Other European Frequent Flyer Programs - Icelandair - Major hassle

I recently flew from Minneapolis via KEF to Glasgow, which was eye opening to say the least. My wife and I travel quite a bit between the US and the UK, mostly on Delta via Amsterdam. I've traveled on FI in the past many times with good "travel" results. When I say "travel" I refer to the process of travel, not the subjective experience of meal quality or service. In past, FI was very efficient at ushering travelers from US to Europe and vise versa, in a quick and expedient fashion.

My recent experience tells a completely different story. Upon arriving KEF, we deplaned and from the arrivals hall, everyone had to either go through security or head to baggage claim. We were told this was due to US vs EU security regulations. Their fault or not, this was a hassle.

Next we had to "enter" Iceland through immigration.

Once through immigration, we head to the gate for the flight to Glasgow. Before getting there, we have to "leave" Iceland through another immigration process. Keep in mind, we had "entered" not 2 minutes before this. Again, their fault or not, this was a hassle. I think this applied to any UK bound flight.

Our "direct" flight to Glasgow now has a "technical stop" in Manchester. To me a technical stop means refueling or perhaps letting some passengers off. Why they call this a technical stop is beyond me, as it's a full fledged stop. Everyone is required to fully deplane (all hand luggage) for "cleaning" or some rubbish. At this point, any Manchester bound passengers can head to immigration/customs. Glasgow bound passengers (us) had to walk through ancient corridors in the Manchester airport. This took about 5 minutes, then needed to pass through security again, despite coming from a "secured" flight. This process took considerably longer, as there was only 1 security line, with about 100 people trying to get through. Major hassle.

After security, someone had to tell us where to go. No signs saying which gate or terminal to head for, just a chap saying go through the double doors, head left, take your first right, etc... The main hall in Manchester was an absolute zoo. Zero signage saying anything about gates or toilets or anything, we just kind of headed where everyone else was heading. We finally made it to another part of the hall which said gate XYZ.

After walking down another long hall, we came to the gate for the flight. There was about 50 people all lined up standing around waiting to board the plane. Most of the people originated from Manchester (heading to KEF and the US), with the remainder of the Glasgow bound passengers arriving shortly thereafter. At one point there was probably 100 people standing in this very small area to board or re-board the plane. Major hassle.

Finally, they started boarding, but asked Glasgow only to start. This was a carry on, as people just boarded anyway. This was like a Southwest cattle call for boarding. Quite an awful experience, and I've had many over 30 years of air travel.

I ask these questions (rhetorically really)...
Why did we have to pass through so many layers of security at KEF and Manchester? Why wasn't this better organized?
Why did they force us to go through immigration in KEF, knowing that we'd be leaving it again minutes later?
Why did they have us deplane in Manchester? Security? We passed through bloody security in both the US and Iceland.
Why call the Manchester stop a "technical stop" and not a full fledged stopover? That is completely bogus.

Thankfully we didn't need to pass through immigration (and customs) in Manchester, that would added much insult to the injury.

So my verdict on Icelandair...if you're transiting in KEF to US/Europe, avoid it. If you're going to Iceland (wholly, totally recommend, one of my favorite destinations), no worries with Icelandair.

What used to be a superb process of seamlessly moving passengers across the Atlantic, has now been bollocks up by the airline, Icelandic gov't regs, and US and most likely EU gov't regs.

Hmmm... maybe that's why tourist numbers in Iceland are up considerably!

If the UK was in the Schengen area things would have been a bit easier!

I think the first security in Iceland is to enter the Schengen area, then you have to head to your gate to fly to the UK, which means leaving Schengen and becoming an 'international' passenger again. They can't just move you straight to the international departures as they do need to perform at least one check as you are going onto a flight within the EEA next. KEF wasn't designed with all of these different rules in mind so it's a struggle to accommodate it all I think.

When you arrive to Manchester you are entering the UK, you always have to go through passport control at least but can't really see why they would subject you to security after arriving on a Schengen flight, I don't transfer to domestic flights in the UK normally so don't know if that's standard.

I've not had much trouble passing through Iceland, the checks can be a hassle, especially as the lines are long in the morning when lots of flights arrive at once, but myself and Mrs Danam have enjoyed using Iceland as a stopover in the past.

They can't just move you straight to the international departures as they do need to perform at least one check as you are going onto a flight within the EEA next.

