Heathrow Airport

[Coolcruise02]

If we arrive at Terminal 4. Do we collect our luggage at Terminal 4 or does it go to Terminal 1? (we are on a Continental flight)

 

Thanks for any help!

[Twickenham]

Is this a connecting flight? To ??? airline? One ticket or two?

We need more information to give an accurate response.

[Globaliser]

... or does it go to Terminal 1?

Notwithstanding what Twickenham says, I can give a confident answer to this: "No, if your journey ends at Heathrow".

 

I mean, you haven't even told us whether you have a connecting flight from Heathrow, let alone where it's going, on which airline, or whether you have one ticket or two. (Note: "ticket", not "reservation record".)

[Travelling Shopper]

Notwithstanding what Twickenham says, I can give a confident answer to this: "No, if your journey ends at Heathrow".

 

I mean, you haven't even told us whether you have a connecting flight from Heathrow, let alone where it's going, on which airline, or whether you have one ticket or two. (Note: "ticket", not "reservation record".)

 

Arriving by international flight and connecting to a domestic flight, you will need to collect your bags, clear customs and then there will be an onward bag check for UK domestic flights (in T4). You then go to T1 via (domestic) ground transport. Connecting to another international flight (from T4), your bags should be cleared straight through in transit (without a UK customs check) and you should then go to T1 via Ground transport. You will clear customs at your final (non UK) destination. Hand baggage will be checked for re-boarding to the UK flight and also likely for an international flight. LHR transit buses (for international flgihts) run "airside" so in fact you are in a sterile area for international transit... as you do not clear customs and immigration in the UK for an onward, international flight. You would for a UK flight, as you are "arriving" in Britain. In most UK airports there are "sterile/airside" transit areas, so in fact you do not enter the country for onward international flights, technically you remain outside. Hope this helps.

[Coolcruise02]

Sorry, our flight was booked with Continental and ENDS at Heathrow. Looking at our reservation the Flight # starts with UA.

[Coolcruise02]

Notwithstanding what Twickenham says, I can give a confident answer to this: "No, if your journey ends at Heathrow".

 

Thanks!

I assumed when someone is picking up their luggage the trip has ended. I didn't take into account others taking a different carrier on another leg of a trip. Sorry for the confusion!

[Twickenham]

Sorry, our flight was booked with Continental and ENDS at Heathrow. Looking at our reservation the Flight # starts with UA.

 

OK, I finally get the whole Terminal 4/1 thing. Continental uses T4 - United uses T1 (at least for now, I imagine that will change as the merger goes thru).

While I cannot say for certain what airline's plane you are on, and thus what terminal you will land, I can say this: your luggage will be at the terminal at which you land. You will pick it up there.

[Globaliser]

Sorry, our flight was booked with Continental and ENDS at Heathrow. Looking at our reservation the Flight # starts with UA.

If you tell us the flight number, we can give you the answer!

[6rugrats]

Sorry, our flight was booked with Continental and ENDS at Heathrow. Looking at our reservation the Flight # starts with UA.

Then it appears you are actually flying UA, not CO.

 

It's really helpful with this type of post if you provide all the relevant information in the first post, so people can give you correct answers.

 

Example:

 

I am flying 05 July 2012, IAD-LHR in economy. I booked through CO, but my flight number is UA 922. Into what terminal will I arrive, where do I pick up my bags, and do I clear customs and immigration there?

[Globaliser]

Then it appears you are actually flying UA, not CO.

Possibly. But equally, CO might have sold a ticket on (say) "UA1102".

 

That's why it would really help if the OP gave us details, rather than vague bits of partial information.

[Coolcruise02]

That's why it would really help if the OP gave us details, rather than vague bits of partial information.

 

Excuse me for not knowing you would need my air line carrier, flight number, age and shoe size. :) My simple question has been answered. THANKS, to those who did answer my original question "will I pick my luggage up at Termial 4 or is it sent to Terminal 1". I should have added that Heathrow was my final destination. Some of you need to chill out!

[Globaliser]

THANKS, to those who did answer my original question "will I pick my luggage up at Termial 4 or is it sent to Terminal 1".

Sure, if you like the answer "It depends."

 

For example, if your flight number is UA1135, your luggage will be at Terminal 4.

 

If your flight number is UA929, your luggage will be at Terminal 1.

 

I'm glad that you think you have the correct answer. Good luck!

[Coolcruise02]

I can give a confident answer to this: "No, if your journey ends at Heathrow".

 

This answer you gave me sure came across as more than "it depends"! And, yes I do think I have the correct answer and if not, I'm sure I can figure it out when I arrive. I'm sure I can find someone HELPFUL if needed.

[Globaliser]

This answer you gave me sure came across as more than "it depends"!

That's when you said you were flying Continental.

 

Later, you said:-

Sorry, our flight was booked with Continental and ENDS at Heathrow. Looking at our reservation the Flight # starts with UA.

A UA flight number means that you might be flying Continental, or you might be flying United.

 

So you may end your journey at Terminal 4, or you may end it at Terminal 1.

 

I'm so sorry I can't now be more specific without knowing the great state secret of the flight number you're on.

[cruzisme]

Reading this thread I did get a chuckle. Lots of good advice given but all the facts are needed in order for others to provide advice. Lots of great people here on CC who are all trying to help others. I have asked many questions and all the responses were helpful. The more info provided does help.

