Arriving Heathrow Term. 1 need to get to Term. 4 - enough time?
 

I hope I haven't goofed - arriving Heathrow Term. 1 from Shannon at 10:05 am for a flight to Canada from Term. 4 at 11:55 am - I am now having second thoughts about having left enough time - originally thought two hours would be plenty without realizing we had to collect luggage and hoof it to Term. 4. I can change our flight from Shannon to arrive the evening before but that cuts out a night in Ireland. Any thoughts that can help me put my mind at ease?

If the flight is on time you should make it. From terminal 1 you head downstairs to take the free Heathrow Express train to terminal 4 - takes about 5 mins though is a several minute walk from terminal - just follow the signs. Heathrow Express is free for airport transfers.

First, are you positive you can't check your bags through to Canada from SNN? Phone the airline (I presume Aer Lingus) and find out. Since you're leaving from T4 I presume it's BA transatlantic, and therefore I've got good news and bad news.

The good news is that they're <b>one</b>world Alliance partners with Aer Lingus and ought to interline your bags with no problems.

The bad news is that BA is <i>terrible</i> at following this edict and reguarly get stroppy about it or feign ignorance of the partnership. However, since Aer Lingus will be tagging them at SNN, they may go ahead and tag them through to Canada with no sweat.

That said, the T1-&gt;T4 &quot;landside&quot; shift with bags at LHR is my personal definition of hell - lifts, tunnels, trains, lifts...

PLUS, the sky around LHR is so congested that delays of half an hour or more are typical, as are gate delays, so your sub-2-hr window gets even smaller. A couple of weeks ago our arrival flight (only 45 min in the LHR &quot;stack&quot;) had to wait a further 30 min. for a gate to open. Will success spoil Heathrow? Oy.

Bottom line, I would come the night before. Book a Priceline hotel near LHR (around $75 or less most of the time) and get on the transatlantic plane rested rather than frantic. Or worse.

Wow, it is so funny how things happen. I had made my bookings on-line and the agency called about travel insurance. I had just posted this question and didn't even have time to check responses so asked the agent if there was any way I could change my departure time to Canada as there was a later flight. As my flights hadn't been ticketed yet she said that was not a problem so, bottom line, we now have five hours to get to Terminal 4 (if everything is on-time). Lots of time to shop! My husband hates long layovers but I had to make an executive decision. Talk about stressing out, that is not a way to return home from a holiday! Thanks much for your replies.

Gardyloo, sorry, meant to thank you also for pointing out that Aer Lingus may be able to check our bags straight through. I have booked the flights separately though and don't know if that matters, anyway, lots of time now so no worries. Thanks! :)