I booked a flight to Frankfurt, Germany (from USA) to connect to a
cheaper intra-european flight to Thessaloniki,Greece. Will I have to
go through customs to get my luggage and re-check  the luggage with
the next airline? Can I possibly arrange the transfer of my luggage
from here in the USA? And, finally is two hours a long enough period
to accomplish this? Thanks.

Hi wjh3277,


thanks for an interesting question that lets me draw upon recent
experience: I recently traveled throughout Europe, including Germany
and Greece.


Your luggage will have to go through customs upon your arrival to and
departure from the European Union.  Traveling from Germany to Greece
is remaining within the E.U., so you don't have to pass through
customs in Thessaloniki.

In my experience, the customs process can usually be completed in
under 15 minutes.  To save a few precious moments, be sure to fill out
the customs declaration paperwork while still on the plane; these
forms are usually made available by the stewardess as your flight
nears its destination.

You can avoid the customs hassle by shipping your luggage.  An article
explaining the process of shipping luggage is available here:
URL: http://new.blackvoices.com/travel/bv-chi-0210120149oct13,0,5725432.story?coll=bv-travel-headlines
Luggage Express appears to be a reputable luggage shipping company and
allows you to submit requests for a quote online:
URL: http://www.usxpluggageexpress.com
As does SkyCap International:
URL: http://www.skycapinternational.com

I flew on the RyanAir and EasyJet low-cost airlines throughout much of
my trip, and the check-in counter generally closes no less than 30 or
more than 45 minutes before your flight is scheduled to depart.
Ryanair's policy is 30 minutes:
URL: http://ryanair.com/faqs/build_faq.php?id=2
EasyJet's policy is 40 minutes:
URL: http://easyjet.com/EN/flight/checkin.html

If your flight from the US to Frankfurt arrives on time, you quickly
pick up your luggage, and customs goes smoothly, it's likely that
you'll be able to make your flight.  However, I'd leave a bigger
window if at all possible: 4 hours would be much safer.  If you do end
up missing your flight, most budget airlines will not refund the
ticket price.

For quality advice on all types of travel, I highly recommend the
Let's Go series of travel guides.  Much of their content is available
for free online:
URL: http://www.letsgo.com

     
I hope you find this information useful, and feel free to request
clarification.  If you do require clarification, please allow me to 
provide it before you rate this answer.     
      
Good luck with your travels, and have an excellent trip!      
      
not_you-ga   
   
   
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