Minimum connecting times

MCTs govern the shortest time available for bookable flight connections. These are set by airlines and airports to ensure you have the best chances of making it from one flight to the next and to prevent you from booking flights where you (and your baggage!) would not have enough time to transfer.

With two complete separate terminals Heathrow is a real problem for British Airways with T5 passengers from regional points often connecting with long-haul flights at T3 and visa versa.  Smart clients from Belfast City often book via Aer Lingus into T2 with a considerable saving in transfer time.  

At most airports, it is between 30 and 90 minutes, depending on whether you are connecting to a domestic or international service, as well as the size of the terminal. At Munich, for example, German efficiency means that they can offer an MCT of 30 minutes.

At present, British Airways operates an MCT of 60 minutes at Heathrow. This increases to 90 minutes if you need to change terminal. The new rule is 75 minutes in one terminal.

A message from BA reservations confirms the new arrangements: “From 9 January 2024 we are changing our connection times at Heathrow. We are in the process of reviewing your booking to ensure you can make your connection and if required we will look to rebook your connection/s free of charge on your behalf.”

It does mean that British Airways now has one of the longest MCT at its hub at Heathrow versus its competitors. Paris Charles de Gaulle has a 60-minute connection time, whilst at Schiphol it is 50 minutes. Things are even better in Zurich (40 minutes).

www.britishairways.com

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