Cheap Flight - £266 per person but need to travel heathrow to Gatwick!

[baldybouncer]

UPDATE:

After leaving a bad review on trustpilot - a manager from travelup called me and was very helpful.

He explained the airlines would charge a fortune to change but to not worry as the gate for the MCO leg of my flight closes 45 mins before take off so in reality we have until about 10:30 (from 8:10) to get betwe en the airports... so feel alot better.

He also mentioned that the buses can use bus lanes on the M4 (no idea if the correct way!) towards gatwick so can work out quicker IF the motorways are busy...

I feel alot better now about the flight - but did advise to not change anything now -as it is quite likely a schedule change may happen anyway -

[CosmicGirl]

Originally Posted by baldybouncer

UPDATE:

After leaving a bad review on trustpilot - a manager from travelup called me and was very helpful.

He explained the airlines would charge a fortune to change but to not worry as the gate for the MCO leg of my flight closes 45 mins before take off so in reality we have until about 10:30 (from 8:10) to get betwe en the airports... so feel alot better.

He also mentioned that the buses can use bus lanes on the M4 (no idea if the correct way!) towards gatwick so can work out quicker IF the motorways are busy...

I feel alot better now about the flight - but did advise to not change anything now -as it is quite likely a schedule change may happen anyway -

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The gate closes much later than that, so that's not the issue. The issue is bag drop, which closes an hour before departure.

[baldybouncer]

Originally Posted by CosmicGirl

The gate closes much later than that, so that's not the issue. The issue is bag drop, which closes an hour before departure.

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He said the gate and back drop close about the same time - he also said its in the interest of the airline to get you on the flight - otherwise they have to move around other flights to accomodate you...

Either way - we have approx 2 hours to get our bags and get to gatwick and drop them off - which I am sure is do-able -

Just looked and we don't use the m4!

[pluto99]

dont think so m25 m23

[CosmicGirl]

Originally Posted by baldybouncer

He said the gate and back drop close about the same time - he also said its in the interest of the airline to get you on the flight - otherwise they have to move around other flights to accomodate you...

Either way - we have approx 2 hours to get our bags and get to gatwick and drop them off - which I am sure is do-able -

Just need to check if we use the M4 to gatwick!?

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As someone who's been working in aviation for 16 years I can assure you that what he said is not correct. If it were true then someone who checks their luggage just before bag drop closes would not be able to make the flight because the gate would be closed by the time they get there.

They close check in and bag drop an hour before the flight because they need that time to complete the load sheet, to ensure the weight and balance of the plane is correct, to finalize the amount of fuel needed, and to physically load the bags. The gate closes to passengers a maximum of 10-15 minutes before departure.

If your ticket is all on BA then I do believe that you'll have a better chance of getting rebooked on the later flight if they have seats available but legally I don't believe they have to. That said, I do hope it doesn't come to that.

[baldybouncer]

Originally Posted by CosmicGirl

As someone who's been working in aviation for 16 years I can assure you that what he said is not correct. If it were true then someone who checks their luggage just before bag drop closes would not be able to make the flight because the gate would be closed by the time they get there.

They close check in and bag drop an hour before the flight because they need that time to complete the load sheet, to ensure the weight and balance of the plane is correct, to finalize the amount of fuel needed, and to physically load the bags. The gate closes to passengers a maximum of 10-15 minutes before departure.

If your ticket is all on BA then I do believe that you'll have a better chance of getting rebooked on the later flight if they have seats available but legally I don't believe they have to. That said, I do hope it doesn't come to that.

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Either way - I have approx 2 hours to make the trip and drop the bags off - which is an hour longer than I at first expected! I have driven the M25 east from heathrow in the past at that time of the morning and the traffic is normally worse going the other way -

I will keep an eye out for the possibility to change but feel alot happier now

[bLaZeR666_uk]

How will you clear security in 1 hour or so? it can easily take 1.5 hours to go from Heathrow to Gatwick.

[baldybouncer]

Originally Posted by bLaZeR666_uk

How will you clear security in 1 hour or so? it can easily take 1.5 hours to go from Heathrow to Gatwick.

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Not sure - but I have been helped through security in the past with a short connection ...

[fredflintstone]

Originally Posted by baldybouncer

UPDATE:

After leaving a bad review on trustpilot - a manager from travelup called me and was very helpful.

He explained the airlines would charge a fortune to change but to not worry as the gate for the MCO leg of my flight closes 45 mins before take off so in reality we have until about 10:30 (from 8:10) to get betwe en the airports... so feel alot better.

He also mentioned that the buses can use bus lanes on the M4 (no idea if the correct way!) towards gatwick so can work out quicker IF the motorways are busy...

I feel alot better now about the flight - but did advise to not change anything now -as it is quite likely a schedule change may happen anyway -

See more...

He got that wrong didn't he.

You must check-in at least 60 mins before flight (45 for domestic) go through security at least 35 mins before departure and be at the gate at least 20 mins before departure.

As you say T5 which BA use for domestic and doesn't need the M4 only T1-3 would use the M4.

As mentioned most days this will not be an issue and the taxi drivers should know alternate routes if they are aware of issues. If I'd realised the M23 was blocked on Monday I would have come off a couple of junctions before and gone the back roads which would have been a lot quicker.

[jane2211]

Originally Posted by baldybouncer

Either way - I have approx 2 hours to make the trip and drop the bags off - which is an hour longer than I at first expected! I have driven the M25 east from heathrow in the past at that time of the morning and the traffic is normally worse going the other way -

I will keep an eye out for the possibility to change but feel alot happier now

See more...

Same I’m not stressing about it now loads of people do this route 😀