Southampton to Heathrow

[sport-tourer]

Too tight, methinks.

 

Maybe, just maybe, on a Saturday or a Sunday if there were no screw-ups. But even which airport terminal you need will make a difference on such tight timing.

Unassisted disembarkation normally starts by 7am, you could be away by 7.15am. Even on a sunday the drive would take over an hour. Without hold-ups that puts you at Heathrow around 8.30am. Check-in desks normally close 60 to 90 minutes out, but a line at check-in would mean blustering your way to the front, then praying that the line at security isn't too long or the walk to the gate too far.

 

Heathrow recommends arrival at the airport 3 hours before your flight (ie 7.35am :eek:) . Their recommendation is rather too conservative, but your timing is rather too optimistic.

 

For comparison, cruise lines say you should book a Heathrow flight no earlier than 12.30 to 1pm if you use their coach transfers. The first transfer coach will be away from the pier between 7.45 & 8am.

 

Ask for a quote from www.westquaycars.com and www.smithsforairports.com and at the same time seek their advice, they do this run daily.

 

My own opinion is that with Monday to Friday traffic on the road to London your chances are no better than 50/50.

On a weekend, it's a question of whether you feel lucky. It has been done, but the risk is significant.

 

JB :)

 

Our cruise returns to Southampton at 6am on a Saturday. My flight choices (same day) are 12:05pm or 4:20pm back to Washington DC. I'd like to make the 12:05 flight and didn't think that would be a problem until reading the posts here. Using one of the car services mentioned above, should we be safe?

 

Thanks!

[John Bull]

Our cruise returns to Southampton at 6am on a Saturday. My flight choices (same day) are 12:05pm or 4:20pm back to Washington DC. I'd like to make the 12:05 flight and didn't think that would be a problem until reading the posts here. Using one of the car services mentioned above, should we be safe?

 

Thanks!

 

So it's a Saturday :)

Yes, no worries.

 

Safest to arrange to disembark unassisted, with a car booked for 7.30 (its likely to be there a little earlier).

That would put you at Heathrow (is your airport LHR - Heathrow?) around 9 am on a Saturday.

 

You should have actually have enough time for a reasonably early assisted disembarkation, but unassisted will avoid any potential lines in the terminal & cover the possibility of a motorway closure due to an accident.

 

JB :)

[sport-tourer]

So it's a Saturday :)

Yes, no worries.

 

Safest to arrange to disembark unassisted, with a car booked for 7.30 (its likely to be there a little earlier).

That would put you at Heathrow (is your airport LHR - Heathrow?) around 9 am on a Saturday.

 

You should have actually have enough time for a reasonably early assisted disembarkation, but unassisted will avoid any potential lines in the terminal & cover the possibility of a motorway closure due to an accident.

 

JB :)

Great. Yes, we're leaving from Heathrow, and we plan to use unassisted disembarking. Thanks much!

[paddingtonbear]

You could do a day trip/transfer to Stonehenge, Salisbury and Windsor castle on the day you disembark. It is a fully guided tour. It gets you to Heathrow at about 16:00 or so. We've stayed at the Sofitel Heathrow a five star hotel for 100 GBP in advance purchase. You can have dinner at Carlucios Italian restaurant inside the terminal 5 (really nice) and there are lots of options for breakfast there too. It's a 5 minute covered walk from the (absolutely soundproof) hotel to the terminal.

 

You'll avoid a whole lot of stress. Heathrow security is not reknown for speed and its is often 2 hours just to get through that let alone baggage drop off etc.

 

http://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/southampton-cruise-tour-transfer-to-london.html

Edited December 22, 2014 by paddingtonbear

[Cotswold Eagle]

I have travelled through Heathrow regularly for many years and it has NEVER taken me two hours to get through security. What is your source for suggesting this is a frequent occurrence?

[Globaliser]

I have travelled through Heathrow regularly for many years and it has NEVER taken me two hours to get through security. What is your source for suggesting this is a frequent occurrence?

I agree: that suggestion is a complete load of rubbish.

[sport-tourer]

We definitely need to get back home that Saturday so it's either the 12:05 or 4:20 flight for us. Sounds like we won't have a problem making the 12:05 flight. Prices just dropped so I'm going to book that flight. Thanks for your advice!

