Customs at Gatwick
 

I am flying in to Gatwick from the US and from there to Paris. I haven't booked the Paris hop yet. I would be most grateful if someone could give me a realistic approximation as to how long I need between flights. I've heard that clearing customs at Gatwick can be very time-intensive.

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

"deadlghts" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I am flying in to Gatwick from the US and from there to Paris. I
    > haven't booked the Paris hop yet. I would be most grateful if someone
    > could give me a realistic approximation as to how long I need between
    > flights. I've heard that clearing customs at Gatwick can be very
    > time-intensive.
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

I think you probably mean Immigration, rather than Customs? Customs is
normally just walk through the Green or Red Channel (you will get questioned
if you go through Red, but it shouldn't take long). Of course if you book
through to Paris your bag can get checked all the way from your originating
Airport in the US. Immigration may take some time if you are not an EU/EAA
Citizen but, of course, it all depends on how busy the Immigration Officers
are at the time.

JohnT

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

    > normally just walk through the Green or Red Channel (you will get
questioned
    > if you go through Red, but it shouldn't take long). Of course if you book

To clarify, is the Red channel for declaring something outside of the normal
allowance? Bear with me: I'm trying to understand how this works for a US
citizen visiting London.

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

In article ,
Fustanella wrote:
    >> normally just walk through the Green or Red Channel (you will get
    >questioned
    >> if you go through Red, but it shouldn't take long). Of course if you book
    >To clarify, is the Red channel for declaring something outside of the normal
    >allowance? Bear with me: I'm trying to understand how this works for a US
    >citizen visiting London.

Green channel for EU arrivals.
Red channel for non-EU arrivals who want to declare that they've violated
customs importation restrictions.
Blue channel for non-EU arrivals who don't want to declare anything.

phil

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

    > Green channel for EU arrivals.
    > Red channel for non-EU arrivals who want to declare that they've violated
    > customs importation restrictions.
    > Blue channel for non-EU arrivals who don't want to declare anything.

Thank you kind sir. How much traffic does the red channel really get? :)

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

Fustanella wrote:
    >> Green channel for EU arrivals.
    >> Red channel for non-EU arrivals who want to declare that they've violated
    >> customs importation restrictions.
    >> Blue channel for non-EU arrivals who don't want to declare anything.
    > Thank you kind sir. How much traffic does the red channel really get? :)

My first time in Bali there were three lines at passport control (they've
since fixed the signs):

1) "Indonesia passport"
2) "Forien passport"
3) "Death to drug traffickers"

1 and 2 had long lines. I took a chance on the emoty number 3 and got
through ahead of everyone else on my flight.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

In article ,
[email protected] (Philip George) wrote:


    > Green channel for EU arrivals.

Wrong: nothing to delcare (for non-E.U. Arrivals

    > Red channel for non-EU arrivals who want to declare that they've violated
    > customs importation restrictions.

right, but more correctly for thoseover the allowance limits.

    > Blue channel for non-EU arrivals who don't want to declare anything.

Wrong. For EU arrivals (with nothing to declare).

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

In article ,
deadlghts wrote:

    > I am flying in to Gatwick from the US and from there to Paris. I
    > haven't booked the Paris hop yet. I would be most grateful if someone
    > could give me a realistic approximation as to how long I need between
    > flights. I've heard that clearing customs at Gatwick can be very
    > time-intensive.

Are you changing airlines? If you have a boarding pass for the flight
to Paris and your bags are checked through, you should just stay airside
and go to the gate for the connecting flight.

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

"Not the Karl Orff" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > In article ,
    > deadlghts wrote:
    > > I am flying in to Gatwick from the US and from there to Paris. I
    > > haven't booked the Paris hop yet. I would be most grateful if someone
    > > could give me a realistic approximation as to how long I need between
    > > flights. I've heard that clearing customs at Gatwick can be very
    > > time-intensive.
    > Are you changing airlines? If you have a boarding pass for the flight
    > to Paris and your bags are checked through, you should just stay airside
    > and go to the gate for the connecting flight.
Normally, if you are just changing planes to another international
destination, you don't go through immigration and customs, providing your
luggage is chaecked through. For some nationalities, though, they require
what's called 'airside transit visa' and your documents will be checked even
if you are just transiting. This doesn't apply to US citizens so, unless
your luggage is only checked to Gatwick (code LGW), then you go through
immigration and customs at Paris. You may have to submit to another security
check though. If you have to change terminals (North or South), there's an
airside driverless train to take you.

