Changing planes at an airport can be tricky at times, but changing flights between airports can be a real challenge, especially if you are in a foreign country. A common airport transfer for Ministry Travel clients is in London between the Gatwick and Heathrow Airports. As daunting as this might seem, it actually is fairly easy if you know what to expect and plan ahead.

There are two methods of transferring between Heathrow and Gatwick–by bus (which we recommend) and by train. The bus is operated by National Express with up to six services per hour. There are several train options, but the simplest utilizes the Heathrow Express and Gatwick Express services.

The bus trip takes about 75 minutes. Tickets can be purchased in advance from the National Express website at http://www.nationalexpress.com/airporttransfers.aspx or from the driver at the time of boarding. It is advised, however, to book in advance to guarantee your seat. This is especially important if you have a group. One-way airport transfers are £19.50 or about $30 for adults (age 16-59). Children 3-15 are £9.75 or about $15.00. Groups of 10 or more are £17.56 or $27.00 each.  

National Express suggests that you have at least one hour between the time your bus is scheduled to arrive at the other airport and your flight check-in time. So this means allowing at least two hours fifteen minutes between when you plan to depart one airport and when you need to check in for your flight at the next airport.

The driver will assist with luggage, up to two medium sized suitcases weighing 45 pounds or less, and one small hand luggage per person. The buses have onboard restrooms.

National Express buses arrive and depart at Gatwick’s North Terminal on the lower level outside international arrivals. Go to stands 1-3. At Gatwick’s South Terminal, buses arrive and depart from the lower forecourt at stops 16-18. There is clear signage directing you from the terminal to the coach forecourt area.

At Heathrow, buses are “never more than a five minute walk” from any terminal, according to National Express. For Terminal 5, National Express use stops 13-16 just outside the terminal building. For Terminals 1 and 3, the buses arrive and depart from the Central Bus Station. At Terminal 4, National Express stops right outside the terminal at stops 13 and 14 on the arrivals level.

The second transfer option is via train, but it is more complicated since there is not a direct link between the two airports. The Gatwick Express line operates between Gatwick and London Victoria Station where you transfer to the London Underground in order to head to Paddington Station. From there you take the Heathrow Express train to the airport.

The Heathrow Express runs every 15 minutes and it takes 15 minutes to get from Paddington to Heathrow’s Terminals 1 or 3. It is 21 minutes to Terminal 5.

Now that you know your options, there is no need to be concerned about making the jump between Heathrow and Gatwick. We do suggest, however, that you always double check the websites just prior to departure to make sure there hasn’t been any schedule or stop changes. If you take the bus option, there are National Express offices inside the terminals at both airports should you need assistance.

Last week we made a trip to the airport—not to catch a flight or pick up someone flying in but to deliver a suitcase. It was a suitcase damaged by American Airlines during a recent trip. Now we have had many bags damaged by different airlines during our years of globetrotting, but never did anything about it. This time, however, we decided to see what the airline would do for us.

When we took the bag off the airport conveyor belt we immediately noticed that it had been ripped and took it to the airline’s baggage desk. The agent offered to exchange it for a bag that he had in stock, but since ours was a spinner (the kind with four wheels) and his were not, we opted to have ours repaired. The agent put our information into the computer and gave us a print out with instructions on what to do next.

We had 30 days to bring that bag back to the baggage desk. Like any good procrastinator, we waited until day 29! At the desk they exchanged our bag for a claim ticket and said, “If we can’t repair it, we will replace it. You can expect to get your bag back in about 7-10 days.”

Sure enough, a week later the repaired suitcase was delivered via FedEx to our front door. Except for the inconvenience of having to return the bag to the airport, the whole experience was relatively painless and the repairs were made much quicker than we thought they would be. With that experience in mind, here are some tips for the next time you fly:

–Always check your luggage carefully before leaving the airport and report any damage to the airline immediately. You can file a claim later, but it may be more difficult. Lufthansa, for example, says that damage must be reported within seven days and “you must also produce evidence that the damaged occurred while the bag was in the care of the airline.”

–File a claim, even if the bag is still usable. There’s going to be normal wear, but when bags come back with ripped seems, holes, damaged wheels, etc. they should be reported.

–Remember there are limits to what the airlines will pay for your bags and their contents. Airlines will usually cover up to $3,300 per passenger for U.S. domestic flights and less than half that for international flights. Airlines do offer excess valuation insurance but it usually only kicks in if the bag is completely lost—not if it or its contents are damaged.

If you are concerned about the value of your luggage and what’s inside, you are better off to buy travel insurance that also covers delayed, damaged and lost baggage. If you purchase travel insurance through Ministry Travel, you can get luggage coverage for up $2,500 included in your policy. This is “primary insurance” and pays in addition to what the airlines may or may not pay.

Sooner or later your bags will be damaged. Just keep these tips in mind and it will make getting your luggage repaired or replaced much easier.