I am traveling from NY-JFK with my 4 year old. I have a stop in Heathrow and then I am traveling to Frankfurt. All my travel is with British Airways. Do I have to collect my baggage and do I have to go through customs in both London and Frankfurt?
Posted by
Freedonia
15069 posts
Your baggage will be checked straight through to Frankfurt. You won't even have to go through immigration at Heathrow. Your flights arrive and depart from Terminal 5. The worst you'll have to do is possibly go through security again. You will go through immigration and customs in Frankfurt.
Posted by
OP
New York, USA
2 posts
Thank you Frank. I figured as much on the baggage, but wasn't sure about immigration. Appreciate your response.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32212 posts
Maureen,
As your entire trip is with British Airways, I suspect that your baggage will go directly to Frankfurt. I'm assuming you'll be changing planes at Heathrow?
I've taken trips in the past with one airline, involving three different planes and my checked luggage always ended up at the final destination.
Happy travels!
Posted by
Tempe, AZ, USA
1265 posts
Maureen - Our family took a vacation to Paris using BA with a plane change in London. We had to go thru immigration and security. It took about 30-45 minutes.
Posted by
Denver, CO, USA
1556 posts
Joel - are you sure you had to go through immigration - did they stamp your passport? I have never had to go through immigration if just connecting in London.
Maybe things have changed.
Posted by
Freedonia
15069 posts
Things haven't changed....unfortunately a lot of people "follow the crowd" to immigration rather than to their new gate if in the same terminal or "flight connections" if changing terminals.
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9100 posts
Connecting passengers at Heathrow have to go through a security screening. At the security screening they briefly look at your passport and compare it to your boarding pass (just like the TSA does), some people confuse that with an immigration check.
Posted by
Lawrenceville, Georgia
693 posts
Maureen, when you check your bags, be sure to remind them that you're going on to Frankfurt and that FRA is on the label, not Heathrow.
Posted by
Freedonia
15069 posts
Anna brings up a good point....if checking bags, always make sure the label the airline puts on your bag is for the correct airport.
I was once taking a group to Guaymas, Mexico, which an airpot code of "GYM." About halfway through the check in, I noticed the tags they were putting on my groups bags was "GUM"--Guam.
Good think I noticed or our bags would have gone halfway around the world. (This was before 9/11.)