.
ALC: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable if off season, but you do need to go fully airside if non Schengen. Small and efficient airport. Peak time: see here
ALG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Impractical due to visa and immigration processes.
AMS: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent; Landside: Poor. Arrivals decant into departure hall normally
ANE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good - very small airport, tarmac walk. You may want to telephone the airport to let them know since there's no OLCI facility.
ARN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable (arriving pax should watch for sign to gates 70-82) * see posts 593, 238 & 1298 for more details. Post 174 is a pictorial guide.
ATH: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable but don't hang about, you need to enter Schengen immigration, then leave Schengen, and a fairly efficient security check. Distances aren't great.
BCN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good to excellent (bit of a walk, small flight connection facility to the left of passport control, dedicated security but no passports; Transfer: Good (if non-Schengen), Reasonable (if Schengen); Landside: Reasonable
BEG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good: Landside: Good. There is a transfer route, at the end of the long corridor used by arriving passengers. BA does OLCI and App boarding passes. Just a bit of a hike.
BER: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good: Landside: Reasonable to Poor. Not much transfer traffic here so no queues for transit security when doing B2B - bit of a walk though. Note you can't access the lounge if doing B2B.
BGY: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable to Poor; Transfer: Reasonable to Poor: Landside: Reasonable to Poor. More details, click here.
BHD: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent (use stairs upwards between gates 5 and 6, against flow); Transfer: Excellent if domestic, otherwise Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable
BIO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable, does involve going landside but small airport, airbridge rather than bus; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable
BIQ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable, involves going through passports to landside, security and passports again, but you need to be off early since passport checks are thorough.
BJV: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Not really feasible, there is no online check-in or App facility, you must check in at the gate. More details click here.
BOD: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable but does involve going landside and back again. However it's a small airport and efficient.
BLL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good (there is a clear transfer route after passport control to avoid a security check; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good
BLQ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good (small airport but you have to go landside); Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable (bus gates)
BRI: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good (small airport but you have to go landside); Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable
BSL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back:: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good (Bit of a walk to landside, but it's not a huge airport. See this post for info)
BRU: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent on the transfer route, reasonable if not; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Poor (see comments in post #246 , also 64 onwards)
BUD: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good. Airside transfer with quiet security channel (might need to ask staff to open it for you). More details here: BUD Back-to-back?
CAG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable, does involve going landside but small airport, airbridge rather than bus; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable
CDG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Terminal 2A closed from Jan 2023 and BA now at 2D (confusingly 2B is closed but flights still go from the B gates - check in is in 2D). No airside transfer so out through immigration (long queue if on UK passport) and back in again through security (long queue unless you have fast track). Then immigration again. Sometimes busses from/to a remote stand can make it even worse.
CFU: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Near impossible, no OLCI, you must present yourself at check-in. Process involves bus, passports, out to landside, short walk to departures building on right, security and bus. Security is bad on peak days
CGN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: No OLCI, but on some dates it is still possible. See this post for details.
CHQ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Near impossible despite being a small airport, no OLCI so you can only get a boarding pass at the airport, and bus to and from gates
CMB: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent. Easy to do airside. Arriving and departing pax are not segregated. If you have your return boarding pass, just walk directly from arrival gate to departure gate.
CMF: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Generally Good, involves going landside. Best avoid Saturdays, the main changeover day, when security is stretched.
CPH: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. Arrivals decant into departure hall
CTA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable, there is a transfer route signed but seems obsolete. However small and efficient airport so still do-able if going via landside
DBV: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Impractical. There's no online check in so you have to go landside and collect a boarding pass. Otherwise a very small airport
DUB: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable if arriving on BA, Good if arriving on EI departing on BA, Excellent if arriving and departing on EI. Transfer: Excellent if arriving and departing on EI, otherwise Good. Landside: Reasonable. BA arrives into terminal 1, there is no transfer route and you will have to clear passports and security. There can be a lot of walking and a back to back BA to BA is quite risky without Fast Track. If your arriving flight is EI metal it will land at terminal 2 and you will usually go through a dedicated (and dead) passport check and no security. The terminals are connected airside. See this post for a slightly dated photo guide.
