Can i stay in transit in London Heathrow while i wait for another flight?

Question

I will be arriving at LHR T3 on Virgin Atlantic VS11 on the 20th of march at 7am. On the same day, i will be leaving LHR T4 on Qantas QF10 at 10pm. Is it possible for me to stay in the transit area of the airport and getting my checked-in luggage (on VS11) transferred to my later flight (QF10)? Also, if i stay on in transit, where can i get my boarding pass for my qantas flight in the transit area? Does qantas have a check-in desk/area at the transit area? Help!

Answer 1

I think you have to go through immigration when you arrive and recheck in for your Qantas flight to get your boarding pass. You might be able to get your luggage checked right through for your final destination, so you won't have to have that hanging around you all day, but again you need to check. T4 is a short underground ride from T3 (one stop) you can't walk it, it is inaccessible by foot.
Best advice phone the airline before you leave home. Ive flown on Virgin Atlantic they are most helpful. Enjoy your trip.

Answer 2

Whether you can stay in transit depends on whether you have a through ticket, i.e. do you have one ticket to your final destination via London and are your bags checked through to your final destination?

If you have two tickets and baggage is only checked through to London then you must go through immigration, collect them from the baggage hall, go through customs and then travel to T4 and check inat T4 to your second flight. (you can use tube (underground rail) link free or free bus.

If you have a through flight and baggage checked through then when you arrive at T3 do NOT follow signs for arrivals/baggage but look for signs to the FLIGHTCONNECTIONS CENTRE. Once there they will put you on a shuttle bus to the T4 Flight Connections. There are passenger lounges with showers and airline desks to get your boarding card.

Note that T4 is physically separate from T3 -- it on the other side of the airport.

Check your tickets and ask you travel agent if it is not clear whether you wil lbe checked through to your final destination.

see http://www.heathrowairport.com/portal/controller/dispatcher.jsp?CiID=bc35fb943e9f3010VgnVCM10000036821c0a____&ChID=c048aaf1ae522010VgnVCM100000147e120a____&Ct=B2C_CT_GENERAL&CtID=448c6a4c7f1b0010VgnVCM200000357e120a____&Ch=Flight+Connections+Centre&ChPath=Home%5ELHR%5EAirport+Information%5EFlying+into+Heathrow%5EConnecting+Passengers%5EHow+to+Transfer%5EFlight+Connections+Centre&ChIDPath=caf397dc2eb12010VgnVCM100000147e120a____^bde597dc2eb12010VgnVCM100000147e120a____^473797dc2eb12010VgnVCM100000147e120a____^f8454bd3e2522010VgnVCM100000147e120a____^4517b854ab522010VgnVCM100000147e120a____^7108aaf1ae522010VgnVCM100000147e120a____^c048aaf1ae522010VgnVCM100000147e120a____