Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

How long to get through Heathrow?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'm just looking at some flights for next year and I'm a little concerned at some of the timing.

I would arrive in Heathrow at 9:05. My connecting flight would leave at 10:45, so check in closes at 10:05. The airline I'm booking via (BA) could not tell me whether my luggage would be put straight on the flight or whether I'd have to collect and check the baggage in (bearing in mind I'll have oversize luggage to collect that will add min 15mins to the procedure) so I'm thinking 45 minutes from baggage to gate close. I've been told it's likely that I'll arrive and depart from different terminals too, (5 and 2 but I can't remember which way round) and it all seems a bit tight.......

Anyone got any ideas if it's feasible?

I'm looking at the earliest possible flight from i.e. to Heathrow and here's only one ongoing flight. Currently the gut says fly over the night before and hole up in a sleazy hotel.
snow conditions
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
If you're booked BA or a code share they should be able to book bags straight through. No guarantee they make second flight of course but then that becomes their problem to get them to you. Should be able to get an airside tfr between terminals.
ski holidays
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Depends if you are going from an International to Domestic it should be ok to tranfser bags as the security checks on the bag would have been more rigoirous (supposedly) to get them into the Intl flight first then they would be happy to load onto Domestic. But if the other way around then the Domestic checks may not be enough to get it transferred into the Intl flight without recheck-in. If you are in the latter situation then the timing sounds quite tight.

Might come down to your routing and exactly which Dom & Intl start points and destinations you are on to get he bags checked through.

If you find you need to pick them up an re-check in then doesnt sound like enought time to pick up and get over to a new terminal to make check in there
snow conditions
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
It's all here:

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/airport-information/flight-connections
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
'hole up in a sleazy hotel'

only if you want to wink
latest report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Is this all on a single ticket? If not and you're ticketed separately then you need to recheck. BA don't officially transfer between separate tickets, and that's not enough time to connect reliably even at the same terminal let alone with a change. Doesn't mean it can't be done, but I wouldn't do it and I transfer through Heathrow about a dozen times a year. LHR consistently takes over 30mins from landing to bags on belt, which leaves you 30mins to change terminal which is too tight. Bear in mind that conformance for checkin and departure is a hard cutoff enforced by computer.

If it's a single ticket then BA will transfer the bags and that connection time should be fine, I think it's 90mins minimum connection time for terminal change at Lhr. Also if it's in one ticket and you miss it then it's BAs responsibility to sort out alternative flight and/or accommodation.
snow report
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
It would be a single ticket booked and bought from BA. I talked to a BA agent this morning and explained the situation.

He said that the baggage might or might not go straight through, it was more down to the 'partner' airline. When I queried the timing and asked what would happen if I missed the second flight he said it would be my responsibility.

Yes, BA say "1 hour 30 minutes for connections that require travel between terminals at Heathrow" and follow that with "You must be at the gate for your onward journey at least 20 minutes before your connecting flight departs.", which means that 9:05->10;45 begin 1:20 is not in their guidelines, but they're still keen to sell the flight?
snow report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
What Snowdave says: If it's a through ticket you'll be OK. If you have to collect bags, transfer terminals, check in bags again & get through security you likely won't make it.

Which airlines?
ski holidays
 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@rogg, I think you need to speak to BA again. It's not acceptable for them to not know if your baggage is getting booked through. Either it's a through ticket, in which case it's their problem if you miss the 2nd flight, or it's not and it's your problem.

If you do decide to stay in 'a sleazy hotel' thumbs up for the Park Inn. Relatively cheap* and shortest transfer to T2 / T3.

* for Heathrow.
ski holidays
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@rogg, which airlines are you flying on if not BA?

9.05 to 10.45 is 1h40mins, which is more that 90 mins. Minimum connection time is for connecting flights (i.e. on a single ticket with bags transferred).
ski holidays
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I travel on BA and codeshare all the time. Arriving at one terminal and connecting at another if fine for the 1 hr 40 mins you have. Baggage is checked through on a single ticket at LHR (not at Gatwick) so you don't need to collect. Is it UK out? Or is it into U.K.?

If into UK you need to go through border control but if you tell them time is tight they let you queue jump. If it is UK out then eveN an hour would be fine. But not for your bags.

Heathrow and BA are generally okay for bags but for an outsize bag I would want 90mins so you should be okay. It is only when it has been a 1 hour transfer when I would worry. I think they have binned the 1 hour margin now.

One thing you could do on the plane is say to the crew you have a tight turn around and can you go up front before landing. BA CC generally agree.
snow conditions
 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
I'm looking at flying from Shannon with Aerlingus to Heathrow, Heathrow to Tokyo with BA and Tokyo to Sapporo with JAL, all booked as one ticket direct with BA.

I'll try BA again and Aerlingus on Monday to try and get some sense out of them. If the bags go through and I don't have to go through immigration/security I'd agree it seems ok, I'm only concerned if The opposite happens.
ski holidays
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@rogg, You will almost certainly have to collect your bags in Tokyo, but there is a domestic checkin for JAL in the international terminal.
ski holidays
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Thanks, I think I get 3 hours or so there, and can get a variety of onward connections too.
ski holidays
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@rogg, if it is a single ticket then EI and BA will interline your bags.
snow conditions
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@rogg, as others have said EI-BA bags will interline at Heathrow, you won't touch them. I don't think you'll do immigration (tho' I've not done EI/T2 before, only DUB/BA/T5) unless you decide to exit to connect landside (which can be quicker than the airside bus and flight connections centre). You do have to go T2-T5 somehow (airside bus, or go landside and take the train) and T5 security tho'. No escaping T5 security re-check and that can be slow (20 mins).

Or, if you could take a BA flight from DUB (I know its not that near SNN) that would get into T5 and thus make connections slightly easier (cuts out the bus factor, but not security).

However, as previously mentioned, on one ticket this is BA's problem to resolve if it does go wrong. Might not help if you lose a day of your holiday, but you shouldn't be out of pocket.
snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Oh.... And..... Boots and basic clothes for skiing in hand luggage. If they loose the skis you at leas have your boots and can hire.

Are you staying in Tokyo on the way back? If so, I can recommend a couple of good hotels.
snow conditions
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
We recently had a tight turnaround at Heathrow and found it quite stressful! Literally just made the plane and we had over an hour I think. That was coming home from Canada to Edinburgh so we weren't too concerned about our luggage - flight up north was BA and luggage arrived this time but it didn't last time we did same connection in a short time- don't know if that was due to Air Canada or BA.

Getting between terminals was fast and efficient but the security was a nightmare. Some people did seem to be getting fast tracked for certain flights.

If you've got the option to arrive at LHR the night before that would make the whole thing more relaxing - and an extra day away 😊
ski holidays
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Same with the stress here. Having just done the Heathrow mess (again) I would say you are working on minimum time levels. The bags will get checked straight through so you do not know what is happening there, but they always seem to make it it is the security insanity that I find a pain.

The internal bus works well but as you are staying airside why do you have to go through security again. Potty. There is Fastback for immigration but not security. If you show your next flight details to the handler they will give you free fast track.

If you can get something that has more time I would. 2hours is still not comfortable as they do board planes so early to ensure they are ready to hit there takeoff slot. We landed on time with the Air Canada flight we were on but it was 30mins later that we were actually in the terminal building. On another trip we got to the Heathrow stack early enough but sat in the stack for a hour hence was late - luckily that time we had a large amount of hanging around so not a problem.

A small delay on the first flight landing will cause you immense grief.
latest report



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy