juliholb

Hi Everyone,

Looking for some advice from seasoned travelers since every airline employee I talk to and website tells me something different.

I will be flying out of Newark International Airport to London Heathrow, however, I have a connecting flight in Edinburgh Scotland in between.

My question is when we land in Scotland will we go through customs there and then proceed to London as a domestic flight? If so will we need to claim and recheck our luggage or will it be checked through to London?

Or will we go straight through on our connecting flight and go through customs once we reach our final destination in London?

Thanks in advance for your help!

cherrybomb

If it is a connecting flight, your air carrier can check your luggage through to your final destination without having to claim and recheck luggage.

peterSale

I agree with Cherrybomb, but be prepared for LONG delays in UK airports. We were checked and double checked and even triple checked. The queues were very long even between connecting flights as you go through security checks off your flight and then again onto your flight.

Things may have been relaxed but forewarned is forearmed. Leave plenty of time for conections and boarding.

Also, be warned that items bought in the transit area may confiscated if they do not meet the liquids/gels volume requirements. This included duty free items.

cherrybomb

Heathrow is also know to pull "ok" items such as lighters and matches and dump them. And yes, you will be rescreened at least once, if not multiple times. I've been asked to empty all pockets at the gate after clearing security there. But again, if it is a connecting flight, don't worry. You will get put on the next flight if you are delayed for any reason that is not your own. Just check as much possible through if you were planning to do so. Then again, plenty of people connect through with no problems with all carry on luggage.

janisj

Cherrybomb: "<i>Heathrow is also know to pull "ok" items such as lighters and matches and dump them.</i>"

Since LHR is the final destination. They won't be going through security or screening there at all.

juliholb: Customs is not an issue (or only nominally). Are you on one ticket/itinerary? If so your bags can be checked all the way through. And even if you aren't on one ticket -- many airlines will interline your bags. BA won't though.

You will go through Immigration/passport control in Edinburgh. You won't see your bags until you land at LHR.

"<i>be warned that items bought in the transit area may confiscated if they do not meet the liquids/gels volume requirements.</i>" Exactly the same as in the States or most anywhere else.

janisj

Meant to say >>Assuming they are through-checked, you won't see your bags until you land at LHR.<<

alanRow

<<< Exactly the same as in the States or most anywhere else. >>>

The US doesn't have transit areas

cherrybomb

Pardon - I read Scotland as the final destination and LHR as the connecting airport. I've slapped myself on the wrist on janisj's behalf for misreading (sorry, I don't have a ruler available to rap my knuckles.

Either way, security at Heathrow is known for pulling ok items such as lighters and matches and dumping (confiscating) them. Not a bad thing to mention.

janisj

cherrybomb: I read it wrong the first time too (actually two or three times ). Then after you posted I had to read it a couple more times to be sure. That is the only reason I posted that -- because it was sort of confusing and I wanted to make sure other posters caught it too . . .

"<i><<< Exactly the same as in the States or most anywhere else. >>>

The US doesn't have transit areas</i>"

True - I was really talking about liquids in general

juliholb

Thank you everyone for your replies. I assumed I would go through customs/immigration in Scotland since that is my first point of entry in the UK, however, when I called the airline directly they told me the complete opposite (which just didn't make sense to me at all).

Also thanks for the tips of things they may pull/confiscate! I don't have any need for a lighter/matches. We are traveling for a wedding, so luckily most things like shampoo, etc. are being provided at the hotel for us by the bride's family. So I'm not worried about things like that.

Thanks again for your help, I've flown trans-Atlantic before, but only ever on a direct flight, so this is my first time with an international flight to a domestic connection!

annhig

hi juli,

all the above is absolutely right so long as you are not transferring onto a "cheap" airline like easyjet or ryanair, in which case you'll have to reclaim your baggage and go through the whole check-in procedure again.

but if you're ticketed right through, you should be fine.