I feel I already know the answer to this but it doesn't hurt to ask. I will be flying British Airways to Gatwick airport, transfer to Heathrow and fly out on Bristish Airways 4 hours later? Will I still have to clear customs on entering the country and then again in a couple of hours when I depart for Berlin?
Thank you!
Karl
You'll have to go through British passport control and customs at Gatwick (passport control being where the line is, customs being a quick walk through in 99% of cases) on an itinerary like this. (I'm assuming you're flying in from outside of the UK?)
In addition, if you have checked bags you'll have to transfer them yourself, even if you are are on one ticket -- see this British Airways page where it says: "Your baggage will not be automatically forwarded so please collect all your bags before leaving Heathrow or Gatwick airport."
As a rule of thumb I don't think there's anywhere in the world that allows you to change airports without going through passport control, if you have arrived from a destination normally requiring passport control.
4 hours is tight. Is this all on one ticket, or are you putting two flights together yourself?
The question has been answered above. I hope your incoming flight is a through ticket and on time, as only a 4 hour gap between flights is tight, particularly if you are travelling in the rush hour.
I arrived at Gatwick at 10.30pm last Thursday and it took me just over 50 minutes from touchdown to getting out of the airport and I can use the biometric passport gates. Waiting for luggage added just over 3 minutes.
You should be at Heathrow 2 hours before your flight.
Let me add to the already mentioned advice given......at Heathrow, you will go through security but there is no exit immigration or customs.
At Gatwick you can use the egates if you hold a U.S. or Canadian passport. This will save time.
You will go through immigration and customs in Berlin.
Four hours is tight.
Thank you for the advice! I booked through BA.com but didn't notice I was flying in and out of a different airport. Wish me luck
Deleted - rubbish question based on my inability to read.
"Let me add to the already mentioned advice given......at Heathrow, you will go through security but there is no exit immigration or customs."
Are you sure this is correct?
TimW, I am surprised at you. There is never exit immigration or customs checks leaving the UK.
The transport company has to report your exit to the UK authorities, which is why you have to tell the airline your passport details ahead of time. You have your ID checked, you have to show your passport to enter the secure area of the airport and they match your passport with the name on the ticket, that again is not immigration, it is security and applies even if you are flying within the UK.
There will be immigration and customs when the OP enters the UK at Gatwick. Other posters have already said that, and that will take time.
What about leaving by land? No exit checks at the Irish border. Eurostar also has this requirement, and since rail tickets can be bought anonymously Eurostar staff (not immigration) at St Pancras check passports of passengers leaving.
@Karl, I would not be comfortable with changing airports between Gatwick and Heathrow in 4 hours.
What about leaving by land? No exit checks at the Irish border. Eurostar also has this requirement, and since rail tickets can be bought anonymously Eurostar staff (not immigration) at St Pancras check passports of passengers leaving.
Eurostar staff check passengers in, then there is security, then outgoing border control by UK Border, the French immigration by French border, then the waiting room. If at St Pancras International. If at Gare du Nord (or for that matter Lille or Brussels or soon to be Amsterdam) it is reversed - security, outward border by France, Belgium or Netherlands and then inbound by UK.
"TimW, I am surprised at you"
Whoops, apologies, I'd misread as OP going Heathrow to Gatwick.
We have done that transfer in the other direction ( Heathrow to Gatwick) on our way to Venice in 2003. We had four hours and it was fine. We had carry-on luggage only and were traveling in Business Class so could Fast Track through immigration and security. We took the coach service from T2 to Gatwick.
But I would not count on it going that smoothly, and I haven't booked a BA flight with an airport transfer since.
Chances are good that it would go well but you should understand the steps involved and move right along. I would pay to choose a seat on the long-haul flight and get one as far forward in the aircraft as possible to speed up de-boarding. Use the eGates for immigration; customs is just a walk-through and takes no time.
Then have a plan for the transfer. Understand the options and have a backup plan in case of severe traffic on the motorways between the airports. And be ready to go through security with laptop, phone, and/or tablet out of your bag into a tray. And be sure your 3-1-1 bag of liquids is compliant and ready to pull out of you bag as well ( or put it in checked luggage if you have it). A mistake here can cost you 15-20 minutes (it happened to me).
And if for some reason you don't make it in time, do not fret. Since this is booked as one ticket, BA will put you on the next possible flight to Berlin.
I learned the hard way that at Heathrow (I presume throughout the UK) all liquid medications need to be in the same (single) 3-1-1 bag used for toiletries. No special dispensation for medical stuff. I was lucky to find this out at a quiet time in the airport, and the security agent was both kind and helpful.
