Mid-Atlantic - Intl travel with flight change in US

Hi,
I have a flight booked on Continental from Curacao to London Heathrow, there is a plane change in Newark. I have a British passport. Questions:

1) Will I have to go through Customs in Newark?
2) Will I have to pick up my luggage in Newark and go back through security before heading to the boarding area for the Heathrow flight?

I had originally left 2hrs 45minutes for the plane change, now the Curacao flight has been pushed back an hour. That leaves 1hr 45 mins at Newark between flights. I want to make sure this will be enough time.

Thanks for any help. I did call Continental, and the person I spoke with didn't seem to sure about the answer she gave.

Hi,


This might be better on the Continental airlines forum but I think you will have to pass through immigration at Newark, collect your bags and go through customs, there should be a bag drop off point after customs ( your bags should be tagged through to LHR) and then reclear security.

1 hour 45 should be ok barring no major delays ( I would check with Continental regarding the minimum connecting time at Newark)

Regards

TBS

Thanks for the info. What a nightmare process! I'll check on the CO forum re. EWR.

Since shortly after 9/11, there has been no such thing as transit status at any airport in the U.S. You will be arriving and then leaving shortly thereafter. Fortunately, with your U.K. passport, you are from a "visa waiver" country, but you do have to register online beforehand, IIRC. There is also a fee. It's possible there may be some eased requirements for people who really are just transiting, but you will have to clear U.S. Immigration and Customs at Newark. Also you'll have to clear security again, so don't buy anything past security in Curacao that would prevent you (liquid-wise) from clearing security in Newark. I recommend checking the U.S. State Department website for details on how transit works. Definitely don't rely on what Continental tells you.