I'm a British Airways tier point runner and this is my first post in AA forum.
If I am doing a run from XXX - XXX - MIA - MGA, returning MGA - MIA - XXX - XXX, what is the turnaround procedure in Managua ?
Is it possible to get straight off the plane (landing at 12:45 pm) and return on the same aircraft departing at 1:55 pm ?
It's bookable on AA.com but I don't know if in Managua you are 'forced' to exit through customs / immigration and if I would have to rush back through immigration/security ?
I will much appreciate help from anyone who knows the AA set-up in Managua well.
Thanks
I know the inbound flights on TACA that then connect to TACA SAL vs. on to TACA GUA (or vice versa, anyway - intra-CA flights that use MGA for a connection) they bring the passengers from the plane into the departure lounge and skip migracion. For arriving AA flights maybe not possible.
If you are at the front of the arriving flight AND it is on time (rare with AA) AND you are the only flight (which depends on the AA on-time ness of the whole shebang) you clear migracion in <5 minutes. (I have arrived on TACA at 8 p.m. , only flight at the terminal, and have been on the curb in under 5 minutes. With no luggage, natch. Then the AA counters are way the hell and gone at the other end of the terminal, though it all has been rebuilt (check-in area) and I haven't seen exceptionally long/bad elite lines at AA for more than a year even first thing in the a.m. when it is packed. Of course I fly TACA where they don't allow that sort of messiness.
There is an airport VIP service for arrivals and departures. I'd use them. Pay $30 US on arrival and they check you in through migracion and get your bags and clear customs and you leave via a separate exit without seeing anyone. Locals with 83 suitcases who don't want to pay customs their baksheesh are big users. On departure for SALA VIP you use a private security entrance, have a drink and they go through passport control for you, for your exit and obtain your boarding pass. So they do both sides which is what you want.
But since you arrive at the SALA VIP you wouldn't even need to leave it and you'd jsut wait for the runner to do both sides of the deal for you. I suspect he might be able to get the inbound migracion guy to do both and I suspect this won't be the first time they've seen this.
I am not sure what they'd charge for arrive and leave in 1:10 but they'd do it. Working Spanish is useful here, BTW. When you arrive there are guys with SALA VIP signs before migracion. Go with one of them. Give them your passport, two migracion forms, one noting arrival country and one departure (you will see what I mean) and e-ticket (would help). Make sure on your inbound flight you get TWO migracion forms (not one -two, because they are no longer carbonless duplicates). Fill out both before you arrive, as one is for arrival (and kept by the government) and one for departure (and kept).
Tell SALA VIP guy to enter you, get your tourist card (that is $5 cash BTW so have that handy), then hoof it to AA and check you in, then check you out through passport control.
AA in MGA allows you to check-in 24 hours before your flight so I am sure at your point of departure they can give you the ex-MGA boarding pass. That saves the guy the go to AA step not that it would add much.
I agree as well if you have no interest in MGA use SAL or PTY for a turnaround point as the open concept terminal is a lot better.