Need help ASAP!!! Stopping at LHR on the way to Italy...
Apr 2nd, 2004, 03:52 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Need help ASAP!!! Stopping at LHR on the way to Italy...
I need help ASAP as I'm about to book flights... WE are going to Florence and Rome for our honeymoon and August and need to jump on this sale before we miss it! I found a sale on Air Canada from ORD to LHR, then we can take Alitalia to MXP (flying out of FCO to go home) My question is...will 2 hours in between flights be ok? I am just nervous in case the flight from Chicago to London is late, then what if we miss our flight to Florence etc? I need help fast!!!
Apr 2nd, 2004, 04:10 PM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
With two majors involved, I think they should/would be ble to get your bags checked all the way through. I think you will be okay. Unfortunately, I don't think either airline will tell you that on the record.
Best wishes,
Rex
Best wishes,
Rex
Apr 2nd, 2004, 04:29 PM
#3
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 776
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Better check to see if these airlines are partners. Two hours should be enough time if they are. Then Air Canada will check your bags straight through to Italy and give you your boarding passes for your connecting flight.
If they are not, the 2 hours probably will not be enough time. You will have to retrieve your bags, go through immigration, and then check back in with the second airline to get boarding passes, check luggage, etc, then go through security again. Even if you only have carry-ons, it will be tight since many airlines say you should check in 2 hours prior to flight time.
If they are not, the 2 hours probably will not be enough time. You will have to retrieve your bags, go through immigration, and then check back in with the second airline to get boarding passes, check luggage, etc, then go through security again. Even if you only have carry-ons, it will be tight since many airlines say you should check in 2 hours prior to flight time.
Apr 2nd, 2004, 04:47 PM
#6
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 776
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The airlines have to be partners to be checked through. When they are partners, it is considered like one airline (they even code-share). But otherwise, passenger is responsible for another that comes afterwards. I am speaking from experience: non-partners, no check through.
Apr 2nd, 2004, 05:03 PM
#8
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,464
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
They are not partners, but two hours should be OK - it is the MINIMUM amount of time I leave between flights at LHR. AC arrives at Terminal 3, AZ departs from T2.
I am assuming that the entire route will be on ONE ticket; i.e. you are not buying separate tickets for each leg?
If you have separate tickets, then AC will probably not book your bags through (they don't HAVE to but they have been known to do it - don't take the chance).
If you have one ticket to your final destination, then they will (I have done this MANY times with AC and BA/AZ), therefore you will not have to pick up your bags or go through the arrivals immigration in T3, which can take a VERY long time unless you are travelling business class. Again, if it is ONE ticket and AC are late, they will arrange a later flight.
None of this applies if you are purchasing separate tickets for each leg and I would say two hours is cutting it fine.
P.S. ... You DO realize that if you are flying AC, then you are flying ORD - Toronto/Montreal/Ottawa and THEN to London?
Regards ...Ger
I am assuming that the entire route will be on ONE ticket; i.e. you are not buying separate tickets for each leg?
If you have separate tickets, then AC will probably not book your bags through (they don't HAVE to but they have been known to do it - don't take the chance).
If you have one ticket to your final destination, then they will (I have done this MANY times with AC and BA/AZ), therefore you will not have to pick up your bags or go through the arrivals immigration in T3, which can take a VERY long time unless you are travelling business class. Again, if it is ONE ticket and AC are late, they will arrange a later flight.
None of this applies if you are purchasing separate tickets for each leg and I would say two hours is cutting it fine.
P.S. ... You DO realize that if you are flying AC, then you are flying ORD - Toronto/Montreal/Ottawa and THEN to London?
Regards ...Ger
Apr 2nd, 2004, 05:12 PM
#9
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,464
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Again, if it is ONE ticket and AC are late, they will arrange a later flight".
I SHOULD qualify that statement ... MY experience recently, when the AC flight from Toronto to LHR was delayed by 2 hours, was that they had rearranged flights for ALL connecting passengers, regardless of airline (I was flying Aer Lingus, not a partner). In this case, the delay was clearly the airlines fault (no pilot!). If the delay is weather or ATC related, they can be difficult.
