I will be flying into London, and then on to Edinburgh. Will I officially enter the UK at Heathrow airport (customs, immigration, passport control), or stay in the international terminal and deal with customs at Edinburgh airport? Have to book my flight from London to Edinburgh and need to know how long I should give myself to get through (not checking luggage). Just trying to plan my London layover. Thanks for your insight.
Posted by
Royaume-Uni nul points, pas plus
2600 posts
Immigration (for people) is always done at the first point of entry into the UK, in this case London.
If you have no luggage checked through to Edinburgh then your customs (for things) declaration will happen at LHR. Will you have goods to declare at LHR? If so, you’ll need to factor in some time. If you have nothing to declare then customs will not take any time at all. Just make your way to your connecting flight.
Will these be two separately booked flights (risky)?
The Heathrow flight connections planner explains what happens at LHR
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4088 posts
Probably too late to say this, but you likely would be in better shape, at least for ease of transit, to have bought one itinerary all the way through to Edinburgh, even it the route involved transferring to an allied airline.
If you have separate tickets you will have to go through the border entry procedures to check-in for the second airline. Then through their security process. Easier with only hand luggage (as long as it obeys that airline's regulations, which may not be the same as trans-Atlantic.) But these days hand luggage is extensively checked; often in a central screening area that can have a substantial line-up. And remember that the stated time of departure is not the time you must be at the departure gate. It can be even slower if you are changing terminals at Heathrow. So you need substantial time to be safe.
Sorry -- not very positive, am I....
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11948 posts
Just trying to plan my London layover.
What I see most often recommended for your situation is "at least 4 hrs"
Changing terminals and a bit of a fudge factor for flight arrival time. Also some airlines close boarding 30 minutes prior to scheduled departure.
Sounds like its too late, but a single booking would have been the easy way for this trip