[Cruise Junky]

Can I tag onto this question. We're looking at a BA Flight from Vancouver to Naples. One Ticket - Two Flights. The Flight from Vancouver lands at Heathrow and we'd have to transfer to Gatwick for the flight to Naples. Do we take our bags with us on the bus, or does BA Transfer between Airports?

 

Is it a pain to transfer? we'd have lots of time.

 

Thanks

[wrp96]

You'll have to pick up your bags and transfer them to Gatwick. I believe the minimum time for the transfer between LHR and Gatwick is 3 hours. Can't speak to the ease of the journey so someone else will have to advise about that.

[Twickenham]

Is it a pain to transfer? we'd have lots of time.

 

Define 'lots'.

I believe there is a bus that runs between the 2, but someone who has done this transfer can confirm if it's still running.

[Globaliser]

Do we take our bags with us on the bus, or does BA Transfer between Airports?

 

Is it a pain to transfer? we'd have lots of time.

The minimum time of 3 hours is actually the minimum time from scheduled time of arrival at Heathrow to scheduled time of departure from Gatwick. It's a minimum in the sense that the airline will not allow you to book a connection on a single ticket that has less than that time between flights, because the airline will be in for the costs of looking after you if you miss the onward flight and so it wants to reduce the risk of having to do that. Thus, the airline thinks that most passengers will be able to make a 3-hour connection, but of course the more time you do leave between flights, the bigger the safety margin you have for something to go wrong. (The protection does not apply if you book two separate tickets, but that's not your situation.)

 

I believe that it isn't a huge pain to transfer, because as I understand it, when you come out of customs at Heathrow Terminal 5, you simply walk out of the building to the coach stop at the same level. You'll get dropped off outside the correct terminal at Gatwick, although I'm not sure whether it's at the check-in level (it used to be possible for coaches to drop off there but there have been a lot of recent changes at Gatwick).

 

But you do have to get yourself and your bags from Customs to the coach, and from the coach to bag drop.

[Gardyloo]

Can I tag onto this question. We're looking at a BA Flight from Vancouver to Naples. One Ticket - Two Flights. The Flight from Vancouver lands at Heathrow and we'd have to transfer to Gatwick for the flight to Naples. Do we take our bags with us on the bus, or does BA Transfer between Airports?

 

Is it a pain to transfer? we'd have lots of time.

 

Thanks

You have to go through UK immigration and customs, then take yourselves and your bags to the bus station and take the bus to Gatwick, then check in, go back through security, blah blah. Is it a pain? Affirmative. Is it cheap? Negative. Is it fast? Negative - 3 hours is a minimum comfort zone IMO, but it can also depend on the day of the week and the time of the day - the M25 London ring road was at one point (still maybe is) the busiest highway in Europe.

 

http://www.nationalexpress.com/coach/airport/index.aspx

[Cruise Junky]

Thanks for the info guys. There are two flights that fly direct Vancouver to London on BA, one lands at 11:00 am, the other at 1:40 pm and the flight to Naples from Gatwick doesn't leave until 6:55 pm.

[Twickenham]

Thanks for the info guys. There are two flights that fly direct Vancouver to London on BA, one lands at 11:00 am, the other at 1:40 pm and the flight to Naples from Gatwick doesn't leave until 6:55 pm.

 

In that case, here's what I would do: I would take earlier flight arriving at 11am, take the Heathrow Express to Paddington, take a taxi to Victoria station, leave my luggage at the Left Luggage office, then have lunch somewhere/explore before going back to Victoria, taking back my luggage and taking the Gatwick Express down to catch my connecting flight. Certainly not the cheapest, but very do-able.

[Cruise Junky]

In that case, here's what I would do: I would take earlier flight arriving at 11am, take the Heathrow Express to Paddington, take a taxi to Victoria station, leave my luggage at the Left Luggage office, then have lunch somewhere/explore before going back to Victoria, taking back my luggage and taking the Gatwick Express down to catch my connecting flight. Certainly not the cheapest, but very do-able.

 

 

:) we did exactly that but with two nights at the Hotel at Paddington in 2008 before our Greek Island Cruise.

[Globaliser]

In that case, here's what I would do: I would take earlier flight arriving at 11am, take the Heathrow Express to Paddington, take a taxi to Victoria station, leave my luggage at the Left Luggage office, then have lunch somewhere/explore before going back to Victoria, taking back my luggage and taking the Gatwick Express down to catch my connecting flight.

In theory, that sounds great.

 

However, the arrival times of the two flights will feel like 3.00 am and 5.40 am respectively. If I have just arrived on an overnight trans-Atlantic and my body is telling me that it's 3.00 am (which involves being woken up at about 1.30 am at best), I know what I would definitely feel like not doing at that particular point in time.

 

"Body clock time" is definitely something that's worth bearing in mind when planning these things.

[iancal]

Another way to look at it is to add 4 hours to your arrival time and then see what you really have left until departure. 1 1/2 hours to get your luggage, extra time if the flight is a little late, and time to get to your 'transfer point. Another 1 1/2 hours for the transfer to Gatwick..whether you go directly to Gatwick or stop in London, plus the one hour or so ahead that you need to be at the gate (assuming you have preprinted your boarding pass) for the Naples leg.