I SHOULD qualify that statement ... MY experience recently, when the AC flight from Toronto to LHR was delayed by 2 hours, was that they had rearranged flights for ALL connecting passengers, regardless of airline (I was flying Aer Lingus, not a partner). In this case, the delay was clearly the airlines fault (no pilot!). If the delay is weather or ATC related, they can be difficult.
Apr 2nd, 2004, 06:02 PM
#10
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 12,188
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The first post sounds to me like this is two separate tickets. If it is one ticket, I'd still be concerned, but not so much, as the airline would help you out if you missed the connection.
However, if you miss the connection on a separate ticket, that is when you can lose a great deal of money (both losing that ticket and then having to buy another ticket for the walkup price).
However, if you miss the connection on a separate ticket, that is when you can lose a great deal of money (both losing that ticket and then having to buy another ticket for the walkup price).
Apr 2nd, 2004, 06:15 PM
#11
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You don't have to be on the same ticket, and the two airlines do not have to be partners, for them to check your baggage through. However, it also doesn't mean that the first airline HAVE TO do that for you, of if they CAN do it for you. You just have to ask them when you check in for your first flight. The 2nd airline (Alitalia in this case) should be alerted by AC that you are coming in on which flight, and what luggage you have checked through.
And if they are not partners, and you're on two tickets, then the first airline definitely WILL NOT and CANNOT give you a boarding pass. You will need to get that at the connecting desks at LHR.
Also important to find out is which terminal AC and Alitalia use at LHR respectively. Do some research about LHR and their terminals, so that you will know exactly where to go after arrival. You do not want to arrive at LHR wondering where you are, and which terminal Alitalia uses. If that's the case, you have NO CHANCE of making the connection.
And if they are not partners, and you're on two tickets, then the first airline definitely WILL NOT and CANNOT give you a boarding pass. You will need to get that at the connecting desks at LHR.
Also important to find out is which terminal AC and Alitalia use at LHR respectively. Do some research about LHR and their terminals, so that you will know exactly where to go after arrival. You do not want to arrive at LHR wondering where you are, and which terminal Alitalia uses. If that's the case, you have NO CHANCE of making the connection.
Apr 2nd, 2004, 06:17 PM
#12
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,464
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Absolutely right Willtravel.
Prill: please understand the difference between buying ONE ticket end-to-end, where you have certain rights and expectations and buying separate tickets, where you are on your own regarding connections.
BTW, just to remind you that there are two airports in Milan ? Malpensa is a long way outside of Milan; Linate is much closer to the city center, if you intend to take the train to Florence. Also, British Midland (BD) is a partner of AC and UA and flies 2-3 flights daily from LHR to Linate. Have you checked out and end-to-end ticket to and from ORD-Linate? You might get a good deal. Unfortunately, BD do not fly from Rome, but they do have flights to/from Naples.
Prill: please understand the difference between buying ONE ticket end-to-end, where you have certain rights and expectations and buying separate tickets, where you are on your own regarding connections.
BTW, just to remind you that there are two airports in Milan ? Malpensa is a long way outside of Milan; Linate is much closer to the city center, if you intend to take the train to Florence. Also, British Midland (BD) is a partner of AC and UA and flies 2-3 flights daily from LHR to Linate. Have you checked out and end-to-end ticket to and from ORD-Linate? You might get a good deal. Unfortunately, BD do not fly from Rome, but they do have flights to/from Naples.
Apr 2nd, 2004, 06:21 PM
#13
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oh, and just want to add... Even though Alitalia should know that you're coming in on AC, and has luggage checked through, it doesn't mean they will wait for you; or will reschedule you if you can't make it. They may, or they may not.
[Just an example. My mom travelled on IAH-SJC-NRT one time. IAH-SJC is on Continental. SJC-NRT is on AA. Two seperate tickets. When she checked in at IAH, CO notified AA about her connection. The CO flight was delayed by about an hour, resulting in just 15 minutes of connecting time, at two different terminals. But AA had an agent to greet her when she got off her CO flight, looked for her checked baggage coming out of the belly, and transported her on a jeep across the tarmac to the AA terminal. She made the connection.
