flight question

We are flying from Austin TX to London-changing planes in London and then on to Amsterdam. British Airways the whole way. So will we need to go through customs and immigration at both London and Amsterdam? Can't find anything on the BA site about this.

 

Teanne

Immigration, but not Customs, I believe.

We did it last year and honestly I cannot remember if we did either but we did have to leave the secure area, be re-screened and then head to our next gate. We had 3 hours to connect and were still able to spend an hour in the biz class lounge after all of that, before going to our next gate.

Go Google London Heathrow and read up on in-transit passengers. I'm sure it will have the info you are seeking

 

 

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We are flying from Austin TX to London-changing planes in London and then on to Amsterdam. British Airways the whole way. So will we need to go through customs and immigration at both London and Amsterdam?

When you check in at Austin, your bags should be tagged through to Amsterdam and you should get boarding passes for both flights. On the assumption that this happens, then at Heathrow there is no need to clear immigration and no need to collect your bags or clear customs.

 

When you arrive at Heathrow, you will probably be at one of the B gates or one of the C gates - you should be able to tell this when you get inside the building as there are large signs in the corridors to identify which satellite you're in. The general instruction is to follow the purple signs for Flight Connections (and specifically for Terminal 5 when there is an option).

 

However, before those signs start to lead you downstairs, check the display screens that show connecting flights departing in the near future. There should be a screen that identifies those flights that allow you to clear security in the satellite that you're in. If you're offered that opportunity, take it - it will save you time and hassle compared to the main connections route. (Normal security rules apply here.) Once you have cleared security, you can go straight to the gate or visit the facilities in the satellite.

 

If you have to follow the main route, that will take you down to the transit (a shuttle train), which will take you to the main terminal. When you get there, you will go up escalators to the main immigration/flight connections hall. Keep following the Flight Connections signs and do not go into an immigration queue. You will then have your onward boarding pass scanned before you go upstairs to the security checkpoint. Normal security rules apply here too.

 

When you have cleared security, check for a gate number. It is possible that you will still have to go back to one of the satellites, in which case you will eventually have to follow the signs for B gates or C gates as appropriate. These will lead you back down to the transit, from which you get off at the appropriate stop. But don't be in a hurry to go out there, because the shops, restaurants and facilities in the main building are generally better than in either satellite. From the exit from the security checkpoint, it should normally take no more than 15 minutes to reach any B gate or C gate.

 

If you have an A gate, then you will simply have to walk to your gate within the main building, which will be one level down from the security checkpoint. It should normally take no more than 5 minutes to walk to any A gate from the security checkpoint.

 

Only when you get to Amsterdam will there be an immigration check, followed by baggage collection and customs clearance. (That is normally just a walk-through honesty system, possibly with different channels depending on whether or not you have anything to declare. Note that because your bags have come straight through from the US, you are not an EU arrival and you can't use the special lane for EU arrivals, if there is one. Your bag tags will make it obvious that you are not an EU arrival.)