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Hi All,
I have a flight (in J) from MAD > SCL on Iberia with checked luggage. Flight departs MAD Friday 16/01/26 at 23:55 from T4S.
I had a separate BA LHR > MAD flight booked arriving 16/01/26 at 19:40 and felt 4.5hrs would enough to get disembark, get through passport control in T4S, train over to T4 to collect my bag and check it back in, then train back over to T4S and go through security. Also allowed for some short delays.
However BA have moved my LHR flight and it now lands at 20:30, giving me 3.5hrs now. Is this still enough time and will it allow for small delays or better to change to an earlier flight?
The BA flight is an avios booking so I can change it if needed to land at 09:45 (and still get a full day of work at the lounge although thats a long day + 12hr travel after) or 18:30 (but means a half day which I’d rather avoid but can do).
Thanks in advance for advice.
There’s a wave of departures around the same time, so from experience it does get very busy.
I’d change to the 18:30 arrival.Also bear in mind that baggage delivery is very slow in T4, sometimes it takes over an hour till you get your bag.
Hi All,
However BA have moved my LHR flight and it now lands at 20:30, giving me 3.5hrs now. Is this still enough time and will it allow for small delays or better to change to an earlier flight?
.
You do not have 3 1/2 hours.
You’ll have closer to 2 1/2 once you factor in the IB bag drop / check in deadline!
Thanks all. Sounds too risky – I’m going to move it to an earlier time.
I’d suggest going for the option of an early arrival and full day of work in the lounge. Not only will you be intensely relaxed about any possible delays, it seems you’ll save half a day of annual leave. The lounge at T4S is a very pleasant place to spend time and there will be long stretches in the middle of the day when it’ll be very quiet. I think it also has a business suite (that in my experience is unused most of the time). It’s worth finishing your work in time for the start of the evening dining service in the in-lounge restaurant.
With the later arrival you run the risk of any delays cutting it fine with checking in for your onward flight and as others have pointed out there, luggage can be slow to arrive. Really, the airport is oversized and the satellite terminal is too far from the main building. Even if you’re on time you won’t have long in the lounge which would be a shame.
Don’t forget that BA now offers MAD from LCY which might be more convenient for you and will certainly be a lot quicker to transit which you’ll appreciate considering it would be a long day. LCY versus LHR could mean an extra hour in bed, depending on where home is!
I’d suggest going for the option of an early arrival and full day of work in the lounge. Not only will you be intensely relaxed about any possible delays, it seems you’ll save half a day of annual leave. The lounge at T4S is a very pleasant place to spend time and there will be long stretches in the middle of the day when it’ll be very quiet. I think it also has a business suite (that in my experience is unused most of the time). It’s worth finishing your work in time for the start of the evening dining service in the in-lounge restaurant.
With the later arrival you run the risk of any delays cutting it fine with checking in for your onward flight and as others have pointed out there, luggage can be slow to arrive. Really, the airport is oversized and the satellite terminal is too far from the main building. Even if you’re on time you won’t have long in the lounge which would be a shame.
Don’t forget that BA now offers MAD from LCY which might be more convenient for you and will certainly be a lot quicker to transit which you’ll appreciate considering it would be a long day. LCY versus LHR could mean an extra hour in bed, depending on where home is!
Thanks @Londonsteve. Convinced me to have an easy life, and long day, in MAD and booked the red eye flight from LHR.
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