Avoiding LHR
Nov 8, 2023 | 2:36 pm
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2023
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Avoiding LHR
Traveled to EDI through LHR last year and it was a disaster narrowly averted.
I'm thinking of going again next June
I'm thinking of using Amsterdam, Paris or Frankfurt (all suggested by AI Claude)
Thoughts on those airports?
I'm thinking of going again next June
I'm thinking of using Amsterdam, Paris or Frankfurt (all suggested by AI Claude)
Thoughts on those airports?
Nov 8, 2023 | 3:53 pm
#2
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All four are awful in differing ways. FRA is baffling in its complexity, AMS is operationally chaotic, CDG is horrible and LHR involves the disaster zone that is BA. So I suggest you either go on price or convenience or preferred alliance and not worry about the connecting airport.
Nov 8, 2023 | 4:00 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2021
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You don't mention where you're traveling from. This is an important consideration.
Agree with lhrsfo's comments above - there is no clear winner out of any of those airports. You could also look at ZRH or DUB as possibilities, both are easier to connect at than any of these airports. DUB also has US pre-clearance which can be a factor if you're going to the US.
Agree with lhrsfo's comments above - there is no clear winner out of any of those airports. You could also look at ZRH or DUB as possibilities, both are easier to connect at than any of these airports. DUB also has US pre-clearance which can be a factor if you're going to the US.
Nov 8, 2023 | 4:03 pm
#4
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How about Dublin?
Also, note that some U.S. carriers provide year-round or seasonal nonstop service to EDI from various U.S. gateways.
Nov 8, 2023 | 9:43 pm
#6
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_Airport
and from the U.S. to DUB here:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin_Airport
In late June, I see that United offers one-stop options from Bozeman, Missoula, and Kalispell to Edinburgh; and two-stop options from Great Falls.
Nov 8, 2023 | 9:54 pm
#7
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And in June, JetBlue will offer a one-stop Bozeman-Edinburgh option three days a week. If you plan to travel in regular Economy, the JetBlue Coach seat will have slightly greater seat pitch than UA's Coach seats. But UA will offer more recovery options in the event of irregular operations.
Nov 8, 2023 | 11:26 pm
#8
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Base your routing / airline decisions on things such as price and comfort not airport as youll spend far more time in a plane seat than at the airport.
(not 100% sure there is a pre check lane at DUB though (and thats only relevant when departing for the US) and even then see my comment above)
AMS for example may look attractive but there are only half dozen flights to EDI compared to a dozen or so on BA from LHR
3 flights ex FRA and 5 ex CDG.
(all based on google flights for a random date next May)
Nov 9, 2023 | 8:50 am
#10
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Last year was especially tricky in multiple European airports due, in particular, to exceptionally acute staffing issues post-covid. Things should be better this year, whichever airport you use (... famous last words...)
Nov 9, 2023 | 8:54 am
#11
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All other things being equal (and they rarely are), I suspect that a single connection in the U.S. would be preferable to connecting in the U.S. and then connecting again in Europe. (There are no nonstop flights from Montana to Europe.)
Nov 9, 2023 | 10:28 am
#12
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Afterwards I realized that I could have taken the train and got there before the replacement flight left.
Nov 9, 2023 | 11:05 am
#13
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Of course there are more options available if you want to connect but that increases complexity and journey time.
And MUC via FRA-EDI on LH is restricted by the 3 FRA-EDI flights I referenced in my earlier post.
OP may want to avoid LHR but it still gives him the widest number of connection options.
Nov 9, 2023 | 1:02 pm
#15
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That is a valid point in favour of connecting at LHR - if it all goes completely wrong, you have easier alternatives, owing to the lack of water to cross.