And I just read something similar on a different thread just yesterday or today.]
[Just an example. My mom travelled on IAH-SJC-NRT one time. IAH-SJC is on Continental. SJC-NRT is on AA. Two seperate tickets. When she checked in at IAH, CO notified AA about her connection. The CO flight was delayed by about an hour, resulting in just 15 minutes of connecting time, at two different terminals. But AA had an agent to greet her when she got off her CO flight, looked for her checked baggage coming out of the belly, and transported her on a jeep across the tarmac to the AA terminal. She made the connection.
And I just read something similar on a different thread just yesterday or today.]
Apr 2nd, 2004, 06:24 PM
#14
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,464
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"You don't have to be on the same ticket ... for them to check your baggage through".
rkkwan, I just went through this last weekend. In the past, I have managed to convince BA/AZ/EI to check my luggage through to AC (and the reverse) even though I had separate tickets. Last weekend, BA refused and told me that their policy had changed. I checked with AC when I got to London, and they told me that I had just been lucky in the past, that there was NO requirement for an airline to do this when a non-partner airline is involved.
Basically, you just CAN'T depend on the fact that the airlines will do you the favour!
rkkwan, I just went through this last weekend. In the past, I have managed to convince BA/AZ/EI to check my luggage through to AC (and the reverse) even though I had separate tickets. Last weekend, BA refused and told me that their policy had changed. I checked with AC when I got to London, and they told me that I had just been lucky in the past, that there was NO requirement for an airline to do this when a non-partner airline is involved.
Basically, you just CAN'T depend on the fact that the airlines will do you the favour!
Apr 2nd, 2004, 06:44 PM
#15
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OReilly - I agree with you. And that's why I say in my post that the first airline doesn't HAVE TO, or even CAN do that for the passenger. It's just that they MAY.
BTW, I looked up the official Heathrow site. AC uses Terminal 3, AZ uses Terminal 2. There's information on the Heathrow site about the procedure. They say that it should take about 60 minutes to complete the transfer. So, assuming the first flight arrives on time, and things go smoothly, 2 hours may be enough.
BTW, I looked up the official Heathrow site. AC uses Terminal 3, AZ uses Terminal 2. There's information on the Heathrow site about the procedure. They say that it should take about 60 minutes to complete the transfer. So, assuming the first flight arrives on time, and things go smoothly, 2 hours may be enough.
Apr 2nd, 2004, 09:53 PM
#17
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There's a HUGE distinction between SHOULD and DO....
When I purchased my tix thru Travelocity, I nominally bought my tix through Continental, and my 1st leg out from the U.S. was on Continental/Virgin. That was one tix to LHR. Then 2nd leg was BA to BLQ from Gatwick, with 3.25 hrs in between. Everyone I talked to, include the Virgin people when we were about to land at LHR was we SHOULD make the connection. But Murphy was in charge, and instead of taking 12 hours to fly from the U.S. to Italy, we ended up taking 22 hours.
Just something to be aware of. I myself would see if I can find something less tight in terms of connection. What about flying into something near Milan, overnight there, and take the train into Milan? Might be able to find a cheaper tix...
Lil
When I purchased my tix thru Travelocity, I nominally bought my tix through Continental, and my 1st leg out from the U.S. was on Continental/Virgin. That was one tix to LHR. Then 2nd leg was BA to BLQ from Gatwick, with 3.25 hrs in between. Everyone I talked to, include the Virgin people when we were about to land at LHR was we SHOULD make the connection. But Murphy was in charge, and instead of taking 12 hours to fly from the U.S. to Italy, we ended up taking 22 hours.
Just something to be aware of. I myself would see if I can find something less tight in terms of connection. What about flying into something near Milan, overnight there, and take the train into Milan? Might be able to find a cheaper tix...
Lil
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
KayDoll
Europe
20
Oct 12th, 2010 07:56 AM
