Do I have to go through customs, recheck my bag, etc. during my Heathrow layover?
I am flying from New York to Nairobi, Kenya, with a layover at Heathrow.
Both flights are on the same itinerary with British Airways (i.e. it was booked as a flight from New York to Nairobi). They are both in terminal 5 at Heathrow. I'm a US citizen, if that's relevant.
What exactly will I have to do during my layover in the UK? Specifically, will I have to:
- go through customs? immigration?
- claim checked bags and recheck them?
- go through security again?
- anything else? for example, I have heard something about having to go to a "flight connections" counter after I land in London and I'm not allowed to get on the 2nd flight without checking in here
I'm seeing a lot of conflicting information, and am trying to decide if I should pay $84 to pre-select seats at the front of the cabin to get out of the plane quicker/get to the front of any lines. I have a 2 hour layover in Heathrow.
Best Answer
OP here. Just to confirm what others have said, we:
- did not have to claim and recheck bags
- did not have to do anything like checking in again
- did not have to go through customs or immigration
- DID have to go through security
I just wanted to add this answer to note that we had the option to book flights which would have given us a one hour layover in London. We basically would have had no chance of making it if we had such a short layover. Terminal 5 is so big that you have to take a train to get to other areas within the same terminal (if that's the case, why not just give them different terminal numbers??). It's really shocking that BA, of all airlines, would let you book an itinerary with a layover short enough that it would essentially be impossible to make the connecting flight.
Pictures about "Do I have to go through customs, recheck my bag, etc. during my Heathrow layover?"
Do you have to go through customs when connecting through Heathrow?
If your baggage is checked through to your final destination, that's where you clear customs. If you're collecting your baggage and checking in to your next flight yourself, you need to pass through customs at Heathrow.Do I have to recheck baggage during a layover?
When you purchase a layover flight, you will need to claim your bags when you land at your layover destination, and recheck them the next day when you continue your flight(s).Do I need to recheck my luggage at Heathrow?
This depends on your airline \u2013 often your baggage will be checked through to your final destination and you won't need to touch it at Heathrow. However, this service isn't available for all flights so check with your airline before you fly.Do you go through customs during a layover?
Do I have to go through immigration and customs for a layover? For international layover flights, you will normally have to go through customs and immigration at the connecting airport.#AmericanAnswers - Do I have to recheck my bags after customs when traveling internationally?
More answers regarding do I have to go through customs, recheck my bag, etc. during my Heathrow layover?
Answer 2
As both legs of your trip are on the same ticket, your luggage will be checked through to your final destination (NBO). These days you don't have much choice in the matter.
Heathrow offers an online international connections guide, but in general, it is set up for "sterile" connections. It is not necessary for you to be admitted to the United Kingdom, and thus not necessary for you to be processed through immigration. When you debark from your transatlantic leg, there should be signs for Flight Connections, Connecting Passengers, International Transit or some such. Follow these signs to stay airside.
You would then pass through a security screening where your carry-on bags will be examined. You will need to be in compliance with the usual rules about liquids, blades, and so on, so if you filled a water bottle in the terminal in New York, be sure it is empty by the time you reach the screening point.
As you are connecting within the same terminal, two hours should be adequate provided your flight arrives on time and without incident. If you would like more reassurance, you can contact BA to see if they would schedule you on a later connection to NBO.
Answer 3
Double check that you don't have any liquid in your carry-on baggage. UK security process is very strict, no exceptions. If there's any liquid in your bags, you will have an additional delay. It can take from 5 to 10 extra minutes. They will call the owner of the bag, search for the liquids, pack them in a clear plastic bag and pass the bag through x-rays again
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, Tim Douglas, ShotPot