We are flying from Florida to Gatwick on BA (2020), then have a one way ticket on Easyjet to Munich. Its almost 5 hours between landing and the flight to Munich. It will be morning when we land and about 1:30pm when we take off again (not that the time really matters).
You will go through immigration in Munich as that is where you enter the Schengen area.
Whether you go through immigration at LGW depends if you have to cross the UK border to collect checked luggage. If not, you can stay airside and you do not need to go through immigration.
More info here https://www.gatwickairport.com/at-the-airport/flying-in/flight-connections/
Gatwick is an easy airport to spend some time in. We've done the same thing waiting for our EasyJet flight after coming in from Orlando on Norwegian Air Shuttle.
We'll rest awhile, check our emails and grab a bite to eat. It helps if you have a tablet or something to read while waiting. The shopping mall inside the terminal is also very nice.
Please note that on the Gatwick website linked above there is an exception for Easyjet. Under the international to international connections all passengers must go through passport control. It’s stated in the highlighted box.
Thank you...
It helps to think of easyJet as a completely new flight starting in London. Be sure to read all the regulations on their website; they are enforced. The airline lets you check in on-line many days in advance. That's when you buy such "extras" as checked luggage space and seat assignment. Be wary of luggage rules that may not match BA trans-Atlantic. The basic fare allows one carry-on item. That's ONE, not a bag and a purse and a computer. Want more; pay more for the seat. And do it in advance because transactions at check-in are more expensive.
When you get your checked bag from BA you may have to take it to an easyJet counter outside the secure area (I'm not sure about this). That will mean going through the British immigration process. Access to the plane itself will probably be crowded and may involve walking on the tarmac, but it will be quick because all budget airlines need to turn around their planes and get them back in the air fast.
You should have plenty of time to make the transfer, but always keep it in the back of your mind that if your first flight is delayed enough to miss the second you will get no refund nor replacement from easyJet.
Also, budget airlines are more prone to schedule changes than the transcontinental carriers so keep an eye on your reservation as you proceed to next year.
Thank you that was very helpful information. I'm glad now that we have 5 hours between the two flights, hopefully we don't need it all but it's comforting to know that we won't be rushed.
