dutyfree

We're traveling in July from AJA-LGW on Easyjet, then LGW-LAX on Norwegian (premium), with a little less than 3 hours in between flights. Hope to have carry-on only and link flights with Gatwick Connect 1) Is this enough time for transfer, considering EasyJet usually runs about 30 minutes late on this route? 2) We've been hearing about many Norwegian cancellations out of LAX. Is this happening at LGW as well? Have the Norwegian Dreamliners flying out of Gatwick already had their engine changes? Thanks!

rcspeirs

Andy33

Using Gatwick Connects is really useful if you have checked baggage and are dealing with airlines that don't interline baggage, and they can issue boarding passes though you need to have checked in on-line. But to use it you have to go through UK immigration. In fact the whole Gatwick Connects concept is very close to what happens in the USA: - arrive, pass through Immigration, reclaim baggage if any, hand it over again in the baggage hall, make your way to the right terminal and gate for your next flight via Security.

Gatwick does have true international transit facilities for people with through-ticketed connections as well. But whether you would be eligible to use them I don't know - you'd certainly need the boarding passes for the Norwegian flight to do so, and US security restrictions may mean these have to be issued at a manned desk somewhere.

So assuming you go with what you've stated - arrive at North Terminal, disembark from the plane, then depending on the gate it can take 15 minutes to get to the immigration area. Now I'm assuming you're not a UK/EU/EEA citizen. If that's right Immigration lines can be long, depending on what other flights have arrived recently. It isn't so much the time the process takes or the staffing level, it is whether people in front of you arouse suspicions/have dubious documents/can't speak any language that the immigration officer does so an interpreter is required ,so the whole line slows up until they are moved to one side. Once you're through there, and the actual time taken is very variable, you will need to walk through baggage reclaim, find the Gatwick Connects desk and report yourself, head through Customs (trivial), catch the inter-terminal shuttle train to South Terminal, pass though Security (which can be very picky indeed but isn't quite as slow as it used to be) and find your gate. Can you do it? On a good day, certainly but not with a huge amount of time to spare. On a less good day, maybe, and on a bad day, you'll miss the flight. Personally I'd want quite a bit more time.

No, Norwegian's 787 engines are by no means all fixed, on the Gatwick based planes or elsewhere. A wide variety of chartered-in planes are in use as substitutes - not all of which have as many seats as the 787s so involuntary downgrades and involuntary denied boarding is occurring, and there are also short-notice cancellations. If you've already booked, you're stuck with the situation. If not, I'd avoid Norwegian long haul for the time being.

mandolino

Rule of thumb when booking flights for myself or my employees is minimum 5-hr between LCC flights, 3-hr between different full service airlines and whatever they'll accept between same airline/same terminal flights

Also, having attempted some business flights LCC to LCC via LGW in July/August last year, peak holidays, you need to take into account the extraordinarily long queuing times for LCC baggage-drop (if needed) during this period. One of the "low cost" aspects of LCCs is that they have much fewer desk staff.

Some airlines that put your cabin bags in the hold, hand them back to you as you disembark - do easyjet do this?

dutyfree

Deleted - this was a duplicate post.

dutyfree

Thanks to all for the comprehensive (and sobering) responses. We can change or cancel our Norwegian flight (flexible premium) and haven't booked EasyJet yet, so we are trying to figure out other options using BA miles (but don't they have 787 issues as well?)

We have done this sort of connection at LGW before (JFK-LGW-MXP - Norwegian to Easyjet - two hours between flights) and it was speedy, even though Norwegian had us check our carry-ons. But that was in September, rather than in the height of the summer. And there wasn't the added Norwegian cancellation stress.

So Gatwick Connect only works to help with checked luggage...Is there any sort of VIP service available that can usher you through with a fast pass?

Often1

OP's problem is not so much logistics if his inbound is on time, but the consequences of a no show. As he is not connecting, even on a flexible ticket, he will win up with his ticket cancelled and having to purchase a new ticket and use whatever value the cancelled ticket may retain (check its fare rules to see if it retains any value if not cancelled or changed prior to departure).

LGW is not the place to be stuck during high season with no ticket. I would very much want an overnight between two separate tickets.

UKtravelbear

Yes BA have 787 issues as well but as a larger airline are more in a position to swap planes around or reroute you to LGW.

You can pay for both premium immigration and premium security clearance but there isn't any sort of service that escorts you to the head of the line. If there is a queue for either you still have to wait.

LondonElite

NickB

The OP can confirm or infirm but my recollection of the "Gatwick Connect" product is that it provides protection for connections (as long as you are within the parameters they specify) so that they will take take charge of the rebooking in case your connection is missed owing to a delayed arrival of the first flight.

UKtravelbear

for full protection you would need to book the flights via the flight booking service.

https://www.gatwickairport.com/faqs/flight-connections/

dutyfree

Sadly, there are no flights from AJA to any of the London airports on the day before our international flight - looking into other Corsica airports.

Do you know if you have to book both flights through Gatwick Connects? Or will booking one work? Won't need the baggage service because we're not checking, but we need the missed flight protection. We can't rebook Norwegian because we got the last seats on the plane.

Here is what they say they offer:

• An entrance pass to use Premium Security at Gatwick
• A complimentary glass of wine, or a soft drink at Caviar House
• GatwickConnects Protected Connection
• Further exclusive GatwickConnects service discounts on lounge entry and shopping
• The GatwickConnects Baggage Service where you will receive assistance with your baggage between the hours of 06:00 and 18:00. Subject to availability.

dutyfree

Deleted - this was a duplicate post.

LondonElite

You need to book both flights through their service.

Clause 3.1 in their T&Cs is:

dutyfree

Thanks - I checked that, but they don't offer Norwegian premium, just economy.