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Flying from UK to USA

Flying from UK to USA

Old Nov 19th 2006, 3:26 pm
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Exclamation Flying from UK to USA

I thought I'd give a 'heads up'.

When I flew from Heathrow last week, they are still very strict on only allowing one bag per person as carry-on baggage before going through security. You can buy what you like afterwards at the duty free shops however.

I had my large handbag and a carrier bag (with Christmas presents that my mum had wrapped which wouldn't fit into my suitcase). I was told to put my handbag into the carrier bag...but my multipack of Walker's French Fries wouldn't fit...had to call my husband back to get those LOL!).

They have those plastic sandwich bags at the desk as you go through security (I was at Terminal 4) to put in gels, toothpaste, contact lens solution etc. so at least you can take small amounts now on departing UK flights.

However......I had a surprise on arriving at Newark. In the three weeks since I'd previously gone through international arrivals they had brought in a new procedure. After collecting luggage off the carousel, the normal procedure is to hand the customs declaration to the customs officer. However....this time a cursory glance was given, the slips handed back and everyone has to line up; there are now X-Ray machines immediately before the exit and *everyone* has to put their checked luggage through it. I was a bit worried.....

I'd ticked 'no food' on the declaration but had Jammie Dodgers, chocolate and a large jar of Bovri (meat product!) in my suitcase. However, I'd also bought two bottles of Pimm's No. 3 Winter at the Duty Free shop and didn't know if I was over the limit....a bit relieved that they weren't x-raying hand baggage LOL!

I got through OK. I don't know what they are looking for....they didn't have any dogs checking the cases (mostly for drugs but I guess also for explosives) when I was going through but I do know that they have them working there from time to time.

So anyone going home for Christmas should take into account that their cases may very well be screened again when arriving back in the States....
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Old Nov 19th 2006, 3:38 pm
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Default Re: Flying from UK to USA

Originally Posted by Englishmum
I thought I'd give a 'heads up'.

When I flew from Heathrow last week, they are still very strict on only allowing one bag per person as carry-on baggage before going through security. You can buy what you like afterwards at the duty free shops however.

I had my large handbag and a carrier bag (with Christmas presents that my mum had wrapped which wouldn't fit into my suitcase). I was told to put my handbag into the carrier bag...but my multipack of Walker's French Fries wouldn't fit...had to call my husband back to get those LOL!).

They have those plastic sandwich bags at the desk as you go through security (I was at Terminal 4) to put in gels, toothpaste, contact lens solution etc. so at least you can take small amounts now on departing UK flights.

However......I had a surprise on arriving at Newark. In the three weeks since I'd previously gone through international arrivals they had brought in a new procedure. After collecting luggage off the carousel, the normal procedure is to hand the customs declaration to the customs officer. However....this time a cursory glance was given, the slips handed back and everyone has to line up; there are now X-Ray machines immediately before the exit and *everyone* has to put their checked luggage through it. I was a bit worried.....

I'd ticked 'no food' on the declaration but had Jammie Dodgers, chocolate and a large jar of Bovri (meat product!) in my suitcase. However, I'd also bought two bottles of Pimm's No. 3 Winter at the Duty Free shop and didn't know if I was over the limit....a bit relieved that they weren't x-raying hand baggage LOL!

I got through OK. I don't know what they are looking for....they didn't have any dogs checking the cases (mostly for drugs but I guess also for explosives) when I was going through but I do know that they have them working there from time to time.

So anyone going home for Christmas should take into account that their cases may very well be screened again when arriving back in the States....
I don't know if this is done at random. My husband flew into EWR on Friday evening from Singapore and he didn't have his luggage x-rayed. He said everyone appeared to walk straight through after collecting their luggage...including people from other flights. He did say several people were pulled aside who had just arrived on an Air India flight.
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Old Nov 19th 2006, 3:49 pm
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Default Re: Flying from UK to USA

Had family arrive last week from manchester their luggage was scanned again by the TSA at chicago and because of this they had one case that had to be put on a following flight. Which they delivered to my home at 3.30am by courier. The united desk said this was happening a lot at the moment.
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Old Nov 19th 2006, 4:20 pm
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Default Re: Flying from UK to USA

Don't start me on the security involved at airports these days.

