Please Advise: LHR T4 to T1 Transfer Advice
 

I've already purchased my ticket from US to LHR with British Airway arriving T4 at 11:00AM. Since I cannot add a connection flight to my current ticket, I'd like purchase an additional flight from LHR to Rome having the following 2 options:

1. British Airway at 2:10PM leaving from T1
2. Alitalia to FCO at 4:45 leaving from T2

Will you please help me pick which choice, since I don't know how much time is appropriate. With BA (#1), I can check my luggage through my last destination. However, I will not check my luggage in at all unless that will make my transfer speedier. Will I have to through both customs and security? Some say I will only go thru security, some say both. So, which is it, please advise if you know with certainty.

I will definitely have enough time w/ option 2, but I'm wondering if option 1 will be ok? Connection time recommendation is 75 minutes according to BA although will be 2 separate tickets, 2 reservation. I know it's only 2h30 waiting at LHR, but still I'd rather get to my destination ASAP if I could help it. Thanks in advance.

Day of the week?

3 hrs should be fine I would think

Go with BA. Your bags will be transferred to Rome and will be subject to customs inspection there, although if you green-line it there's small chance they'll get looked at.

At LHR you will follow signs to "flight connections" and go through security before proceeding to your connecting gate. No passport control/immigration. If you don't have your boarding pass for the onward BA flight (and you should) you can handle it at the BA desk at the flight connections centre.

3 hours is plenty of time. I would not go with the Alitalia Aliternative.

Here is a quote from the Heathrow Web site:

Please note that all connection times below are approximate and are for passengers with through checked bags only. If you need to collect your luggage in the terminal of your arrival please allow extra time to reach your connecting flight.

Should you be concerned about making your connection within the time available, please speak to your airline at your arrival gate or in the Flight Connections Centre.

Connecting from Terminal 4 to Terminal 1 International: Your connection will take approximately 65 minutes, from landing to departure gate. You will be directed to a coach that will take you to the Flight Connections Centre, where you will need to go through customs and security and then pass by our airline desks before making your way by foot to your departure terminal.

Another thing: If you decide to have carry-on luggage only, note that while you may be allowed one piece of luggage and one personal item for the US-LHR leg, Heathrow has a strict limit of ONE carry-on bag of any kind--period. So if you have two carry-on items when you arrive at LHR, you will be required to check one of them to continue to Rome. So checking your bags through all the way on BA may be your best choice.

For the benefit of alliecat - to find your postings just click on your name

Go with BA. They will almost certainly give you your boarding pass to Rome when you check in in the US - if you mention the other ticket. This will save a lot of trouble at LHR. And since it is the same airline they may even help you out if there is some huge delay arriving in London causing you to miss your connection.

We flew BA from SFO-CDG Nov 29, 2006 with a connection at Heathrow. We arrived at LHR at 10:30 and our connection was at 12:55 (T4 to T1). We only had to go through security once and had plenty of time for our connection - waited more than an hour and a half for our flight to CDG.

thanks everyone. i bought option #1. happy new year.