Originally Posted by
Eastbay1K
I wonder if the OP misunderstood the procedure. Since Int'l to Int'l connections haven't had to claim luggage and re-drop (this has been the case for about a year), the announcements have been that all domestic flight connections still have to collect luggage and re-drop. I've already landed @ MEX 4 times this year to the same message.
When in doubt, as you enter the bag claim area, there's a little portable counter with an AM/DL sign and the agent will assist with what you need to do. When the "no need to reclaim" for int'l/int'l connections started (first for southbound connections, later for northbound connections), I'd ask the agent just to confirm.
Now I am confused, because AeroMexico (JFK-MEX-ACA) has told me I don't need to collect and drop anymore. I found that out last year when I waited for my bags last year to do a pick up and drop and it did not show up, but went straight through. I went to the lost delayed baggage area to file a claim, and they told me that my bags were going straight through, and they did. I also made a point to ask at the AeroMexico check in the next few times, because they stopped the usual "you need to pick up your bags" spiel that they used to do.
Since then I have done about 2-3 with checked luggage. On a Delta flight (codeshare Aeromexico) I had to pick up and drop off. On AeroMexico, no. My bags have traveled straight through.
And as was referenced on this thread,
https://www.aicm.com.mx/en/aicm_en/faqs says exactly what you all are saying. So now I wonder why my bags have been going through?
To be honest, I trust the information I get here then what I get from gate employees. I am most likely headed down in Sept/Oct. I will check a bag to try out the system, and book a longer layover, and wait at the carousel at MEX, regardless of when Aeromexico says.
The bag was pulled by customs for search. It also got pulled out for TSA inspection on outbound from JFK. I am guessing biometric door locks (for my apartment) and collapsible aluminum travel chairs come up as suspicious. However the fine was for Juul. