Blue in Munich
Crocked Professional Yeti Impersonator
Thanks for that, I was resigned to accepting it but a reminder doesn't hurt.
Hacker Khan, thanks for that; who was it that that gave you the express passes if you don't mind me asking?
Going to the USA this year? READ THIS!!
- Thread starter Blue in Munich
- Start date
Thanks for that, I was resigned to accepting it but a reminder doesn't hurt.
Hacker Khan, thanks for that; who was it that that gave you the express passes if you don't mind me asking?
Hacker Khan
Yurt Dwelling, Yoghurt Knitter
It was the airline as they knew we were connecting. As soon as we landed and got off the plane they were waiting for us. I think if you land on time 2.5 hours is fine, we didn't actually really need the express passes as the queue at immigration was not that bad, 20 mins I think but we did peg it from the plane. But make sure you fill in your customs form as the steward on the plane told us we didn't need to, but he was wrong. You don't need to do the green forms anymore as that is all done through electronic estas, but you do need to complete a customs form.
Then another 10 waiting for the bags to come, 10 to get though customs, 10 to go through security again.
But of course this is all dependent on how many planes land when you do and how many people are going through security.
On the way back another story, late connection to JFK meant we ended up sprinting through JFK and ended up flying to Heathrow instead of Birmingham where we were supposed to be heading
Then another 10 waiting for the bags to come, 10 to get though customs, 10 to go through security again.
But of course this is all dependent on how many planes land when you do and how many people are going through security.
On the way back another story, late connection to JFK meant we ended up sprinting through JFK and ended up flying to Heathrow instead of Birmingham where we were supposed to be heading
Last edited:
Blue in Munich
Crocked Professional Yeti Impersonator
It was the airline as they knew we were connecting. As soon as we landed and got off the plane they were waiting for us. I think if you land on time 2.5 hours is fine, we didn't actually really need the express passes as the queue at immigration was not that bad, 20 mins I think but we did peg it from the plane. But make sure you fill in your customs form as the steward on the plane told us we didn't need to, but he was wrong. You don't need to do the green forms anymore as that is all done through electronic estas, but you do need to complete a customs form.
Then another 10 waiting for the bags to come, 10 to get though customs, 10 to go through security again.
But of course this is all dependent on how many planes land when you do and how many people are going through security.
On the way back another story, late connection to JFK meant we ended up sprinting through JFK and ended up flying to Heathrow instead of Birmingham where we were supposed to be heading
Thanks for that. :thup: We're landing around midday their time so could be busy, we'll angle for the fast passes just in case. Not an issue on the way back for us as it's a circular trip & the last leg is a direct flight.
rulefan
Tour Winner
It was widely published in the papers a year ago. Not sure if it was in the Sun or Morning Star.
JollyRedDevil
Club Champion
We are due to go there in August. What is confusing me and I cannot find answers anywhere is this, my wife and my passports have both the rectangle simble on the cover and the chip on one of the pages. But my sons who are 17 and 15 whose passport were issued in 2012 only have the rectangle symbol on the cover and no microchip anywhere. Is this because they are under 18? Would this cause us problems when we get there?
Blue in Munich
Crocked Professional Yeti Impersonator
I think you are okay, see this link;
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-uk-passport-unveiled
Just checked mine, issued in 2008, what I think is the microchip is clearly visible on the reverse of the photograph page (little black blob with very fine copper windings in a rectangle around it.
Mrs. BiM's was issued in 2014, no such obvious microchip in the passport, which tallies with first bullet point in the key security measures in the link above and the fact that the press release says the change is from October 2010.
We also know that they both work as we used the automatic scanners when we went to Portugal earlier this year.
Hope that helps.
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
You have version 1 of the biometric passport where the chip is on the back of the hard laminated photo page, the new version (version 2) has the chip inside the cover.
You'll have no problems.
JollyRedDevil
Club Champion
Thanks. That makes sense now. The kids passport are version 2.
Although having read the Daily Mail article on the link, It says about someones ESTA being cancelled because their passport was issued in October 2006 even though it was chipped. My wife's which is chipped was issued in Sepember 2006.
Now I am not sure if that is going to be problem.
Although having read the Daily Mail article on the link, It says about someones ESTA being cancelled because their passport was issued in October 2006 even though it was chipped. My wife's which is chipped was issued in Sepember 2006.
Now I am not sure if that is going to be problem.
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
Check on the esta website.
If you are concerned then renew now and redo ESTA, you'll need a new passport come September and the time left will get added to your new one and ESTA is only $14
Last edited:
JollyRedDevil
Club Champion
Good idea. We might just do that, to be on the safe side.
kerber0s1983
Assistant Pro
We landed at 11:30am and there were 4 flights that landed around the same time so it was pretty busy.
I would be prepared to leg it if you can to get to the front of the queue and try to get an express pass, unfortunately I couldn't do either as no connecting flight and being seated on the back row of the plane
