Can we make it? 1130am flight Heathrow... dock in Southampton

[want2go]

1. Can we make it? 1130am flight Heathrow... dock in Southampton.
Trying to get home after 2 week trip.  Hate the thought of another hotel at the end.  Price is right to leave at 1130.

 

2. Will be 6-8 people... what do you suggest from port to airport for this size group.

 

Thank you so much for your help!

[gnome12]

32 minutes ago, want2go said:

1. Can we make it? 1130am flight Heathrow... dock in Southampton.
Trying to get home after 2 week trip.  Hate the thought of another hotel at the end.  Price is right to leave at 1130.

 

2. Will be 6-8 people... what do you suggest from port to airport for this size group.

 

Thank you so much for your help!

What day of the week?

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, gnome12 said:

What day of the week?

And where are you flying to? To the US, for example, has additional layers of security, and perhaps...can't predict, Covid checks.

[tony s]

I would not chance. You have to assume you can get off by 8am and traffic to Heathrow,with increase Covid checks, would not give myself the ulcer.

[John Bull]

11 hours ago, gnome12 said:

What day of the week?

 

Yes, that's real important.

 

JB 🙂

[want2go]

On 12/8/2021 at 7:30 AM, gnome12 said:

What day of the week?

 

23 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

And where are you flying to? To the US, for example, has additional layers of security, and perhaps...can't predict, Covid checks.

 

13 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

Yes, that's real important.

 

JB 🙂

Fri. July 22...

to Atlanta on Delta really Virgin Atlantic.

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, want2go said:

 

 

Fri. July 22...

to Atlanta on Delta really Virgin Atlantic.

 

 

If it were a saturday or sunday then - failing any massive hold-up (delayed ship arrival,  major road closure etc) - making an 11.30am T/A flight would be pretty straightforward.

But there's no public transport that would do the job in anything like the time-scale, so your only option is a private transfer, and traffic is slow & often delayed on weekdays.

 

Here's the sort of timetable that you need......

 

To give yourselves the best chance you should check-in in advance - for Virgin / Delta I think it's from 24 hrs before flight time.

 

On most ships regular disembarkation starts at 7.30 am, but those who choose unasssited disembarkation  (haul your own bags from your cabin) can disembark from about 7 am. For those early folk there are usually no delays in formalities, so unless your collar is felt by HM Customs you can be thro the terminal within 10 - 15 minutes, and depart in a waiting pre-booked car or minibus between 7am & 7.30 

 

Ignore Heathrow's advice to arrive 3 hours before your flight-time, they're ultra-cautious & want you to spend plenty of time in the departure lounge paying over-the-odds for goods & food & drink to help those concessionaires to pay their exhorbitant rents.

But also ignore the airlines' latest check-in time of 70 minutes before flight-time, because check-in or baggage-drop lines can be long & slow, and there are also long lines at security.

I suggest you arrive 2 hours before your flight time, 90 minutes is the bare minimum that I'd expect.

 

That leaves about 2 hours for the 68-mile drive, which on a clear road takes under 90 minutes.. 

About 2 hours is the norm at that time of day, 2 hrs 30 is not unusual, and sometimes longer.

 

On our own & with transferable air tickets we'd probably risk it. 

With tickets that are only good for that flight I wouldn't take that risk with my own money, let alone taking the risk for others.

 

No other flights that day?

And - just a thought - what is the ship's last port before Southampton?

 

JB 🙂

[caripoo]

I would not even entertain the possibility of that........To much stress

[Ashland]

Whatever you decide (agree to doing a later flight 2:30pm works if available) do book private transportation...Smith's For Airports is a popular one.

[mskaufman]

I have flown into Heathrow from Europe and two hours was not enough time for a transfer.  There were multiple levels of security, each with a line. 

[boblerm]

On 1/7/2022 at 12:53 AM, Ashland said:

.Smith's For Airports is a popular one.

Sadly, no longer.  They are out of business as of the end of last year.

[nini]

We are flying home from LHR from a cruise in May. We disembark in Southampton. The earliest flight allowed through the cruise line (EZAir) is 1:00 pm

There is also a "Cruise/ Air" forum under Discussion Topics and this issue is discussed at length.