Not true. First, the OP should not have to enter the country (in the past Icelandair pax did not have to enter the country to connect). Second, flights from the US have recently been deemed "clean", meaning they do not have to go through security again.

They can't just move you straight to the international departures as they do need to perform at least one check as you are going onto a flight within the EEA next.

As others are saying this is, at least not in all cases, true. I have flown EWR - KEF - OSL several times and newer had to go through a new security check at KEF.

You experienced all the worst aspects of today's airport security theater, plus the UK immigration hassle.

I am not aware of US-originating flights having been designated as "clean." My recent experience had everyone going through security in Iceland again as the European and US security regulations were different. The height of governmental incompetence not being able to harmonize this.

When entering Iceland you are entering Europe (Schengen). That means you clear immigration for Europe in Iceland. Your next flight to Europe is thus a "domestic" flight and no need to clear immigration at your final destination. This is a major plus in most instances. The UK of course is different as they do not participate in Schengen - thus you enter and leave Europe in Iceland.

You will be pleased to hear that Manchester and Glasgow are being separated and will have their own non-stop flights in both directions, I believe either starting this winter or next spring.

It's not Icelandair's fault. It's Reykavik Airport's faulty design that requires US to UK (and vice versa) passengers to go through passport control. Delta and Iceland Express passengers also have to go through the same routine when they transfer from US to UK flight. KEF airport is small that there is no dedicated area to hold US to UK transit passengers.

As for security, all passengers from flights originating outside Europe have to go through security--whether they land in KEF, LHR, FRA, MUC, CDG, etc. European machines (x-ray, metal detector, etc.) are not compatible and calibrated to the same US standards hence your need to go through security again. When you return from the UK to MSP, you do not need to go through security because those machines are compatible but you will need to go through passport control unfortunately (or fortunately for others who are stamp collectors).

A bit unfair to blame an airline for this, I think.

And I believe that US forces the same procedure on people with technical stops at HNL. Complete de-boarding, immigrations, security, the works.

As for KEF, as others said, it is an small airport servicing at least 3 different "zones" with different immigrations and security regulations.

I agree that a "technical stop" sounds like a quick touch-and-go, and no deboarding should be needed. But I guess there might be technical operations that are prohibited with passengers aboard.

I'ts not the airline, it's the airport authority. Because KEF doesn't support non-Schengen/non-Schengen transfers, all passengers have to go through immigration into the Schengen area at KEF.

This isn't a problem for most of passengers, since their final destination is in another Schengen country and after clearing immigration in KEF, they don't have further checks until their final destination, since all Schengen is in the same zone.

But the UK isn't a Schengen country, so UK-bound passengers have to enter (and leave) the Schengen area at KEF before entering the UK. Since the passengers disembark at MAN, they also have to clear security, since it's a non-intra UK transfer.

Many larger European airports have non-Schengen/non-Schengen transfer paths, for passengers arriving from and continuing to non-Schengen countries. I don't know of any airports where this can be done without re-clearing security, though I could be wrong. HEL perhaps?

This is new in the sense that Iceland has only been part of the Schengen area for a few years...I don't think it makes sense for KEF to do much about it, since almost all destinations are Schengen - but yeah, they're the ones to blame...

A bit unfair to blame an airline for this, I think.

And I believe that US forces the same procedure on people with technical stops at HNL. Complete de-boarding, immigrations, security, the works.

As for KEF, as others said, it is an small airport servicing at least 3 different "zones" with different immigrations and security regulations.

I agree that a "technical stop" sounds like a quick touch-and-go, and no deboarding should be needed. But I guess there might be technical operations that are prohibited with passengers aboard.

Many larger European airports have non-Schengen/non-Schengen transfer paths, for passengers arriving from and continuing to non-Schengen countries. I don't know of any airports where this can be done without re-clearing security, though I could be wrong. HEL perhaps?

In HEL passengers arriving from the US do not need to clear the security again. Those from Asian flights must pass through security.

In HEL passengers arriving from the US do not need to clear the security again. Those from Asian flights must pass through security.

I noticed that last June while waiting at Via Lounge and saw hoards of AA and AY transit passengers walk to passport control. I applaud HEL for this. This must be new since I transited from JFK in March and had to go through security on the ground floor before going up to Schengen gates.

BTW, if HEL wants to promote Via Helsinki, they really must put more people in the non-EU passport booths. I always try to outrun passengers arriving from Russia and Turkey or you're in for a long wait if you end up behind them.

