We have a 3 hour layover at LHR on our way home from Vienna. I've checked the gov.uk website and I'm still not sure if we need an ETA. Since we won't be leaving the airport, I don't think we need one, but the website says sometimes you do.
Does anyone have any experience with this?
Posted by
SoCal
1863 posts
Posted by
Citizen of the World
3229 posts
Since you’re staying airside and not leaving the airport—you will not be passing through immigration and will not need an ETA.
Cheers!
Posted by
NW England
852 posts
leaving the airport is not the criteria, it's whether you go through immigration control. If you are through ticketed and your luggage is checked through as well you don't need ETA, you follow the purple FLIGHT CONNECTIONS signs. If your departure terminal is different they will lead you to an "airside" bus transfer so you never go through immigration (and may get up close to some planes!). Some say you need the second boarding card, but that isn't true for through ticketing because that can be issued in the transfer area.
If you are NOT through ticketed and your luggage is not checked through you will have to pass through immigration, claim your luggage and then go "groundside" to wherever you need to check it in again. So they will expect ETA.
The grey area is if you are not through ticketed but have cabin baggage only and already have the second boarding card. In that case I reckon that you can use the airside flight connections. But maybe check with airline on that, it's all very new.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
9428 posts
Do you plan any possible trips to UK in the future? You may consider getting one just in case of irregular operations.
Posted by
Freedonia
17575 posts
If this is all on one ticket you will not need an ETA if just connecting through Heathrow.
You don't go through immigration but you do go through security.
This website will give you instructions on what to do: