Transfer T4-T1 at LHR

"Roland Perry" <roland.RemoveThis@perry.co.uk> wrote in message
news:62ekkZ9F$gIHFAyt@perry.co.uk...
> It seems I've been booked on a flight that transits Heathrow tomorrow
> morning (International in and International out).
>
> I'm UK citizen and I expect my checked bags to be "through", but I'll have
> hand baggage.
>
> Should I get the bus to the Flight Connections Centre (have heard many
> horror stories about the queues), or try going via landside HEx etc?

How long's your connection? If it's tight, it might be worth only checking
your baggage to LHR, then rechecking it there. It'll mean schlepping it
across the airport, but BA have a bit of a reputation for losing luggage in
transit, especially if the connections are tight.
 >> Stay informed about: Transfer T4-T1 at LHR 

In message <5oelffFmm2nsU1.RemoveThis@mid.individual.net>, at 18:12:43 on Fri, 26
Oct 2007, Graculus <ReplaceWithMyMoniker.RemoveThis@hotmail.co.uk> remarked:
>> It seems I've been booked on a flight that transits Heathrow tomorrow
>>morning (International in and International out).
>>
>> I'm UK citizen and I expect my checked bags to be "through", but I'll
>>have hand baggage.
>>
>> Should I get the bus to the Flight Connections Centre (have heard
>>many horror stories about the queues), or try going via landside HEx
>>etc?
>
>How long's your connection? If it's tight, it might be worth only
>checking your baggage to LHR, then rechecking it there. It'll mean
>schlepping it across the airport, but BA have a bit of a reputation for
>losing luggage in transit, especially if the connections are tight.

1hr 50 mins (but there's another flight 4hrs later if the airline
industry really screws me up, but I'd rather not spend 6hrs at LHR!!)

I can cope if my checked luggage is a day late, after that I suppose my
travel insurance will pay for a new shirt and underwear. I'm also
staying at an airport hotel at LAX, so fairly easy to harass them in
person.
--
Roland Perry
 >> Stay informed about: Transfer T4-T1 at LHR 

In message <0ie4i35sbh59igogqrksm104235ttcj4a4 DeleteThis @4ax.com>, at 12:06:47 on
Fri, 26 Oct 2007, Lansbury <lansbury DeleteThis @spamcop.net> remarked:

>Use the airside transfer bus.

Thanks.
--
Roland Perry
 >> Stay informed about: Transfer T4-T1 at LHR 

In message <62ekkZ9F$gIHFAyt@perry.co.uk>, at 17:03:17 on Fri, 26 Oct
2007, Roland Perry <roland DeleteThis @perry.co.uk> remarked:
>It seems I've been booked on a flight that transits Heathrow tomorrow
>morning (International in and International out).
>
>I'm UK citizen and I expect my checked bags to be "through", but I'll
>have hand baggage.
>
>Should I get the bus to the Flight Connections Centre (have heard many
>horror stories about the queues), or try going via landside HEx etc?

So this is what happened (scheduled connection time from arrival at T4
to departure from T1, 1hr 50 mins):

We docked at the T4 gate 5 minutes early, having taken off pretty much
on time, and despite spending 15 minutes circling over east London.

It was a very long walk to the bus stop, which is at the extreme western
end of T4 (and we had docked at the other end). The terminal was very
empty, and after five minutes the about-to-expire bus set off with half
a dozen of us, through the cargo tunnel, and over to the Flight
Connections Centre, where the regular x-ray screening queue wasn't
particularly long (maybe ten minutes).

I qualified for the "Fast Track", but it only had one machine going, and
plenty of customers, so wasn't especially fast [1]. They seemed
completely unconcerned about people with more than one bag, but were in
the throes of debate with one chap who had a holdall which was way
outside the size that would fit inside their carry-on measurement frame.

Nevertheless, I was out of there by 30 minutes after docking at T4, and
even after another fairly long walk to T1, it was a full hour and 20
minutes before scheduled departure (and exactly an hour before the
published "gate closing time" - which transpired to be the time they
started, rather than finished, boarding).