DUS: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if non-Schengen, Good if Schengen; Landside: Good. Arrivals decant into departure gate, though risk of bus to baggage hall
EDI: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if domestic, otherwise Reasonable to Poor; Landside: Reasonable to Poor. Arrivals decant into departure hall normally, risk of bus to baggage hall
EFL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: High risk on a Tuesday as only one flight, passport control is slow and turnaround time is approximately 50 minutes. OLCI is possible. Saturdays are possible if arriving on the early flight and leaving on the later flight. New terminal building is complete and fully operational, no buses involved, walk to terminal. Leave baggage hall via stairs, after the exit turn right and walk back towards check-in. Security is between arrivals and check-in. Exit the building and walk up the hill to Icarus for a coffee or snack or indeed a swim between flights. No lounge. UK flights now seem to be leaving from gates 1 & 2 which requires re-clearance of passport control after security. Only a vending machine and bare bones duty free shop.
EGC: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Impractical. Bergerac has its own check-in system and is currently not on App/OLCI, so boarding passes must be obtained in person, no later than 45 minutes before departure
EXT: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Not possible. Airport check-in only (check-in can't be done elsewhere due to FLY not being implemented). No airside transfer either.
FCO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable (return shuttle to main terminal); Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable (Possibly excellent as of Jul 22 - see post #1092)
FDH: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Impractical due to delays during ski season - see here.
FLR: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Poor due to use of bus transfers and airport layout; Transfer: Poor (no transfer track}; Landside: Reasonable
FNC: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable due to small airport. You do need to go landside and return to airside. Bus from aircraft, passports, security, passports, walk to aircraft. Note: high risk of weather related diversions.
FRA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable to Poor; Transfer: Poor (particularly if coming off Schengen); Landside: Reasonable
FSC: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Uncertain - if boarding passes can be issued in advance then it will be an easy landside transfer in a tiny airport. If boarding passes can only be collected in FSC then it's impossible.
FUE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable if out of the peak season, airbridges used. Have to go via passports landside and security, behind check in. Try Canaries+Families security if desperate.
GCI: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Infeasible. There is no online or App check in, check-in can't be done in LCY or elsewhere due to FLY not implemented in Guernsey. No airside transfer either.
GIB: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. Must go landside, bearing right and back up through security. Turnaround can be long. Leave the aircraft early so as to beat the queue at passport arrivals.
GLA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if domestic, otherwise Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable. Arrivals decant into departure hall normally.
GNB: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good: Walk to/from aircraft. Must go landside, outside and right back into departures. Long turnaround times make this feasible though Saturdays busy.
GOA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable
GOT: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent; Landside: Excellent. Borderline foolproof. Arrivals decant into departure hall.
GVA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good (but can be poor during ski season). Turn left in arrival lane to go back up to departures area.
HAJ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if non-Schengen, Good if Schengen; Landside: Good. Arrivals decant into departure gate. See posts 1670 and 1671 below.
HAM: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Very Good to Excellent - transfer security check (not busy, before immigration) then immediately back into the departures area; Transfer: Excellent if non-Schengen, Good if Schengen; Landside: Reasonable. Arrivals and departures are now separated, and very occasionally bus to baggage hall.
HEL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good: Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. Incoming passengers can reverse direction just before Schengen passports. If a bus from gate, you will need to rush.
HER: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Infeasible. There is no online or App check in, it's a bus transfer and arrivals / departures are in separate buildings.
INN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. You have to go landside, and there is a bus transfer to/from the aircraft, but the airport is very small and highly efficient.
INV: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good to Excellent; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. You have to go landside and through security. See here for more info.
IOM: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good (no flight connections but small airport)
IST: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Poor ( Would lose 15-20 minutes if lanside option is preferred )
JER: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if domestic, otherwise Good; Landside: Good. Arrivals decant into departure hall, sometimes you need to double back to the BA lounge.
JMK: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Nearly impossible due to clunky arrival processing and use of buses.
JTR: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Impossible: bus transfer, slow passports.
KEF: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if non Schengen, Good otherwise; Landside: Good. BA flights tip arriving passengers into the departure gate. Foolproof. NB LCY flights pax use a bus from a remote stand, still easy as dropped off less than 100M from the departure gate.