On a flight out of RDU (Raleigh-Durham) in October, I had my liquids/gels in a quart size Ziploc. Before I got to the x-ray area, I was asked to take out this bag, ready for it to be x-rayed separately (i.e. outside of my hand luggage). So I did this but I completely forgot I had an unopened bottle of water and an unopened bottle of juice in my hand luggage. So the bottles showed up in the x-ray and I was asked to dispose of them.

I asked if I could drink some of either of the bottles before I disposed of them. I was told I could outside of the x-ray area but this would mean getting in line and doing the whole process again (the line by now had got even longer before me and this was for a flight between 9.00am-10.00am). So, I ditched them then and there.

On the other hand, at Narita a couple of weeks later, at the gate, all hand luggage was checked (this was for a Northwest flight) and a bottle of water was found in my hand luggage. I'd heard the conversation between the passenger ahead of me and the airline? staff. The staff had told the passenger that she could drink her drink before disposing of it and so when my bottle of water was found (it was not bought at the airport), I said I'd take a swig which I did before dumping the bottle in a bin provided.

One word of warning about bringing foods into the US. At RDU (after my international flight), there were Customs staff with leashed beagles wandering around checking for illicit items. I suppose those trained dogs would detect meat products as well as drugs, etc.


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Old Nov 19th 2006, 4:22 pm
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Default Re: Flying from UK to USA

Originally Posted by vegas
Had family arrive last week from manchester their luggage was scanned again by the TSA at chicago and because of this they had one case that had to be put on a following flight. Which they delivered to my home at 3.30am by courier. The united desk said this was happening a lot at the moment.

Baggage bound for onward flights has been screened for some years now, but I thought EM was saying they now screen bags before you exit the airport - or did I misunderstand this?
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Old Nov 19th 2006, 5:06 pm
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Default Re: Flying from UK to USA

This has happened a couple times when I've flown into EWR. Although it's always been pretty random, not all passengers have had to get their luggage scanned (I did!).
The last time it happened, they scanned my hand luggage and handbag too!!
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Old Nov 19th 2006, 5:13 pm
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Default Re: Flying from UK to USA

Originally Posted by Elvira
Baggage bound for onward flights has been screened for some years now, but I thought EM was saying they now screen bags before you exit the airport - or did I misunderstand this?
I'm sure you're right...I read it the same way.
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Old Nov 19th 2006, 5:15 pm
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Default Re: Flying from UK to USA

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
I'm sure you're right...I read it the same way.

I usually am

Now can you stop torturing that poor fowl!!
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Old Nov 19th 2006, 6:01 pm
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Default Re: Flying from UK to USA

From my experience at Newark they were probably looking to see if you had anything worth nicking
I hate that airport...... a couple of trips back we arrived there at midnight and at the baggage carosel all the carts were locked up, we had about 8 items of luggage and papaer money, each cart took 4 quarters. I asked an attendant how to get chage and was told to get it from the exchange booth which was closed till 8.00am
I threw a f**kin fit, telling him I couldn't understand how tourists would ever want to visit this s**t hole ! ......... some kind tourists changed some notes for me
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Old Nov 19th 2006, 6:14 pm
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Post Re: Flying from UK to USA

Originally Posted by Elvira
Baggage bound for onward flights has been screened for some years now, but I thought EM was saying they now screen bags before you exit the airport - or did I misunderstand this?
Just to clarify: my final destination was Newark, NJ on a non-stop flight from LHR. In the six years I've travelled through Newark I have never had to put my suitcases through an X-Ray machine after collecting them from the carousel at Newark.....however, I did last Thursday.

I've often seen the beagles around the carousels at international arrivals (and I've seen the young Alsations being trained at EWR) but every single passenger from the BA flight *AND* Jerseygirl - the Singapore Airlines flight SQ22 which arrived at the same time had to put their checked baggage into the X-Ray machines at customs to exit the baggage hall. Maybe they are doing this at random but of course it's coming up to the 'holiday season'.

Actually the plane made a very heavy landing in atrocious weather - a few overhead lockers blew open and most of the passengers gasped as the plane touched down and the captain apologised....I was sitting in the emergency exit row and the guy next to me nearly had a panic attack. I was surprised to get all the contents of my case back in one piece...a broken jar of Bovril would have made a right mess LOL!
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Old Nov 19th 2006, 7:18 pm
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Default Re: Flying from UK to USA

Originally Posted by Englishmum
I thought I'd give a 'heads up'.

When I flew from Heathrow last week, they are still very strict on only allowing one bag per person as carry-on baggage before going through security. You can buy what you like afterwards at the duty free shops however.

