Plane Talk: Optimism is good – but not always when planning flight connections

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. British Airways says: “We recommend that you allow at least three hours if you’re connecting between these airports.” That’s not a three hours between leaving Heathrow and dropping your bags at the BA desk at Gatwick. The airline appears to base its confidence that three hours is sufficient on the transport link it recommends: “The best way to travel directly between Heathrow and Gatwick is to take a National Express coach. “Heathrow to Gatwick coach services run 80 times a day, and the journey takes up to an hour.” Looking at the National Express online timetable, British Airways is over-optimistic about how long it will take. Incidentally, National Express has a very different recommendation for time: “We recommend allowing at least three hours between your coach arrival time and scheduled flight departure.” Should Mr Foure miss the connection, and can demonstrate that he made strenuous efforts to catch the plane, British Airways will have to put him on the next available flight and pay for a hotel and meals until then.