Transit via KEF

[commander208]

Am due to fly GLA to DEN with Icelandair via KEF in July. Previous transatlantic flights have usually been GLA/EDI to EWR and then to wherever with all mandatory USA pre-flight checks being undertaken at point of origin. However, given that the forthcoming trip is GLA to KEF, unload and then re-load 1 hour 20 minutes later for KEF to DEN, am I correct in thinking that the US pre-flight checks will be undertaken at KEF?

Also, if food and non-alcoholic drinks are purchased at GLA (post- security), what is likely to be the situation regarding taking them into the cabin for the second leg?

If anyone has experience of transiting KEF I'd be pleased to hear about it.

[Hartington]

I haven't transited KEF but I have been in and out. It's not very big - 10 gates max? It's Scandinavian and seemed efficient.

To the best of my knowledge you will have to complete US Customs and immigration at Denver. That I have done, several times, and it's been a fairly painless experience. Unless there is something very odd you'll check your bag all the way from GLA to DEN and get boarding passes and seat assignments for both flights at GLA. So no need (as there is a EWR on the way TO an internal US point) to collect your bag at KEF and recheck it.

As for food bought at GLA, I have no idea.

[Heathrow Harry]

food should be Ok but drinks will almost certainly be covered by the 100 ml restriction

[redsnail]

When buying the drinks make sure the seller knows that you have an intermediate stop in KEF so they put them in sealed customs bags. Then that should sort out most issues when transiting. If you go "ground side", then the 100ml rule applies.

[commander208]

Many thanks to those who have replied so far.

The point that Hartington makes regarding clearing Customs and Immigration at Denver is something that I did realise would need to be done but the pre-flight checks that I was referring to are the ones where, in previous experience at GLA or EDI, the ICTS people have turned up at the check-in desks with their laptops etc and gone through all the various questions before you even reach the check-in desk. The question I'm interested in having answered is whether these ICTS checks (or similar) will be done at GLA or at KEF, that being the point of embarkation to the US. Apologies for not making the question clear in my first post.

[Hartington]

Are you referring to the point at which the airline collects passport and visa data for onward transmission to the USA? ICTS are but one of a number of aviation security companies. It could therefore be done by another company or the airline itself as part of the checkin process or even started as part of the online processes that are available from some airlines. BA, for example, collect that data through their "Manage my Booking" feature and have staff available to help at the airport if you don't do it earlier.

Maybe the quick way would be to phone Icelandair?

[ExXB]

US pre-clearance is done at 8 Canadian Airports, Ireland (2), Bahamas (2), Bermuda and Aruba.

What you experienced was not preclearance, perhaps a prequel to ESTA. From KEF you will clear customs and immigration at the first arrival point in the US.

See wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_border_preclearance)