I am asking this question purely for the benefit of my wife who wants to hear the answer from someone that is not me.
We fly from the US to LHR and connect to FCO. She would like to know if we must go through security, immigration, and or customs at both LHR and FCO. No checked bags and a single ticket. Thanks very much for your replies.
I have provided a link to Heathrow Airport. You will find it very useful. Heathrow Airport You just plug in your flight information and viola, you will be given instructions on how to proceed. By the way, you will go through security screening.
At LHR you make your way via flight connections to your next flight. See here
https://www.heathrow.com/flight-connections
You do go through security but as you do not enter the UK you do not go through immigration or customs.
In Rome, which is where you enter the Schengen area, you go through both immigration and customs.
Just wanted to share that the minimum connection times at LHR are very optimistic. I flew through from LAX, connecting to Glasgow. Minimum connection time (per airport) was 90 minutes, our connection was 95 minutes, single ticket. We were met by staff as we got off the plane and handed “short connection” cards that helped us bypass some lines, but not all. People were ushering us through when possible. We were running where we could, but also had to take a bus. We only made our connection because the flight to Glasgow was delayed. Allow 2 hours minimum for connections there, despite what the airport says.
Minimum connection time on single tickets at Heathrow ranges from 60 to 105 minutes, depending on the terminals and final destinations. However, anyone who isn't comfortable with this should book something with a longer gap. Without knowing the prospective flights etc it isn't possible to advise on that though.
