Heathrow terminal 1
 

I am a bit ashamed to ask a question that I should know the answer to, so here goes. If I fly non-stop from San Francisco to Heathrow and then on BMI to Edinburgh, do I go to Customs and Immigration at Heathrow or in Edinburgh?

you will go through customs and immigration at Heathrow.

"you will go through customs and immigration at Heathrow."

Oh no you won't.

Assuming your bags are checked through, you go through Immigration at LHR, then collect your bags at Edinburgh. You're liable to be stopped for Customs clearance exiting the baggage claim area in Edinburgh, but you're 99.9999% likely not to be.

Coming into the U.S. i believe it is different

say you land in Philly and are going on to SF - you will clear Customs and Immigration with your bags in Philly i believe

and then put your bags on the carousel to send them to the SF flight

otherwise in SF (or Edinburgh) how would Customs officials know whether or not you were coming from only Philly or abroad - or in Edinburgh coming from only London

I believe flanner is right, as usual, but it seems better for bags to go thru Customs in London in the above scenario

The connections process

The procedure for connecting flights depends on where you're flying to and from:

If you arrived on a flight from within the UK, you do not need to clear security control and can go directly to your departure terminal.
If you arrived on an international flight you will need to go through a security check
If your onward flight is to another UK airport, you will also need to clear UK immigration.

Taken from the BAA Heathrow Website.

In the EU, travellers from outside thge EU clear Customs at their final destination

So there is are Customs clearing officials in every tiny EU airport

Now that is what i call a model of efficiency

perhaps uncivilized - but factual, which the other two were not.

(PQ - at the white emulsion again? What on earth does the procedure on arrival in the States have to do w/ the price of tea in China??)

rogeruktm: bet you didn't think such a simple question would stir up such controversy ;) Tis what happens when someone blows smoke and answers w/o knowing.

Janis, actually it appears very simple based on the answers. On arrival from San Francisco on United, I need to seek out the next flight to Philly, go through immigration, not customs, then fly back to Heathrow to clear immigration.

Next I fly on BMI,to Edinburgh, clear customs and back to Heathrow to clear immigration.

Screw it, I'm taking the train. :)

:D

If you are arriving in Edinburgh on a bmi flight from Heathrow you'll come out into the domestic arrivals hall, along with everyone whose journey started in London. (I have taken that flight dozens of times.) There is no immigration check there - you will have gone through immigration at Heathrow. Bags which originated abroad are supposed to go on a particular carousel so I assume some from customs keeps an eye on it, but it's not really separate from the other carousels and you don't past any sort of customs desk afterwards.

But will your bags be checked right through ? Did you book the flights together as one journey and is your flight from SF to London on a bmi partner airline ?

Thank you. What you said is what I thought. One ticket purchased through United. Luggage is not a concern, carry on only.

I would call the airline and see what they say.

Why do you want to know, anyway - especially as you'll only have hand baggage ?

Don't forget the UK hand baggage rules re liquids.

Please remember - Customs & Immigration are 2 separate things. You will clear Immigration (UK Border Agency www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/) at the point of entry to the UK - Heathrow.
You will clear Customs (Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs - www.hmrc.gov.uk)at the point you take possession of your luggage - Edinburgh. Except of course you won't, as you have only hand baggage...

<Please remember - Customs & Immigration are 2 separate things.>

Yes they are, but the uniformed staff you think of 'Customs' officers now work for the Border Agency - I believe they and Immigration staff all wear the same uniform now.
The 'Customs'part of HM Revenue & Customs now mainly concentrates on freight movements (imports and exports) and policy matters.

To clarify.. My original post had nothing to do with luggage..Only where one would go through immigration, then the walk through customs. Basically I was curious as I thought that perhaps you by-pasted it in Heathrow and cleared in Edinburgh. However, it is very clear that it will be my usual Heathrow routine (15th trip) followed by the BMI flight. Then up to Aberdeen after a couple of days to visit a special lady.

I just flew United to LHR over the weekend and what a pleasure to arrive/depart at Terminal 1 instead of Terminal 3!

Weekender, What was the difference? Thanks.

Terminal 1 is far less congested than 3. Going thru security yesterday morning was a breeze-less than 10 minutes from passport check thru screening.