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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Transit Through Heathrow?
Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 3:25 PM on 01.06.10 |
->> What are the real-life carry-on regs through Heathrow these days?
I'm flying to Paris in the spring and the best fare deal involves transiting through Heathrow (on BA in and out). Any things I should know? Horror stories? I'm assuming that since both flights are BA that it's all done in Terminal Five. Correct? |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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| | | Posted: 3:41 PM on 01.06.10 |
->> BA is now T5, you're arrive at T5 from the US and transit to CDG in T5.
Cabin baggage for BA is one carry on, 22"x18"x10" + one personal item, which is defined as a laptop case, handbag or briefcase. A Domke F2 should be just fine.
Happy Flying! |
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Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 3:51 PM on 01.06.10 |
| ->> Thanks. My Airport Ultralight should be fine. Any weight restrictions on that carry-on bag? |
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Nigel Farrow, Photographer
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Suffolk | UK | United Kingdom | Posted: 5:13 PM on 01.06.10 |
->> No restriction on weight according to their website at :
https://www.britishairways.com/travel/bagcabin/public/en_gb
as long as you can lift the bag into the overhead locker yourself. I am sure I have seen a limit somewhere but it was quite high which is why I guess they don't usually bother weighing carry on.
Incidentally, for those flying with BA from the US, the above page also gives a link to a window stating that the allowance back into the US at present is only one carry on despite the allowance out being the usual two. |
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George Bridges, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Washington | DC | USA | Posted: 5:37 PM on 01.06.10 |
| ->> It's been some time ago but I had a carry-on with BA that they asked to weigh and said it was more than twice their allowed limit and I had to check it. Then they looked without weighing at the Stealth backpack on my back and said "yeah, that's ok." I guess it looked light on me because it weighed more than the roller. |
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Chuck Liddy, Photographer
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Durham | NC | USA | Posted: 6:06 PM on 01.06.10 |
| ->> that's funny george. that's the exact same thing that happened to me. but jim....you might as well not take any information now to heart. by may i would think they will come out with all new sets of regulations....just my opinion. |
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Thomas E. Witte, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Cincinnati | OH | USA | Posted: 6:06 PM on 01.06.10 |
->> Nigel is right. For some reason they do not list a weight restriction. It's been a few months since my last flight through LHR, but I seem to recall there being size AND weight restrictions on BA and DL. It was something obscenely light, like 6-7 Kilos or 13-15 lbs.
I have seen people denied carry on luggage but that was in the recent weeks after the shoe bomber. WIth the recent underwear bomber, who knows what they'll do. |
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Matt Kartozian, Photographer
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Scottsdale | AZ | USA | Posted: 6:58 PM on 01.06.10 |
->> Its been a couple year since I flew BA or into Heathrow but I recall carry ons being limited to 12 kilos.
I also avoid flying through Heathrow whenever possible. Is there is a minor problem it will turn into a huge one fast.
In 07 I was going through Heathrow on BA to Czech. During the flight over to the UK my outbound flight was canceled (too foggy to take off, but not to land. WTF?). If I miss a connection with say Southwest I can go to just about anyone in a SW uniform to reschedule. At Heathrow there were 2 whole people who could rebook my flight, out of the thousands working there.
I got in line to see those two agents with about 10 people in front of me in line. 4 and a half hours later I was at the front of the line, and because it took so long there were no more flights that day and I had to stay overnight in London. Definitely not my favorite airport or airline. |
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Nigel Farrow, Photographer
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Suffolk | UK | United Kingdom | Posted: 5:10 AM on 01.07.10 |
->> Jim, I've made 10 flights this past year with BA. The only problem I had was on a flight back from Australia where I got a rant from the check in clerk who then admitted that 20kg was NOT over the BA carry on limit and the bag wasn't to big "but that it should be". I have a feeling that I saw somewhere, (and yes I carefully checked the wording) that it was the same as for checked (eg 23kgs) but as I can't remember where I saw that I didn't put it in my original post.
Hopefully Fish will chip in here as he has more knowledge on this stuff than me but mid 2006 many of the European airlines were talking of allowing heavier carry on allowances and I am assuming some airlines like BA had already carried out the alterations to their overhead lockers to allow for this.
After the security scare of August 2006 the BA carry on size and weight allowance was decreased to a briefcase size bag of no more than 5kg but that has been back at the 1+1 levels for at least a couple of years now. Unfortunately only the budget airlines have also raised their allowances back and even they are restricted to a single carry on bag.
I've seen a few people asked to check their bags on BA flights but that is because whilst they have legit sized carry ons they have then overfilled them so they are bulging in all directions with clothes hanging out of side pockets.
Thomas, the only reason I can think you may have been pulled up for the weight of your carry on in recent years was if the flight was a codeshare between BA and an airline with a small allowance whose allowance takes precedence if they are providing the actual plane and crew.
Chuck and Thomas, the latest reports are of full body scanners. Bit controversial as the celebs think their scans will end up in some celeb picture mag. Personally the only problem I had when I went through one when they were being trialled was that, as I have short legs, I felt as though I was doing the splits !! |
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Francis Specker, Photographer
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Riverside | CA | USA | Posted: 7:16 AM on 01.07.10 |
| ->> I would rather pay an extra $100 or so to avoid Heathrow. Too many bad experiences and good luck trying to get your connecting flight. Nothing like riding in a packed bus around the airport and having to go through yet another security check. The food on BA is not good. Ugh. |
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Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 12:22 PM on 01.07.10 |
->> "The food on BA is not good."
The trick flying into and out of the UK used to be that if you ordered the South Asian vegetarian meal you could get some pretty good curries. |
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Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 3:47 PM on 01.07.10 |
| ->> Problem solved. Ticket booked. I'd rather have a 9.5 hour lay-over at DFW going out and a 6 hour lay-over coming back than transit through Heathrow... |
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