South America - Rio airport transit allowance time

Dear fellow travelers,
I am planning a trip early next year travelling from my home in USA through Panama with Copa to Rio de Janeiro. Then I plan to take a domestic flight within Brazil with TAM to Belem and back the same way. I have heard there are often delays and I want to allow enough time between flights to make sure I do not miss any flight. I have also heard that in Brazil not only carry on luggage is checked but also checked luggage may be searched upon arriving and leaving Brazil. Ideally I would like to check my luggage directly from Belem to Panama via Rio on the return. Would this be possible or do I need to allow plenty of time for possible delays and luggage searches arriving and leaving Brazil. Your kind response will help me to determine the proper flights to choose and time frame. Thank you.
Vagabondhombre

Welcome to Flyertalk!

Last I checked, Copa arrives in the wee hours of the morning at GIG. At least the flights I have looked at. Haven't done those flights, but I don't believe things are very busy at that time. You will have to claim your luggage and go though customs at GIG. There is a nothing to declare line and you do not need to fill out a customs form if you have nothing to declare. You are allowed 500 dollars per person.

Copa arrives in Terminal 1 and after exiting customs, you need to take the connecting corridor to Terminal 2 (I may have the terminal numbers reversed, but you get the idea). The TAM check in counters are right as you exit the connecting corridor.

You didn't say if your trip is all on one ticket or separate. On your return, since both airlines are *A (at least no announcement yet of TAM leaving do to the formation of LANTAM) it is possible that your bags can be interlined for the return.

Thank you for you helpful reply. It seems GIG is pretty straight forward and I should have no problems. I guess I shall leave at least about 3 hours at GIG between flights to make the connections. I have not bought my ticket yet and I am a bit unclear about that. What do you mean about both airlines are *A? I am concerned about checking my luggage straight through from Belem through GIG to Panama; it looks like this may be easier if I make all of my trip on one ticket even though there are different airlines involved rather than separate tickets for each airline. Please explain. Thank you very much.

*A is short for Star Alliance. Copa and TAM are currently both members. Copa uses United's frequent flyer program, Mileage Plus. Have not bought any tickets on Copa's web site, but on United's web site if I choose to do so I can buy tickets that include flights on TAM.