Multiple layover and flight change question?
Hotel Rates
Ansela J asked:
If you have a flight with multiple layovers (Birmingham, UK to Paris, France to Houston, Texas to San Diego, California for example) and flight changes how does that work?
If you have a flight with multiple layovers (Birmingham, UK to Paris, France to Houston, Texas to San Diego, California for example) and flight changes how does that work?
Do you have to collect your luggage, check in and go through customs again at every stage, or are you automatically transferred between flights at each airport?
Also, if you have an overnight layover, is it possible/allowed to spend the entire time in the airport or do you have to find a hotel?
Vincent
March 14th, 2009 at 3:34 am
Tracy
Normally, luggage is transferred for you automatically. Note, however, that you have to collect your luggage at your first stop in the US and go through customs and immigration. You then need to re-check your luggage for your next destination. People often spend the night at larger airports. Small airports might close and you would need to find a hotel. None of the airports you list are small. With your route, however, you should not have to spend a night at any airport as you are flying in the direction of the Earth’s spin. On the way back, I hope that you will be on an overnight flight.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Samuel
For an international flight with layovers, when you check your luggage, it will be tagged for your final destination city and moved along accordingly, so in most cases, you don’t have to worry about it (even though I have run into some issues with lost luggage over the years and those instances are more likely with more layovers). I would double check about your luggage if you are changing airlines at any point in your flight. For example, if you had a flight that was UK to Paris on Delta then Paris to Houston on United, I would ask if you need to collect your luggage in Paris and re-check it with United.
The airlines are very accustomed to passengers who have connecting flights and will help guide you to where you need to be going next, but it’s important to pay attention because there are sometimes flights that lead to more than one connection, so make sure you’re going to the correct next leg of your flight.
Is it possible to spend the entire time at the airport? In most cases, yes, you can. Most major airports are open 24/7 and there are so many people waiting around for flights that most likely, no one will even notice or care that you’ve been sitting around for hours…except you. Sitting in those airport chairs for hours gets to be uncomfortable after a while.
Although you didn’t ask about it, I also wanted to mention that it’s a good idea to check with your airline about bag size restrictions and items that you can’t carry onboard. This information can be found on the airlines’ website. It’s no fun to find out while boarding that your carry-on bag is too large and needs to be checked. It’s also a real bother to be held up at the security checkpoint because your toothpaste tube is too large or you brought a regular size can of shaving cream.
March 16th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Tina
I don’t know what the agreement between the UK and Paris would be I wouldn’t think you would have to clear customs because both are members of the EU. Your first stop in the USA you will have to collect your bags and clear customs. I know this because for many years I have flown from Canada to the Bahamas via the USA and I have had to collect my bags in the USA, clear customs and then recheck them. It is a simple process to recheck bags though. In larger airports they usually have a special counter within the secure area that you drop your bags off at. Just make sure that your next destination is printed on the tag that the airline attaches to your bag - a series of airport codes and flight numbers are usually printed on the label with each destination that you bag is supposed to be transfered to.
If you are travelling on the same airline (or it’s partners) for the entire trip and are just changing planes you should get your boarding passes for the entire trip and your baggage should be tagged for all your flights at check-in. However, if you are transfering to a different airline and have to check in with them at the second or third airport then you will have to collect your bags because they will have to retag them.
The easiest thing to do is ask the person checking you in at your initial destination what the protocol for customs and baggage will be for each country.
People sleep at airports all the time. I regularly travel through Liberty and see people sleeping on the floor in a corner of the airport.