obduro

Morning all,

Booked an ex-EU flight to YYZ and we have a near six hour layover at LHR (arrive 0730, take off on the 787 at 1320). Any ideas of what we can do during this time other than the Lounges? We are in J as the Dreamliner doesn't have an F cabin, so no CCR.

Are we able to leave the airport while checking our bags through? Not sure if there's one policy for the USA and another for everyone else. We are both London natives so aware we would have about three hours to head somewhere local (including travel in each direction).

Tips appreciated, I really don't want a bored wife circling around the jewellery stores under the lounge for a sustained period of time....

stewaran

london or windsor seem the most popular options.

As you live in london I guess not much point in telling you about the sights! :-)

Kew gardens is close by, could get the tube near there and have a walk to stretch your legs

stewaran

deleted - mistake

lizban

Pack running kit - get changed nice gentle 10k, shower changed brunch board flight

vibguy

Go for a sauna : go to the Flounge (attention : very hot) and then take a fresh shower. Wait time for the shower included you will easily kill 3 hours!

corporate-wage-slave

Yes, you can simply leave LHR after your inbound service by going out landside via the UK Border, and then re-enter in the normal way via North or South Security. You don't need to make any special arrangements about this, the nature of T5's Ready to Fly software is that it has a pretty accurate idea where you are at any given stage, so your bags will be looked after accordingly. No difference between USA and anywhere else.

onescoop

Osterley Park and House is a pretty nice National Trust property that isn't vastly difficult to get to. It's about a mile's (nice enough) walk from Osterley station, but only a 20min cab ride from Heathrow.

jerry a. laska

Windsor?
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19065684-post10.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/u-k-i...ation-lhr.html

Harrods instead of the LHR jewelry stores? Have lunch at the food courts. Plenty of time for that.

See also:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/u-k-i...-london-2.html

themapelligroup

In such a short time frame I would head to Hyde Park for a run or bike ride. Very relaxing prior a long haul flight.

obduro

Thanks all. I am liking the idea of a run, shame they don't have a gym or something in the Lounge as would give that a go!

In terms of going out I think we will see how it goes on the day, touchwood the first leg gets in OK and we will see what the weather is like and decide from there.

jerry a. laska

The Sofitel at T5 will let you use their gym facilities for a fee (free if you book a spa treatment). The Hilton T4 gym also used to allow walk-ins for a fee.

iahphx

Thanks to the recent Air Canada "we-forgot-the-YQ-sale," I have two 6 hour daytime layovers at LHR on my way from the USA to Africa (both after redeye flights). Six hours seems like the perfect misery index for that airport. Not really enough time to do anything worthwhile in London, but too much time to stay at the airport.

We're reluctant to check our carry-on bags because we're switching airlines at LHR, and don't want to risk arriving in Africa without our luggage. So we'll have some rollerboards and, probably, some small backpacks. I see the checked bag charge is 11 Pounds each. Pretty nasty for a few hours.

If we do decide to leave the airport, I'm thinking of renting a car, which would only cost me about 30 Pounds and would solve my luggage storage problem. Obviously, I wouldn't drive into London (I really don't have enough time anyway), but I'm thinking of Windsor or something in that direction.

Would that be a good idea, or should I just stay at the airport? I'm sure we'll be a bit tired after coming off the redeye flights. I'll have access to Star Alliance lounges and Priority Pass lounges, if that helps. All my flights are at Terminal 2, which I don't think I've previously been to. Obviously, we'll want to do something economical, because we'll probably be too tired to enjoy anything too exciting.

Ldnn1

Edit: On reflection, maybe it's not an awful idea. Does T2 have directly onsite car hire like at T5? If so I suppose it could be simple enough and would solve the bag issue. Parking in Windsor might be a hassle though and you'd of course have to leave plenty of time for traffic.

If it wasn't for your reluctance to pay the left luggage fee or check your luggage in, I'd say absolutely not worth bothering with car hire.

RockyRobin

Not far from Kew you also have Hogarth House

NWIFlyer

As this thread's remaining tenuous link to BA has been extinguished, we'll move it into the UK & Ireland forum where there's already a great deal of advice on spending various amounts of time in the London area.

/mod