[AleRomUY]

Dear expert friends,
I have a query for you so you give me your advice.

This is the thing:
I have booked a trip from Southeast Asia to South America within a few months.
The transit point will be LHR.

I will arrive in LHR Terminal 4 on Qatar Airways Business Class at 1:15 PM, pass Immigration and collect luggage, and then transfer to Terminal 5.
The second part of the trip is on Iberia Business Class, LHR to MAD connecting to South America.
I booked the IB flight departing at 6:10 PM with a 2 hours-layover in Madrid.
Since I am QR Platinum, so Oneworld Emerald, I am entitled to go to BA Galleries First Lounge in Terminal 5.

The question is: is it worth to spend that time at that lounge? Is it better for example to book on an earlier IB flight at 5:15 PM, have a little longer layover in MAD and enjoy the Velazquez Lounge (where I have been many times)? What about the connecting times, if I change to the 5:15 PM flight? Remember that I am travelling on separate tickets (QR and IB) and as I said I will transfer from T4 to T5, most likely on a bus (#482 or 490) so to avoid hassle of dealing with train transfers.

I hope I was clear on my plan, just in case:
Arrival at 1:15 PM to Terminal 4
Transfer by bus to Terminal 5
Departure at 6:10 PM from Terminal 5, spending long time at BA Galleries First Lounge and having a 2 hr layover in MAD – My question here, if I change to 5:15 PM flight.

I look forward to having your comments and advice.
Cheers guys!
Ale

[FDOS_UK]

As you are on separate tickets, if you miss the IB flight, you should assume that they will cancel your ticket (return leg too) and that you will need to buy a new ticket.

The minimum connection time for a single ticket is 105 minutes – caution, that may not be achievable and the your inbound may be late.

Given the potential risk severity, I would not consider taking the early flight.

Even the 3h55 you have at the moment could get tight, if things go wrong.

[FDOS_UK]

Adding to my post above, I am assuming that you do not have a fully flexible ticket, which allows you to rebook the IB flights, for free, if you ‘no show’,

[AleRomUY]

Dear FDOS_UK,
Thanks for your comments.
I guess I will keep my original flight leaving at 6:10pm which gives me 4h55 for the transfer (you said 3h55, but it’s 1 hr more).
And u r right, it’s not a fully flexible ticket

[MartynSinclair]

Your transfer time on the day will be dependant on 5 factors, all unknowns. Arrival time of your inbound QR flight, baggage delivery in T4, transfer time (traffic) to T5 and check in and security lines in T5.

The minimum connection time is pretty irrelevant – forget which lounge you should enjoy most, I would leave as much time as possible for your T4 arrival and T5 departure.

As FDoS highlights, a single non flexi ticket, terminal change transfer at LHR and having to wait for bags off the arriving flight, is not something I would normally do, without an overnight stay the night before.

I hope it works out fine…

[LuganoPirate]

Even though on seperate tickets, is it maybe possible to check your bags right through. This would save you having to go through immigration at LHR which can sometimes take an hour or more?

[icenspice]

4 hours 55 mins is more than enough if all goes to plan, AleRomUY. As is 4 hours if you really want to catch the earlier flight.

Just make sure you take the bus in the right direction and not via the central bus station.

Good point, LP. I have no idea but that would be one very long luggage tag if possible ?

[AleRomUY]

I appreciate your comments guys.
What if I change my QR flight from DOH to LHR to the one that arrives in LHR at 12:00 noon, so it gives me 1h15′ extra time? In that case, I will have 6h10′ to do everything.
What do you think?
Another option is rerouting to connect in Brussels.

[MartynSinclair]

The reality is AleRomUY, as icenspice says, 4 hours should be enough – 3 hours and 2 hours should also be enough, but transiting a large multi terminal international airport using separate tickets, is not something I would encourage passengers to do – there are too many unknowns on the day.

If your ticket has not been issued – rather than looking to change flight times, who not check the prices of a through ticket (i.e. all o/w or all star), thereby removing the worry about the Heathrow transit.

[GivingupBA]

5 hours should be enough – but I’ve often cycled through LHR and there are several unknowns, as Martyn said. If I was doing this I would get a move on as much as I could, that is, get to Terminal 5 as fast as possible and then relax once I was there. AND by the way I would always use the Heathrow Express for transfers to Terminal 5, even from Terminal 4.

Wishing you a pleasant journey.

[AnthonyDunn]

Have not OW carriers introduced a new (non) interlining rule whereby even if connecting off OW carriers, if the itinerary involves separately issued tickets, they can refuse to interline bags? There was an initial flurry of comments about this but it’s not something I have seen much about of late to determine whether the policy is now being fully implemented or if OW members are routinely ignoring their own policy.

Has anyone had any recent experience of this?

[Ahmad]

If your incoming flight is on time, I wouldn’t worry too much. Having said that, if you have an extra day and since you plan to cross the UK border anyway, you should consider overnighting. Much safer, far more relaxing and you get less jet lag.

[TominScotland]

AnthonyDunn, I think you are right about oneworld baggage transfer on separate tickets. Yesterday, I flew GLA – LHR on BA and then onwards on RJ to Amman/ KL. I enquired at check-in in Glasgow about through-checking my case and was told that this was no longer possible on separate tickets. That actually seems reasonable to me and, as I had plenty of time in LHR and actually prefer to re-check my luggage when a terminal change is involved, I was happy with this arrangement.

Has anybody looked at buying insurance to cover possible missed flights when travelling on separate tickets – could be rather cheaper than stomping up for a through ticket??

On a separate topic, my GLA – LHR flight was on a Jettime 737 – aircraft was OK if noisy, reasonable comfort but the service was slow and humourless. If the wetlease arrangements continue post – BOB, they may have problems!!

[Travellator]

Is it possible to transline baggage on 2 BA flights on separate bookings

[SGJNI1961]

The policy says “No”. Madness,simply increases the numbers at checkin, especially at LHR. Mind you, 5 hours should be comfortable enough if all on time.

[Author]

Posts