Connecting at LHR

[kpc]

Next month I will be flying from Sydney to Glasgow via Heathrow.
Arr on QF 31 at LHR at 0640 Terminal 4
connecting to QF 3476 (BA metal) to GLA at 0955 Terminal 5.

Q: Can I check my luggage all the way from Sydney to Glasgow, or do I need to collect it at Heathrow, and then recheck it for the flight to Glasgow?

thanks

 

[Evan]

I would have guessed they are checked all the way through.... i guess that all depends if they consider LHR your entry to the UK or Glasgow.

I was going to say they would be checked all the way thought, then thought about it a bit more, sorry i cant be sure I still think they will be and you will clear immigration and customs in Glasgow, hopefully that is the case for you.

E

 

[kpc]

I found this thread: BAA Heathrow: Terminal 4 International to Terminal 5 Domestic which seems to infer that I don't have to collect and recheck my bags at LHR. Can anyone confirm please?

 

[Dave Noble]

If your bags are tagged all the way to Glasgow, then on arrival at LHR, you just need to make your way to domestic departures and collect your baggage on arrival at GLA

iirc, the luggage *should* arrive on a carousel for international luggage for you to then go through customs, though I hear that sometimes they come out on domestic ones

Dave

 

[Mal]

Of course based on Heathrow's current Luggage statistics, I'd recommend not connecting, but rather heading through customs, waiting the 20+ mins for your bags and then getting to the new terminal (eg via the Heathrow Express) and checking in again (assuming you have enough time!)

Bags to Heathrow aren't as bad as bags to Heathrow, then connecting to other destinations.

I know little about T5 though as it's not yet open, so not entirely sure about how great the transfer process would be either through customs or via the internal terminal change mechanisms.

 

[Bundy Bear]

how does the airport work that you can fly into one terminal then connect to another terminal; is there a separate place for international passengers.

I would just tag the bags to LHR go through customs collect the bags and then transfer to T5 and check in there. The complete T5 experience and less chance of LHR staff trying to lose your baggage.

 

[Dave Noble]

how does the airport work that you can fly into one terminal then connect to another terminal; is there a separate place for international passengers.

I would just tag the bags to LHR go through customs collect the bags and then transfer to T5 and check in there. The complete T5 experience and less chance of LHR staff trying to lose your baggage.

You just stay airside and follow signs for Flight Connections

To get from T4 to T5 , at flight connections , you just hop on a bus that drops off airside at T5

I would not recommend going for the collect bags at T4, then doing a landside transfer and then checking the bags in

Dave

 

[kpc]

Thanks all for the replies. I think I will check my lugagge all the way through to Glasgow. It will be much simpler and less hassle at LHR, and then I just follow these instructions: BAA Heathrow: Terminal 4 International to Terminal 5 Domestic
It should then allow me plenty of time to explore the new T5 and lounges where a long, hot shower would be badly needed.

Oh...if my bags get mislaid / delayed, my travel insurance allows me up to $3000 for emergency supplies if they arrive more than 8 hours after me:mrgreen:. As I need to attend a work conference, a new business suit would then beckon:!:

 

[Dave Noble]

Oh...if my bags get mislaid / delayed, my travel insurance allows me up to $3000 for emergency supplies if they arrive more than 8 hours after me:mrgreen:. As I need to attend a work conference, a new business suit would then beckon:!:

Exactly the same general outlook as me.

I make sure that I have enough stuff in handluggage to do for a day or 2 after arrival and if my luggage gets delayed, then a free shopping trip

I think that checking the bags through to GLA does provide the most hassle free method of transit at LHR

Dave

 

[acampbel]

It might depend a bit on your connection time. In my last trip to the UK we checked the bags all the way through to Edinburgh, but a late arrival into LHR had us scurrying through connections to T4 and getting to the gate just as they commenced boarding the EDI flight. If I wasn't on a UK passport it may have been a different story.

When we arrived in Edinburgh most of our bags popped out, but the kids car seats (bulky items) did not. We decided to spend a few hours sight-seeing before returning to pick them up 4 hours later.

This year we will be going BA from HKG so the "transfer" to EDI will be T5/T5. It may still be a gamble as we only have a 75-minute connection but flights to Edinburgh are frequent enough to make it no big deal if the bags (or passengers!) don't make it.


Cheers,


Andrew

.

 

[kpc]

It might depend a bit on your connection time. In my last trip to the UK we checked the bags all the way through to Edinburgh, but a late arrival into LHR had us scurrying through connections to T4 and getting to the gate just as they commenced boarding the EDI flight. If I wasn't on a UK passport it may have been a different story.

I have left sufficient time, I think Arr LHR T4 at 0640, dep T5 at 0955. I could have caught an earlier flight but didn't want the stress!I think there are hourly flights to Gla from LHR anyway! I think they are currently recommending a MCT of 2 hours for connections to T5, which will be reduced to 90 minutes when all the teething problems with T5 have been worked out:shock:

 

[Chook legs]

When you get to Glasgow the bags come out on a seperate baggage belt in a room next to the domestic one. When you go down the stairs from the arrival area to the baggage area turn left towards the belts. Go past them and the room is right in front of you.
Anyone can walk in and out of the room and there is no check once you pick your bags up. Actually I think there is a sign above a phone that tells you to ring if you have something to declare!

 

[thegurio]

I have no idea about GLA but when we went from T2 to T3 (i think) when we went from SYD-SIN-LHR-FCO our baggage went all the way and out of 12 people not one bag was lost or delayed. I have no idea if we were just lucky or whatever but i must admit that i was a little worried!

Note : none of the pax were above Bronzes so status didnt come into it.