Getting off Aer Lingus, and have to check in for MAS at Heathrow
I am arriving London from Dublin with Aer Lingus and have bought a separate flight to Kuala Lumpur with MAS. Since they are not connecting flights and there is no way they can transfer my luggages to MAS since they're totally different airlines, does this mean I have to:
- Claim my luggages
- Go through customs
- Check in for my flight again?
How long do you think this will take?
Best Answer
You will arrive at Terminal 2 at Heathrow. You will need to go over to Terminal 4 for your onward flight.
There is no passport or identity control on arrivals from Dublin (usually) but there is potentially a customs inspection. In reality it is unlikely you will be stopped by customs officers. After you collect your bag and exit, you will need to walk over to Heathrow Central, to catch a shuttle train over to Terminal 4. The shuttle is free. This takes about 15-20 minutes. Then you need to check in with Malaysian Airlines, drop your bag and clear security again.
If you are fast and everything works, 2 hours would be sufficient for this on most days. But you have no protection if anything goes wrong. You are responsible if your Aer Lingus delays your flight or takes time in delivering your bags. If you miss your Malaysian Airlines flight your ticket will be cancelled (including the return part), and you will probably have to buy a new ticket.
Therefore I strongly advise something more like 5 or 6 hours, or perhaps even an overnight stay.
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Which terminal does Aer Lingus use in Heathrow?
Terminal Information Aer Lingus flights operate to and from Terminal 2.Is there a problem with Aer Lingus check in?
Aerlingus.com is UP and reachable by us. Please check and report on local outages below ... The above graph displays service status activity for Aerlingus.com over the last 10 automatic checks. The blue bar displays the response time, which is better when smaller.How far in advance can you check in with Aer Lingus?
Flights within Europe: You can check in online within 48 hours of your scheduled departure time on all routes within Europe. Online check in for group bookings and bookings made via the Aer Lingus call centre or a travel agency, is also available within 48 hours of your scheduled departure time.✈ Aer Lingus A321NEO | London Heathrow - Dublin | Trip Report ✈
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Answer 2
Your AerLingus check in agent may be able and willing to check your bags through, notwithstanding that they have been written as separate tickets. Have your MAS confirmation with you. You can probably check in online for MAS even before you go to the airport in Dublin.
Otherwise, yes, you will have to do all those steps. I don't connect through London often, but 2.5 hours would be my first guess, since you will at least not need passport control in London.
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