KLX: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Moderately risky due to boarding passes only being issued at check-in. No buses used normally, walk off plane straight into very small building.
KRK: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Nearly impossible due to clunky arrival processing and use of buses.
LBA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. Have to go landside for any connection or b2b but small airport, see here for further details
LCA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. There is a "Connecting Flights" channel on the left of the arrivals corridor, half way along, well before passports.
LEI: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Moderate to risky: you have to go via landside, and you need the return boarding pass before travel. But it's a small and efficient airport. No buses are used, it's similar to LCY in operation.
LHR T3: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. Follow connecting flights route, which can be as quick as 11 mins from disembark to through security. No conformance unlike T5. see here.
LIG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good to Excellent; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. See this post for more information
LIS: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. There is a security check to the right, immediately before and avoiding the passport desks. Risk of bus gates, but still OK.
LIN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Not a good place due to bus transfer and needing to go fully landside; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable to Poor (bus gates)
LPA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Possibly OK if off peak. Some flights are bus gates, but it's a relatively small and efficient airport. OLCI and App check in both work.
LUX: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Very Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. Landside route is described here: Airside transfer door described here.
MAD T4: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Very good; Transfer: Good to Reasonable depending on arriving terminal. Landside: Reasonable See this post for full details.
MAH: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good to excellent, see post number 563.
MAN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable to Poor; Transfer: Reasonable to Poor: Landside: Reasonable to Poor
MCT: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent - direct transfer route
MLA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. See this post and linked blog for details.
MRS: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. There is a transfer and security point just before going down to passports. Use the phone on the post to ask for it to be opened it for you; however, there is no guarantee that it will and you may have to exit to landside and re-enter through departures security.
MUC: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Very good; Transfer: Good but note 2 terminals; Landside: Good. Transfer point after passport, details in this post
MXP: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good (bit of walk to Transfer facility); Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. Thread links here.
NCE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable; Transfer: Poor; Landside: Good. There is a direct transfer route by turning into the door way on the right before the slope up to passports
NCL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent if domestic, otherwise Good; Landside: Good. Arrivals decant into departure hall.
NQY: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good (no flight connections but small airport). See post 475 for more information.
NTE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good. see this post.
NUE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Impractical unfortunately due to no OLCI, all check in done at the airport
OLB: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent; Landside: Excellent. Arriving into Olbia is via jetty to the departure gate, no passports or security. Note no OLCI via the App, more info here.
ORK: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good, do need to clear passports and security but very small and efficient airport.
ORY: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Not recommended due to fast turnarounds on LCY services. You have to go fully landside and back in again, via 2 passport checks and a security check.
OPO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent (Look for grey escalator going up); Transfer: Good (reasonable if Schengen); Landside: Reasonable
OTP: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good as at April 2019. Poor as of 29 Dec 18; Transfer: Excellent (See post #1919); Landside: Good to Reasonable. Arrival experience and speed of transit depends on arrival gate. On some arrivals, there is a Connection facility on the right at Passport Control after leaving aircraft although sometimes it is up some stairs and on the left. If this is the case, you need to go to the top of the stairs to see a passport official / go to passport desk (to explain you have arrived from London and are going straight back to London - likely resulting in a confused look on the officer's face) before returning half way down the stairs to go through security.
OSL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good on the whole; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable. (See experiences in this post, this post, this post and this post.)
OVD: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Not really suitable. This is really an Iberia Express route but leaves T5 under BA code. The aircraft is based in OVD not LHR. Small efficient airport though.
PFO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good on the whole, but you do need to go landside. However it is a small airport. May not be so good on a busy Saturday during school holidays. Note bus transfers however.
PMO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Airport is currently being rebuilt. Once completed potentially a good option due to airbridge. Departure security is two floors above arrivals (use lift)
PMI: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent; Landside: Excellent. Borderline foolproof - you are landed direct into boarding area
PRG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Ungraded; Landside: Ungraded. For back-to-back the LHR-PRG arrival dumps you right into the main corridor of that pier; walk 100 ft. to security check for the BA boarding lounge and you'll be good to go.
PRN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Possible but not recommended, see post 557.
