Heathrow transfer question

[digtexas]

We arrive at Heathrow Terminal 5 at 7:30 am on flight from Houston. We fly out of Terminal 1 to Brussels at 11:05 am. As we will leave for ship from our friends' home outside of London a couple of days later, we would like to have a driver meet us after we arrive and take our larger luggage to their house, so that we can proceed to Brussels, and ride trains, etc. with only small roller luggage.

My question is this: once we claim luggage, pass immigration, and turn over bags to driver, we will have to take train or bus to Terminal 1 and go through security again, needing to check in by 9:55am. Can we comfortably make it? I have read some bad things about immigration and security lines at Heathrow.

Thank you.

[Keith1010]

Danny, I am sure you will get feedback here but you may also want to post this on the Cruise Air Board. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people from the UK who post to that board along with others who transit Heathrow often.

Keith

[LamboPuppy]

Danny,

Yes, you will have to go through security again. After passing through baggage claim you have essentially left the secure perimeter of the airport. After meeting the driver to deliver your luggage, you will have to check in for your flight and go through security. If the driver is prompt, you should be able to make it. Have you considered leaving your large luggage in a luggage locker and picking it up when you return to London to visit your friends?

Good luck!

[digtexas]

Thanks for the advice Keith and Lambo.

[digtexas]

Thanks for the advice Keith and Lambo.

[rafinmd]

Will Danny and Nancy have any trouble reclaiming their bags in London? My sense is that it is rare and probably difficult to check your bags to an intermediate stop.

Anybody know for sure?

Roy

[digtexas]

Originally Posted by rafinmd

Will Danny and Nancy have any trouble reclaiming their bags in London? My sense is that it is rare and probably difficult to check your bags to an intermediate stop.

Anybody know for sure?

Roy

Roy,
We arrive on BA, change terminals, and fly out on Brussels Air. So unless BA could check our bags through to Brussels Air, we would have to reclaim our luggage even if we intended to take it with us.

[vistaman]

unfortunately : yes you have to claim luggage , take train ( free) and go trough security

if you had a British Airways flight to Brussels - you simply could stay in terminal 5 - only a security chech and passport controle
i simply do not understand why you were put on the Brussels Airlines flight to Brussels ...

[seaworthy98]

Given that security procedures at Heathrow are so tight, is it possible he may have a problem when he checks in at Brussels Air with less luggage than he had on his BA flight ? Don't they have a policy at Heathrow that you can't board without your luggage if you're transferring between flights or if you checked in luggage ? When one transfers their luggage directly between flights, the check-in personnel check to make sure your luggage has also transferred. I know this situation is different, but just wondering.
If it were me, I would call BA and make sure.

[digtexas]

Originally Posted by vistaman

unfortunately : yes you have to claim luggage , take train ( free) and go trough security

if you had a British Airways flight to Brussels - you simply could stay in terminal 5 - only a security chech and passport controle
i simply do not understand why you were put on the Brussels Airlines flight to Brussels ...

We had our original booking to LHR on BA. Later we decided to fly to Brussels and found good times and prices on Brussels Air and booked it on our own. The two flights are separate and have nothing to do with each other.

[almostretired]

Although too late for this trip, the Eurostar might have been a better option.

[vistaman]

Originally Posted by digtexas

We had our original booking to LHR on BA. Later we decided to fly to Brussels and found good times and prices on Brussels Air and booked it on our own. The two flights are separate and have nothing to do with each other.

beware about the very strict luggage policy on Brussels Airlines...
23 kg - and passengers immediately have to pay extra even for 1 kg - if not booked in advance it is 50 € minimum
and for the cabin luggage they are also difficult
despite being Belgian i always use BA to London and i try to avoid Brussels Airlines as much as possible - that company does try to merge "regular carrier" and "low cost" in one cabin .

[digtexas]

Originally Posted by almostretired

Although too late for this trip, the Eurostar might have been a better option.

We will be taking the Eurostar back to London from Brussels. We are considering staying in Brussels and taking a day trip to Bruges, which makes me less concerned with schlepping luggage than with our original plans, which included additional train rides with luggage.

Thank you Dick. We look forwarding to meeting you both.

[digtexas]

Originally Posted by vistaman

beware about the very strict luggage policy on Brussels Airlines...
23 kg - and passengers immediately have to pay extra even for 1 kg - if not booked in advance it is 50 € minimum
and for the cabin luggage they are also difficult
despite being Belgian i always use BA to London and i try to avoid Brussels Airlines as much as possible - that company does try to merge "regular carrier" and "low cost" in one cabin .

Thank you Vistaman. We could fly BA instead, however our choices are 8:55 am and 1:55 pm, after arriving at LHR at 7:30. As we are are flying BA first class to LHR, we could take the later flight and relax at LHR at the BA lounge, which is reputed to be wonderful.

[RockyandMoose]

Originally Posted by digtexas

Thank you Vistaman. We could fly BA instead, however our choices are 8:55 am and 1:55 pm, after arriving at LHR at 7:30. As we are are flying BA first class to LHR, we could take the later flight and relax at LHR at the BA lounge, which is reputed to be wonderful.

The BA lounge is great.imho not as great is the virgin lounge but darn close.

Rocky and Dave

[vistaman]

well enjoy the lounge at Heathrow - do not know which one you can enter when arriving - i think Concorde is only for departing pax in First

since a few months there are more direct trains from Brussels Airport to various cities , as from June also directly to Antwerp city - 30 minutes

for Bruges you usually have to change in either a Main station in Brussels or in Ghent - i advice to take first class tickets in Belgium
and when taking Eurostar try to do it in first as well

the website for trains in Belgium is www.nmbs.be

[digtexas]

Originally Posted by vistaman

well enjoy the lounge at Heathrow - do not know which one you can enter when arriving - i think Concorde is only for departing pax in First

since a few months there are more direct trains from Brussels Airport to various cities , as from June also directly to Antwerp city - 30 minutes

for Bruges you usually have to change in either a Main station in Brussels or in Ghent - i advice to take first class tickets in Belgium
and when taking Eurostar try to do it in first as well

the website for trains in Belgium is www.nmbs.be

Thanks. We keep going back and forth, but might stick with Plan A, which is to hand off large bags to driver at LHR and fly Brussels Air at 11:05.

[PennyAgain]

Make sure you have the driver's cell phone # so you can telephone if you can't meet up easily.

[almostretired]

Danny - Enjoy the Eurostar. Trains are the way to see Europe. Look forward to meeting you also. Will be a great cruise. Dick