Hello,
I'm planning my trip for next year. I'll be flying from the US to Nairobi, probably connecting though Heathrow. How much time to I need to change planes there? Transferring from the US to Africa, will I have to change terminals or go through Security again. It looks like I'll have plenty of options, from 1 to 10 hours. How much time should I plan to layover?
Thanks,
Carl

Terminal changes will depend on airlines and individual flights. I always have a long layover and so leave the airport, which of course means a new check in and security check. I would want at least two hours, Heathrow security can be crazy.

For me, assuming all on one ticket, minimum two hours. If separate tickets, I'd feel more comfortable with a longer layover.

As mentioned, it'll depend on your airlines and how you ticketed.

When I went to Tanzania (via Nairobi), I had one roundtrip ticket SFO-LHR with Virgin Atlantic and one roundtrip ticket LHR-NBO-JRO with Kenya Airways. Since I had two separate tickets on different airlines, I had to retrieve my luggage, clear customs and check-in again. Also, I had to change terminals - Kenya Airways departs out of Terminal 4. This normally requires a trip on the Tube, but the Tube wasn't running, so I had to use a bus. Security in Terminal 4 didn't take that long as there wasn't much of a line.

If you're traveling on one itinerary, then you won't have to worry about collecting your luggage. However, depending on whether you have to switch terminals, clear security, clear customs, etc..., I agree that two hours is the absolute minimum, and would rather have 3 or more.

As mentioned above terminal changes depends on airlines and locations. All my flights using BA to Africa have arrived in Termnal 4 and departed Terminal 4. Last year I believe I had 1 and 1/2 hour connection time coming home and made it. Below is a post from a frequent flier into LHR on the airlines board with some good advice:


"As for the security line, if you connect from T4 to T1 or vice-versa, you will do an airside transfer. This means you'll probably walk down a number of very long hallways (count on about 10 minutes walking from the plane you flew in on to the bus loading point. Then you'll take a bus on the "airside" of the terminal (i.e. where the planes land and take off) and will be delivered to the next terminal, at which point you will go through another security checkpoint. The good news is that the only passengers going through this security checkpoint are other travellers who are connecting at Heathrow (not those who are starting their journey at Heathrow). Also, if both your flights are with BA, you should have been able to check your bags all the way through to your final destination and get your boarding passes at the airport in Nice (or print them the night before at your hotel). Also, in comparison with many security checkpoints at US airports, I find the UK security staff relatively civilised and relatively organised in terms of getting people organised and prepared to go through security efficiently.

The bad news is that there are a lot of connecting passengers, and sometimes the lines can be very long.

If you factor in the risk of a delay on landing, you should budget for a connection time of 30 minutes to get off the plane (if you're in Economy, at the back of the plane) and walk to the buses for transit, 20 minutes to wait for a bus and then ride it to the next terminal, 30 minutes to go through security and another 15 minutes to walk to your departure gate. It very likely won't take that long; those estimates are for a bad luck day (but not the absolute worst case scenario)."

I Just flew Virgin from San Francisco to Heathrow, then changed to Kenya Airways to Nairobi. I had a 9 hour layover in Heathrow and grabbed a dayroom at the Hilton airport and stretched out and snoozed for a few hours between flights. It worked well for me. The Hilton at Heathrow is at Terminal 4, as are Virgin and Kenya Airways, so it's super easy to do - and you can check your luggage all the way through. I know some people prefer less time for the layover, but I actually liked having the opportunity to sleep and stretch out between flights. I'd do it that way again.

Which Terminal(s) house British Airways and American Airlines?

hi, carl,

our recent experience of flying from the UK to SA, and the reports we hear of LHR here in the UK, lead me to plug amsterdam quite heavily.

I'd been worrying about making the cannection, but the staff I asked all seemed completely unconcerned. we had an hour between flights, which looked tight to me. but it took no more than 15 minutes to walk from our incoming gate to the CPT flight gate, which left us 30 minutes kicking our heels before they even opened secuity.

I suppose that if we had had to collect and re-check our luggage it could have taken longer. But there were no dramas at security, no nonsense about only one carry on, no hassle.

just the same coming back. and it's a great place to shop.

regards, ann

Hi
I would say minimum 3 hours because you have to allow for the possibility of flight delays inbound to LHR. At least there is plenty to do at Heathrow if everything goes faster than expected and it's not worth taking the risk of missing your flight.
Even flying from Manchester to Heathrow I allow 4 hours between flights. Terminal transfers take between 15 and 45 minutes but there can sometimes be big queues at transfer. If you can check your bag straight through you have more chance of making the flight as they have to unload it if the bag makes the flight without you. But there is a bigger chance of your bag getting lost as Heathrow is a nightmare for this!

Virgin is at T3.

Most foreign airlines fly into T3.
BA long haul flies T4 and T1 for some flights. eg LHR-CPT is T4, LHR-JNB is T1 (that cost me quite a few wasted minutes!)

http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/s...8487-19613204/

Cheweyhead,
AA is T3. BA can be T1, T3 or T4 depending on the flight. BA Nairobi flights are T4. You can go to www.heathrowairport.com and click on Flight Information, then Which Terminal? to find this information.

Patty,
Thank you for the response. Yes, we are going LA - LHR (AA) /LHR-NBO (BA). On the return probably have to do a quick overnight in London (Airport Hilton) unless we are able to change our mileage seats to a later flight at the last minute.

We just returned from our trip and I strongly, very strongly, suggest you investigate checking your luggage all the way through to Nairobi from the US even if you change airlines. We experienced a missed connection within the states and if we had checked our luggage all the way to Nairobi initially we wouldn't have been without our luggage for 3 days. Also, Heathrow can be a mob scene so I would allow 3 hours just to be on the safe side unless you are flying first class and will be "fast tracked".

Avoid LHR if at all possible. If not, give yourself at least 3 hours.