PSA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable (not the best location since there are a lot of LCC and you have to reclear security from landside). (August 2018 review and comment)
PUY: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Unrealistic, due to the bus transfer process followed by passport control.
RAK: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Terrible; Transfer: Ungraded; Landside: Ungraded. See post #1353 below
RHO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Infeasible - no OLCI or App check in, bus transfers from gates. Also airport very busy on Saturday PM and Sunday AM.
RTM: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Good (Reasonable during morning/evening peaks)
SEZ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent. Use the Transit desk at the right side of the immigration hall, opposite end to passport control, see this post.
SKG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable. Note bus transfers on apron.
SOF: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent; Landside: Reasonable. Arrivals decant into departure area.
SPU: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable but there is a bus transfer and then landside; Transfer: Reasonable but transfer routes seems to be from Star Alliance; Landside: Reasonable
STR: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable (stairs from baggage hall back to security. Can't avoid security/passports); Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable. Report here.
SVG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Excellent; Landside: Excellent. Borderline foolproof, though only restricted number of flights
SVQ: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable but need to exit landside and go up through departures, security. and passports is by the gate. Compact airport, fast security even if queuing.
SZG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable; Transfer: Reasonable; Landside: Reasonable. No transfer channel and note bus transfers, but small airport.
TFS: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable but in all cases involves going landside. May be tricky to reclear security in peak holiday season.
TIA: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Probably impractical. There is a bus transfer process and passport checks/stamps takes a while (Albania isn't in the EU).
TLL: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Very good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. see this post.
TLV: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: At your own risk. There is a transfer route with security on the way to passport control just after the rotunda.
TNG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: No transfer or B2B route. Have to pass immigration, customs and security again. Airport is tiny (think 10 flights a day) and B2B is perfectly doable provided no problems at immigration.
TRN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Reasonable to Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. No short cuts to avoid going landside via passports x2 and security, apart from Fast Track security, but a small and efficient airport.
UIP: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good - very small airport, tarmac walk.
VCE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Very good; Transfer: Good at off-peak times; Landside: Reasonable. See this post for details
VIE: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent (BEWARE: see here); Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable
VLC: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. There's no transfer route so you have to go via landside. Departures is straight up from the arrival point. Disagree with the previous two sentences. For me, a direct turnaround from gates 12-14 was possible without going landside. Took less than a minute.
VNO: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Excellent; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. Arriving passengers enter departing passenger area. [BA have codeshare and also has TP Run options via AY]
VRN: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good; Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable. There's no transfer route so you have to go landside but it's a very small airport and there is Fast Track.
WAW: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good (small connection facility on left after airbridge); Transfer: Good; Landside: Reasonable
ZAG: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Good (must re-clear security--this is effectively an international transfer); Transfer: Good (must re-clear security [there are separate transfers for international to international near east end of a/p and international to domestic with passport control near west end of a/p] but airport is small); Landside: Reasonable (must clear passport control, go downstairs through baggage claim to exit, outside and upstairs to check-in, upstairs again to the top floor for security and passport control and then back downstairs to the gate level.
ZRH: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Generally good but see this post and the replies for more information.
ZTH: ☻ ☻ ☻
Back to back: Infeasible due to buses and no online check-in possibilities. Somewhat unfortunate given the small airport. No transfer route, you must enter Schengen and go to landside.
Back-to-back (B2B) / Immediate Turnarounds at BA Destinations
Aug 12, 2019, 11:13 am
#166
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Still the same as before. Most flights go to connections and security, every day a small proportion of flights are randomly drawn to go straight back into the departure circuit (for connecting passengers only obviously) without going through security. This is drawn from the list of flights using contact gates only.
Aug 12, 2019, 11:16 am
#167
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
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Still the same as before. Most flights go to connections and security, every day a small proportion of flights are randomly drawn to go straight back into the departure circuit (for connecting passengers only obviously) without going through security. This is drawn from the list of flights using contact gates only.
Aug 12, 2019, 11:18 am
#168
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Posts: 63,809
Aug 12, 2019, 11:19 am
#169
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,967
Aug 12, 2019, 11:20 am
#170
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,531
The proportion was always very small. I suspect that it is more the case that you might have been uncharacteristically lucky before. Or perhaps more origins have become eligible too as they restrict it to "safe" origins but the list may have increased.
