Enough Time for Connecting Flight? (VirAtl Arr LHR 2pm - 4pm Brit Air Flight to Rome)
Jun 18th, 2018, 10:23 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Enough Time for Connecting Flight? (VirAtl Arr LHR 2pm - 4pm Brit Air Flight to Rome)
I'm considering flights from SFO - Rome in the Spring. The first leg of the outbound flight from SFO arrives at Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic at 2pm. The connecting flight to Rome departs at 4pm British Airways.
I found the flight on Orbitz. I could not duplicate it or find it on Virgin Atlantic's website.
Would anybody know if this is enough time to make the connecting flight to Rome? I've spoken with Orbitz who claim we'll have our boarding passes in hand and we can simply proceed to the gate of our BA flight (I understand VA and BA gates are in Terms 3 and 5 and there are oft-occurring shuttle busses). Is this all pie-in-the-sky talk or do you actually feel we might need to again go through security, a transfer desk, or heaven forbid, if we have to clear customs. As far as baggage we can go either way: check them or bring them on the plane (if this helps). Thoughts?
I found the flight on Orbitz. I could not duplicate it or find it on Virgin Atlantic's website.
Would anybody know if this is enough time to make the connecting flight to Rome? I've spoken with Orbitz who claim we'll have our boarding passes in hand and we can simply proceed to the gate of our BA flight (I understand VA and BA gates are in Terms 3 and 5 and there are oft-occurring shuttle busses). Is this all pie-in-the-sky talk or do you actually feel we might need to again go through security, a transfer desk, or heaven forbid, if we have to clear customs. As far as baggage we can go either way: check them or bring them on the plane (if this helps). Thoughts?
Jun 18th, 2018, 12:13 PM
#2
Go to Heathrow’s website and look for Heathrow Connections. Enter your flights and it will tell
what you need to do. I have made a connextion with one hour, changing terminals, to international flight
what you need to do. I have made a connextion with one hour, changing terminals, to international flight
Jun 18th, 2018, 03:40 PM
#3
Please clarify - is this one booking through Orbitz or is it two separate tickets? If it is one booking then you are protected -- but you have to deal through Orbitz and not BA if anything goes pear shaped. Even on a single booking, it is very likely your bags will not be checked through. And no matter, you will still have to clear security at LHR.
Jun 18th, 2018, 08:11 PM
#4
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,967
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here's a link to the LHR website the HapptTrvlr suggested: https://www.heathrow.com/flight-connections
Enter your flight info and dates of travel. You'll get step by step instruction and time estimates for making that connections.
Enter your flight info and dates of travel. You'll get step by step instruction and time estimates for making that connections.
Jun 19th, 2018, 03:32 AM
#5
You will not have 2 hours to make the connection. The second flight will close boarding 20-30 minutes or so before take off. Any glitch with flight one or the transfer between terminals will cause you to miss flight two. If they are not on one linked trip, you will be a no show on flight two and getting to Rome will be very expensive. If they are on a single ticket, you still will be dependent upon Orbitz to arrange a new flight to Rome, making for interesting transatlantic phone calls with a company geared to automated ticket selling rather than problem fixing.
Strongly consider either a longer transit time or flights on only one airline or non-stop, if available.
Strongly consider either a longer transit time or flights on only one airline or non-stop, if available.
Jun 19th, 2018, 03:50 AM
#6
A LOT is going to depend on terminals and yes there are shuttles between 3 and 5 but it can be a long walk from your arrival gate TO that shuttle departure point and once you arrive at the "other" terminal you go back through Security once again.
I'm about to do the 3 to 5 number again this week with flights from Miami to LHR and onward from there to Berlin. Be prepared.
I'm about to do the 3 to 5 number again this week with flights from Miami to LHR and onward from there to Berlin. Be prepared.
Jun 19th, 2018, 06:18 AM
#7
I can see the fare on ITA and also on Google Flights. Don't know your dates, but ITA/Google also show a later departure from LHR that would give you a 3-hour connection time, which would make me more comfortable than just 2 hours. The 2 hours is certainly doable, but it might be uncomfortable since you could face a long walk to the flight connections bus at T3 plus a long line at security at T5.
I was going to say just fly BA the whole way, but the combined VS/BA ticket is almost half the price of an all-BA one. (By the way "VA" is Virgin Australia, "VS" is the code for Virgin Atlantic.)
I was going to say just fly BA the whole way, but the combined VS/BA ticket is almost half the price of an all-BA one. (By the way "VA" is Virgin Australia, "VS" is the code for Virgin Atlantic.)
Jun 19th, 2018, 06:30 AM
#8
The last time I did T3 to T5 at LHR, it took so long, and involved so much standing (long wait for the shuttle bus, longer wait to clear security) that I swore I wouldn't do it again. I would certainly not plan on a two hour connection.
Jun 21st, 2018, 12:10 PM
#11
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 720
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
VS & BA tend not to codeshare, the exception is domestic flights within the UK & Ireland. This isn't such a case so you are virtually certain to have two separate tickets and if you have checked luggage it WON'T be checked through and you will have to pass through immigration, collect luggage, go through customs, change terminal, check-in / bag drop, go through security.
BA say
BA say
- Check-in closes 60 minutes before long haul flights depart and 45 minutes before short haul flights depart.
- Pass through security at least 35 minutes before your flight departs.
- Be at the boarding gate at least 20 minutes before your flight depart
Jun 24th, 2018, 06:30 AM
#15
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'll do what I like, thanks and that includes telling you that you are wrong. VS & BA do not have a baggage agreement and the OP will not be able to thru check bags from a VS flight to a BA flight.
Last edited by Odin; Jun 24th, 2018 at 06:33 AM.
Jun 24th, 2018, 07:01 AM
#16
INTERLINE CARRIER AGREEMENTS-BA
INTERLINE CARRIER CODES
AA - AB - AC - AE - AF - AH - AI - AM - AS - AT
AV - AY - AZ - A3 - BE - BG - BI - BL - BM - BP
BR - BT - BW - B6 - CA - CI - CM - CX - CZ - DL
DT - EI - EK - ET - EY - FB - FI - FJ - GA - GF
GK - G3 - HA - HG - HM - HU - HX - IB - IG - IZ
JJ - JL - JP - JQ - JU - JY - J2 - KA - KC - KE
KK - KL - KM - KP - KQ - KU - KX - LA - LG - LH
LI - LO - LP - LR - LX - LY - ME - MH - MI - MK
MN - MS - MU - NH - NU - NZ - OA - OK - OM - OS
OU - OZ - PG - PR - PS - PW - PX - PZ - QF - QR
RC - RJ - RO - SA - SB - SN - SQ - SS - SU - SV
SW - S7 - TA - TF - TG - TJ - TK - TM - TN - TP
TU - T0 - UA - UK - UL - UP - UU - VN - VS - VY
WM - WS - WY - XK - XL - 2K - 2N - 3K - 3U - 4C
4M - 9B - 9W
Jun 24th, 2018, 08:43 AM
#19
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 29,610
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
mbresso, when I made arrangements by phone, I was assured that if we missed the connection, the airlines would make sure we had a place on the next flight. In my case, it wouldn't have been too long a wait. That all being said, I suggest you speak directly with someone in the airlines about your options should you miss your connection so you can have a Plan B in hand. They should also clarify about your luggage.
.....................
Bickering on the thread accomplishes 2 things: It confuses the issue; and it makes you look like children. Is it possible that you were both right but things changed?
.....................
Bickering on the thread accomplishes 2 things: It confuses the issue; and it makes you look like children. Is it possible that you were both right but things changed?
