We would like to fly to Paris from London Heathrow on BMI. Our flight arrives around 6:40am into Heathrow. The our prefered BMI flight departs at 10:40am. My question is this..is there enough time to catch the flight? Also, the flight arrives into terminal 4, and BMI leaves from terminal 1, how long does it take to travel from one to the other?

Never having had to catch a connecting flight before, do we have to go through customs, and then through security? (this may seem like a silly question, but I'm not sure what we have to do once we arrive at Heathrow...please help)

One last question...has anyone had any difficulties purchasing BMI tickets (on their website) from the Canada?

Thanks to those who can help us.

I certainly hope four hours will be enough time for connection -- I have a BMI flight to CDG from LHR as well, and with only two hours connection time! I think I'll be fine as I'm connecting from T3 to T1. T4 is a little farther from the other terminals, but I can't imagine a connection taking longer than 2 hours...

I have no trouble buying BMI tickets, but I'm in the US. (They even mailed me a paper ticket from LHR to Madrid within a week of my reservation!)

You'll be just fine w/ 4 hours. Terminal 4 ia a loooooong way from the other three terminals - practically in a different county. But the shuttle bus works very well.

As previous posts,4 hours is plenty of time to change terminal. More than half times per year,I change connection filghts in Heathrow.

If your flight into Heathrow is with Star alliance (as BMI),you would be able to check luggage all way through, then you won't need to go through custom. Just go to the connection centre, take bus (about 20-30 minutes),than go through security check. Normally,it takes about an hour totally.

If you fly with different network (such as oneworld),with paper ticket,you could still check luggage through. But with e-ticket,you would have to go through custom,collect luggage, then go to terminal 1 to check-in.

For some unknown reasons,my travel agent in Toronto always offer much better deals than their website for BMI tickets.

Thank you singlegalzzz, janis and JudyC for your responses.

Hello again,

Now that we have purchased our tickets, I have a couple of questions that I hope you will be able to answer.

I have heard that there is a shuttle bus that will transfer us from terminal 4 to terminal 1, and I have also heard that we can take the Heathrow Express (at no cost) to terminal 1...my question is... are they the same? If they are different, which one is best to get us to terminal 1 in the least amount of time?

Unfortunately, we will have to pick up our luggage in terminal 4 and recheck them in terminal 1, how long do you think it will take us to get our luggage (from the moment we walk of the plane to the time the luggage is in our hands)?

In addition, having never been to Heathrow before, can anyone please explain what we have to do at the Flight Connection Centre? Do we check in for our flight here? or do we wait until we are in terminal 1?

Since we are using e-tickets and can check in on the airlines kiosks(?), how do we check our bags?

One final question, after leaving the plane, picking up our luggage (1 bag), transfering to terminal 1, moving throught the Flight Connection Centre, and then checking in for our flight, how long do you think the entire process is?

I apologize for the length and number of questions, but with all of the negative reviews that I have heard about Heathrow, I don't want to make a mistake and/or get lost.

Your help is most appreciated. Thanks in advance to all of those who can help a couple of first time travellers to Heathrow.

Just flew from LA in January to Heathrow BA and then took BMI to Amsterdam. We got luggage and passport control in 45 minutes. Took the Heathrow express to terminal 2 then you walk a long tunnel to elvators up to departures in Terminal 1. the good news is BMI is right outside the elevators, first counters with no long lines and lots of ticket people. Whole process took about 1 1/2 hours. As long as you stay away from Britsh Air line leaving Heathrow (2-3 hours in line returning) seem pretty easy for such a busy Airport.

Thank you StephenG for your comments. By taking the Heathrow Express did you not have to go through the Flight Connection Centre? And where did you catch the Heathrow Express to terminal 1?
Thanks again for your help.

Shevon, We went through passport control and then to baggage claim then right past customs with nothing to declare and just followed the signs to Heathrow express was real simple. Not really sure what the flight connections center is, but maybe it is when your luggage is being checked through and ours wasn't. The flight we take from LA is due to change next month to arriving at Terminal 1 as is a lot of BA flights, so we won't be doing that anymore.

The Flight Connections Centre is a collection of airline counters where you pick up the boarding pass for your connecting flight. I didn't see anyone checking in luggage here. I think it's basically a transfer point for passengers transiting from T3 to T1/T2 who have their luggage already checked through to their final destination.

Hello.
I just wanted to say thank you to StephenG and Patty.