Entering Scotland, and Customs

[Alan H]

The luminous Joan is strongly resisting purchasing airline tickets for this summers trip until we "know" how long it will take...or if we even have to go through... Customs (or the UK equivalent) to enter Scotland.

If you flew from the USA to Scotland in the last year or two, whether direct to Edinburgh, or Edinburgh via London, would you mind writing about your experience so that I can pass it on? The concern is to leave enough time between flights to get done, what we have to get done with a minimum of stress.

We'd also like to hear about your experience going the other way...back to the USA.

Thanks....

[cessna152towser]

I've flown to USA and Canada and back via London Heathrow on three occasions with British Airways (once each to Boston, Los Angeles and Vancouver).
Leaving Britain is the easiest, you go through security prior to the domestic flight. Flying with British Airways you arrive at their domestic section of terminal 5 and then take a short trip on an underground shuttle train to the international departure section of terminal 5 where you go through passport control where I have never had to queue and there has been no further security check. Although I had allowed for a two hour connection, half to three quarters of an hour proved sufficient. Baggage is checked through to final destination and does not need to be reclaimed at Heathrow.
Coming the other way is less easy as you firstly have to clear immigration and customs where there are often queues, then they make you go through a further security check before you can join your domestic flight and there are often long queues for this. Going this way, meeting a two hour connection can be a tight schedule.
I would envisage Heathrow would be a lot of hassle if you used different airlines. BA's domestic flights use terminal 5 as do their Transatlantic flights but other airlines use a variety of terminals. There are free trains which link the terminals but sometimes you can have a 15 or 20 minute wait for one of these, plus if you are changing airlines you would need to reclaim your luggage and then check it in again.
If you can get a direct flight between USA and Scotland so much the better. I like the direct flight from Glasgow to Vancouver but unfortunately it only goes once a week and only during the summer months. It could be worth your while checking this out though. As the Vancouver-Glasgow goes over the Arctic the flying time is only 8 to 9 hours, plus say a couple of hours flight time from LA to Vancouver and you might find the total flying time is shorter than going from LA to London and then Scotland. Edinburgh and Glasgow airports are more customer friendly and a lot less hassle. Arriving back in Scotland directly from overseas I generally get through passport control without queuing (though my partner and I both have European passports which they prioritise). Following passport/immigration checks I have always been able to walk straight through the green (Nothing to Declare) channel of customs unchallenged.

[John_Carrick]

I flew from Delhi with BA into Heathrow terminal 5 a year or so back and it was painless enough except for a (scheduled) 4 hour wait in terminal 1 for my connection to Belfast. Didn't get referred to as an "alien" anyway.
John

[O'Callaghan]

The US is the worst, and NY JFK is the worst of the worst, LOL! I am half inclined to drive to Canada and fly from there!

[cck]

In the past 8 months I have flown from Newark and Edinburgh twice and found no unusual delay in entering Scotland - just the regular passport check.

[1oldsarge]

Alan, late last year I flew into Boston (broke it up nicely) for the evening, then took Aer Lingus into Dublin. Security checkpoint not a delay, then caught Ryan Air into Edinburgh
(45 min flight).
I returned the same way. Dublin has a U.S. Customs office, so all paperwork handled there.

[Alan H]

Thanks, gentlemen...this is helpful, esp. Alex'..

1oldsarge, I will look into that combination, as well.

[Lyle1]

Flew direct to Edinburgh last year, and customs consisted of a glance at our passports, application of a stamp, and a welcome to Scotland. Returning to the U.S., we barely broke stride passing through customs. The only examinations that I saw done were by dogs sniffing out fresh produce in carry-on luggage as we waited for our bags to come down the chute.

By far the biggest problem is making connecting flights in the U.S. My wife likes to cut it close, and I would rather sit in the airport a few hours than miss a connecting flight. We leave for Scotland tomorrow, and yesterday, my wife started to complain that we would arrive at the departing airport a few hours before our flight left and have to wait. I reminded her that last year we met a couple in the Newark airport who were on the same flight to Edinburgh as were we. When they went to the airport in Connecticut to catch their connecting flight, they were told that the flight had been canceled. No other flights were available, so the airline immediately refunded their money, and they ended up taking a taxi from Connecticut to New Jersey, and were able to direct the driver through New York City to see some sights along the way. Ironically, the taxi ride cost less than two airline tickets, so they arraigned for a limo service to pick them up on their from Scotland. It ended well for our new friends, but it was more excitement than I need.

[Professor Mac X]

Flew to Scotland last year, but into Glasgow, so I don't know how applicable my experience is for you, but...
Had a very smooth and relatively brief passage from disembarking the plane to passing through customs and on to the shuttle to the Glasgow train station. It was coming back that took more time--lots of tourists going home to the U.S., and several not paying attention or using common sense and thus slowing down the queue to departure from Glasgow.
Another possibility, though I don't know your schedule or budget, but have you considered flying in to London, then taking the sleeper train car overnight into Scotland? One would arrive in Scotland much more refreshed and less jet-lagged.

[imrichmond]

My wife and I flew into Glasgow last July from Vancouver, Canada. There was a considerable line at the passport control, but it still took only about 20-25 minutes to get through. It might have been quicker had I not made the mistake of answering the question about purpose of the visit by revealing that I was in Scotland to play with a pipe band. This admission seemed to arouse suspicions that I might be getting paid for my services (I wish!) and led to a rather rigorous questioning on the subject. Customs was no problem; we just walked through.