Alec

Alec

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

    >I am flying in to Gatwick from the US and from there to Paris. I
    >haven't booked the Paris hop yet. I would be most grateful if someone
    >could give me a realistic approximation as to how long I need between
    >flights. I've heard that clearing customs at Gatwick can be very
    >time-intensive.
We just did it in September, It was very fast. maybe 7 to 8 minutes after we
picked up our bags to the train staion.

Mike Quint


George III of England lost the Colonies,
George III of America might lose them again.

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

"Philip George" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > In article ,
    > Fustanella wrote:
    > >> normally just walk through the Green or Red Channel (you will get
    > >questioned
    > >> if you go through Red, but it shouldn't take long). Of course if you
book
    > >
    > >To clarify, is the Red channel for declaring something outside of the
normal
    > >allowance? Bear with me: I'm trying to understand how this works for a US
    > >citizen visiting London.
    > Green channel for EU arrivals.
    > Red channel for non-EU arrivals who want to declare that they've violated
    > customs importation restrictions.
    > Blue channel for non-EU arrivals who don't want to declare anything.

Blue is for travellers from the EU, who have nothing to declare. You can
only use this channel if the destination label put on your luggage by the
airline has green stripes on either side.

Green is for arrivals from outside the EU who are carrying no more than
their duty-free allowances, are not carrying any prohibited or restricted
goods, are not carrying any commercial goods and are not carrying any goods,
such as laptop computers, that belong to their employers.

Red is for anyone who does not meet the above criteria or who is not sure
whether they do.

For full details, including personal allowances, see the HM Customs and
Excise web site

http://www.hmce.gov.uk/

Colin Bignell

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Green is for arrivals from outside the EU who are carrying no more than
    > their duty-free allowances, are not carrying any prohibited or restricted
    > goods, are not carrying any commercial goods and are not carrying any
goods,
    > such as laptop computers, that belong to their employers.
    > Red is for anyone who does not meet the above criteria or who is not sure
    > whether they do.

Mr Bignell (nightjar) correctly states the situation. Mr George was
mistaken.

Alan Harrison

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

"Fustanella" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > > normally just walk through the Green or Red Channel (you will get
    > questioned
    > > if you go through Red, but it shouldn't take long). Of course if you
book
    > To clarify, is the Red channel for declaring something outside of the
normal
    > allowance? Bear with me: I'm trying to understand how this works for a US
    > citizen visiting London.
Green is Nothing to Declare (beyond normal allowances). Red is Yes, I have
goods to Declare. Blue is for travel entirely within the EU. Look at
http://www.hmce.gov.uk/public/yourcust/redgreenblue.htm

Only go through the Red Channel if you have gifts in excess of your
allowances (I am assuming you won't be bringing in banned items). You are
unlikely to be challenged if you go through the Green Channel. You just walk
through them and stop if asked to by the Customs Officer.

If you are not an EU Citizen you will normally have to go through
Immigration before Customs. This should be painless but if there are lot of
people ahead of you in line it can take some time.

JohnT

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

deadlghts wrote in message news:...
    > I am flying in to Gatwick from the US and from there to Paris. I
    > haven't booked the Paris hop yet. I would be most grateful if someone
    > could give me a realistic approximation as to how long I need between
    > flights. I've heard that clearing customs at Gatwick can be very
    > time-intensive.

Either customs will be there to search people's luggage 'randomly' or
they won't. For better or worse, in my experience customs officials
in the UK practice racial profiling. Indeed, on one flight it was
pretty clear that black women were being targetted for baggage
searches.

The only time I (white-ish male) have had my baggage searched was when
I was sporting a black leather jacket, backpack and a three day
growth. It has never happened when I've been in a business suit with
rather stylish business luggage. Go figure.

If your bags are checked, it can be a long process: all shoes x-rayed,
every bus ticket and other scrap of paper unfolded etc.

With kind regards

Zany B. Side
_______________________________
www.londonside.com

Re: Customs at Gatwick
 

Funnily enough, I have the opposite experience. Although I'm a
smartly-dressed 39 year old white male, I almost _always_ get stopped when I
go through Customs coming into the UK. It usually amounts to nothing more
than a brief chat ("where are you travelling from") etc. but occasionally
I've had the full monty (just on my luggage, I'm pleased to say) in a side
room.

I think I just have one of those faces that looks familiar and this flicks a
switch in the Customs officer's brain. Though why only in UK I can't begin
to imagine !


"Zany B. Side" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > deadlghts wrote in message
news:...

    > The only time I (white-ish male) have had my baggage searched was when
    > I was sporting a black leather jacket, backpack and a three day
    > growth. It has never happened when I've been in a business suit with
    > rather stylish business luggage. Go figure.