[1] The same was true of the "fast" bag drop at the start of my trip. It
had as big a queue as for regular checkin.
--
Roland Perry
 >> Stay informed about: Transfer T4-T1 at LHR 

Roland Perry wrote:
<snipped>
> ...despite spending 15 minutes circling over east London.
>
> ...It was a very long walk to the bus stop,...

............about-to-expire bus set off with half
> .
> I qualified for the "Fast Track", ... wasn't especially fast [1].

....unconcerned about people with more than one bag, but were in
> the throes of debate with one chap who had a holdall which was way
> outside the size ...
>
....."gate closing time" - which transpired to be the time they
> started, rather than finished, boarding).
>
> .....was true of the "fast" bag drop at the start of my trip. It
> had as big a queue as for regular checkin.

All the standard elements of an LHR/BAA third world airport experience.

Congratulations

mf
 >> Stay informed about: Transfer T4-T1 at LHR 

"Roland Perry" <roland DeleteThis @perry.co.uk> wrote in message
news:iKQiL2B$szIHFAiG@perry.co.uk...

after five minutes the about-to-expire bus set off with half
> a dozen of us,

I've always had the impression that the Heathrow airside bus service used
buses that were in pretty decent condition.

--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.
 >> Stay informed about: Transfer T4-T1 at LHR 

"Mystery Flyer" <n2007.RemoveThis@mysteryflyer.com> wrote in message
news:EMOdnTxnfOhz0bnanZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@bt.com...
> Roland Perry wrote:
> <snipped>
>> ...despite spending 15 minutes circling over east London.
>>
>> ...It was a very long walk to the bus stop,...
>
> ...........about-to-expire bus set off with half
>> .
>> I qualified for the "Fast Track", ... wasn't especially fast [1].
>
> ...unconcerned about people with more than one bag, but were in
>> the throes of debate with one chap who had a holdall which was way
>> outside the size ...
>>
> ...."gate closing time" - which transpired to be the time they
>> started, rather than finished, boarding).
>>
>> .....was true of the "fast" bag drop at the start of my trip. It had as
>> big a queue as for regular checkin.
>
> All the standard elements of an LHR/BAA third world airport experience.
>
There speaks a man who hasn't spent much time in 3rd World airports.

--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.
 >> Stay informed about: Transfer T4-T1 at LHR 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 11:29:10 -0000, "William Black"
<william.black.TakeThisOut@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:

>I've always had the impression that the Heathrow airside bus service used
>buses that were in pretty decent condition.

Unless things have changed since I retired the T4 to FCC and return bus
shuttle is run by BA and not BAA, and the buses were newer ones.
--
Lansbury (Retired)
www.uk-air.net
FAQs for the alt.travel.uk.air newsgroup
 >> Stay informed about: Transfer T4-T1 at LHR 

In message <fg1rql$2dq$1@registered.motzarella.org>, at 11:29:10 on Sun,
28 Oct 2007, William Black <william.black DeleteThis @hotmail.co.uk> remarked:
>after five minutes the about-to-expire bus set off with half
>> a dozen of us,
>
>I've always had the impression that the Heathrow airside bus service used
>buses that were in pretty decent condition.

It acted completely clapped out, grinding along in what seemed like 2nd
gear the whole way. The inside was clean enough though. The only other
airport buses I get with any regularity are the car park and train
shuttle buses at Luton, and this Heathrow bus was far worse. Plenty of
other airports have much nicer and newer buses.
--
Roland Perry
 >> Stay informed about: Transfer T4-T1 at LHR 

On Fri, 2 Nov 2007 22:25:38 +0000, Roland Perry <roland DeleteThis @perry.co.uk>
wrote:

>But airside is the pits. No shopping (of the BAA kind we know and love)
>and just one small bar and one confectionery kiosk, serving dozens of
>gates where 747s depart. With the most expensive sandwich I think I've
>ever bought ($8.87).

I noticed that about DFW. A fair few eateries, but just about no
decent shops. That said, I'd far rather no shops and an effectively
designed airport, just as I'd rather better seats and more legroom
over any kind of IFE. Better to do fewer things better than more
things badly, IMO.

