chisquared

I have a trip coming up, and I'm planning on checking bags through on separate tickets via LHR.

The trip will be SIN-LHR-EWR-ORD, with the SIN-LHR leg with SQ, and the rest on UA.

I'm regularly able to check my luggage through on separate tickets with SQ, so that leg of the trip should be fine.

Will the UA legs of my trip cause me any issues?

I know that I need to pick up my bags off the belt at EWR and take them through customs before checking them back in again. Does this mean I should ask the check-in agent at SIN to check my bags to EWR, and have them re-tagged at EWR? Or can I have them tagged all the way to ORD?

WineCountryUA

Have them tagged to your destination -- ORD, if SQ will do this. After customs, you just go to the bag drop and return the bags to UA using the existing bag tags.

chisquared

Thanks. Does this mean the only points I have to worry about, at least as far as my bags are concerned, are in SIN (for them to tag my bags through) and in LHR (where my bags change carriers)?

lhrsfo

Yes. There should be no problems at LHR and you won't have to see your bags there.

chisquared

Great. Thanks, WineCountryUA and lhrsfo!

cur

i have a 10 hr connection in lhr coming up and i want to go into london for dinner

can i clear security, go to the lounge for a shower and work, then exit? i realize it's a long walk to showers and out but is there a basic way out?

thanks

televisor

Yes, but I'm not 100% sure if you're permitted to use it. I used it when I missed a connection (i.e. I had to go to the transfer desk which is airside, regardless of missing my flight - before exiting the airport), and I did have to tell one or two agents that I'd missed my connection and was staying in London. They didn't actually check that this was true, so if you look like you know what you're doing you're probably OK.

Short version: retrace your steps from entering the main part of the airside area back to the transfer area, then look for arrivals. It's easiest if you're connecting int'l to int'l, otherwise border processing gets more complicated:

Long version:
1) find the transfer desks in T2A, look to the right of the transfer desks
2) walk through the corridor to the BP check / transfer border area, stay to the right side
2) take the escalators/stairs down to security (I think they're here, maybe they're after security?)
4) at security, look for a glass corridor on the left, there should be an agent there who can let you in.
5) exit the corridor, you should now be in the generic non-sterile transfer area
6) turn right, walk to passport control (which will eventually be on your right)
7) welcome to freedom (aka walk out the baggage claim)

If you're connecting from a domestic (or Ireland flight): I have no idea what happens here, border control might be confused, but it might be enough to show them your arrival BP? If you're connecting to a domestic/Ireland flight: you'll want to avoid crossing the border at the transfer area when first arriving into LHR, but the BP checker (in the int'l connection queue) *might* tell you to go to the border agents.

ani90

Which lounge are you referring to - arrivals lounge, United Club or other? If you are flying business or first than the arrivals lounge would save you quite a bit of time.

malgudi

I'm assuming this should be sufficient (will have Fast Track).

United flight is at 1:30pm on a Saturday.

Thanks.

tim iridium

More than enough time - especially if you can use the priority screening lines. Longest part of the process will be the walk to T2.

lksf

A friend is flying BA from US with connection at LHR. He's landing at T3 and connecting to T5. Can I give him a UA club pass so he can use it while on his connection?
The club is at T2, will he be able to go through security with a boarding pass for T5?

Thanks

lincolnjkc

At least for UC members, United simply requires a same-day boarding pass for travel on any airline as well as the UC membership for admission -- I believe that's the same policy for one-time passes.

I can't answer the question about getting through security at LHR though...I know in the US that can be hit or miss depending on the airport and even the specific agent, so I can't begin to speculate about how LHR would react (though I would tend to assume not)

trk1

The United club at LHR is by the United gates. It would way far out of
the way. This would add at least 45min getting to the Club and back just in Term 2. The time from 3 to 2 and then 2 to 5 would add another 40 min.
Not practical.

LDNConsultant

There is no point he wont be able to go to T2 to use the lounge and go back to T5. There is a PP lounge in T5

televisor

It is possible to get to the T2 lounge, but it's excessively complicated, and access to T2 airside isn't guaranteed. The process would be:

- Exit plane, follow directions to connections to T2
- Get the bus to T2
- Go through security
- Convince the BP checker after security that you are flying from T2 and that you don't have a BP (they very likely won't let you through with a BP for T5, and you'd essentially be lying to get in).
- Walk the tunnel to T2B for the UC (10 minutes total maybe?)
- Visit UC

After this:
- Walk back to T2A (another 10 minutes)
- Go backwards past transfer BP check and security (you'd need to make them believe you missed your connection or something similar, or maybe just tell them you went to the wrong terminal)
- Find the transfer buses again
- Take bus to T5
- Security and BP check again
- Welcome to T5 airside.

I don't recommend it, but this is FT after all - I'm definitely interested in a report if this succeeds.

And it's quite likely the UC agents will wonder WTH you're doing. They were already surprised when I went to the UC with a T2A departure, they might get suspicious if you have a T5 departure.