Aug 13, 2019, 8:07 am
#171
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,406
Recent ARN experience
Hello
My B2B from ARN is coming up this Saturday on the 776 /777 rotation. Anyone done this recently, and is the advice still to go and push a kind of doorbell at the top of the airbridge whereupon security will amble over, open it, rescreen you and let you back into the gate area with the departing passengers?
How long should I give security before making a run for the landside route?
I am onwards to the USA so I assume I will need to get my passport check etc done at LHR to get the 777 boarding card before I embark on the positioning flight.
thanks
S
My B2B from ARN is coming up this Saturday on the 776 /777 rotation. Anyone done this recently, and is the advice still to go and push a kind of doorbell at the top of the airbridge whereupon security will amble over, open it, rescreen you and let you back into the gate area with the departing passengers?
How long should I give security before making a run for the landside route?
I am onwards to the USA so I assume I will need to get my passport check etc done at LHR to get the 777 boarding card before I embark on the positioning flight.
thanks
S
Aug 13, 2019, 8:11 am
#172
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,967
Hello
My B2B from ARN is coming up this Saturday on the 776 /777 rotation. Anyone done this recently, and is the advice still to go and push a kind of doorbell at the top of the airbridge whereupon security will amble over, open it, rescreen you and let you back into the gate area with the departing passengers?
How long should I give security before making a run for the landside route?
I am onwards to the USA so I assume I will need to get my passport check etc done at LHR to get the 777 boarding card before I embark on the positioning flight.
thanks
S
My B2B from ARN is coming up this Saturday on the 776 /777 rotation. Anyone done this recently, and is the advice still to go and push a kind of doorbell at the top of the airbridge whereupon security will amble over, open it, rescreen you and let you back into the gate area with the departing passengers?
How long should I give security before making a run for the landside route?
I am onwards to the USA so I assume I will need to get my passport check etc done at LHR to get the 777 boarding card before I embark on the positioning flight.
thanks
S
You should be able to get your bp for your TATL as normal unless you are SSSS. I would recommend just checking in to your ARN-LHR flight only when OLCI opens - that is the critical one for the b2b. When you board at ARN they should clear the passport check for your TATL bp too. If you want you can get it done at check in before you head to ARN.
Aug 14, 2019, 6:15 pm
#173
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 85
Apologies for the long post but thought it would be most useful to be comprehensive.
Tl;dr - be sure to check the arrival and departure gate information for your flight on the GOT airport website before you leave LHR. 95% of the time you will have nothing to worry about. Otherwise, you just need to be prepared and move fast.
You should be absolutely fine unless you get as unlucky as I did (although I still made it). In descending order of probability, the following seems to happen:
1) The incoming flight comes into gate 19/20/21. You empty into the non-Schengen holding pen around those gates. You don't need to clear immigration and your departing flight leaves from the same gate - cleanest B2B.
2) Your incoming flight comes into a remote gate (what the GOT airport website calls gate 'A3') and you bus to the terminal, arriving in the same non-Schengen holding pen as in (1). Your departing flight still leaves from 19/20/21 so you don't need to clear immigration as you're in the right part of the airport terminal. Still nothing to worry about.
3) You arrive at remote gate A3 but your LHR bound flight leaves from gate 11A/B. This is rare but unlucky. In this case you have to clear immigration twice - once at gate 19, walk the length of the terminal to gate 11, and then again to enter gate 11 to catch the bus back to you aircraft.
The GOT airport website is one of the best and most transparent I have ever seen - you will be able to see your departing and arriving gate before you even take off from LHR so you can mentally prepare yourself. If you're in situations 1 or 2 you don't need to do anything, just kick back and relax. If you happen to be in 3 (as I was), you need to be prepared to move rapidly. Make sure you're sat in the front half of the plane so you're on the first bus. When on the bus, stand right by the front or middle bus doors. Once off make a beeline for immigration and pray there isn't a queue (if there is you will need to be extremely un-British, aggressive and request that you can cut to the front of the queue). Get through this and sprint straight down to the checkpoint at gate 11.
