Landing at Heathrow experience?

[daju22]

Hi everyone,

We're landing at Heathrow at 9:25AM Virgin in August for our Constellation cruise.

We will have our scooter and wheelchair with us.

I want to be able to tell our transfer car service the time we want to be picked up at the airport.

 

Has anyone had scooter experience at LHR. Will they allow us to zip through customs because of the disability?

 

Would it be better, since we're the last off of the plane, to tell the car service to meet us at 11 AM or later?

 

Thanks for your help,

[Queenie2]

I would just give them your flight number and tell them you are scheduled to land at "x" time, but remind them to check with the airlinefor updates on the arrival info. If you give them the flight info you are all set and then it's their responsibility to check on it (delays are not uncommon). Plus, they do this for a living and they know how much time to give folks to get to the curb.

 

Candy

[daju22]

Thanks Candy,

 

My transfer service said the same things you did, but I've read stories of "stairways not available at LHR on time because they couldn't find a licensed driver" causing extra delays of 40 minutes.

 

Just wondered if anyone had handicapped experience there.

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Queenie2]

Basically it's the luck of the draw. Sometimes it's quick, sometimes not so quick. I wouldn't worry about it -- the transfer company will wait. People get caught up in customs too and these companies understand that. I've had stories from one extreme to the other, so again, it's the luck of the draw on the particular day you come in. It's difficult to guage the exact time it will take you to get curbside, as it's different for everybody.

 

Candy

[DEL67]

The transfer companies know how long it will take to get through immigration/customs. However, I would stress to them that you will be the last passengers off the plane so that they know that you could be 15 minutes to a half hour behind the other passengers.

 

Note: There is a good chance that they will not bring your scooter back to you at the plane because of its weight. If so, they will send your scooter with the baggage and have an escort wheel you in an airport chair.

[daju22]

Candy-I just don't want to pay alot extra to have someone wait for us as they are transferring us to Dover.

 

Dale-The scooter weighs 97 pounds. Has bringing the scooter to baggage happened to you? Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if that happens. Someone will push and we'll get through the lines quicker.

 

Thanks to you both.

[DEL67]

Judy:

 

Yes. It happened to us two summers ago when we changed planes in Heathrow on our way to/from Barcelona. We travel with both my husband's power and manual wheelchairs when we cruise. Both American and British Air had told us to keep the power chair and send the manual chair with the baggage. However, when we got to Heathrow they told us that not only would they not bring up the power chair because of its weight, but that it had been sent to luggage claim which meant we would have had to go through immigration to get it. This created a real problem because my husband was too tall for the chair they provided and can not bend one leg fully because he wears a brace. After about 5 minutes of my walking backwards holding his leg up and him yelling, they sent someone to retrieve his chair. Then the same thing happened in Barcelona. Needless to say, we kept the manual chair on our return flight.

[daju22]

Judy:

 

Yes. It happened to us two summers ago when we changed planes in Heathrow on our way to/from Barcelona. We travel with both my husband's power and manual wheelchairs when we cruise. Both American and British Air had told us to keep the power chair and send the manual chair with the baggage. However, when we got to Heathrow they told us that not only would they not bring up the power chair because of its weight, but that it had been sent to luggage claim which meant we would have had to go through immigration to get it. This created a real problem because my husband was too tall for the chair they provided and can not bend one leg fully because he wears a brace. After about 5 minutes of my walking backwards holding his leg up and him yelling, they sent someone to retrieve his chair. Then the same thing happened in Barcelona. Needless to say, we kept the manual chair on our return flight.

 

Thanks Dale!

This is great information. It's so good to know what will happen ahead of time. We won't have any problems with the airport wheelchairs as you and your husband did. I just hope they don't damage the scooter by taking it to baggage. Where do you find the wheelchair in baggage? It can't come out with the suitcases!

They should make it clear that they won't bring the mobility devices to the door of the plane in Europe.

[kitty9]

There are a couple of things to know about landing at LHR. First, many flights that arrive from the US do not park at a jetway, and you have to make your way down a stairway. BUT, if you request ahead of time they will bring a mobile jetway to take him off the plane and then to the terminal. Then, you will have to wait in the transport center for someone to take you and him through Immigration. You can go through the line quicker if you have an escort.

[daju22]

Thanks Darcie,

Don't know what to request. My husband can walk down steps. He just did it in FL at St. Pete.-Clearwater airport. It's hard to know ahead of time how steep or high the steps will be. He can go down them slowly while holding onto the railing.

 

Maybe it would be easier to just request a mobile jetway. Would they then deliver his scooter to baggage?

Thanks for the advice.

[leoandhugh]

our experience in arriving heathrow with scooter and wheelchair is essentially what others have already said - because of the weight factor they will not bring it to the plane, regardless of what your airline tells you before you leave here. the scooter will go to baggage and you will pick it up there; your foldup they will gate check and bring it to the door of the plane when you land.

our other experience when being met by a transfer vehicle is - because of the congestion at the arrivals area which is always bad - they hold all the vehicles outside in a holding area and will not allow it to proceed to pick you up until you are in the waiting area (room) out by the curb. then they will call and your driver will arrive within a few minutes. it is the same general area where the busses will wait to pick up most of the other ship's passengers not going by private vehicle. our most recent experience with this was october '05.

[daju22]

our experience in arriving heathrow with scooter and wheelchair is essentially what others have already said - because of the weight factor they will not bring it to the plane, regardless of what your airline tells you before you leave here. the scooter will go to baggage and you will pick it up there; your foldup they will gate check and bring it to the door of the plane when you land.

our other experience when being met by a transfer vehicle is - because of the congestion at the arrivals area which is always bad - they hold all the vehicles outside in a holding area and will not allow it to proceed to pick you up until you are in the waiting area (room) out by the curb. then they will call and your driver will arrive within a few minutes. it is the same general area where the busses will wait to pick up most of the other ship's passengers not going by private vehicle. our most recent experience with this was october '05.

 

Thanks leoandhugh,

 

I appreciate the extra information. I'm a little bit wary of LHR. I remember the other time we were there and we were quite amazed at the amount of people and the lines. We were both able bodied then in 1997.

 

If we check both the scooter and the folding wheelchair, will they meet us with an airport chair and a porter?

 

If we have a porter, will we get through customs quicker?

 

I really don't want to push my (much larger than I am) husband unless it's necessary. He isn't able to use his arm to push the chair himself and I can't handle the luggage and the chair.

 

What do you think is the easiest and quickest way to navigate customs and baggage?

 

Is there a booth or someone in the waiting room to call our transfer? Is it or are they well marked or identified?

 

Much appreciation for anything you can tell us.:)

[daju22]

Double post.

[leoandhugh]

when you are on your flight, ask the head flight attendant to have the captain radio ahead that you need to be met by a porter with a wheelchair. at heathrow. keep in mind, you will probably be the last to deplane. whether you get through customs and immigration faster - maybe, because the porters can usually do that. but don't count on it. there is a small waiting room where you will wait for your transfer; the person you are looking for will usually meet you outside of immigration and customs and have a sign with your name on it, or at least the cruise company and ship's name ,if you made arrangements with the cruise company for the transfer. as candy has told you in her replies, it's really the luck of the draw depending on the volume of passenger traffic. one further suggestion if you yourself are not very mobile; it can be a long walk from the plane to customs - lots of long corridors and ramped walkways - you may want to consider getting 2 wheelchairs with porters - one for each of you

[daju22]

Thanks leo or hugh :) ,

I appreciate your thoughts and the time it takes to answer questions. Will try to report back on our experience.

Judy