When will he go through customs? Help please.
 

Hi. I'm new. I was sent here from another non travel board for clarification.

My husband is flying from SLC to San Fran to Heathrow to Freetown, Africa. Same route on the way back. All Continental/United.

At what point during each way will he be required to go through customs? Will he have to retrieve his checked bags prior to his final destination? I really need this spelled out for me. I called the TA and she was useless.

I think the travel agent isn't giving enough time.

Help!!!

Sorry if this is in the wrong area.

Hi rentayenta,
Welcome to flyertalk!^

Is your husband flying to Freeetown all on one ticket with no extended layovers ( ie SFO, LHR are just transit airports)
If so customs will be cleared at Freetown. ( SLC-SFO is domestic and there is no customs if transiting at LHR but with a security check)
If on one ticket the bags will be tagged through ( but CO/UA do not fly LHR-Freetown (it could be on another airline codesharing with CO/UA)

Regards

TBS

Thank you, thank you. Yes, one ticket. And he'll hit customs in SF on the way back from Africa? What about Heathrow? Will he go through customs at all there?

Just an added note
 

if you are concerned about connection times, you could give the i info here and the folks here could advise you more specifically. For example, if the LHR-Freetown is on another carrier entirely there will be changing terminals to deal with.

Are you really asking about customs clearing, or are you asking about going through immigration (passport check) lines? They are two different things.

On the way back, if he does not exit at Heathrow, he will to through a security check and continue on to SFO, where he will go through US customs. He will have to retrieve and recheck bags and continue on to SLC.

I think I'm asking about all of the above. I'm not sure what specifics to post but here goes. I really appreciate all of the help. I'm truly flustered. :confused:

SLC to San Fran, Continental
San Fran to Heathrow, Continental

Is British Midland (BMI) part of Continental? If not I see a glaring issue. He's got 1 hr and 50 minutes to make that connection. If he's got to get bags, I see it as impossible.

Heathrow to Freetown, BMI


Home:
Freetown to Heathrow, BMI
Heathrow to San Fran, Continental
San Fran to SLC, Continental


He's got 1.5 hours to make the connection in San Fran which again, I see as impossible with having to go through customs.....

He won't exit at any of the airports until he reaches his final destinations.

He was told that his luggage would be pushed all the way through?? :confused:

Hi,

As BMI is part of star alliance ( same as CO/UA) and on one ticket the bags will be checked through.

On his return to the USA the first point of entry will be SFO , he will have to pass through immigration, collect his bags, clear customs (, there will then be a bag drop location just after customs where he can just drop his bag ) ,clear security and then look for the SLC flight gate. The bag drop after customs is separate from the main check in area)

Regards

TBS

Thank you!! I'm printing this out. Even with changing terminals and giving CO/UA their typical 30 minute delay arriving, should 1 hr 20 minutes be enough time for him to get to terminal 1 to terminal 3 at Heathrow?

Hi,

It is tight be should be doable. ( I do not know the MCT for a UA/CO to Bmi flight)

However both bim and CO/UA fly from Terminal 1 ( UA moved from T3 to T1 a while back) which save a bit of time

Regards

TBS

Welcome to Flyertalk

While his luggage will be tagged all of the way through, that does not mean he won't have to collect it and recheck it.

On the way back for example, everybody entering the US has to clear immigration, pick up their bags, clear customs and if connecting recheck their luggage and reclear security.

So when he checks in Freetown, they will tag his bags for SLC, but he still has to pick them up in San Francisco, pass through customs, and drop them off again

Yes, his bags will be tagged all the way through, but he still has to pick them up, bring them through customs, and drop them off again.

Welcome.

Ignore the advice you received elsewhere; I took a look and it was a lot of really incorrect information. TBS gave you good advice.

I fly T3/T1 (or sometimes T1/T5) every few weeks and 80 minutes is definitely doable for what you list. The LHR site lists 60 minutes. I can often do the terminal changes I list and still have time for a shower. His transfer will be far simpler.

One thing to be reassured about is that security queues at LHR (especially when changing terminals/transferring) are nothing like the average queue times in America. And please advise him that he does not need to remove his shoes unless they set off the WTMD (ie 'regular' shoes are not an issue) The number of shoe-removers often adds to the wait time unnecessarily.

And as sim points out, 'customs' and 'immigration' are not the same. The simple way to think of it is that 'customs' deal with items, while 'immigration' deals with people.

And don't use the link they gave you on the other site regarding transfers; use this one instead. http://www.heathrowairport.com/heath...ht-connections


Edited to add: OP, the 'updated' information you were given on the other website you reference is still not correct. Please don't bother to print it out as it will just confuse your husband. The information here is more accurate, and the website I linked above has a very detailed, clear explanation of what will occur.

I know that people mean well, but it isn't very helpful when they just make things up or take wild guesses rather than give you specific information from a reliable source.

I believe the only place where he will have to collect and re-check his baggage will be SFO on the way back - by which time he is almost home, so missing his connection would not be a great tragedy.