Transfer Of Flights To Heathrow

After I submitted this I realized the title of the post might be confusing. I mean to have called it Transfer of Flight Within Heathrow.

It's been a while since we flew into this airport (honestly we try to avoid it) but here's my question.

Looking to book a flight from the States on American Airlines to Heathrow with a connection on British Airways to Copenhagen.

After we land, will we need to transfer to another terminal and if so do we do all of this in-transit where we don't have to first exit the terminal to only reenter the other teminal and go through security again. Also, since we wil transfer to British Airways where I suspect we cannot get a seat assignment until 24 hours before (we would fly business class on American but I don't think it will carry over to a similar class of service on BA) can we get our seat assigment with BA inside the terminal area or do we have to go out to the main ticketing counter.

I hope all of this makes sense. If not, I'll clarify.

Keith

[quote name='Keith1010']Looking to book a flight from the States on American Airlines to Heathrow with a connection on British Airways to Copenhagen.

After we land, will we need to transfer to another terminal and if so do we do all of this in-transit where we don't have to first exit the terminal to only reenter the other teminal and go through security again. Also, since we wil transfer to British Airways where I suspect we cannot get a seat assignment until 24 hours before (we would fly business class on American but I don't think it will carry over to a similar class of service on BA) can we get our seat assigment with BA inside the terminal area or do we have to go out to the main ticketing counter.[/QUOTE]On the assumption that you are booking this all on one ticket, and travelling before Tuesday 25 March 2008:-

Your bags will be through-tagged from the US to Copenhagen, and you should be issued with boarding passes for both flights when you check in for the first one.

When you arrive at Heathrow, you'll be at Terminal 3. Follow the signs for Flight Connections Terminal 4. (Initially, this will be together with the Flight Connections route for other terminals, but they will gradually split off.) You will get on a bus which will take you across the airfield to T4. There you will clear security - you cannot avoid this as you have arrived from outside the UK. Then you go upstairs to the main departure lounge where the shops and restaurants are. At the appropriate time, the monitor screens will tell you when you should go to the gate, and which gate it is.

If, for some reason, AA can't issue the onward boarding pass for the BA flight, then you can pick this up at the transfer desk which is immediately beyond the security checkpoint.

It is a good idea to try to check in for your BA flight online at 24 hours before departure. In fact, you should try to do it 24 hours before the departure time of your AA flight, although this may well not work; if it doesn't, then the next point at which you could try it is 25 hours before the departure time of your BA flight; then try it at 24 hours. This way, you will get your pick of the seats that are left, which is usually the vast majority of them.

Thank you very much. Most of our flights have been to or through Gatwick and starting with this trip next year we will now have the opportunity to get direct service to Heathrow which is good for some connections such as Copenhagen. We will buy this as one ticket. I think the last time we did this that American Airlines could do the seat assignments for the BA flight at check in but it's been a while so I forgot.

Thanks again.

Keith

[quote name='Keith1010']Most of our flights have been to or through Gatwick and starting with this trip next year we will now have the opportunity to get direct service to Heathrow which is good for some connections such as Copenhagen.[/QUOTE]This makes me think that your trip will start on or after Wednesday 26 March 2008. Is that correct? If so, your BA flights may operate from Terminal 5, as BA starts operations there on Thursday 27 March, moving in over four phases from March to October 2008. (There will be a later phase as well, in a couple of years' time, when the final T5 satellite is completed.) So the above connection instructions may not be accurate, hence my disclaimer at the beginning.[quote name='Keith1010']We will buy this as one ticket. I think the last time we did this that American Airlines could do the seat assignments for the BA flight at check in [/QUOTE]If you are travelling on one ticket, AA should be able to check you in and issue your boarding passes for the BA flights. You may be able to check in online beforehand for the BA flights in any event, so that you can pick the best available seats for yourself. Either print out your own boarding passes if you want to (and that is offered to you) or leave it to AA or BA to print them for you at one or other airport.

[quote name='Globaliser']This makes me think that your trip will start on or after Wednesday 26 March 2008. Is that correct? If so, your BA flights may operate from Terminal 5, as BA starts operations there on Thursday 27 March, moving in over four phases from March to October 2008. (There will be a later phase as well, in a couple of years' time, when the final T5 satellite is completed.) So the above connection instructions may not be accurate, hence my disclaimer at the beginning.If you are travelling on one ticket, AA should be able to check you in and issue your boarding passes for the BA flights. You may be able to check in online beforehand for the BA flights in any event, so that you can pick the best available seats for yourself. Either print out your own boarding passes if you want to (and that is offered to you) or leave it to AA or BA to print them for you at one or other airport.[/quote]

As usual, you are correct. The flight that we are considering is after March, 2008.

Given all of the recent problems at Heathrow with lost luggage I am now having second thoughts about using Heathrow so I may instead fly to Frankfurt to pick up a connection to get to Copenhagen. Since I have another two months before I'll make the reservations I 'll continue to think this one through.

Keith

[quote name='Keith1010']Given all of the recent problems at Heathrow with lost luggage I am now having second thoughts about using Heathrow so I may instead fly to Frankfurt to pick up a connection to get to Copenhagen. Since I have another two months before I'll make the reservations I 'll continue to think this one through.[/QUOTE]When it works, it still works well. I arrived back at Heathrow at 0615 on Monday morning. The baggage belt started moving at 0640. About 30 pieces of baggage later, out came mine, and I was in a cab and on the way home at 0650.

And that follows two short connections from European points to Sydney via Heathrow in the last two months, that have both gone flawlessly - in fact, on the first occasion, despite the fact that there was only 55 minutes to connect from T1 to T4.

You might also want to look for the long thread about the baggage problems at Frankfurt that badly affected many people on one cruise - I can't remember off the top of my head where it was posted but if I find it I'll try and bring a link across here.

And Amsterdam has a bad general reputation for mishandling connecting bags.

So in short: bad things can happen wherever you connect, and most of the time it'll go fine.

[quote name='Globaliser']So in short: bad things can happen wherever you connect, and most of the time it'll go fine.[/quote]

All excellent points.

The toughest thing about cruising is the things associated with flying. Once you board the ship then things get easy.

Thanks again for all of the wonderful advice.

Keith

My pleasure. I hope it goes well, whatever you decide to do!