[paddingtonbear]

2 hrs through security is based on personal experience and the experience of family and friends and Trip Advisor. I always arrive at the airport 2.5 - 3 hours before we fly. I am unlucky but many other people I know have similar experiences.

 

I have been through Heathrow four times and each time it has been a lot longer than 2 hours from landing to exit or exiting the car to boarding the plane.

 

Going into or coming out of LHR has been the same for us. One time we landed with some UK friends of ours and they joined the huge queue (this is before you get your luggage) below the “EU citizens” banner. We went to the “other” lines. Their line progressed really quickly because there were 6 or 8 people serving them. Our line had 2 people serving and about an hour into our wait one of our servers went to lunch. A guy in line got really antsy because he had a connection to make and they called a security guard who told him that if he didn’t settle down they’d arrest him. The EU line got really short and we all thought they would send those servers over to our side but not such luck – another plane arrived.

 

Over an hour later we progressed to the front of the queue and the lady interrogated me about our plans. Luckily I can give a detailed itinerary to anyone who cares to listen and detailed financials. I can’t imagine how my DH would answer these questions if he was interviewed on his own: “I don’t know where we are going or staying: I am just along for the ride. I think we’re going on a cruise, though.”

 

We went to the baggage claim area and waited for our bags. They moved the baggage claim carousel three times. While we were waiting the little customs man came and asked us if we had anything to declare. I never, ever, have food or anything declarable except my DH had bought a little wooden cross in Greece. So we were sent to the something to declare line. Over half an hour later we got to the nice man who waved us through with a cursory glance at our cross. We were in! 2 ½ hours after we landed. Our British friends were home by the time we got released.

 

This is just an example of a typical airport experience for me. I often find myself in the check in queue because I can’t get the hotel printer to print out my boarding pass or some other trauma mysteriously occurs that requires us to line up in the check in queue. I also happen to be the most suspicious looking person in the world because I am always selected for whatever check they are doing. My son is 6 foot 5 and long hair and a beard. When he showed me his passport photo, I was horrified. I assured him he would spend hours in security every time he flew – not true he just breezes through. Not me. I get selected for bomb check, drug checks, medication and bag searches every time. Don’t get me started on my experiences in Greece and Rome.

[Globaliser]

This is just an example of a typical airport experience for me.

That episode, of course, has nothing to do with Heathrow security.

 

It's also an atypical experience of arriving at Heathrow. Most people will be through immigration, reunited with their bags and out of customs within 60 minutes. That goes for me (although normally I'm only flying through Heathrow about once a month or so) and also for family and friends, including those for whom I'm making onward travel arrangements.

 

As you yourself said, your friends were home by the time you got out. That's more like the typical experience.

 

As for security itself, I do know some people who have regular experience with Heathrow. These are genuine frequent flyers, who are going through Heathrow perhaps two to four times a week every week. They grumble and complain if it takes 10 minutes to get through security, let alone two hours.

[John Bull]

2 hrs through security is based on personal experience and the experience of family and friends and Trip Advisor. I always arrive at the airport 2.5 - 3 hours before we fly. I am unlucky but many other people I know have similar experiences.

 

I have been through Heathrow four times and each time it has been a lot longer than 2 hours from landing to exit or exiting the car to boarding the plane.

 

Going into or coming out of LHR has been the same for us. One time we landed with some UK friends of ours and they joined the huge queue (this is before you get your luggage) below the “EU citizens” banner. We went to the “other” lines. Their line progressed really quickly because there were 6 or 8 people serving them. Our line had 2 people serving and about an hour into our wait one of our servers went to lunch. A guy in line got really antsy because he had a connection to make and they called a security guard who told him that if he didn’t settle down they’d arrest him. The EU line got really short and we all thought they would send those servers over to our side but not such luck – another plane arrived.

 

Over an hour later we progressed to the front of the queue and the lady interrogated me about our plans. Luckily I can give a detailed itinerary to anyone who cares to listen and detailed financials. I can’t imagine how my DH would answer these questions if he was interviewed on his own: “I don’t know where we are going or staying: I am just along for the ride. I think we’re going on a cruise, though.”

