Any recent travelers who transited thru UK who can share their experiences?

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

If you have traveled from the US to Europe thru the UK, did you need a transit visa?

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

We landed at Heathrow and immediately boarded a plane for Amsterdam. Our only snag was American Airlines allows two carry on bags per person, so that was all of our luggage. When we got off the plane and were being taken through the secure area of Heathrow to board our next flight, we were taken out of line and told one bag must be checked. At that point, the only option was to go through the immigration line with our bags and re-enter the ticketing area where we checked in and checked our excess luggage, leaving me with my purse and my husband with a small carryon. We didn't need a transit visa, and had we been able to stay in the secure area, we would not have needed one there either.

After 3 1/2 weeks in Europe, we returned to Heathrow and spent a week in London. We stayed at The Allen House.

[Keitht Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Keitht]

We landed at Heathrow and immediately boarded a plane for Amsterdam. When we got off the plane and were being taken through the secure area of Heathrow to board our next flight, we were taken out of line and told one bag must be checked.

Just to clarify your experience. Are you saying you remained 'Air-side' all the time or did you have to leave the secure area at some point? If you remained air-side I don't understand why it was necessary to check one item as hold luggage.

[happymum Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close happymum]

We landed at Heathrow and immediately boarded a plane for Amsterdam. Our only snag was American Airlines allows two carry on bags per person, so that was all of our luggage. When we got off the plane and were being taken through the secure area of Heathrow to board our next flight, we were taken out of line and told one bag must be checked. At that point, the only option was to go through the immigration line with our bags and re-enter the ticketing area where we checked in and checked our excess luggage, leaving me with my purse and my husband with a small carryon. We didn't need a transit visa, and had we been able to stay in the secure area, we would not have needed one there either.

After 3 1/2 weeks in Europe, we returned to Heathrow and spent a week in London. We stayed at The Allen House.

You managed that long away from home with only carry-ons ? I bow to you.

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

We landed at Heathrow and immediately boarded a plane for Amsterdam. Our only snag was American Airlines allows two carry on bags per person, so that was all of our luggage. When we got off the plane and were being taken through the secure area of Heathrow to board our next flight, we were taken out of line and told one bag must be checked. At that point, the only option was to go through the immigration line with our bags and re-enter the ticketing area where we checked in and checked our excess luggage, leaving me with my purse and my husband with a small carryon. We didn't need a transit visa, and had we been able to stay in the secure area, we would not have needed one there either.

After 3 1/2 weeks in Europe, we returned to Heathrow and spent a week in London. We stayed at The Allen House.

Thanks for sharing this....we were trying to understand baggage restrictions as well...

when you stayed in London, did you need a visa?

[Bill4728 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Bill4728]

US citizens do not need a special visa when visiting the UK.


We visited Paris and London this past March. Going thru customs in both France and England was simple and painless. We needed nothing special to enter or exit, other than our US passports.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

There are very few places in Europe where an American needs a visa. Ukraine and Moldova are two countries that have recently dropped that requirement.

Russia and Belarus, and perhaps Turkey (I didn't need one with a sea arrival, and did with a land arrival) are the only ones remaining.

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

We were being escorted from American to the connections area for our other flight. I had a purse and carryon suitcase. My husband had a small "overnight type" bag and a carryon suitcase. We were pulled aside and told that we could have one carry on item. I might have been able to squeeze my purse into the suitcase, but there was no way we could do anything about the overnight type bag. We were told our only option was to leave the secured area and clear customs with our stuff and then re-enter and check the extras--which is what we did. Since we had plenty of time, it didn't matter; we just had to stand in the emigration line for a while and then go to the ticketing area and check the carryon suitcases.

The one item rule definitely makes boarding the plane faster--and there is always a place overhead for each person's stuff; it's really kind of nice.

As to having only carryons, we planned to do laundry here and there and did. We had access to a washer and dryer in Prague and Nice and at The Allen House, since our unit didn't have a washer and dryer, Julie did our laundry for us, which we thought was an extra good deal: no trying to understand the machine.

[rklein01 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close rklein01]

We connected through Heathrow for a flight to Athens.

Be aware that Heathrow is very big and not very user-friendly. We had to walk hundreds of yards/meters plus wait for and take a bus connection between terminals. Covering all that ground took nearly an hour.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

I always try to avoid Heathrow. Gatwick, and even Stansted and Luton, are much more user friendly. Unfortunately, it appears that DL and NW may move from Gatwick to Heathrow.

As to this idiot carryon rule in the UK, that is just one more reason after Gordon Brown's nutty air ticket tax increase to route travel through continental Europe in preference to the UK. I hate having to check baggage and always try to travel with just carryons. Part of that is saving time at the airport and part of it is not having my luggage at the tender mercies of the airlines luggage throwers and baggage mishandlers! Another place one has to contend with luggage nazis is with KLM in Amsterdam.

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

I'm not sure, but I think that one carry on rule was throughout the EU.

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

We're traveling thru LGW (Gatwick), on American, and have used every frequent flier mile to get Business Class...we have about a 5 1/2 hour layover on the outbound, and when we return we have a 12 hour layover.

I was worried about the visa thing because someone we know had problem when traveling last year, she didn't have a visa, and was held up in London...I never got the full story, but now that Carolinian has listed the countries who require it, I am pretty sure she was heading to Moscow....so I guess she couldn't produce the visa required when she entered LHR and that is why she had the problem.

Since we have the 12 hour layover in LGW, arriving at around 1:45 AM, from Madrid, we don't have plans to grab a hotel room, and were planning on just remaining in the airport until the Business Lounge opened at 5:30 AM....do you foresee that this would be a problem?

[Keitht Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Keitht]

As to this idiot carryon rule in the UK, that is just one more reason after Gordon Brown's nutty air ticket tax increase to route travel through continental Europe in preference to the UK.

The one carry on rule is EU wide, not just the UK, so travelling to another country won't solve the problem. Some countries are more stringent than others in its application, but it would be foolish to believe that you will always be permitted more than one carry on. They are also very firm about not allowing bottles of liquid through security. When we returned from Tenerife in March there was a man stood before the security checks whose only job was to tell people to remove all bottles from their hand luggage. Only small bottles, 100ml or less I think, are permitted.

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

We spent a very long layover in the American lounge; you'll love it.

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

We spent a very long layover in the American lounge; you'll love it.

'

That's great to know. Was it American's lounge or was it British Air...we fly into LGW on AA and connect with a BA flight to Turin. I was a bit unsure which lounge to seek out.