I'm on the Parks, Canyons LBH etc tour on 9 Sept and I got my ESTA sorted this morning. As we're flying with BA all the way, I presume there will be no problem with checking in my luggage all the way and I won't have to check in with BA at all at Heathrow? I'm just asking as I had two problems when I did the Golden West tour two years ago (at Belfast my booking ref wasn't valid for the Belfast-Heathrow leg of the journey, so I had all sorts of problems there and I had to check in again at Heathrow; when I went to the US airline desk there they told me my ESTA wasn't valid - I had to frantically get a new one with the time ticking towards my flight departing!). The memory of that still haunts me and I'm just checking that this time I can treat the whole journey like I would to any other destination? In other words, do I need to get my passport checked at Heathrow at a BA desk or elsewhere to see that the ESTA etc is in order? I got confirmation when I got it this morning, so I'm just double checking to see if there is anything else I need or should do? Sorry if this sounds unnecessary but it's only my second time going to the States on a tour and I want to avoid any stress at the airport, if possible!

All the best,

Bob

Sounds like you had a bit of an ordeal last time and I'm not surprised you are double checking!

Our team have said that as you are on a through ticket you should not need to show your ESTA again at Heathrow, but you will need to show your passport when boarding in Heathrow.

I hope that you have a stress-free trip this time.

Kindest regards,

Julia

The ESTA website says you don't need to show it and on my trips to the States I've not yet been asked for evidence of it.

Saying that I always take a copy just in case.

Mick

Just to say that I, too, have never been asked for the ESTA. It should all be on their computers in the US.

Jools

Yes I'll definitely be bringing a copy of the receipt after my previous experience! On my previous tour, I was told to check in with the American airline when I got to Heathrow and it's just as well I did seeing as they checked my passport and told me my passport number had been incorrectly entered on the ESTA so it was not registered! The tour manager was very apologetic and gave me a complimentary bottle of wine as well as refunding me the cost. Anyhow, fingers crossed for everything to go smoothly this time.

Many thanks Julia for your thoughtful answer as always.

All the best,

Bob