Connection in Heathrow UA to LH
 

Hi,

I just did a search of the forum, but couldn't find a good recent answer. If I missed one, just point me to it.

We're heading to Berlin for the Xmas holidays.

We are going SFO - EWR - LHR - TXL. Our connection time in London is 1 hour, 40 minutes. We are on United to London, and Lufthansa to Berlin. That was the only flight set we could get at the price we wanted.

Are we going to have a problem? We're in business if that is useful. Any suggestions for making the transfer fast?

Thanks in advance.

abby

If I remember correctly the EWR flight goes into Term4 (PMCO) while PMUA went into Term1, not sure if its still that way or not. But LH uses Term1

there should be an airside shuttle between T4 & T1, or you can jump on the HEX for free between those 2 Terms

I came into LHR with LH and had to connect to VS to JFK and barely made the VS flight and if I wasnt in Biz I wouldnt have, had just over an hr

I would think 1h40m should be enough time to connect just no time for the Lounge, but thats if CO arrives on time

(personally I wont fly into @ LHR any longer due to the high taxes especially if in F or C, unless my final destination is London)

There is a direct shuttle between T4 and T1. Just follow the signs, and do not go thru immigration in T4! I have made the connection several times and it is very easy to do. Much easier than any other intra terminal connection at LHR.

As craz notes you'll be arriving into T4 and then transferring to T1.
1:40 will be tight.
Here's the link from the LHR website T4>T1 http://tinyurl.com/bvorzbr
There'a also this longer thread on transfers at LHR http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...t=LHR+transfer

It also depends on how much traffic there is. About 1/3 of the time.. I have experienced an Air Traffic Control delay going into LHR. Plus taxi time.

Like others have said, rush. You did not indicate which class you are in but the closer to the front of the plane the better. After an overnight flight, folks can be slow deplanning. And have your stuff organized when you touch down.

There are certain times when the crowds at LHR are intense.

Also, there is no consistency on UA printing board passes for the LH. And there are times when I have had a boarding pass printed by UA and once landed LH required a different one. One thing you may want to do is to check in for the LHR-TXL flight on the LH website.

If you can change your flight to one departing from SFO/IAD/ORD then you'll have a MUCH better chance if making it. The way your doing it now, coming from EWR is a pain. T-4 to T-1 is just a bus trip away. But the problem is, you may have to wait for the bus, T-1 is accross the airport from T-4 so the trip can take 10-15 min on the bus and finally, you must go through transfer security. You'll have to do that anyway but inter terminal security gets MUCH longer lines then same terminal (T-1) security. IMO w delays a big problem at LHR, 1:40 is pushing the envelope

Yea, the shuttle is not really what I would call "airside" for the simple fact you will still need to clear security (and you would need to do this even if it's T1-to-T1).

It's really hit or miss with the lines at this spot. I have cleared it in 5 minutes and other times 30+ minutes.

And then the issue is how far of a walk is it in T1 to your gate???

As my on personal rule, T1-to-T1 connections must be = or > 1:20 for me. T-4-to-T1 is 2:00. But, as I said you really never know.

The biggest risk is definitely with the lines in my book. Have had the same type of experience here, though mostly it's been quick in T1 (with both T1 and T4 typically much quicker than T3 or T5), but occasionally has been longer.

LHR transit would be a whole 'nother world if the brits took the same step many other EU countries took a couple of years ago and stopped requiring security checks on all arriving flights. Unlike FRA they have excellent infrastructure for terminal-to-terminal connections and minus the security it would be a breeze.

Theoretically, it's doable..but I'd prefer not to have to do a T4 - T1 transfer in that time. As said, be ready and don't dawdle.

On the plus side, there are a couple of LH flights a day, but after that trip you really don't want to be waiting around.

True, but from a security standpoint the UK is a target unlike most other European countries. Even in the US, they have security checks for passengers transferring INTL - DOM

1:40 should be doable, but don't dawdle. I have made the T4-T1 pmCO to LH transfer myself before. As others have mentioned, your biggest risk is clearing transfer security at T1; the lines there can be quick or slow. There's no rhyme or reason, and no way to predict it.

You *should* be good, but you may want to come pre-armed with a fall back plan just in case.

First, I apologize for not coming back to thank you all for your replies. My browser stopped automatically logging me in so I only saw the first couple of responses.

We're in Business First, row 9 on a 777. We are checking bags, so we won't have a lot of stuff.

Changing routing wasn't an option.

I checked out the URL, and I guess we'll follow the purple signs, get on the bus and go to Terminal 1. Will we get a shorter security line because we're in Business class on all flights?

Thanks,

Print your BP's on LH's site before you go. You'll need every minute, and UA is not always able to print them.

I'm not aware of priority access for security at transfer points at Heathrow. I know that BF customers are offered access to FastTrack when clearing customs for entry into the UK, but I don't recall anything special for onward connections.

So, just as one recent data point, this past Saturday morning I did the T4 to T1 transfer and it took exactly 25 minutes from walking off the plane in T4 and walking into the *A lounge in T1. This was by far the best time I have ever did this.

As mentioned, the connection between the two terminals is really minimum and the only real variable time factor is clearing T1 security (this is regardless if you are coming from T4 or doing a T1 to T1 connection).

So, I just might revise my personal rule to a 1 hour connection time between T4 to T1. YMMV?