Booked
Lister booked directly on 9 Aug 2026. These are live bookings, not a plan — references and confirmation numbers below.
✈️ Gulf Air · Bahrain ↔ London Heathrow
Out
GF007 · Tue 15 Sep · BAH 02:00 → LHR T4 06:55 · 787-9, economy
Back
GF002 · Sat 26 Sep · LHR T4 10:00 → BAH 18:40
Who
Lister only · seat 40A both legs
Ref
UPXRFQ · e-ticket 0722136962578 · FF 90440938
Separate ticket from Virgin Atlantic — bags do not through-check. See the flag on 26 Sep.
✈️ Virgin Atlantic · London Heathrow ↔ Savannah (via JFK)
Out
VS3 Fri 18 Sep · LHR T3 08:20 → JFK 11:30 · then VS2492 (Endeavour/Delta) JFK 14:35 → SAV 17:09
Back
VS3749 (Endeavour/Delta) Fri 25 Sep · SAV 11:30 → JFK 13:47 · then VS4 JFK 18:00 → LHR 06:20 Sat 26
Who
Lister, Lisette, James — all 3
Ref
DMRZVH · GBP 3,146.67 incl. GBP 309 seat fees
Seats — LHR-JFK: Lister 60H, Lisette 60K, James 59K. JFK-SAV: Lister 07B, Lisette 07A, James 08A. SAV-JFK: Lister 16B, Lisette 16A, James 15A. JFK-LHR: Lister 54C, Lisette 54A, James 55A.
🚗 Alamo · Heathrow hire car
Pick-up
Tue 15 Sep, 08:00 · Northern Perimeter Road, London TW6 2RY
Drop-off
Evening of Thu 17 Sep (early return — booked slot was Fri 18, 08:00)
Car
Intermediate SUV — Nissan Qashqai or similar · automatic · unlimited mileage
Ref
Booking.com 798246873 · Alamo 398662828COUNT
Bring
Credit card in Lister's name · DVLA check code (get within 21 days of pick-up) · passport · return boarding pass
Cost
GBP 200 deposit · GBP 100 damage excess (reduced excess pre-paid)
Shuttle
T2 stop 7/8 · T3 stop 17/18 · T4 stop 2 · T5 stop 26/27
🛏️ Staybridge Suites London Heathrow — Bath Road
Dates
Thu 17 → Fri 18 Sep · 2 King Studio Suites
Address
276a Bath Road, West Drayton UB7 0DQ
Confs
69782921 (2 adults) · 82806392 (1 adult)
Paid
35,000 IHG points each · 70,000 total · Lister primary, Diamond Elite
Phone
+44 20 3962 5999
Minutes from the Alamo desk on Northern Perimeter Road — this is what makes the Thursday-evening car drop-off work.
🚗 Alamo · Savannah (SAV) hire car — Fullsize SUV
Pick-up
Fri 18 Sep, 18:00 · SAV airport desk
Drop-off
Fri 25 Sep, 08:00 · SAV airport desk
Car
Fullsize SUV — Chevrolet Tahoe, Jeep Wagoneer, Ford Expedition or similar · automatic · A/C · unlimited mileage · additional driver included
Address
436 Airways Ave, Savannah GA 31408 · ph 844-370-8311 · counter open 08:00–00:00
Ref
Costco Travel C498292446 · Alamo 697917833
Cost
USD 530.42 due at the agency · nothing paid · no cancellation fees
Bring the PHYSICAL Costco membership card #111887752296 — not a photo, not the app. Lisette drives free as additional driver but must be present at the desk at pick-up.
Reminders
🔔 Message Harris — Sun 13 Sep, 10:00Confirm the Monday 14 Sep evening pick-up (~22:00–22:30, Al Khobar → BAH) for GF007's 02:00 departure Tue 15 Sep. Restate the departure time, not just the date — that's the one real risk on this leg.
🔔 Message Harris — Fri 25 Sep, 08:00 (US Eastern)Confirm the Sat 26 Sep evening pick-up (~19:30–20:00, BAH → Al Khobar) after GF002 lands 18:40. Send before VS3749 boards at 11:30 — Lister's in transit from then until LHR the next morning. Al Khobar and BAH are 7h ahead of US Eastern on this date, so a morning message here lands mid/late afternoon for Harris — that's fine.
Before we fly
Pack the physical Costco membership cardMembership #111887752296 — required at the Alamo counter in Savannah for the US hire car. Not a photo, not the app. Lister is Gulf-based, so this has to be packed and carried.
No ESTA needed — for anyoneCorrection from the earlier plan: all three are dual UK/US and travel on US passports (expire 16 Jan 2034). US citizens don't use the Visa Waiver Programme, so no ESTA applies to Lister or Lisette either.
Passport used for each legVirgin's Advance Passenger Information for the US legs needs the US passport details, not the UK ones. Lister's Saudi iqama exit/re-entry is tied to a specific passport — check which one before travel.
Alamo DVLA check codeGet this within 21 days of the 15 Sep pick-up, plus have Lister's passport, matching credit card, and a return boarding pass ready.
Travel insuranceConfirm all three are covered for the US portion.
Mum's 80th — plan to followSunday 20th, Summerville. The US family are organising it — Lister's speaking to his brother. Nothing for the team to do until the shape is known.
Online check-inOpens ~30 days before each flight. Worth doing early for seats on the Virgin legs.
Still to sort
🚆 Lisette + James · train LHR → Barnstaple
26 Sep, after VS4 lands 06:20. Lisette booking. Roughly 5h: Heathrow Express/Elizabeth line → Paddington, GWR to Exeter St Davids, Tarka Line to Barnstaple. Wait for VS4's actual landing time before buying advance tickets.
🛫 Airspace / FCDO re-check
GF007/GF002 route via Bahrain. The EASA advisories that originally pushed the plan to Dammam (CZIB-2026-07/08) expire 31 Aug 2026 — the airspace and FCDO picture needs re-running in the first week of September, ahead of travel.
🎂 Mum's 80th — the day itself
Family-organised, Summerville, Sun 20 Sep. Lister awaiting the plan from his brother.