 

We went to the baggage claim area and waited for our bags. They moved the baggage claim carousel three times. While we were waiting the little customs man came and asked us if we had anything to declare. I never, ever, have food or anything declarable except my DH had bought a little wooden cross in Greece. So we were sent to the something to declare line. Over half an hour later we got to the nice man who waved us through with a cursory glance at our cross. We were in! 2 ½ hours after we landed. Our British friends were home by the time we got released.

 

This is just an example of a typical airport experience for me. I often find myself in the check in queue because I can’t get the hotel printer to print out my boarding pass or some other trauma mysteriously occurs that requires us to line up in the check in queue. I also happen to be the most suspicious looking person in the world because I am always selected for whatever check they are doing. My son is 6 foot 5 and long hair and a beard. When he showed me his passport photo, I was horrified. I assured him he would spend hours in security every time he flew – not true he just breezes through. Not me. I get selected for bomb check, drug checks, medication and bag searches every time. Don’t get me started on my experiences in Greece and Rome.

 

The Aussie bear's response seems to be mainly about the lines for immigration when flying in. I can understand the frustration, but it's irrelevant to this thread.

 

There's no differentiation between nationalities when flying out of the UK (or out of anywhere that I can recall), never had a delay anywhere at passport control, and the longest security line I've experienced in the UK was mebbe 30 minutes, usually it's half that or less. I recall one horrendous security line to exit the US at LAX, that was probably a couple of hours, but that was years ago & on numerous trips since all lines have been very manageable.

 

Yes, I can understand the frustration with immigration for non-nationals, I've sometimes seen long lines in the UK, and I've stood in long lines in the US & elsewhere - sometimes it's just a matter of luck whether you arrive immediately after five jumbos, sometimes it's because of a crack-down.

Agreed, immigration staff worldwide seem incapable of being switched to where they're needed - perhaps they should take lessons from supermarket check-out supervisors. :rolleyes:

 

But arriving at Heathrow or Gatwick 90 minutes ( & usually less) before flight time isn't going to be problematic.

 

JB :)

[paddingtonbear]

John, yes that story was flying into Heathrow but I have similar experiences flying out too. I have to learn how to do early check in but you can't avoid the security lines. Last time flying for a morning flight the lines were really long but they still ran my handbag a couple of times and made me open it up and made me turn my computer on to see that it worked. I also got checked for bombs or drugs or whatever they look for. I put it down to being a thin Caucasian female. I think the chubby security guards are jealous :) :)

 

90 minutes might do it for flying out of LHR but we have to allow for my DH to have a last minute coffee fix before we fly. I don't stress about the queues or the security. If that's what it takes to be safe I am happy.

 

We try to fly Premium Economy to and from London and that cuts the lines airside to the plane but doesn't help with security.

[Globaliser]

90 minutes might do it for flying out of LHR but we have to allow for my DH to have a last minute coffee fix before we fly.

There are lots of good reasons to arrive in good time before your flight.

 

But it remains the case that the following simply is not true, and is likely to cause some people unnecessary stress and worry:-

Heathrow security is not reknown for speed and its is often 2 hours just to get through that ...

[happy cruzer]

Your best bet with a 3pm flight (so no rush involved) is the National Express coach.

http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx

I recommend you book to make sure you get a seat. Journey time to LHR is about 2hrs 15mins depending on which terminal you are heading for. You don't say which cruise terminal you are using. Whilst the coach station is walkable from the City Cruise terminal (RCI, Celeb, NCL) all the other terminals really need a cab. Don't worry, there will be loads about!

For info, this map

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Herbert+Walker+Ave&daddr=50.9008176,-1.4097292+to:Harbour+Parade&hl=en&sll=50.902492,-1.411443&sspn=0.008065,0.018861&geocode=FXyuCAMdSWvq_w%3BFVGvCAMdP33q_ymTfmkcuHZ0SDF_thjIe57VqA%3BFZjCCAMdDX_q_w&t=h&dirflg=w&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=16&via=1&z=16

shows the City Cruise terminal at A and the coach station at B (you can walk through the Holiday Inn carpark to cut off the hairpin to the roundabout).

 

Simon

Many thanks. Just bought my tickets, this is great help.