When I went through last week I had no queue at the first immigration checkpoint but I think if I was even 5 minutes later I would have been in real danger of missing the flight back to LHR. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Tl;dr - be sure to check the arrival and departure gate information for your flight on the GOT airport website before you leave LHR. 95% of the time you will have nothing to worry about. Otherwise, you just need to be prepared and move fast.
You should be absolutely fine unless you get as unlucky as I did (although I still made it). In descending order of probability, the following seems to happen:
1) The incoming flight comes into gate 19/20/21. You empty into the non-Schengen holding pen around those gates. You don't need to clear immigration and your departing flight leaves from the same gate - cleanest B2B.
2) Your incoming flight comes into a remote gate (what the GOT airport website calls gate 'A3') and you bus to the terminal, arriving in the same non-Schengen holding pen as in (1). Your departing flight still leaves from 19/20/21 so you don't need to clear immigration as you're in the right part of the airport terminal. Still nothing to worry about.
3) You arrive at remote gate A3 but your LHR bound flight leaves from gate 11A/B. This is rare but unlucky. In this case you have to clear immigration twice - once at gate 19, walk the length of the terminal to gate 11, and then again to enter gate 11 to catch the bus back to you aircraft.
The GOT airport website is one of the best and most transparent I have ever seen - you will be able to see your departing and arriving gate before you even take off from LHR so you can mentally prepare yourself. If you're in situations 1 or 2 you don't need to do anything, just kick back and relax. If you happen to be in 3 (as I was), you need to be prepared to move rapidly. Make sure you're sat in the front half of the plane so you're on the first bus. When on the bus, stand right by the front or middle bus doors. Once off make a beeline for immigration and pray there isn't a queue (if there is you will need to be extremely un-British, aggressive and request that you can cut to the front of the queue). Get through this and sprint straight down to the checkpoint at gate 11.
When I went through last week I had no queue at the first immigration checkpoint but I think if I was even 5 minutes later I would have been in real danger of missing the flight back to LHR. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Aug 21, 2019, 4:00 am
#174
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,406
Pictorial guide to ARN Back to back
Hello
Pleased to report that the B2B at Stockholm Arlanda is still very simple indeed. When I was contemplating it I would really have liked photographs of the route, so I made sure to take some on my recent trip. I think everyone will agree it is strictly unncecessary! The BA flight I was on came into gate 86.
Cheers
S
1. At the top of the air bridge go up the green stairs and turn in the direction of arrivals.
2. Look for the transfer sign above, which is very soon after the top of the stairs if gate 86, slightly further if gate 87.
3. Here is the sign on the door, through which you can see a small security station. Press the green button above, which functions as a doorbell.
4. When you have pressed it, it lights up!
5. Somebody will come along, unlock the door, and let you through into this screening room. Expect to wait up to 10 minutes, in my recent case I timed it at 7 minutes. You will need to show your onward boarding card and go through a standard security process (ie both you and your luggage), even though it will be just you and one security person. Once that is done you will be let out of the onward door and into the gate area, and the security person will lock it all up again and disappear. NB this photograph was taken from the other side once I was through.
Pleased to report that the B2B at Stockholm Arlanda is still very simple indeed. When I was contemplating it I would really have liked photographs of the route, so I made sure to take some on my recent trip. I think everyone will agree it is strictly unncecessary! The BA flight I was on came into gate 86.
Cheers
S
1. At the top of the air bridge go up the green stairs and turn in the direction of arrivals.
2. Look for the transfer sign above, which is very soon after the top of the stairs if gate 86, slightly further if gate 87.
3. Here is the sign on the door, through which you can see a small security station. Press the green button above, which functions as a doorbell.
4. When you have pressed it, it lights up!
5. Somebody will come along, unlock the door, and let you through into this screening room. Expect to wait up to 10 minutes, in my recent case I timed it at 7 minutes. You will need to show your onward boarding card and go through a standard security process (ie both you and your luggage), even though it will be just you and one security person. Once that is done you will be let out of the onward door and into the gate area, and the security person will lock it all up again and disappear. NB this photograph was taken from the other side once I was through.
