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Hello.
This summer, I’m flying with MAS from KUL to LHR, and then from LHR to MAN with BA.
MAS flight arrives at t4
BA flight leaves 3 hours later from t5
Booked as a single ticket through BAI want to collect my suitcases at Heathrow and leave the airport; I don’t want to go to Manchester.
I am keen to avoid speaking to BA about this itinerary.
Therefore, does anyone know for sure if there is a way to convince Malaysia Airlines to NOT through check to Manchester (perhaps the change of terminals at Heathrow can be cited?) If so, how far in advance?If I do end up in Manchester (20:35 arrival), I need a hotel to overnight.
I see the Doubletree next to Piccadilly has very good reviews and is quite cheap that night (18k points).
Seeing as I will need to take the train home next morning, is this hotel a good option rather than something local to the airport? I read some comments about refurbishment work, but unclear if still ongoing.
I think there are trains from the airport to Piccadilly every 15 or 20 mins in the late evening.
Happy to consider alternative hotels, but please bear in mind we’ve got luggage and will be on Malaysia body clock.Thanks.
We had an excellent stay at the Piccadilly DT, it’s clean, modern and there’s a nice private breakfast room for golds and diamonds. Very good breakfast as well. Drinks vouchers for spirit and mixer IIRC.
By far the best airport option IMO just now is the MAN Doubletree which is still relatively reasonable at 35k pn, compared to cash rates on all the (mediocre) airport hotels which frequently hit £200 pn these days!
Be aware the region suffers from ongoing rail disruption and you cannot assume that all (or indeed any) trains will be running at the times you want to travel.
I don’t know how amenable Malaysia would be about offloading your luggage – is there no way you could be HBO on this leg?
We had an excellent stay at the Piccadilly DT, it’s clean, modern and there’s a nice private breakfast room for golds and diamonds. Very good breakfast as well. Drinks vouchers for spirit and mixer IIRC.
By far the best airport option IMO just now is the MAN Doubletree which is still relatively reasonable at 35k pn, compared to cash rates on all the (mediocre) airport hotels which frequently hit £200 pn these days!
Be aware the region suffers from ongoing rail disruption and you cannot assume that all (or indeed any) trains will be running at the times you want to travel.
I don’t know how amenable Malaysia would be about offloading your luggage – is there no way you could be HBO on this leg?
Thanks Anna.
Is the Airport DT walkable distance? the other airport hotels seem to be a mile away or more which would necessitate a taxi. If I’m going to be taking a taxi, then I might as well take the taxi into Manchester itself and stay at a hotel there (e.g. the DT at Piccadilly that you’ve also recommended).
If the DT at the airport is definitely walking distance, then I may just book that for convenience, despite it being double the price of the one at Piccadilly.Regarding HBO. No chance. We’re taking a large suitcase each, and coming back with 2 each (Don’t ask).
Talking to Malaysia Airlines is a bit painful, due to language barrier / misunderstandings. I don’t want to talk to them unless I have to, hence wanted to check if anyone knows if I can definitely get the luggage collected at Heathrow.
I absolutely do not want to draw BA’s attention though.Done it last month albeit all with BA.
Had a HKG-LHR-MAN ticket – baggage was tagged all the way to MAN.Requested at the BA counter at LHR T5 transfer desk to offload our bags.
Waited about 30 minutes at baggage belt and walked out a free man with baggage.A mere change of terminal is not grounds to short check.
MH would be well within their rights not to short check as your ticketed destination is MAN not LHR.
Asking for a short check is done at checkin not in advance.
Sure you can ask for the bags at LHR but given the bags will likely be on their way to T5 before you’ve got very far yourself in T4 it could be quite a long wait.
TicknBash was lucky (a) because the bags were in T5 and also the speed of getting them as it can take some time.
Asking for bags at T5 might also count as alerting BA which @Aston100 wants to avoid.
MAN DT is about 10 mins walk from T3, it’s fine as long as you have the type of cases you can trundle along beside you, though you might be able to use a luggage trolley? I don’t know if they are the type which seize up when they get a certain distance from home! Knowing MAN, they’re probably programmed to charge you £500 if you take them further than the car park.
DT charges £2.50 (when I was last there) for their shuttle bus if you book in advance.
Also a thought – the trains can be busy, especially if some have been cancelled, and you may well struggle with a lot of luggage. I’ve had a full table to myself, and also been standing up for an hour with my wheelie case wedged between my shins barely able to breathe so you can never tell!
Thanks for the info thus far.
I think it sounds like I’ll have to go onto MAN.Some additional questions:
When checking the Heathrow site, it seems to suggest that I would need to go through passport control at t5, after transferring there via an airside bus from t4. Is this correct?
I’d need to go through security at t5, despite still being airside. Is that correct?
Assuming no delays and everything running smoothly, how long should it normally take from getting off the BA flight at MAN t3, to getting to the airport train station with my suitcases?Thanks again.
Yes, you have to do passport control and security when transferring TO a domestic connection, it’s a PITA.
How long is a piece of string? On my last 2 BA legs up from LHR, on the one where we had checked bags we waited 90 mins for them to appear. On the other one, thankfully we were HBO as even after departing an hour late, no hold luggage had been loaded at LHR (the captain on that flight was an absolutely mortified cousin of mine!)
Since then we haven’t arrived back into T3, and hopefully things have improved, but it does tend to be a bit neglected in terms of service. The station is a bit of a hike as it’s on the other side of the airport, a good 15 mins walk, usually in the rain!
The station is a bit of a hike as it’s on the other side of the airport, a good 15 mins walk, usually in the rain!
Isn’t the skylink covered?
The route after collecting bags takes you outside and part of it is open. Even some of the sections that are covered only only have a roof but no sides!
It’s a couple of minutes walk but seems longer!
Once your back inside then you’re ok.
Ok thanks for all the info.
I now have a plan of action along with a backup plan.I think I would still go to the Piccadilly DT despite it feeling like 4am, but you could ask at KUL check in and then cancel the hotel if they do agree to short check.
Trains are relatively reliable (compared to a few months ago) and frequent until 2215
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