When I flew BA some years ago, I seem to remember a need for long layover for connection in LHR due to security and re-checkin.

Looking at some NW connection timing, one of the option through LHR is giving me only 1 hour and 5 minutes to connect from NW flight to KLM flight. Both KLM and NW flight operate out of Terminal 4.

Is the 1 hour connection time really sufficient or should I expect to miss my flight?

Nov 26 NW 106 SEA LHR 2230 1605
Nov 27 KL 1022 LHR AMS 1710 1935
Layover 1 hour and 5 minutes

Nov 30 KL 1025 AMS LHR 1645 1710
Nov 30 NW 105 LHR SEA 1830 2035
Layover 1 hour and 20 minutes

Jiburi

I think the odds of a misconnect are pretty high. With the opening of T5, everything will be in a bit of flux, especially with the reshuffling in T4. You could be fine, but I'd expect the worst.

It depends on how much of BA's operations are still at T4 (if any) by the time you fly. BA a/c frequently clog up the gates at T4, especially when the BA a/c using the "victor zone" (very far away) gates prevents KL from using its dedicated gate. The other delay factor is crossing the south runway if your arriving a/c lands on the north runway.

I'd say if BA (and QF) is gone from T4, your connection will be tight but comfortable as long as the incoming flight arrives on time. Transit security is within T4 and with no bussing involved (I imagine a lot of transiting pax within T4 will disappear with BA). Just remember to walk fast to the transit point (flight connection for T4, not for T1,2,3 & 5).

Almost all of BA's ops will be out of T4 by the end of April 2008, and will be replaced with many non-aligned areas. The only remain flights will be the JV w/ Qantas down to Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney, and that includes Qantas' flights. Check out the BA forum's guide here.

I'd still be concerned, because you are landing at Heathrow, and delays can really stack up throughout the day if, say, fog disrupts morning ops. However, if you are willing to spend the extra hour or two there are multiple flights to/from AMS throughout the day, and if misconnecting in LHR you will be booked on the next flight, and you can always standby earlier if possible on the way back if you so choose.

Knowing this, I'd go for it if you know that you can afford the delays. Unfortunately, no one knows the minimum realistic connecting time because the flights and relocation haven't even started yet.

So it sounds more and more like Terminal 4 will be a skyteam terminal. Continental, Northwest, Delta and KLM will have flights there. Does AF fly there too? It would make a convenient connecting point if all Skyteam shared the same terminal. I also recall seeing KLM's Hollideck in T4....


Based on everyone's opinion, just to be on the safe side, I did decide to stretch my connection to two hours rather than one. As NW booking engine says, 65 minutes might be sufficient but based on many changes ocurring in LHR, I don't trust it. Two hours would probably be better. As long as there aren't multiple arrival at the same time, I think it should be fine.

Jiburi

Not until 2009 the last time I heard. AF will remain in T2


1 hr if you want to be safe and increase your odds of making the connection. I really doubt if there will be many arriving flights that will disgorge large numbers of transit pax. It's not as if LHR is really a ST hub (connections only to AMS and NBO in T4 this year, etc. and the AMS has lots of direct flights from any point that ST serves from LHR).

You still have the possibility that KL may cancel the odd AMS-LHR flight (though this frequency is being curtailed). That only happened to me 1 out of 8 times last year but I understand that at least 1 flight per day was being cancelled.

An update, for those who haven't heard.

British Airways is delaying the transfer of its longhaul flights from T4 to T5 from the original April 30th date to June 30. The shorthaul flights have already transfered. Thus, expect the Air France move to T4 to be delayed, along with various other airlines IIRC.

This will also make customs and immigration a lot busier than expected.