Last edited by snuffi; Aug 21, 2019 at 11:32 pm
Aug 21, 2019, 9:11 am
#175
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Spitalfields, London
Programs: BA Gold, KFC 'The Colonel's Club' Palladium tier, Mucci des Visions Célestes du Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Posts: 2,327
Hello
Pleased to report that the B2B at Stockholm Arlanda is still very simple indeed. When I was contemplating it I would really have liked photographs of the route, so I made sure to take some on my recent trip. I think everyone will agree it is strictly unncecessary! I think the BA flight I was on came into gate 86.
Cheers
S
1. At the top of the air bridge go up the green stairs and turn in the direction of arrivals.
2. Look for the transfer sign above, which is very soon after the top of the stairs.
3. Here is the sign on the door, through which you can see a small security station. Press the green button above, which functions as a doorbell.
4. When you have pressed it, it lights up!
5. Somebody will come along, unlock the door, and let you through into this screening room. Expect to wait up to 10 minutes, in my recent case I timed it at 7 minutes. You will need to show your onward boarding card and go through a standard security process (ie both you and your luggage), even though it will be just you and one security person. Once that is done you will be let out of the onward door and into the gate area, and the security person will lock it all up again and disappear. NB this photograph was taken from the other side once I was through.
Pleased to report that the B2B at Stockholm Arlanda is still very simple indeed. When I was contemplating it I would really have liked photographs of the route, so I made sure to take some on my recent trip. I think everyone will agree it is strictly unncecessary! I think the BA flight I was on came into gate 86.
Cheers
S
1. At the top of the air bridge go up the green stairs and turn in the direction of arrivals.
2. Look for the transfer sign above, which is very soon after the top of the stairs.
3. Here is the sign on the door, through which you can see a small security station. Press the green button above, which functions as a doorbell.
4. When you have pressed it, it lights up!
5. Somebody will come along, unlock the door, and let you through into this screening room. Expect to wait up to 10 minutes, in my recent case I timed it at 7 minutes. You will need to show your onward boarding card and go through a standard security process (ie both you and your luggage), even though it will be just you and one security person. Once that is done you will be let out of the onward door and into the gate area, and the security person will lock it all up again and disappear. NB this photograph was taken from the other side once I was through.
Aug 21, 2019, 11:10 am
#176
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: MAN/JNB
Programs: KL/BMI/BA
Posts: 411
Considering doing my first back to back 1470 out and 1471 back. The 1471 is the first leg of a F trip to SFO (overnight stopover in LHR) so I'm very worried if it goes wrong.
If the 1470 was delayed or cancelled for some reason would we be in trouble?
Aug 21, 2019, 12:10 pm
#177
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,967
Would the same apply to Inverness?
Considering doing my first back to back 1470 out and 1471 back. The 1471 is the first leg of a F trip to SFO (overnight stopover in LHR) so I'm very worried if it goes wrong.
If the 1470 was delayed or cancelled for some reason would we be in trouble?
Considering doing my first back to back 1470 out and 1471 back. The 1471 is the first leg of a F trip to SFO (overnight stopover in LHR) so I'm very worried if it goes wrong.
If the 1470 was delayed or cancelled for some reason would we be in trouble?
Aug 21, 2019, 4:11 pm
#178
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 698
Those pictures at ARN - Stockholm are really helpful.
I did a back-to-back there a while ago. I went landside, through immigration, through security, and back though passport control. On landing, I checked the airport website and saw there was no queue at security. I was one of the first off so had no queue at immigration.
This worked really well for me. I chose this option because I knew I’d literally have a heart attack
waiting at that door while the whole plane got ahead of the queue at immigration. I preferred to keep moving and I also got to see the terminal.
For me, going landside worked well. Things could be different at different times.
I did a back-to-back there a while ago. I went landside, through immigration, through security, and back though passport control. On landing, I checked the airport website and saw there was no queue at security. I was one of the first off so had no queue at immigration.
This worked really well for me. I chose this option because I knew I’d literally have a heart attack
waiting at that door while the whole plane got ahead of the queue at immigration. I preferred to keep moving and I also got to see the terminal. For me, going landside worked well. Things could be different at different times.
Aug 21, 2019, 11:22 pm
#179
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,406
It is true that it was rather disconcerting having the whole plane walk past me, but I had faith having read of previous experiences here. Personally I would prefer those airports where you literally step off into the gate area, but ARN frequently has the good deals.