I had my large handbag and a carrier bag (with Christmas presents that my mum had wrapped which wouldn't fit into my suitcase). I was told to put my handbag into the carrier bag...but my multipack of Walker's French Fries wouldn't fit...had to call my husband back to get those LOL!).

They have those plastic sandwich bags at the desk as you go through security (I was at Terminal 4) to put in gels, toothpaste, contact lens solution etc. so at least you can take small amounts now on departing UK flights.

However......I had a surprise on arriving at Newark. In the three weeks since I'd previously gone through international arrivals they had brought in a new procedure. After collecting luggage off the carousel, the normal procedure is to hand the customs declaration to the customs officer. However....this time a cursory glance was given, the slips handed back and everyone has to line up; there are now X-Ray machines immediately before the exit and *everyone* has to put their checked luggage through it. I was a bit worried.....

I'd ticked 'no food' on the declaration but had Jammie Dodgers, chocolate and a large jar of Bovri (meat product!) in my suitcase. However, I'd also bought two bottles of Pimm's No. 3 Winter at the Duty Free shop and didn't know if I was over the limit....a bit relieved that they weren't x-raying hand baggage LOL!

I got through OK. I don't know what they are looking for....they didn't have any dogs checking the cases (mostly for drugs but I guess also for explosives) when I was going through but I do know that they have them working there from time to time.

So anyone going home for Christmas should take into account that their cases may very well be screened again when arriving back in the States....

Good to know that information Englishmum. My daughter is flying tomorrow afternoon (UK time) from Heathrow to Seattle. She has a carry on bag (things she didn't want to pack in suitcase, i.e. camera and of course some food stuff) she's hoping its not a problem. Also, concerning the re-checking of baggage, I know they've been doing that here in Seattle for at least the last couple of years Everyone that has come over to visit has gone through that hassle.
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Old Nov 19th 2006, 7:20 pm
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Default Re: Flying from UK to USA

Originally Posted by Elvira
I usually am

Now can you stop torturing that poor fowl!!
lol
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Old Nov 19th 2006, 7:32 pm
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Default Re: Flying from UK to USA

Originally Posted by Englishmum
Just to clarify: my final destination was Newark, NJ on a non-stop flight from LHR. In the six years I've travelled through Newark I have never had to put my suitcases through an X-Ray machine after collecting them from the carousel at Newark.....however, I did last Thursday.

I've often seen the beagles around the carousels at international arrivals (and I've seen the young Alsations being trained at EWR) but every single passenger from the BA flight *AND* Jerseygirl - the Singapore Airlines flight SQ22 which arrived at the same time had to put their checked baggage into the X-Ray machines at customs to exit the baggage hall. Maybe they are doing this at random but of course it's coming up to the 'holiday season'.

Actually the plane made a very heavy landing in atrocious weather - a few overhead lockers blew open and most of the passengers gasped as the plane touched down and the captain apologised....I was sitting in the emergency exit row and the guy next to me nearly had a panic attack. I was surprised to get all the contents of my case back in one piece...a broken jar of Bovril would have made a right mess LOL!
Yep...same flight only the following day. Therefore it sounds like random checks. As for bringing food back...I always fill at least half a large case full of food. On the customs declaration I write 'candy and foodstuff', this is the only time hubby and I almost come to blows...he thinks each individual item should be written down. I too have seen the agricultural sniffer dogs around the cases but they've never bothered with mine. The dog has even been around my case when it's been full of tea bags. I think as long as you are't bringing meat, cheese, fruit and veg, you're pretty much OK...apart from the obvious...drugs, money, diamonds or weapons.
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Old Nov 19th 2006, 7:33 pm
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Default Re: Flying from UK to USA

Originally Posted by Elvira
I usually am

Now can you stop torturing that poor fowl!!
At the end of the week I'll set it free.
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Old Nov 19th 2006, 8:21 pm
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Default Re: Flying from UK to USA

Originally Posted by Patrick Hasler
......... all the carts were locked up, we had about 8 items of luggage and papaer money, each cart took 4 quarters. I asked an attendant how to get chage and was told to get it from the exchange booth which was closed till 8.00am
I threw a f**kin fit, telling him I couldn't understand how tourists would ever want to visit this s**t hole ! ......... some kind tourists changed some notes for me

You'll find that this problem has now been solved as it is now possible to release said luggage carts with a credit card.









Only problem is it costs $3.












EACH!!! :scared:
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