From London to Paris to US

Old Jul 24th, 2016, 06:55 PM
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From London to Paris to US

Hi, so I'm travelling alone internationally for the first time. The first leg of the trip is a nonstop flight from the US (Philadelphia International Airport) to Heathrow. I'm not too worried about this because I've had so many people explain the process to me.

However, on the way home I leave from Heathrow and have a short stop in Paris at CDG before returning to Philly. It's from a British Airway flight to an American Airlines flight (not sure if that part matters). I'm just very nervous about the layover because there is less than two hours between the flights and I don't know if it will require me to recheck my bags, go through customs/security and how long that will take and if I'm going to be cutting it too close if I'm in a huge airport alone with no idea what to do.

Any help would be appreciated! Will I need to get my bag then re-check it? What about customs?

My plane is suppose to arrive at CDG at 11:15 AM and my flight is set to leave from CDG to Philly at 1:10 PM. Is that enough time?

I'm just very nervous about messing up and being stuck in a Paris!
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Old Jul 24th, 2016, 07:34 PM
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Two hours could be cutting it a bit close, but AA and BA are partners; so your luggage could be checked straight through. Call the airline and ask, to be on the safe side. With a connecting flight you probably won't need to go through Immigration (that's what takes the time, not Customs), as there are lounges inside Security for passengers "in transit." Again, ask your airline to confirm the process.

Being stuck in Paris...could be a lot worse!
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Old Jul 24th, 2016, 07:52 PM
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Relax - two hours is plenty. When you check in at LHR your bag will be tagged all the way home to PHL. You will not have to retrieve and recheck your luggage, nor clear immigration and customs. You will be a connecting passenger "in transit" and will remain airside at CDG. There are plenty of signs. If unsure, ask for assistance.
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Old Jul 24th, 2016, 09:04 PM
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You can fly non-stop into London and out of Paris.
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Old Jul 24th, 2016, 10:49 PM
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The OP is not trying to figure out an open jaw ticket. He or she just has a connection at CDG. @ OP if your luggage is checked through, I think you will make your connecting flight; it might be close because you will have to go through passport control. But you have the advantage pf not having to change terminals. Your luggage may not make the connection but AA will deliver it to your home a day or two later.
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Old Jul 24th, 2016, 10:51 PM
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@ OP, you will not have to deal with passport control.
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 04:40 AM
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At present, UK has no passport formalities for leaving the UK. Security check at Heathrow into departure lounge. Gate will be announced and you will board flight to CDG.

Since you will not be entering France or the Schengen region there will be no passport control at CDG. There may be a security check; flights to the USA are always given special attention. Your bags will have been checked through to PHL; no need to worry about them.

Two hours will be more than enough. No need to worry.
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 08:22 AM
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That seems incredible to me, that you are suggesting someone can get on a flight in London to the US and never once have their passport checked. Really? I haven't done it in a long time so don't recall, just seems hard to believe.

BA website states >
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 08:47 AM
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While there may be no government passport control, AA will most definitely check your passport before you are allowed to board the flight to the US. The will do that at the security check near your departure gate.
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 09:12 AM
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"you are suggesting someone can get on a flight in London to the US and never once have their passport checked."

As far as government migration control is concerned, that's been the case for about the past 20 years. Britain has no outgoing passport control: no civilised country imposes passport control on truly international-to-international airside transfers. The same system, broadly, applies to flights from the US to Britain via a Continental airport.

But you have to show a passport to check in for an international flight in the UK, you're likely to be expected to show it again in London both to gain access to the secure area and to embark, and you'll be required to show it again at least once in Paris to embark onto a US-bound plane.
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 09:22 AM
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In London last Friday we had to show passports when dropping off bags at Virgin Atlantic, when going through security and again to board the plane.
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 09:42 AM
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You don't have to show your passport to an immigration official when leaving US either. The airline does the work.
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 10:52 AM
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The airline does the work.

That´s because the airline pays the fine if for some reason you show up at the destination without a valid passport.
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 10:59 AM
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by definition, is it even possible to show passport to an IMMigration offical when leaving any country? EMigration perhaps...
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 11:10 AM
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Flanneruk is correct. About 20 years ago, when leaving the UK you went through passport control and, if not from the eu, filled out a yellow card. That was dropped then. The airlne will check your passport upon checking in; did not mean to imply not but there is no government check of passports. Also before boarding the US bound flight at CDG, you will show your passport but there is no government check of passports; you are a transit passenger not officially entering Schengen. OTOH let's say you were flying from Amsterday (part of the Schengen agreement to the USA via CDG. Upon arrival at CDG, you will be directed through to a passport control to be stamped out of the Schengen ares before going through formalities to board a USA bound flight. The same thing works in the USA. The airline will check your passport at check in wherever and before you board youor European bound flight but there is no government passport control.
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 11:39 AM
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The same thing works in the USA.

Much unlike departing the EU, no one stamps a passport when leaving the USA.
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 01:59 PM
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"Much unlike departing the EU, no one stamps a passport when leaving the USA."

What aspect of the EU are you completely unaware of?

I've just told you Britain doesn't have outgoing passport control. We're the EU's largest generator of passengers departing this misconceived Union.

Are you simply illiterate? Or just yet another Yank too lazy to read anything with words over one syllable?
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 02:36 PM
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Please save your last comment for one of our presidential candidates. Those of us here do our best to handle words of several syllables.
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 02:45 PM
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me like what he say.
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Old Jul 25th, 2016, 03:48 PM
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Just change EU to Schengen...The UK and Ireland have chosen not to be part of the Schengen agreement on border controls. Interestingly enough, Switzerland is not part of the eu but is part of the Schengen agreement as I think is Norway
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