How long to go through immigration?
 

In August, my mother (75) will be arriving in Gatwick at 9:00 AM on NW Air, if I book her a flight to Edinburgh on Easy Jet for 10:40, would she have enough time to get her luggage, go through customs and get herself to the Easy Jet Terminal? Would it help speed things up if I ask for an electric cart to meet her at the gate upon her arrival in Gatwick?

Is she travelling on a US passport?

Mignonette,
Yes she has a US Passport.

Look for a later flight. She will not make this connection.

Yes, get a later flight. What if her flight is delayed for 1hr (which is not an uncommon occurence)? Easyjet requires passengers to check in at least 30mins before the flight. What will your mother do if she misses it?

The last thing you want is your 75 yr-old mother worrying the entire flight to LGW wondering if she's gonna make her next flight.

Would be a close call. Chances are that she will have to change terminals.
If the easy jet leaves at 10:40 bording would be at 10:10 aprox. Plus she will have to go to the easy jet counter if she doesnt have a boarding pass.

I agree with all the others that it's too tight a connection. The reason for my question was that things seem to be much more straightforward (read: fast) for those holding EU passports at the London airports. If at all possible, book a later flight.

Early morning is the busiest time at Immigration, too. All the overnight flights from the US are landing then. She could easily have to wait 30 minutes or more to get through. I'd go for a later flight, too.

And I would make it several hours later, too..just to cover the possibility of a

late arrival
long lines at immigration
(assuming) re-claim of luggage
change of ternminal building
check in

OK, so she has to sit around a bit...a lot better than worrying or trying to arrange another flight.

Easy Jet and NW both use the South Terminal. No British airport has a separate terminal for international flights.

Your mother comes out of the secure area, turns right into the departure zoo and then fights her way through the South Terminal in August.

Good luck to her.

isn't there still what I was once told was a truly lovely train ride to Edinburgh? I hope so, coz when time and circumstances allow I want to take it

I'd go meet her at Gatwick (maybe stay the day to get Mom acclimated to the time change) and then travel north together...

Hi suzie,

Yes, there is still a lovely train ride from London to Edinburgh. It goes along the North Sea coast.

There is one at 13:00 and another a 13:30. Takes 4 1/2 hr.

Thanks all for the suggestion, I will book her a later flight. By the time she arrives in Edinburgh it would have been a 24 hour trip since boarding her first flight!