First time flying International, some questions.

These are probably simple questions but I'm getting confused by all that I'm reading. There are 12 of us flying (all US citizens), through different airlines and airports so I have several questions.

 

1. Flying from LAX to Athens, with 2.5 hour connection in Copenhagen. All on one ticket, same airline. Will we need to go through immigration in CPH and if so, do we have to get our checked bags or will they go through to ATH?

 

2. Flying from Heathrow to ATH, is this considered international so we'd need to be at the airport 3 hours early or just 2 hours? Or, is LHR so difficult that even 3 hours is cutting it close?

 

3. Flying BCN to Paris (Orly), same question as #2, arrive 3 hours early or 2?

 

Thank you for the help!

 

Sharon

1. Flying from LAX to Athens, with 2.5 hour connection in Copenhagen. All on one ticket, same airline. Will we need to go through immigration in CPH and if so, do we have to get our checked bags or will they go through to ATH?

CPH is your first point of entry into the Schengen area, so you will go through immigration at CPH prior to your connection to ATH. At ATH, you will go through customs, which will be a red lane/green lane setup. Your bags will be through checked from LAX to ATH - no retrieval at CPH. You will have a security screening at CPH.

 

2. Flying from Heathrow to ATH, is this considered international so we'd need to be at the airport 3 hours early or just 2 hours? Or, is LHR so difficult that even 3 hours is cutting it close?

Even three hours may not have been enough today, as BA had tech issues at T5. :)

 

Assuming that this is the origin point for the flight (not coming in from outside the UK), this is "international" in that the UK is not part of the Schengen zone. I would follow the recommendations of the airline you are flying as to their check-in requirements. FWIW, I am of the belief that if the choice is arriving too early or too late, the answer is obvious. Since delays can occur both at check-in and at security, plan on an early arrival and bring a good book. Globaliser and fbgd have more familiarity with LHR than I do, so theirs would be better advice.

 

3. Flying BCN to Paris (Orly), same question as #2, arrive 3 hours early or 2?

BCN to ORY is intra-Schengen. However, I would still be checking in per your airline recommendations. Edited July 13, 2016 by FlyerTalker

At CPH you'd clear immigration because it is your first point of entry into the Schengen zone. I've flown into CPH but not connected there and based on my experience you would not need to reclear security. I arrived from the UK, cleared immigration and was then free to roam the airside.

 

The UK and Greece are separate countries so yes it is an international flight. There is no set time to arrive, you just need to clear conformance to pass through security That has to be done at least 35mins before departure.

 

BCN to ORY is an international flight but within the Schengen Zone so there is no immigration/customs at either end.

Thank you both for the answers, this helps a lot!

My last CPH visit was a while back, so thanks for the update on security screening.

My last CPH visit was a while back, so thanks for the update on security screening.

 

I'm willing to be wrong here! I usually work on the rule of thumb that if connecting off an international flight you should expect to reclear security, if it weren't for my grand total of 1 arrivals at CPH I'd have assumed clearing security too.

Re: point 3, I would seriously look into taking the train to Paris. After traveling to/from the airports, you're probably looking at the same time.

 

LHR has never been as difficult as its reputation. We've always found it quite easy.

2. Flying from Heathrow to ATH, is this considered international so we'd need to be at the airport 3 hours early or just 2 hours? Or, is LHR so difficult that even 3 hours is cutting it close?

The UK and Greece are separate countries so yes it is an international flight. There is no set time to arrive, you just need to clear conformance to pass through security That has to be done at least 35mins before departure.

If Heathrow to Athens is on British Airways, the Terminal 5 deadlines are these: By 45 minutes before scheduled time of departure, you must have dropped your bags. By 35 minutes before departure, you must have passed the boarding pass scanning point to enter security. There is no difference between domestic and international flights as far as these times are concerned. These are absolute deadlines and are automatic; there is no appeal to human discretion except in a genuine emergency. ("I am about to miss my flight" is not an emergency, as dozens if not hundreds of people miss their flights every day.)

 

Personally, I normally try to aim to be in the terminal at least 75 minutes before departure if I have a bag to drop, simply because that gives me 30 minutes of margin for something to go wrong, and if I'm flying long-haul that means that I have just enough time to get a shower to prepare for a good night's sleep.

Here's what BA has to say about it, and the links to detailed instructions are great:

 

https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/airport-information/london-heathrow-airport/lhr-connections

Here's what BA has to say about it, and the links to detailed instructions are great:

 

https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/airport-information/london-heathrow-airport/lhr-connections

At the risk of being "rude", that web link is wrong for the OP.

 

They were asking about a flight that STARTS at LHR, not a connection, which is what your link takes one to.

 

Try this one for T5 (the terminal used for ATH flights) information. It will confirm the times previously posted by Globaliser. LINK HERE.

They were asking about a flight that STARTS at LHR, not a connection, which is what your link takes one to.

 

Try this one for T5 (the terminal used for ATH flights) information. It will confirm the times previously posted by Globaliser. LINK HERE.

And just to be clear, if the OP's Heathrow-Athens flight is on Aegean rather than BA, then obviously Aegean's and T2's policies will apply instead.

And just to be clear, if the OP's Heathrow-Athens flight is on Aegean rather than BA, then obviously Aegean's and T2's policies will apply instead.

 

Thank you all again, and yes, we are flying Aegean through T2 but the BA links have been very helpful for getting additional info about Heathrow. I appreciate all the help.