Question about connecting flights.

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I've only ever flown direct but I am looking at flying long haul and taking a connecting flight.

How does it work?
What happens with your baggage?
When you get to the airport where you are changing planes do you go through immigration etc?
What happens if your first flight is delayed?

Please explain this like you are telling a 5 year old or an alien.

Assuming both flights are on the same booking with the same airline then:
You check your baggage in at the first airport and collect it at your final destination, it is automatically transferred at the connecting airport.
You don't usually go through immigration at the connecting airport, unless you are switching from an international to a domestic flight. In any case, there may be another security checkpoint before you board the second plane.
If your first flight is delayed the airline (assuming both flights are same airline on same booking) will put you on the next available one.

I do two flights often, usually with the same airline. Things vary sometimes if it is two different airlines.

If it is the same airline then when you check in they look at both flights and give you the boarding cards for both flights. Your checked luggage is tagged up for both the flights, you don't see it until you reach your final destination.

The good thing about using the same airline for both is that if your first plane is late arriving they will run you through to the second flight if they can get you on before the plane pushes off. Also if it is their fault you didn't make the plane, they just get you on the next one they have seats on.

You don't go through immigration, you are an in-transit passenger.

The system varies slightly with different airports and domestic/international- which airports would you be using?

Cross post with Flower!

It depends entirely on where you change and where the final destination is. I've been on several indirect flights to florida and have gone via airports in the us. In this case you have to pick up your case and go through immigration at the first airport you land in. So we go from Manchester to new york. Go through immigration at new york. Pick up your case then walk through customs where the the have a belt for you to put your case on to go on to the next flight.

We have just come back from holiday. On the way there we arrived at the international terminal then switched to the domestic terminal - we did have to collect our bags at the international terminal and take them through customs then re-check them in at the domestic terminal.

On the way back we went from domestic terminal to international terminal and did not need to collect our bags in between flights. We presume this is because there was no need for a customs check.

I think it depends on the location of the stop and the airline. I've done connecting flights a bunch of times and no two countries seem to do it the same. Sometimes you go through passport control, sometimes they just keep you air-side.

It might help if you tell us the journey and the stop over location and then someone who has done that trip cam tell you!

Also it's nothing to worry about. What you need to do is always pretty obvious and you can just double check when you check in.

Thank you all.
It's just a thought at the moment but we are thinking of Tokyo from either Heathrow or Norwich via Amsterdam, with the same airline for both bits.

To be honest, if there's limited to difference in cost, I'd go from Heathrow, just because the airport is a bit more manageable than Amsterdam.

I hate connecting through Europe because I never have Euros for a drink etc.

I'd also check to see which Tokyo airport you land at. Haneda is a lot closer than Narita and makes a lot of difference at the end of a long flight.

We live much closer to Norwich. For the cost of driving and parking we could get a cab so I'm inclined to go from Norwich.

Amsterdam is easy to transit. It's a major hub airport so lots of flights connect there. There are lots of Terminals (A to G I think) and they are all connected at a central area, which is a huge shopping centre and restaurant complex.

You will have to show your passport to get on your second flight, but not go through security. Once you get off your first flight, you just need to find out which Terminal you need for the next flight on the boards.