Hi,

I saw this thread while doing a search for KEF immigration for transferring flights. After reading this, I kinda wish I hadn't booked an Icelandair flight but too late now I suppose. I'm flying from Washington DC to London with a connection at KEF. My layover is about one hour. Is this enough time to clear immigration at KEF for my London-bound flight?? After reading a few things on the process, I'm concerned I won't make it in time. My flight to KEF arrives around 6 a.m.

In 2001 (pre 9/11) I flew Mpls >> Paris via KEF. At that time Iceland was already Schengen and we were processed into Europe right there. Also at that time, UK passengers were separated from everyone else into a transit lounge and did not go thru passport control. It was all the height of efficiency, sorry it has changed.

What used to be a superb process of seamlessly moving passengers across the Atlantic, has now been bollocks up by the airline, Icelandic gov't regs, and US and most likely EU gov't regs.


Welcome to the world of international air travel in 2011.

Iceland signed the Schengen Agreement and implemented the policy at KEF in March 2001. The Schengen Agreement is virtually all of Europe (except the UK and Ireland), and once you enter the Schengen Area you are free to travel within the Area without restriction. It makes travel within Europe much easier.

Ever since then, any passenger arriving from a non-Schengen country, and connecting to a flight going to a country within the Schengen area, must clear Passport Control in Iceland.

When this was implemented, a new addition to the terminal was built at the very end of the (then) 6 gate concourse. This addition was designed to handle this new situation, and also provided an in-transit area on the lower level to hold passengers arriving from non-Schengen countries in transit to non-Schengen countries.

This is why, when you arrive in KEF on a flight from the US (non-Schengen) as you exit the jetway, you take the escalator down to this lower level international transit area. You follow the signs which direct you to the escalator up, where you now go thru security and Passport Control.

The plan was (back then in 2001) that passengers arriving from a non-Schengen country, connecting to a flight to a non-Schengen country, would remain in this international transit area, and not have to clear into Schengen. Back in 2001, considering Icelandair's schedule then, this was only US/Canada passengers going to/from the UK.

Now, throw in 9/11 and the changes it brought to airport security. Here in the US, the TSA was established. The entire process took several years, but somewhere in there, the TSA decided that passengers arriving on flights from Europe, and connecting to a flight in the US, would have to be re-screened. Though they had been screened prior to getting on the plane in Europe, this screening was not acceptable to the TSA for air travel within the US.

This did not sit well with the European Security authorities, so they took the same stand; passengers arriving from the US would have to be re-screened to their standards. My first recollection of this is about 2004, when I got off a MSP-KEF flight, on the way to ARN, and I had to go thru security in KEF. It seemed so utterly stupid; I just got off an airplane and I had to go thru security again!??! But it has been that way ever since. European security is not accepted by TSA, and vice versa.

The impact of this at KEF was that all passengers connecting to a flight from KEF had to go thru security again in KEF. Non-Schengen to non-Schengen passengers could no longer remain in the lower level transit area; they had to go thru security. Because they had to go thru security, and the only way from security to their gate was from the upper level, they also had to clear into Schengen, even though they would exit in just a few minutes.

This also affected passengers traveling only to Iceland but arriving from non-Schengen countries (US and Canada). Because (prior to 2010) the only way to baggage claim at KEF was from the upper level (a secure area), passengers arriving had to go thru security again, even though they were not connecting to any flight. This changed last year, and now if you are just going to Iceland, you go to a separate Passport Control on the lower level and take a bus to baggage claim.

It is definitely more of a hassle than it used to be, but this is the system in place today. I fly to Scandinavia quite often since 1995. At times I fly Delta to AMS and connect there. The same process exists there. I go thru Passport Control and security again prior to getting on my flight from AMS. As all my travel is within Schengen, it is now easier than it used to be. Once I'm in Schengen, I'm free to travel within Schengen.

The major problem that everyone traveling to Europe encounters is that TSA and Europe do not accept each others security. It still seems strange to get off a plane and go thru security to get on another plane, but that is how it is.

A problem unique to you (or those traveling to the UK) is that they are not members of Schengen. That does make flying from the US to UK, thru KEF, more problematic, as you will have to clear into Schengen only to exit Schengen a few minutes later. But it all goes quickly at KEF because it is so small.

