What's the process for transiting/switching airlines in Heathrow when your bags are not checked through?

Question

Hi. I will be traveling on British Airways (BA) from San Francisco to London Heathrow. There I have a 2.5 hour layover where I need to switch from my arrival in Terminal 1 to an Emirates flight in Terminal 3. Normally that wouldn't be a big deal.

However, I've learnt that there is a high likelihood that British Airlines will NOT check the luggage all the way through to the final destination. So I may need to collect my bags, go through immigration/customs and then switch terminals and check in all over again with Emirates.

Has anyone had to do this? how long did it take and what was the exact process? Did you literally have to go through arrivals section, go through immigration, customs, get on a transfer bus, etc. I'm very worried that 2.5 hours will no tbe enough for all that. Help!

Answer 1

I've done that many times.

However, if you booked the two flights with the same locator code (at the same time), they actually will check your bags through to the final destination.

In case they don't, though-- yes, you have to go through the queue at immigration and pick up your baggage from the belt below immigration.

Try and remember a pen on your flight. The air hostess will give you an immigration form to fill out while you're on the plane. The last question asks where you will be staying in the UK, so just write "In Transit" there, and tell that to the immigration officer (who'll ask you anyway).

When your plan arrives at Heathrow, try and walk quickly to immigration to be at the head of the crowd. There are separate queue's for EU nationals and "all other nationals", where you need to queue. Depending on the time you arrive, the queue could be short or long, but it usually doesn't take too long.

In my experience, there is an 80% chance that you won't have to wait more than five minutes for your baggage to arrive on the belt. Walk out through customs through the green exit (nothing to declare).

Terminals 1 and 3 are connected together through an underground tunnel. It's usually faster to walk through there than to wait for ground transport. You can take your trolley all the way from terminal 1 to 3 in the tunnel.

If you're really running short on time, queue to check in at a business class desk. They won't turn you away if you're running out of time.

Going back through security is the last slow spot. The queue might look very long, but it goes quickly.

Answer 2

I fly RBA for all time (I llive in Brunei top now) and that i can inform you that they are enormously comfortable with regards to your hand bags and could make it easier to lots greater advantageous than a number of the different airlines. they'll turn a blind eye in case you choose for to discreetly take alcohol on the flight (they do no longer serve alcohol as that's a Muslim agency) however the foremost be conscious right this is DISCREETLY. If I have been you, i might connect their general flyer club as they are going to be much less probable to question your bags (observed as Royal Skies). additionally, take a e book, video games console, dvd participant or despite as regrettably, they are slightly infamous for his or her entertainment platforms no longer working (although once you're fortunate, and that they do, that's a stable determination of flicks). curiously they are introducing a sparkling fleet quickly, and you're fortunate and get a sparkling airplane. by the way, you will provide up over in Dubai for refuelling and could get off the airplane - they are going to inform you to be interior the departure residing room in 20 minutes - that's frequently a minimum of an hour, so which you have lots time to accomplish a little paying for or pass and get a espresso - and that they call boarding besides, so don't sense you could rush around to the subsequent residing room. Um...i think of it relatively is approximately it!

Answer 3

Futher to the other poster, 2.5 hours is too short at Heathrow - especially if your arriving flight is one of the many international arrivals that arrive at rush hour in the morning. Yes, you might make it on a good day - but I think you'll be stressed.

By the way, BA are likely to be striking YET AGAIN later this month and next month (Feb). I'd switch to another carrier if you can.

Answer 4

You've had excellent advice already, especially as regards the niceties of Heathrow and the time necessary to make connections there.

The best advice can apply on to your next journey -- plan to avoid Heathrow. For an unpleasant, inefficient, confusing airport, it's hard to equal. Worse even than Toronto. And it makes airports like O'Hare, Dulles, Dallas-Ft. Worth and Hartsfield Atlanta look like models of smooth-running efficiency. Flying via Schipol (Amsterdam) or Frankfurt (Rhein-Main Flughafen) is infinitely more pleasant.

For the case (!:-) in point, it's amazing what airlines CAN do when they want to. If your journey is all on the same booking they can often send it right through. In fact, last time I came through Heathrow it was on a journey last year from Ottawa to Chicago to London to Edinburgh. Three different airlines, and they told me they couldn't check it through, but after some argument I did get my case checked right through to Edinburgh.