Reviews/opinions please Scotland to tampa

[toots82]

Hi.

Ok so 2 options have appeared with BA. fly drive for 4 (2 adults 1 13 year old and 1 10 year old) SUV (edge or similar) all included as is luggage etc.

Edi - lgw - tpa return = £2100
Gla - lgw - tpa return = £2200

We live about 45 mins closer to edinburgh that glasgow but the edinburgh layover on way home is 3.5 hours or 1 hour 20 mins for the glasgow one (is that doable). I'm hesitating because the transatlantic leg seems so long? Weve never done indirect before and never flown BA. All thoughts welcome and any pics of BA economy would be fab. Also, any experiences of cheap upgrades to PE?

[claireyfairy8]

1hr 20 is absolutely fine.
Glasgow is small.

BA is absolutely fine, big tin can, different logo on the side.

I wouldn't pay more than £70 pp to upgrade to PE, I don't think it's worth it.

Tbh though, by the time you get through Glasgow, get out then drive home, it will probably work out the same amount of time if you'd gone into Edinburgh. Then the cost of fuel etc to drive home.

I'd pick Edinburgh.

[Gryff]

I live about the same distance from both airports
For me it be the Edinburgh one an hour and 20 mins is way to tight
By the time you get off the plane do immigration then go landslide and come back through security and all the way to the gate it would be way to tight for me and might even mean an even longer wait
A 20 min delay Us side once cost us either change airport in London
Or a 7 hour wait in the airport
Price wise it looks good

[toots82]

Originally Posted by claireyfairy8

1hr 20 is absolutely fine.
Glasgow is small.

BA is absolutely fine, big tin can, different logo on the side.

I wouldn't pay more than £70 pp to upgrade to PE, I don't think it's worth it.

Tbh though, by the time you get through Glasgow, get out then drive home, it will probably work out the same amount of time if you'd gone into Edinburgh. Then the cost of fuel etc to drive home.

I'd pick Edinburgh.

See more...

Its strange because I know what you mean about it ending up taking the same amount of time but for hubby, the idea of sitting around in London for 3.5 hours is not going well, he would rather have the shorter layover then drive home from Glasgow. Think I'm mainly worried about the 1 hour 20 mins turnaround in Gatwick, never happy lol

[claireyfairy8]

Why not look at booking a lounge in Gatwick?
More comfortable than sitting in the main bit.

[toots82]

Originally Posted by claireyfairy8

Why not look at booking a lounge in Gatwick?
More comfortable than sitting in the main bit.

See more...

That's a good idea, I'll have a nosy. Struggling to give up such a good price but I think the short turnaround would worry me...off for a google

[scooby99]

I would pick the 3.5 hours layover.

1 hr 20 mins is not that long a time to get off plane, through immigration, re-clear security, have a comfort break &/or grab a drink/snack.
By the time you do all that and then go to your gate when they call you, you may have only 1.5-2 hours to play with.
Any delays could wipe out your 1 hour 20 minutes resulting in a missed connection and a even longer wait util the afternoon/evening flight (if they have room on that flight for 4!)

[Mackay]

We did the Edinburgh Gatwick Tampa this year with a 6month old, 5 and 6 year old and
It wasn’t that bad it took us a while to clear immigration then we had to go out and back through security to departures, I would say the 1 hour 20 turn around would be tight

[bighal]

We have had similar or less connection times on quite a few of our previous flights from GLA to Florida at LGW, either to MCO or Tampa and haven't yet missed a flight. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.
Minimum connection time is approx 65 minutes, if it wasn't possible BA would not allow you to book it.

[thatdavieguy]

We've done a short layover on the way back via LGW into Glasgow a few times & never had an issue.

Would suggest to bear in mind that your layover could also end up longer as the flights back generally land early.