BA Flight Time Change - is this doable at Gatwick?

[MrsHam]

Flying home from Tampa on the 28th of December and I've just had a notification from BA to say our TPA-LGW flight times have been changed but our connection to Glasgow hasn't.

Concerned that our connecting flight is now extremely tight as we won't land until 8.45am and due to depart again at 10.05am.

Anyone done this route recently? Is this remotely doable or do I want to try and change my LGW-GLA flight?

 

[Ruttangel]

Under normal airport conditions I would expect 1hour 20 to be fine for what is an internal flight and you won’t have to collect luggage.
Done this many times but has been LHR-NCL rather than LGW-GLA. I remember once the MIA-LHR flight was delayed by 6 hours so missed connection but they just put me on a later flight that day.

But You might want to speak to airline if you want reassurance that they’ll book you on later flight if you miss it. Especially with current airport issues.

 

[MrsHam]

My thoughts exactly, under normal conditions I wouldn't question it and would prefer not to be hanging around in LGW for hours on the way home.

That's a good shout, I'll check BA will be willing to bump us to the next one if we miss it. Thanks

 

[SirDuff]

I am not familiar enough with LGW (or BA) to give specific help, but in general, when looking at connections:

1) The airline will put you on the next AVAILABLE flight. This may not be the flight that actual leaves next depending on space.
2) Things to consider:

• How many flights from LGW to GLA are there after your flight? Are there a lot that day? Or only one more?
• How many of you are traveling? Easier to find a seat for one person on the next flight than to find 5.
• Do any of your travel party have mobility issues? Do you have any young children? Both of these mean that you're less likely to be able to travel quickly through the airport to make the connection.
• When is the next connection? Given the change, you should be able to get BA to change your flight (for free) if this later flight makes you more comfortable (and isn't too long)
• Are you all able to use the e-gates for passport control? Any chance you have the "trusted traveler" thing for the UK (I don't remember what it is called in the UK)?

As an aside, I have a flight coming up on my way back to Europe where I'm almost positive I won't make the connection (the incoming flight has been delayed almost every day for the last month and I don't have any wiggle room). However, I am keeping it because the next connection would be almost 6 hours (the one I have now is about 90 minutes). I am only one person and I have top-tier status with the airline (so, more likely to get a seat on the next flight). Worst case, I could take the train (directly from the airport) to my home city in about 3 hours.

 

[Plague]

BA operate out of the South Terminal at LGW.
I don't know how transfers work, but even if you were pushed out into the public concourse through arrivals it's basically just going upstairs to security for departures.

(Of course the BA check-in area is literally at the other end of the terminal from arrivals - but hopefully you won't need that.)

 

[MrsHam]

We will be checked all the way through to GLA when we leave Tampa so its just a case of getting ourselves to the plane.

Turns out it's the only LGW-GLA flight BA are operating that day so if we miss it we are either stuck until the next day or there are 3 flights with another airline we could potentially try and get a seat on.

Thankfully it's just DH and I so if we need to run we can, it won't be the first airport dash we have had to do!

I'm just going to roll with it and hope we aren't delayed leaving TPA.

 

[Plague]

We will be checked all the way through to GLA when we leave Tampa so its just a case of getting ourselves to the plane.

Thinking about it, won't you need to clear customs at Gatwick?

Turns out it's the only LGW-GLA flight BA are operating that day

In which case if you aren't horribly late they might hold it for a while. Very likely you won't be the only ones making that connection ... or not

 

[MrsHam]

Thinking about it, won't you need to clear customs at Gatwick?

Yes we will need to clear customs at Gatwick which is what concerns me really. I remember the last time we did the same route there was a queue at the e-gates.

In which case if you aren't horribly late they might hold it for a while. Very likely you won't be the only ones making that connection ... or not

Fingers crossed! I guess it will depend if it's just us!

 

[Plague]

Yes we will need to clear customs at Gatwick which is what concerns me really. I remember the last time we did the same route there was a queue at the e-gates.

That's immigration. Yes, can be busy.

Customs is after baggage claim for arrivals, so I don't know how they manage that for a transfer to a domestic flight.

 

[MrsHam]

Only immigration then when I've flown this route previously, don't go near baggage claim.