aggiemom

Maybe my brain is getting soggy trying to remember all the little pieces for this trip but...My mom and I will change planes at Gatwick (from the USA) and have a 3-hour layover before we head to Amsterdam and I want to do a little shopping at the airport. I've never actually changed planes in the UK and then gone on to the continent by airplane. So if our bags are checked through to AMS we won't have to do immigration/customs again, will we? Just the usual "hi what are you doing here?" questions? Can I assume we just leave the plane, wander around and then head to our gate 45 minutes or so before departure?

P_M

If your bags are checked through to AMS then there's no reason you should go through customs at LGW. I don't know what you mean by the "Hi what are you doing here" question. If that refers to customs, you will only do that in AMS.

flanneruk

It may not be quite that simple. If you have to change terminals (and there are transatlantic flights, and flights to Amsterdam, from both terminals), you'll need to get a bus, though if your baggage is through-checked this happens airside and you don't have to deal with immigration procedures.

If your connection is with Easyjet, you can't be through-checked. You have to collect your baggage, come through immigration (which may take time) and customs (which never does) and check in by their (strictly enforced) closing time.

And, however your conection works, it's standard practice in British airports for ALL connecting passengers to go through security, at least once, again. Given the congestion at most London airports, this can take some time.

aggiemom

P_M: I meant the question they ask when you enter a country of whether you are here on business or pleasure. Then they just stamp your passport and you go. Flanneruk: we are coming in from USA on American Airlines and leaving for AMS on British Airways. The entire flight was booked here in US through the AA website. I've been to Gatwick and remember walking forever through the hallways after landing to get to immigration and luggage. So I guess I have to find out our arrival terminal as well as our departure terminal to AMS. But thanks for the information. It helps me plan for what's ahead. I guess I'll go to the Gatwick website and refresh my memory of the layout. Thanks again, y'all!

ncgrrl

I flew into Gatwick and then onto Amsterdam. Had to change terminals. Carryon luggage only so I don't know about baggage.

While waiting in the terminal for the outgoing flight, there are a number of stores nearby. Bookstore, Harrod's, food vendors, computer use, etc.

Unlike US airports, you wait in the main area until the flight is called, then head to a gate.

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P_M

Flanneruk, I'm confused. At LGW I have always used the train to go between the North and South terminals. Are there any other terminals that require a bus ride?

flanneruk

The landside connection between the North and South terminals is by train. That train isn't accessible for connecting passengers unless they go through Immigration.

So there's a bus that runs airside between the two terminals, to let international transferers move between the two terminals without wasting my taxes on submitting themselves to pointless interrogation by passport officials.