That said, AMS manages both very effectively.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.
 >> Stay informed about: Transfer T4-T1 at LHR 

"Neil Williams" <wensleydale.TakeThisOut@pacersplace.org.uk> wrote in message
news:472cefea.94576947@news.individual.net...
> On Fri, 2 Nov 2007 22:25:38 +0000, Roland Perry <roland.TakeThisOut@perry.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
>>But airside is the pits. No shopping (of the BAA kind we know and love)
>>and just one small bar and one confectionery kiosk, serving dozens of
>>gates where 747s depart. With the most expensive sandwich I think I've
>>ever bought ($8.87).
>
> I noticed that about DFW. A fair few eateries, but just about no
> decent shops.

Since you mentioned DFW, the situation is getting a bit better. The new
international terminal (Terminal D - American International flights, various
charter airlines, Air Canada, British Airways, Lufthansa, Mexicana, KLM
starting next March) has a good number of decent shops, and better
restaurants than the other terminals. Also, the American terminals tend to
be better than Terminal E (AirTran, Alaska, ATA, Continental, Delta,
Frontier, Midwest, US Airways) because they have more flights.

Jeff


That said, I'd far rather no shops and an effectively
> designed airport, just as I'd rather better seats and more legroom
> over any kind of IFE. Better to do fewer things better than more
> things badly, IMO.
>
> That said, AMS manages both very effectively.
>
> Neil
>
> --
> Neil Williams
> Put my first name before the at to reply.
 >> Stay informed about: Transfer T4-T1 at LHR 

In message <472cefea.94576947.TakeThisOut@news.individual.net>, at 22:03:32 on Sat,
3 Nov 2007, Neil Williams <wensleydale.TakeThisOut@pacersplace.org.uk> remarked:
>>But airside is the pits. No shopping (of the BAA kind we know and love)
>>and just one small bar and one confectionery kiosk, serving dozens of
>>gates where 747s depart. With the most expensive sandwich I think I've
>>ever bought ($8.87).
>
>I noticed that about DFW. A fair few eateries, but just about no
>decent shops.

It's quite common at USA airports to have just two kinds of airside
shop: food with the very occasional bar; plus souvenirs (t-shirts,
shot-glasses and so on). But I've never seen a major airport before
where the whole of airside (albeit one, but also the International,
terminal) was so poorly served.

>That said, AMS manages both very effectively.

It was a bit like the D gates at Amsterdam, less the big shop inside the
"Y" junction. ie just one cafe for that size and length of facility. And
much more in need of a refurb, but that wasn't the main complaint - a
lot of things at and near LAX are in a rather poor state of repair.
--
Roland Perry
 >> Stay informed about: Transfer T4-T1 at LHR 

"Roland Perry" <roland.RemoveThis@perry.co.uk> wrote in message
news:8351U0RWyaLHFArq@perry.co.uk...
> In message <472cefea.94576947.RemoveThis@news.individual.net>, at 22:03:32 on Sat, 3
> Nov 2007, Neil Williams <wensleydale.RemoveThis@pacersplace.org.uk> remarked:
>>>But airside is the pits. No shopping (of the BAA kind we know and love)
>>>and just one small bar and one confectionery kiosk, serving dozens of
>>>gates where 747s depart. With the most expensive sandwich I think I've
>>>ever bought ($8.87).
>>
>>I noticed that about DFW. A fair few eateries, but just about no
>>decent shops.
>
> It's quite common at USA airports to have just two kinds of airside shop:
> food with the very occasional bar; plus souvenirs (t-shirts, shot-glasses
> and so on). But I've never seen a major airport before where the whole of
> airside (albeit one, but also the International, terminal) was so poorly
> served.
>
How long ago were you last there? I think it is improving (although it
ain't Amsterdam Schipol. . .)

Jeff

> >That said, AMS manages both very effectively.
>
> It was a bit like the D gates at Amsterdam, less the big shop inside the
> "Y" junction. ie just one cafe for that size and length of facility. And
> much more in need of a refurb, but that wasn't the main complaint - a lot
> of things at and near LAX are in a rather poor state of repair.
> --
> Roland Perry
 >> Stay informed about: Transfer T4-T1 at LHR