Kaffy Mintcake

Hi all,

I thought you might be the best ones to weigh in on my question!

I'm completely unfamiliar with London Gatwick and am hoping you can help. I have an opportunity to fly into Gatwick at a low rate, followed by a direct flight to mainland Europe 2 hours later.

Here are the details:
Arrive London Gatwick (from US) at 7:10am on Delta
Depart at 9:10am on British Airways

I'm not worried about making the return, because if this works we'd spend a couple of days in London before going home.

Given that we'd need to go through customs and possibly security again, do you think this is feasible or is it entirely too tight?

Thanks in advance!
Kaffy

tonrob

Separate PNRs? (Assume so). Wouldn't chance it.

Ozzidoc

My gut feeling is that it is NOT too tight. But I'm used to tight schedules and occasionally running for flights

Kaffy Mintcake

Sorry, what is a PNR?

Both Delta and British Airways are in the North Terminal, but don't know if that helps us.

tonrob

Passenger Name Record - basically I'm asking whether this is two separate bookings or one through booking.


Running for flights is one thing - done that loads with tight connections on through bookings. Having separate bookings though means queuing for immigration, collecting luggage, going to departures, queuing to check luggage again and then going through security - all with no safety net of a through booking. Miss that and you're paying for a highly expensive new same-day ticket to your European destination. Two hours after the scheduled arrival time on a long-haul flight? You'd have to be mad.

Kaffy Mintcake

What if we were to carry on our bags? Do you think that could make the difference? You are correct, it's not a through booking.

I share your concern about timing. I'm seeing "minimum connection times" for an international to domestic flight listed at 45 minutes for Gatwick. I don't believe that.

snowbunny

Making it through the immigrations queue for non-EU citizens could take a while. You won't have that problem on departure, so.... it would might be *more* doable to have your two days in London first.

tonrob

Carry on would mean not having to stand by a conveyor belt for a while, and you could see if you are able to check in online for the onward flight - this would shave some minutes off. In reality though the second flight could board T-30 minutes or earlier so you have maybe 80-90 minutes to play with. It's not just about how likely you are to make it but whether you're ready to pay the price if you don't.

Try searching for the cost of a flight LGW - destination tomorrow and see how much a ticket could be at short notice. Also look at the Delta flight on Flightstats to get a feel for on-time performance. Both of these things though are at best flimsy indicators though as these things can change.

Oh, and that 45-minute thing assumes through ticketing - big difference.

snowbunny

- the safety net being that if you missed your connection via London on a through booking, you'd be re-scheduled (for free or low cost) onto the next flight?

md95065

Yes - I read that as "less than 45 minutes is impossible" not "45 minutes is OK".

Also you aren't really "connecting" if you have flights on two separate airlines that don't have any code sharing or partnership agreement - you are "arriving" (ie collect bags & go through customs and immigration) and then checking in at the other airline (who probably want you there at least an hour before departure) and going through security etc.

If you were really "connecting" and could stay airside and have your bags checked through to your final destination I would say that 2 hours was OK, but what you are trying to do sounds a bit tight ...

tonrob

Yes - maybe the next flight - maybe later in the day - but the airline's contracted to get you to your final destination.

Kaffy Mintcake

Yes, I'd be 100% comfortable if it was 3 hours, but it's not. This may be a dealbreaker. Checking flightstats now, good rec, Tonrob.

Supposedly 88% on time.

I do have preferred status on Delta, but all that means is that I could put us in the first half of the plane.

Bob

The other down side is, if you do miss the flight, your in Gatwick...it's kind of a grot bag of an airport...

Kaffy Mintcake

Maybe I just need to talk the fam into a little UK time on either end.

tonrob

Fine if the first half of the plane arrives half an hour before the rest of it...