Question and advice regarding connecting flights at Gatwick.
Arriving via Norwegian Airlines at 1:45 PM and departing via British Airlines at 4:45 PM. 3 hours to get through Customs and get to the check in line at British Airlines.
Is three hours enough time to make the connecting flight to Salzburg??
rjr, these do not look to be connecting flights. These appear to be separate flights on their own respective itinerary as British Airways does not show Norwegian Airlines as a code share. BA is part of OneWorld partnership and alliance. Norwegian Air is not.
Next, customs is a WALK THROUGH unless you have something declare. Why be concerned about customs?
If you have checked luggage, you will have to retrieve the bags at the baggage carousel. By doing so, you'l have go through immigration, get your bags and then go through security to return to airside. It looks like you won't have to change terminals. Perhaps if you only have a carryon, you won't have leave the secured area? Someone else can chime in about that. I didn't have to leave airside at Heathrow when I changed airlines several months ago (from Delta to British Air).
When I change airlines at a stopover airport like you are, I allow 4 hours cushion because I want to minimize the risk of missing that second flight which if I do miss it, the entire roundtrip is cancelled. Not worth it to me. I'll relax at the stopover airport over coffee or tea instead of stressing out. My stopover airports have been Heathrow and Schiphol.
So if I were you, I'd make it a 4 hour cushion and not check in bags on Norwegian.
More than enough time as long as the Norwegian flight arrives on time and you don't have to switch terminals.
On your way over to save time pay attention to fill out the landing card Norwegian will give you on the plane. I just flew into Gatwick Tuesday and there were people unprepared when they got to the Border Force (some refer to this as customs some as immigration) officer and had to fill it out losing time. Also have your reservation on British Airways ready to show the Border Force; they will ask to see that.
Go to this page:
Gatwick Airport Flight Connections
It should answer most of your questions.
Both airlines operate out of the South terminal.
The big question is whether or not you are checking bags.
I would like to thank all three of you for your replies.
I never check bags as I travel light as per the Rick Steves Style!
Both airlines use the South terminal; I suggest checking the Gatwick site for orientation: https://www.gatwickairport.com/flights/which-terminal/#&&AirlineCode=D8
Here is what Norwegian says about connections: note that it suggests two hours when the flights are both on Norwegian. https://www.norwegian.com/us/booking/booking-information/connecting-flights/
I can't find if it has a connection to any airline taking you to Salzburg. If not, you may have to go through a separate check-in, outside the secure area, which means passing through security to go to the appropriate check-in desk, and then back out of the UK. Even if it is possible to stay within the secure area, you can expect a thorough security check of your hand luggage somewhere.
In your place I would try to find out more from Norwegian. Still, three hours is fairly safe, even though it probably won't be very relaxing.
PS: Lots of travellers, including airline staff, sometimes use "Customs" as a cover term from immigration, security, and actual customs procedures. Only a few people get pulled aside for a check of their belongings; most just walk through a gate marked Nothing to Declare.
While the OP had only a carry-on and thus did not have to deal with baggage claim, I would like to share our recent experience for those who do.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, we had to alter our travel plans. We had planned to be in London for a few weeks, then fly to Amsterdam and then take the train to Rotterdam. That didn't work out, but we had two sets of tickets that could, for the fees, be saved. But our timing was tight.
Our Norwegian flight left Orlando Tuesday afternoon, an hour late. The pilot made up half the time. We were due to arrive at Gatwick at 5:25. We had an Easy Jet flight at 8:00. (Note that we knew there was another at 12:50 should we miss the intended one.) We arrived just before 6:00. As mentioned above, Norwegian gave out the passport control cards, which we had completed. We took off from the gate as quickly as we could, and got a nice, long, are you awake now walk into the border control desk. It wasn't at all busy, so that was easy. We then proceeded to baggage claim for our checked luggage. In that area there is a desk for Gatwick Connects (it's hot pink). If you have boarding passes already in hand, they will take your bags and get them to your next flight. The woman scanned our passports and boarding passes, tagged our luggage, and put it on a luggage cart/trolley. We had to walk past the camera with our luggage under our control. She then took the cart to send our luggage on, and we proceeded to security. There is no charge for this service. For a fee, they will escort you through security, which I kind of wished we had done, as it was a typical pain. Had our timing been tighter, we would definitely have paid that fee.
Now, naturally, our Easy Jet flight was at the opposite end of the airport. Another brisk walk (somewhere in there the shuttle was involved, but I don't remember exactly where that was) got us to our gate. We had ample time to use the bathrooms to wash up a bit, use the facilities, fill water bottles and get in line to board. And then that plane sat for a hour as well.
I'm not advocating such a tight schedule, it just worked out that way for us. But, perhaps some of this information will help others.
