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Message
Heathrow Help
Posted on 6/15/25 at 10:32 am
Posted on 6/15/25 at 10:32 am
We booked a direct roundtrip on BA from MSY/Heathrow several months ago. Separately, we booked a one way into Europe. We left almost a 4-hour window in Heathrow to go through Customs and transfer from Terminal 5 to Terminal 3. Over the last couple months BA has tweaked both flights. Now, we have on an hour and 55 minutes.
We tried linking the flights, but they would not. We were told by a BA rep that an hour and a half is what they advise, but he was not very good (and I am not sure I trust it). We are travelling with a 6 year old, so we are slower than we used to be.
We already tried to adjust flights, but nothing is available.
Is this enough time to go through Customs, re-check baggage, get to the bus between Terminals and arrive at our gate in Terminal 3 in that hour and 55-minute window?
We tried linking the flights, but they would not. We were told by a BA rep that an hour and a half is what they advise, but he was not very good (and I am not sure I trust it). We are travelling with a 6 year old, so we are slower than we used to be.
We already tried to adjust flights, but nothing is available.
Is this enough time to go through Customs, re-check baggage, get to the bus between Terminals and arrive at our gate in Terminal 3 in that hour and 55-minute window?
2
Posted on 6/15/25 at 10:53 am to Tiger Attorney
In MSY, see if they will tag your bags all the way through on the additional flight and give you your boarding passes. An hr and a half is tight but doable. I think you'll have to re clear security. Once you get to LHR, I think they have British airways desks for transfers.
Posted on 6/15/25 at 11:07 am to CuseTiger
Good idea.
Would you suggest talking to a rep when we arrive at the transfer desk to make them aware so they know we are on a tight window or just rushing to straight to terminal 3 bus?
Does the msy flight usually arrive at same gate? Is there a way to check on that? Just trying to map it out prior to arrival.
Would you suggest talking to a rep when we arrive at the transfer desk to make them aware so they know we are on a tight window or just rushing to straight to terminal 3 bus?
Does the msy flight usually arrive at same gate? Is there a way to check on that? Just trying to map it out prior to arrival.
Posted on 6/15/25 at 2:07 pm to CuseTiger
quote:
see if they will tag your bags all the way through on the additional flight and give you your boarding passes.
Those bags will never make it to your destination......well, not until 2 or 3 days after you arrive.
Posted on 6/15/25 at 2:37 pm to Zappas Stache
quote:
Those bags will never make it to your destination
I'd trust having a bag tagged all the way to his destination over just to LHR, having to wait on the luggage, go through customs and immigration, then back to check-in. That's probably going to be the limiting factor.
OP, to zappas' point, make sure you have an extra days worth of clothes/medicine in your carry-on in case they don't let you check your bag all the way through to your final destination.
Found the British airways link LINK. Sounds like they will not check luggage through on two tickets. Is there a later flight you can take from Heathrow to your other destination given the schedule change? Where are you going in Europe/what date?
quote:
What should I do with my baggage if I'm travelling on separate tickets?
If you’ve booked separate flights with different booking references to get to your final destination each flight is considered a separate journey. This applies even if all your flights are with British Airways, BA Cityflyer and BA Euroflyer.
You’ll need to check your bags in for each separate flight. Make sure to leave enough time between each flight to do this and get to your departure gate for the next leg of your journey. Simply follow these steps:
Check in your bags for your first flight.
Collect your bags when you land - you may need to go through customs.
Go to departures and check your bags in again for your next flight.
Collect your bags at your final destination.
Please be aware that on journeys with separate tickets and different booking references, your bags will not be transferred on to your next flight as it is considered a separate journey.
In case of delay, cancellation or other disruption to your initial flight, when you hold a separate booking on a different reference for your next flight, airlines are limited in the assistance they can give you for your onward journey/subsequent flight, just as they have no obligation to automatically check your baggage through to your next flight as each booking is considered a separate contract
This post was edited on 6/15/25 at 2:43 pm
Posted on 6/15/25 at 2:47 pm to CuseTiger
quote:
having to wait on the luggage, go through customs and immigration, then back to check-in.
I don’t know how that is possible to make in an hour and a half. We flew
From Italy to MSY with a 2 hr layover in Heathrow and no checked bags and between having to change terminals and go through security again, we got to our flight when they started boarding.
Do you have to check a bag? I’m not saying you can’t make it, but that’s super tight and a 10 minute delay or not getting off the plane immediately might derail all your plans.
‘Cuse, can he rebook straight through and just get a credit on the canceled flight?
