How long to connect at Gatwick?
 

Hi everybody,

I have never before taken 2 consecutive flights so please indulge me if this is a silly question.

I would like to go from Reykjavik to Shannon on August 29th. I have a flight arriving at London Gatwick at 10.55 (Icelandexpress) and one leaving Gatwick for Shannon at 12.45 (Ryanair). I won't need a hold luggage, I can carry what I need in a small bag.

Can you please tell me if it is possible to do this or if I won't have enough time to catch the second plane?

Thank you.

Mariane

It's doable, but it's tight and if you do miss the onward flight the only help you will get will be from Ryanair showing you where to buy a new ticket.

As you don't seem to be a holder of a passport issued by an EU country you have to go to the Ryanair desk which is landside and hence you can't avoid UK immigration. The Ryanair desk not validate your details if you turn up less than 40 minutes before the flight even if you have checked in online & hence you don't fly

If you do hold an EU passport and used it when you booked your ticket you can do an airside transfer and avoid immigration which makes it a LOT easier to make the flight.

I'd be tempted to pay another £20 or so and book the Shannon flight on the 30th as well unless you want to risk paying £100 if you do miss your onward flight

Two comments.

a) Ryanair passengers are not permitted to transfer airside at Gatwick per airline request, even if only traveling with hand luggage and EU documents. GAL Security will deny passage to those holding Ryanair onward boarding passes and redirect through immigration.

b) The IEX flight on Sundays operates using an aircraft that originates in Newark. In late-August, EWR has historically seen horrendous delays and ground stops. The flight will almost certainly be delayed at least 30-60 minutes into LGW.

You will not make the connection. Don't attempt it.

You learn something new everyday :D

Is there any particular rationale to this?

I'm sure there is/was at some point but who the heck knows.

Mariane, it's a great pity that your first experience of connecting involves Ryanair.

Please don't think all connections are this awkward!

With most airlines it is straightforward, and further, if booked as one ticket at a full service airline they take full responciblity for you having enough time to connect, so you don't need to worry about adding extra time for the connections, if they sell it to you they take responciblity for sorting it out if it goes wrong.
If you use separate tickets this is not the case.

Sadly most LCC airlines (such as ryanair, easyjet, etc) are strictly point-to-point airlines, so you are responcible for the connection.

Please don't let this put you off connecting in the future!

;) I just wondered as I really personally cannot see the harm if all BPs printed and holding EU/EEA documents...

It's because any day now, Ryanair will introduce a new service allowing you to transfer airside for an extra ten quid (bathroom use not included).

:D