Customs at Heathrow

Yes, any time you are coming from and going to different countries, you will have to go through customs wherever you land--luggage or not. Just follow the signs for connecting flights.

With checked bags, though it may be hands-off and seem straightforward, you do run the risk of it getting lost along the way. That's why so many of us do carry on only these days.

It depends -- are you flying on one ticket or two independent tickets? Luggage has no bearing. If one ticket through to Paris you will not see immigration or customs till Paris. If just changing planes in London, you should stay behind security and immigration. Watch the signage carefully. Jill's first statement is not accurate if on a single ticket. London is not a part of Schengen zone visa wavier program and France is.

PS -- I yield to Lola down thread on the subject going through security a second time. Appears that will happen.

I am on one ticket connecting through Heathrow on BA. Pre Brexit I believe I had to get checked bags at baggage claim, take them through customs and re check them. I don’t believe you have to do that anymore. Still, I am trying to simplify, especially with only a two hour layover and the baggage claim fiasco at Heathrow. Thanks for the feedback.

Brexit -- pre, post has nothing to do with it. You are getting confused between the EU and the Schengen zone. It is exactly the same pre and post Brexit. You will not claim luggage in London as everything will be checked through to Paris. Nothing has change with regard to prior practices.

If your flights are on one ticket, you do not go through immigration or customs at Heathrow. You stay “airside” and go from your arrival gate to your departure gate for the Paris flight. You WILL have to go through security, but it sounds like you already know that.

It has always been this way with BA at Heathrow, at least for the 20 years we have been flying with them. It doesn’t matter if you have checked bags or carry-on, and nothing in the process changed with Brexit.

You are wise to carry-on, in these days of lots of lost checked luggage. But it will not hasten your deplaning or re-boarding. And you must be very diligent with your bag through security, which is very strict at Heathrow. Make sure your 3-1-1 bag for liquids and gels is zipped closed, and you must take it out and put it in a separate bin for inspection, even if you have TSA-Pre in the US. It does not apply there. Also make sure any water bottles you are carrying are completely empty of liquid—-even if you brought them off the plane.

Thank you all for the feedback. I assume my Heathrow -CDG connection is all in BA terminal 5. Looking forward to finally returning to international travel.
Stay well!!

I assume my Heathrow -CDG connection is all in BA terminal 5.

That may be dangerous.

Check out the link below and plug in your flights to confirm

https://www.heathrow.com/connecting-flights

Many BA flights to the Continent depart from T3. Our last flight to Barcelona did. And you may have to transfer between the different sections of T5 ( A, B, and C), depending on your arrival gate and your departure gate.

Thanks Frank! I meant Security, not Customs. My apologies for any confusion!