Heathrow Connection

[lrossouw]

Hi

Anyone with knowledge on connections in Heathrow:

I bought "connecting" tickets on separate bookings without looking too closely at the time between flights.

I'm flying Croatia Air from Split, Croatia to London arriving at terminal 1 at 15h50.
My outbound flight is KLM to Amsterdam departing terminal 4 at 17h10. If I miss this flight I'd be unlikely to make it back to Singapore in time for the Grand Prix which starts the next day!

Is this connection doable?
Will Croatia Air allow me to check luggage through and get boarding tickets for the KLM flight?
I could try to change to an earlier flight from Split, but it would be very early!

I'm already considering only taking carry-on luggage.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
Louis

[elgnin]

Louis,

Get to bed early the night before and change to the earlier flight from Split. 40 mimutes between these flights allows no leaway for any delay on the inbound flight. Assuming you know exactly where you are going, you need to disembark, clear the authorities, get into T1 and decend to the Heathrow express to T4 (free transfers between terminals & every 15 minutes i believe), get into T4, check in, clear security and get to the gate before it closes. In 40 minutes you would need to have EVERYTHING go in your favour to get close to making the second flight and even then the chances are slim.

[lrossouw]

I got my times wrong in the previous post. Will edit it now.

I arrive at term 1 at 15h50 and depart term 4 17h10.

So it is about 1 hour 20 minutes. Enough?

[VS-LHRCSA]

Personally, I wouldn't risk it, even with 1 hour, 20 mins. You may well make it but it would be very easy not to. If you take the earlier flight from Split, you will save yourself a lot of stress.

[TightSlot]

You may just make it, but your bags more possibly won't, if checked through. It is unlikely, however, that the bags will be checked through with separate tickets, so you will have to retrieve them and carry them yourself between terminals, which makes the connection much less likely to be made - Sorry!

[Final 3 Greens]

Louis

Let's assume the 15h50 arrives on time and is allocated a stand immediately.

If Croatia Airlines allow you hand luggage, you will have approximately 40 minutes to go through flight connections (including security, where there may be a queue), wait for a bus, have a 10-15 minute bus journey from T1 to T4 and get to you gate, for the start of boarding (which will start about -30 mins.) In other words, it is by no means certain you will make your connection.

If you have to collect your bags, you will miss the KLM flight, unless it is very delayed and they keep check in open well past the closure time.

So I would take the early flight from Croatia, if I were you.

[Capetonian]

For a reason which I can only assume is an error, the MCT shown in the GDS for that 'connection' on to KL is 4.00 hours. Similar connections show 1.30 or 1.15. It may be something specific to KL.

I certainly wouldn't risk it if a long haul connection is at risk.

Good luck.

[lrossouw]

The connection is not to KL but on a KLM flight to Amsterdam (which again connects!)

Not sure what MCT and GDS is?

I'm gonna try and change the flight though...

[Final 3 Greens]

MCT = minimum connection time

GDS = global distribution system (e.g. Amadeus reservation system)