What happens to the luggage at the connecting airport?

[matty624]

We're flying (not long now, woohoo... sorry...) from Manchester via Washington to Orlando, obviously!
What will happen when we get to Washington, will we have to collect the luggage to go through immigration and then give it back in, or what. Did you find that when you eventually got to MCO it was easier than if you'd gone direct, i.e. because you'd done immigration etc already. We've got two small children and I'm not looking forwards to the journey because of the connecting flight. What can we expect on the internal flights in the way of food, entertainment.
Can anyone who's done a similar, or indeed the same flight, help. (United flights, with BMI for the Transatlantic bit)
TIA
Ian

 

[GO2209]

You have to clear customs and immigration at your port of entry into the US.

Therefore, you will pass through immigration (queue for ages to answer a few inane questions and hand over your green visa-waiver card!) and collect your luggage.

Normally, its not a problem. You recheck your baggage at a transfer desk. You will probably already have seat reservations etc for your connecting flight to MCO.

Actually, yo umay find it easier going via Washington. MCO is notorious for slow immigration etc, and you will have already done that. This means you will practically race through Orlando airport as you will be arriving on a domestic flight.

 

[ColUK]

As has already been said you first go through immigration, you then pick up your checked bags and go through customs. As soon as you go through customs there will be a sign/person directing you to onward flights where you just hand your checked bags over to. There is no further tags required. You should already have been allocated seats on the next flight and have your boarding card so you can just head to the terminal and wait for the next flight. At MCO you just go straight to the baggage claim hall so its better in that respect.

I flew BMI transatlantic from Manchester last feb and they were excellent, in fact probably the best carrier I have been on for all round service. The entertainment system is seat back videos and a range similar to Virgin. They also had a couple of cams outside the plane which was something different! The seat pitch was about 33in so very good in that respect. The internal United flights are functional rather than anything special. You get free soft drinks but there is minimum entertainment. I cant remember if United actually charge for you to use headphones but ive never really seen anything I wanted to watch on the internal flights.

Going back home you will just check your bags right the way through to Manchester so you wont see them again at Washington on the way back.

Hope this helps, have a great time!

Colin

 

[jjcollins]

Hi Ian -- travelled through IAD (Dulles) many times and found it very easy. Once you clear customs its a matter of picking your bags off the carousel and taking it through double doors at the other side of the room and putting it back on a baggage belt with the help of the ground staff. On your way through you hand in your white form (the one that says you haven't any grub with you - lol).

Once you get to MCO you simply collect your bags and go on - no customs or further checks. Easy peasy!!


jj.........

 

[KayleeUK]

Hi

We flew via Washington last year, just wanted to add we had seat back TV's and watched comedy programmes like Becker etc, the flight wasn't too long so we just got drinks and nibbles

 

[Scottish_Maleficent]

Ian

We've recently returned - we flew United, outward via Chicago and home via Washington.

As others have said - immigration then collect your bags, then customs. Then give your bags back - at Chicago we gave the bags for security checks.

The United internal flight was ok - 767-300, free soft drink, and music channels, but no TV.

Not having to do immigration at MCO really makes a difference - off the plane - get your bags - go get car!! It was very quick.

Coming home via Washington was very straightforward too - we got off the Orlando flight, and checked walked about 400 yards to the gate for the next flight!!! If you have buggies, on theUS internal flights they take them from you at the door to the plane and they are at the door of the plane as you get off, which is quite handy!

Cath

 

[matty624]

Thanks all.
As this is our first indirect flight (although we've been via Gatwick before with BA!), I'm a little nervous about the process, your posts have really reassured me.
Thanks for the buggy tip Cath, we haven't quite decided whether or not to take a buggy for ds, to the door of the plane yet (we're taking two still, dd-4, ds-3). When we checked both buggies in fragile last year, sorry strollers (have to get in the American mind set!), BA very kindly decided not to let one fly when leaving Gatwick. So when we got to Orlando, we were one missing, along with a car seat would you believe. Quite unbelievable!!
BA staff delivered them to our villa 2 days later, left them outside, and they were over run with ants. We ended up hovering them off for an hour. The moral of the story... Don't fly with BA and expect all your luggage to travel with you!!!
Ian

 

[GO2209]

I know what you mean about BA - I have flown twice to the US from Manchester via London. On both occasions my bags failed to keep up with me!

 

[BevS97]

I would recommend taking your strollers to the gate of the plane, and requesting it for the connecting airport - that way you can be sure it has travelled with you.

I flew through Heathrow with my dd a few years ago, and nothing arrived in New York except my stroller, and that was only because I had physically taken it across Heathrow myself. Fortunatly, I wasn't taking my own carseat, )my friend brought one to meet me), cause that would have been a nightmare, but I was so glad I at least had the stroller with me.
In BA's defense (very slight defense, given it was late on a Sunday evening, and even in the USA most shops were shut), they did give me $200 to cover my expenses, and my stuff arrived 24 hours later. My friend took me to Walmart and I was able to buy spare clothes, nappies, baby food etc for about $80, so I made a small profit on the experience.

Bev

 

[tony64]

Hi we are traveling for the first time with a connection at St.Louise this may be a daft question but here goes.
Do we put the details of both flights on the luggage tags or change them after the first flight or what?????????

 

[matty624]

I'd put both flights on your luggage tags, can't do any harm!
Ian