There are data points on aggressive/proactive offloading, not sure if having checked luggage increases the likelihood.
There is no LHR style conformance at MAD, so get to the T4S gate in any case and get IDB compensation if they had offloaded you and can't put you back on, remember take a pic of you at the gate with boarding sign still on. Good luck!

 

IB does proactively off-load if it thinks you won't make it. HBO won't help you. In fact, checked baggage might be an advantage. I don't know if the luggage systems are so advanced as to NOT deliver your bags to the BOG flight, in which case off-loading you is more complicated and time-consuming. And bags tend to get to T4S faster than humans...

If you are off-loaded, make sure to take lots of photos of the departure gate still showing "last call" or whatever. That should help with any claim for involuntary denial of boarding.

 

I'll just add that with EU passport, if you can, you want the first door of the second car or the train to T4S. The door will open to offload on the opposite side. Just that alone can save you a few minutes at passport control to be first in line. Also, if you see open lanes and people in front of you aren't moving and you're in a hurry. Just go. For some reason people are completely incapable of going to clearly open automatic passport control gates unless some security guard points.

 

Reading through I am getting a bit confused / concerned.

As a LHR-MAD-UIO in November , a J (companion ticket) on BA then IB, is the transfer straight forward or a mess with a 2 hr connection time? Non EU passports. 4S to 4S

Cheers

AMLB

 

4S to 4S should be relatively straightforward. Before passport control, you should see signs for the security checkpoint for connecting flights.

 

As always, the question is single ticket or two tickets.

If single ticket, no issue at all and the connection is a breeze. Just walk down the arrival hall to transfer security and you're back in T4S departures.

If separate tickets and no baggage, then more or less the same, you might have to stop by the transfer desk if you can't get your boarding pass before boarding in LHR.

If you have separate tickets AND bags....2h is frankly just not enough. I waited an hour from getting off the plane for bags from LHR last weekend.

 

If you have bags AND SEPARATE TICKETS 2h is not enough. Bags and on the same ticket you are fine.

 

That was my initial take
Thanks for the reassurance

 

Many thanks for the replies to my inquiry some days ago. However, it was all in vain, as my incoming Iberia flight to MAD departed 2 hours later and by the time I arrived MAD (01:15AM) my flight to BOG had already departed. Kudos to Iberia rebooking efficiency. Already before departing to MAD, I received email from Iberia that my flight to BOG had been rebooked to the following day and the system had automatically checked me in for the new flight, so I just had to collect a new BP at one of the Iberia check-in kiosks at MAD.

Now, how to get reimbursement of expenses incurred (hotel and taxi (Bolt) between airport and hotel) under the EC Reg. 261/04 duty of care? No Iberia ground staff at MAD at that hour, so I booked my own hotel in the city centre (around 200 Eur) and paid around 60 Euro for taxi back and forth. Hopefully this will not be an issue to get Iberia to reimburse these expenses.

And yes, I'm aware that I might be eligible for EUR 600 as comp. for delay (I arrived BOG with a delay of 12 hours) depending on the reason for the delay of my flight to MAD, but first thing first; I will make a claim for comp. EUR 600 after Iberia has reimbursed the expenses incurred.

 

https://www.iberia.com/es/customer-relations/ This is IB's customer complaints form.

 

There is always IB staff at the check-in area customer service desks. Unfortunately this not explained clearly in the other desks that are closed.

 

I assume that the OP will be reimbursed for the hotel stay. And the hotel booked by the OP would have been far better than the mediocre airport hotel that IB would have given a voucher for. Not sure why anybody with 200 euros to lend IB for a few weeks would ever wait in the queue...

 

Looking at transferring through Madrid from JFK to either OPO or LIS - still debating which one will be our inbound vs outbound.

US passports

Both give us options of 1 hr 20 min layover or a 4 hour layover. We will be checking bags - but will be on one ticket. How tight would that connection be? I would think we would be covered by EU 261 coverage if we miss our connection (assuming proper reason for missing the connection)

Is that shorter layover a good option or am I pushing it?

cheers

 

You will need to go through immigration so even though bags should through check to your final destination I think 1 hour 20 is cutting it very fine. Assuming you land on Iberia at T4S you will also need to transit to T4 which takes maybe 10 mins. Immigration can take between 30 and 60 mins and then you will need to pass through security again which may have lines. As you will n�ed to board your nexy flight 20 mins before take off you effectively have 1 hour to do all of the above. On 4 hours you will be ok. The lounges are nice in Madrid and you can have a shower and freshen up so time goes quickly.

 

thanks - question about lounges
We are a party of three- two likely in business (assuming award space available) and one in premium economy -
If regards to lounge access
1. The two that book business will have access I assume - could the 3rd pay for it?
2. What if the two that book business from the US book economy for the MAD to OPO leg since it is so short - would they still have lounge access in Madrid?
3. I have priority pass and can get three of us into Plaza Mayor lounge in terminal 4 (again assuming space availble) - are you familiar with that lounge and how it compares to the Iberia lounges?