OT: Baggage and International Travel

[keno]

On international flights, can you check luggage through without having to deal with it until you get to destination country when you change planes/airline in an intermediate country? For example, I'll fly from US and land in UK using Continental Airlines, and then fly from UK and land in Italy using Alitalia.

If I can't check through, it means having to get luggage from first flight, go through UK customs, check in to Alitalia flight. I'm concerned about how much time I would have to leave to get all of this done in Heathrow or Gatwick. If I do have to do that, which airport is easier to accomplish this in?

No bike case involved on this trip.

Thanks,

keno

[JohnS]

1. Yes, you can check baggage through.
2. Most Continental flights go into Gatwick (LGW), while Alitalia only serves Heathrow (LHR).
3. Is there any reason you want to go through Britain? Alitalia has direct flights from Newark (EWR).
4. Heathrow is a much better connecting airport while Gatwick is better if you are going to London.
5. Heathrow is locked up by British Airways. That's why most American carriers have most of their flights to LGW.
PS Both are members of Skyteam, so if you're a Continental OnePass member, your miles on Alitalia will count.

[2LeftCleats]

I can't speak to the specifics of your outbound trip. The real hassle is the return, if the transatlantic leg doesn't land at your final destination. You must reclaim and reinspect baggage before getting on your connecting flight. I never saw an airport in such disarray as JFK last month (well before Christmas). Huge hassles, long lines, lost luggage. Enjoy.

[Tom]

Also, if you plan on loading up on booze in the duty free shop, be aware you hae to check it into your luggage when you get it to the states or TSA will confiscate and drink it.

I'm not kidding. Karen bought a bottle of perfume in London. A sealed bottle in a sealed bag, but the threat of us running amok and blowing up the plane with 8/10 of an ounce of Chanel No. 5 had to be averted. It was no big deal to pack it when we got to Philly, but I wondered how somebody with a couple of jerry cans full of Hernando's Fiery Dagger was going to deal with the problem.

How would Jack Bauer deal with our threat? I have a mental picture of him feverishly dabbing himself on the wrists until the whole bottle was used up.

[Bud]

Many countries allow "transit" through without actually entering the country through immigration. The US does not allow this, so if you were flying from UK to Mexico via the US, you'd have to "enter" the US, claim your bags, go through customs, re-check, etc. You won't have to do this in the UK as they allow transit.

And Tom's point is well taken. On our recent trip home from Aus, we couldn't do our normal duty free purchase of scotch. There was a second screening at our gate in Sydney where they made everyone dump (or return to the store) their liquids. Even though the duty frees all had big signs in their stores, it was amazing how many people tried it anyway.

[keno]

Because this detail is so important to our planning, I've been doing more research.

On the UK baggage and customs site the following language appears:

"Under European Union regulations persons arriving in the EU must declare their belongings and pay any duty or tax at the first port of arrival."

On the other hand, I was told by Virgin Atlantic, and the rep took several minutes to check the answer, if we booked the trip through Virgin Atlantic, even though a different carrier was the UK to Venice leg, then the baggage could be checked through and customs in UK would not be a problem. On the other hand, if we use separate tickets for the different travel legs, we would have to clear customs in the UK.

My comfort level ain't great yet.

Keep your thoughts coming.

keno

[dave thompson]

I don't recall ever having to declare anything when 'transiting' through the UK onto another country. Only when I was 'arriving' for a stay in the UK did I have to go through their customs.

In the cases where I merely 'passed through' the UK, even with a change of carriers, my luggage was checked through from my departure airport to my final destination.

[JohnS]

I think Dave has it right. Maybe the VS agent thought that you were going to "visit" the UK before continuing on. Make sure that your baggage is checked through to Italy at your origin and you should be okay.

[Joel]

...FWIW

Simply don't check any bags! My wife and I did 10 days in Italy this fall each with a standard rollaboard and a regular size backpack.

She b***ched and moaned while packing but loved the land- get off the plane -and go - once we got there.

We dumped all of the carried junk from the backpacks (papers for trip, books etc.) in Europe and then used the backpacks to carry back presents and stuff we bought.

We flew biz, but there's generally plenty of room in all of the cabins cause everyone checks.

Worked like a charm. It really did.

Joel

[Jeff Weir]

Keno,

Stay home

Watch the Travel Channel

You'll be happier

[rbtmcardle]

I travel for business to Italy a fair amount and would highly recomend flying direct to Milano from Newark (based on your location - scenic new jersey) and taking the train into Venice. Its only an hour.
1 you avoid any connections which suck the life out of you
2 save 2 to 4 hours depending on the connect
3 no chance of missing a flight

it is surreal over there, enjoy

[BBB]

Speaking only from experience from travelling from Australia to Europe and back, it should not be a problem. I've checked my bags domestically in Adelaide and collected them again at the final destination and visa versa.

Haven't travelled overseas since the Chanel cunningly disguised as a bomb rule was introduced, but it seems a little annoying, particularly when you see the way bags get handled by the baggage handlers.

[RABikes2]

Keno,
The next door neighbors flew to Italy this past August. Leave plenty of time if going through customs in the UK. Their opinion was customs sucked there, they were in lines for hours, and they missed their connecting flight to Italy. They used paper tickets (which they usually don't) and that was the only reason they got booked on another flight (at no cost) for their missed flight.
FWIW,
RA
Have fun whatever you do. ;)

[slowgoing]

Fly direct.

To Cleveland.

Then rent a car and drive to Rome, Ohio.

[JohnS]

[QUOTE=RABikes2]Keno,
Leave plenty of time if going through customs in the UK. Their opinion was customs sucked there, they were in lines for hours, and they missed their connecting flight to Italy. They used paper tickets (which they usually don't) and that was the only reason they got booked on another flight (at no cost) for their missed flight.
QUOTE]That's strange. I always find customs in the UK to be much less of a pain than coming back into the US. In fact, "Customs" is just a table off to the side that you "might" get called over to. All most people go through is Passport Control.

[RABikes2]

That's strange. I always find customs in the UK to be much less of a pain than coming back into the US. In fact, "Customs" is just a table off to the side that you "might" get called over to. All most people go through is Passport Control.
Maybe John, but Barb and Doc said it was not a good experience for them. (They've traveled to Europe often.) The agents were inspecting everything including (they watched them) pencils. :confused: To make matters worse, they could have cared less about missed flights. Let's hope Keno has a good experience whatever he does. ;)
RA

[JohnS]

Maybe it's changed. I haven't been there since 2004.