Posted on 6/15/25 at 2:52 pm to Suntiger
quote:
Cuse, can he rebook straight through and just get a credit on the canceled flight?
I'm hoping the schedule change would help at least be able to push back that second flight for free. It sounds like OP booked a roundtrip to LHR which he could see about changing that trip to a multi city MSY-Europe, LHR-MSY and see costs on that. But I'd lean on a later flight from Heathrow
Posted on 6/15/25 at 3:25 pm to CuseTiger
quote:
make sure you have an extra days worth of clothes/medicine in your carry-on
Pack all of your medication (that can pass through security) in your carry on. I never let my meds, my cash, and my passport leave my person.
Posted on 6/15/25 at 5:00 pm to CuseTiger
LJU on June 26th.
Arriving in LHR at 1240pm
Arriving in LHR at 1240pm
Posted on 6/15/25 at 5:14 pm to Tiger Attorney
Ugh, only one flight a day to LJU from Heathrow so if you miss it you'd be in London for a night
Posted on 6/15/25 at 5:18 pm to CuseTiger
It's looking like that. It's either move LJU back a day and go to Richmond for a night or ideally they let is switch to non-direct flight getting us to LHR much sooner to make that flight.
The issue is we booked with Avios points, so they basically said that limits our options.
The issue is we booked with Avios points, so they basically said that limits our options.
Posted on 6/15/25 at 5:27 pm to Tiger Attorney
Did you use avios for both tickets (the roundtrip to msy and the one way to LJU)? I don't know much about their system. Was it the flight to London that changed by 2 hrs or the flight to LJU? If the flight to LHR changed by a lot, then yeah they should be able to help you get to LHR earlier through PHL, MIA, CLT, etc
Posted on 6/15/25 at 5:34 pm to CuseTiger
Yes
Lju changed over an hour and half alone
Lju changed over an hour and half alone
Posted on 6/15/25 at 5:51 pm to Tiger Attorney
I'm digging into this further. Looks like minimum check-in time is 60 minutes for long haul flights from LHR and 45 minutes for short haul flights. I think your second flight counts as short haul?
You should be able to check in online for your flight to LJU 24 hrs before. Can you add all your passport info into the reservation now?
From a reddit post.
Video on the train transfer with luggage from T5 to T3. Total looks like it's 7 minutes
LINK
quote:
Check-in close times
You need to have your boarding pass before check-in closes or we will be unable to accept you for your flight.
You can find this information below or in Manage My Booking. Once you've logged in, click on your flight number, select ‘Check in’ and then ‘Other ways to check in’.
Airport check-in and close times:
London Heathrow: 60 minutes before long haul flights depart & 45 minutes before short haul flights depart
You should be able to check in online for your flight to LJU 24 hrs before. Can you add all your passport info into the reservation now?
From a reddit post.
quote:
The order of operations:
Leave your aircraft.
Pass through UK immigration (if you've a US passport, you can use the e-gates which speeds things along)
Collect your bag and exit through customs
Follow the path to the Heathrow Express or London Underground, catch a train to Terminal 3/5. You'll need a contactless card for the Underground. However the train journey itself will be free -- you just need it to pass through the fare barriers. For Heathrow Express, I think you use a ticket machine to print out a ticket for the interterminal transfer (also free).
Go upstairs to Departures and re-check your bag with BA
Security again
Airside
Video on the train transfer with luggage from T5 to T3. Total looks like it's 7 minutes
LINK
This post was edited on 6/15/25 at 6:06 pm
Posted on 6/15/25 at 6:54 pm to CuseTiger
quote:
Pass through UK immigration (if you've a US passport, you can use the e-gates which speeds things along)
Problem is he can't use the E gates because he has a six year old.
Posted on 6/15/25 at 7:56 pm to CuseTiger
Thank you!
Update:
We moved to a flight at 345pm out of T5 to Venice.
Figuring out rental cars and maybe moving fliight out of LJU to being out of Venice to istanbul on July 5th to make the rental car much cheaper. In and out of Venice is pennies compared to Venice to ljubliana.
Update:
We moved to a flight at 345pm out of T5 to Venice.
Figuring out rental cars and maybe moving fliight out of LJU to being out of Venice to istanbul on July 5th to make the rental car much cheaper. In and out of Venice is pennies compared to Venice to ljubliana.
This post was edited on 6/15/25 at 7:58 pm
Posted on 6/16/25 at 2:57 pm to Tiger Attorney
There are a number of luggage forwarding services -- maybe send your checked bags to your hotel a day early. That way you can just worry about carry-on luggage and your kid.
Luggage will be waiting for you at check-in.
Luggage will be waiting for you at check-in.
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