There is NO WAY we would even entertain this early of a flight.

[Ashland]

On 1/19/2022 at 6:59 AM, boblerm said:

Sadly, no longer.  They are out of business as of the end of last year.

That is sad...a sign of the times for many businesses.

[John Bull]

13 hours ago, nini said:

The earliest flight allowed through the cruise line (EZAir) is 1:00 pm

 

 Just to clarify, that's also the earliest flight time recommended for anyone wishing to use ship's transfer buses. Some say 12.30, but with Covid paperwork to check they've probably also dropped that back to 1 pm. First buses leave the cruise terminal around 8am.

 

With unassisted disembarkation and a private transfer you can shave at least an hour off that time.🙂

But that's still very very tight on a weekday, or at weekends if there's been a big crash on the motorway. 🙁

 

JB 🙂

Edited January 31, 2022 by John Bull

[want2go]

On 12/9/2021 at 11:28 AM, John Bull said:

 

 

If it were a saturday or sunday then - failing any massive hold-up (delayed ship arrival,  major road closure etc) - making an 11.30am T/A flight would be pretty straightforward.

But there's no public transport that would do the job in anything like the time-scale, so your only option is a private transfer, and traffic is slow & often delayed on weekdays.

 

Here's the sort of timetable that you need......

 

To give yourselves the best chance you should check-in in advance - for Virgin / Delta I think it's from 24 hrs before flight time.

 

On most ships regular disembarkation starts at 7.30 am, but those who choose unasssited disembarkation  (haul your own bags from your cabin) can disembark from about 7 am. For those early folk there are usually no delays in formalities, so unless your collar is felt by HM Customs you can be thro the terminal within 10 - 15 minutes, and depart in a waiting pre-booked car or minibus between 7am & 7.30 

 

Ignore Heathrow's advice to arrive 3 hours before your flight-time, they're ultra-cautious & want you to spend plenty of time in the departure lounge paying over-the-odds for goods & food & drink to help those concessionaires to pay their exhorbitant rents.

But also ignore the airlines' latest check-in time of 70 minutes before flight-time, because check-in or baggage-drop lines can be long & slow, and there are also long lines at security.

I suggest you arrive 2 hours before your flight time, 90 minutes is the bare minimum that I'd expect.

 

That leaves about 2 hours for the 68-mile drive, which on a clear road takes under 90 minutes.. 

About 2 hours is the norm at that time of day, 2 hrs 30 is not unusual, and sometimes longer.

 

On our own & with transferable air tickets we'd probably risk it. 

With tickets that are only good for that flight I wouldn't take that risk with my own money, let alone taking the risk for others.

 

No other flights that day?

And - just a thought - what is the ship's last port before Southampton?

 

JB 🙂

Thanks for the thoughts... last port is LeHavre, France.
hate to ask... but do you think odds are good for a 12:30 departure?

[John Bull]

8 hours ago, want2go said:

Thanks for the thoughts... last port is LeHavre, France.
hate to ask... but do you think odds are good for a 12:30 departure?

Late arrivals into Southampton are rare, and Le Havre is only a few hours sailing to Southampton.

 

12.30 is much more manageable than 11.30, Covid delays will hopefully be history or minimal by then, and with unassisted disembarkation & a private transfer car waiting as per my first post, you should be OK unless there’s some exceptional delay en-route.

when you book a car, ask for their advice- naturally like me they’ll give no guarantees but their general phraseology will give you an idea of their thoughts.

 

I’m assuming there’s no suitable flights later in the day.

 

JB 🙂

[want2go]

8 hours ago, John Bull said:

Late arrivals into Southampton are rare, and Le Havre is only a few hours sailing to Southampton.

 

12.30 is much more manageable than 11.30, Covid delays will hopefully be history or minimal by then, and with unassisted disembarkation & a private transfer car waiting as per my first post, you should be OK unless there’s some exceptional delay en-route.

when you book a car, ask for their advice- naturally like me they’ll give no guarantees but their general phraseology will give you an idea of their thoughts.

 

I’m assuming there’s no suitable flights later in the day.

 

JB 🙂

Thank you! I know we will be doing lots of praying!!!