clintonuws

Can anyone tell me exactly how I would go from a Virgin Atlantic flight in LHR to Iberia (that is booked on a seperate ticket)?

Is there an easier way to do it beyond, getting luggage in Terminal 3, walking underground to Terminal 2, checking in with Iberia at Departures and going thru security again? Can I use the "connection desk" to check luggage in with a seperate ticket?

Patty

If your luggage is through checked, you can take the airside shuttle to T1/T2 and pick up your boarding pass at the transfer desk after security (there's a security check after you get off of the shuttle).

clintonuws

Thanks for the quick reply, but since we have a seperate Iberia ticket, I doubt that Virgin will check our luggage to Spain.

I was wondering if you can literally check in with Iberia at the transfer desk if you came off another airline that didn't check your luggage thru(rather than going outside, checking in and going thru security where everyone starting their travel goes thru).

Patty

If you can't through check, you'll need to go through immigration and physically retrieve your bags at LHR. At this point, you'll be landside and need to check-in at departures.

When you check in with Virgin, it wouldn't hurt to ask if they'll tag your bags to your final destination (show them your Iberia ticket). In the past, they've been willing to through check on separate tickets, but maybe they've tightened up on this now. If you're able to through check, at the transfer desk show them your bag receipts from Virgin.

Allow plenty of time for your connection in case you need to retrieve your bags and recheck.

bilboburgler

I just have to tell someone about the nightmare I have just had and this looks like the right forum. I just flew UK internal into Heathrow and then Virgin out.

I arrived late at Heathrow (fog) and was pleased by the time I could catch up even so I ran into termianl 3 as the check in was supposed to close. The hall was a disaster. People everywhere. I then queued to 45 minutes for 5 people to check in ahead of me. Basically Virgin's systems failed and there were not enough staff or boarding card printers going so despite vailient efforts it just got worse and worse.

Finally I got taken out of the line to another line to get me booked in. They sent my upstairs to the rapid pass through path. Guess what completely blocked (another 45 minutes) this time BAA had too few staff and too many people could read/watch cartoons or even those ahead to understand the rules (1 bag, shoes off, coat off etc).

So I ran the length of the terminal Guess where Virgin flys from.

Made it, covered with sweat. Next time Schipol

alanRow

Did I read somewhere that since 10th August anyone transitting the UK HAD to pass through immigration & collect their luggage and then recheck it.

DonTopaz

You certainly do not have to go through immigration and collect/re-check your luggage if passing through LHR.

I flew BA JNB-LHR connecting to AA LHR-BOS last week. Bags checked through from JNB to BOS, and I could stay airside.

clintonuws

Thanks everyone for their input. I am back now and made all my flights... but will never travel that way again. Basically since I had 2 seperate tickets I did have to collect my bags and recheck in with Virgin. I have to say the people were nice but Zone A in Terminal 3 is VERY CHAOTIC.

Basically here is the report for those interested. We flew Virgin from JFK to LHR. We got our bags in from terminal 3 and walked underground to Terminal 2 for our flight on Iberia. THANK GOD I had checked in for Iberia online because the line for check in was weaving throughout the airport (probably 100 people inline). I found a nice guy at the information desk who agreed to check our bags since we had already checked in online. Security in Terminal 2 was about 45 minutes. By the time we made it to our gate, we had 30 min before departure (we had 3hr 15min layover). On the way back, we were on a Iberia codeshare with BA. Upon arrival in LHR, terminal 1, we waited about 30 min for our luggage, walked briskly to Terminal 3 to check in with Virgin. Since again we had checked in online and only had to go to BagDrop our lines were short but it did seem to take the agents about 5 minutes per person (and everyone was supposedly already checked in!!??). Security line was very backed up and looked terrible but it did move quickly. We got thru in about 40 min. We had 1 hr to catch the Virgin flight.

One amusing thing... my bag got searched at LHR because I had packed a glass bottle in it. The person in front of me was very annoyed that his bag got searched. When they opened his bag a 1 liter bottle of water popped out. The nice security agent said... sir, you can't take this thru security. The passenger got very hostle saying "Why not, I wish someone would have told me before I bought it, it is just water". For those of you who have had the pleasure to fly thru Terminal 3 you know you pass about 4 stations where people are telling you to give up your chapstick, etc and there are videos and signs everywhere.