You encounter additional problems because of the "technical stop" in Manchester. Your arrival from KEF was definitely an international arrival, so I can understand why you had to go thru Passport Control again. Having to go thru security again seems strange, but perhaps the UK does not accept Schengen security. Perhaps for international travel from the US to Europe there are 3 different layers; TSA, Schengen, and UK. And no layer accepts security inspections by another. That makes for a real hassle.

Perhaps like you, I recall the very convenient transits thru KEF in the 1990's. You got off the plane, no Passport Control and no security, wander the terminal until time to board the connecting flight and then just go to the gate and get on the plane. Very simple and easy.

But back then, the entire upper level was an international transit area. Now, that upper level is part of Schengen. Which makes it very convenient for travel within Schengen but more difficult for arrivals from non-Schengen countries. And even more difficult for non-Schengen to non-Schengen connections.

Now with Schengen, you have to clear in upon arrival, but if you are traveling within Europe, it makes the overall trip much easier. Clear in once and you are finished until you leave. The security disagreement between the TSA and Europe is a major headache, but it has been that way a long time so I don't see it changing.

Even with the problems, I would much rather connect thru KEF than anyplace else. It is fast and efficient, and has no more hassles than any other connection point to Schengen countries.

The connections thru KEF in the 1990's were great, but that time is long gone. We live in a different world. You definitely encountered major hassles on your trip; but the cause of your problems can be found in the lack of a uniform international security standard, and the fact that the UK chose not to become a member of Schengen. I don't see either of those changing anytime soon, and they will exisit unless you take a non-stop from the US to the UK.

This did not sit well with the European Security authorities, so they took the same stand; passengers arriving from the US would have to be re-screened to their standards.

The sticking point here is that the TSA does not perform 100% screening of persons entering the sterile area. Airport staff are not subject to screening in some airports and furthermore, the prescribed standard (eg. liquids) is not enforced across all persons (eg. aircrew). Accordingly, US origin flights are deemed to not have been screened to the appropriate ICAO standard and therefore need to be rescreened. This is pretty much the same position most of the world has taken vis-a-vis the US security process.

BTW, if HEL wants to promote Via Helsinki, they really must put more people in the non-EU passport booths. I always try to outrun passengers arriving from Russia and Turkey or you're in for a long wait if you end up behind them.

The people in the passport booths do not work for HEL (Finavia) but for the Ministry of the Interior and it's Border Guard. As Finavia is promoting Via Helsinki, the Border Guard is keeping the Schengen Border safe. These goals may contradict eachother.

The people in the passport booths do not work for HEL (Finavia) but for the Ministry of the Interior and it's Border Guard. As Finavia is promoting Via Helsinki, the Border Guard is keeping the Schengen Border safe. These goals may contradict eachother.

If you have biometric passport, the automatic passport control works surprisingly well. Hell, even my seven-year-old daughter was able to navigate it! ^ No lines there.

If you have biometric passport, the automatic passport control works surprisingly well. Hell, even my seven-year-old daughter was able to navigate it! ^ No lines there.

That's only for Schengen-members' citizens (http://goo.gl/5c9AR). The previous post was specifically referring to the "non-EU passport booths".

I just flew JFK-KEF-LHR with Icelandair last week. As I got off the plane in KEF, I was instructed not to leave the lower floor. I waited 1.5 hours and boarded the LHR flight on the same gate.

I didn't go through any passport or security checks while transiting JFK-KEF-LHR with Icelandair.


as you will have to clear into Schengen only to exit Schengen a few minutes later
This is a lie. I almost applied for an unneeded Schengen visa because of your post. The Danish embassy in NYC (who issues Icelandic Schengen visas) confirmed that I wouldn't need a separate visa just because I'm transiting.

as you will have to clear into Schengen only to exit Schengen a few minutes later
This is a lie. I almost applied for an unneeded Schengen visa because of your post. The Danish embassy in NYC (who issues Icelandic Schengen visas) confirmed that I wouldn't need a separate visa just because I'm transiting.


I hope you realize that this is a very old thread. The last post prior to yours was over a year ago. Things have changed, as you found out.

It was not a lie to say that you clear into Schengen only to exit Schengen as that was true when posted, well over a year ago.

Above all, you should not rely on information posted here for current information on Visa requirements. You should check with the appropriate authorities prior to a trip, as you did, as requirements change.

Just be glad things worked out as they did. If you had read here that you did not need a Schengen Visa, and this was last year, you would have been denied entry and returned to JFK.

Thank you for updating everyone.

And an other thing: There is no longer a security check when arriving from the US. Sanity is ever so slowly returning...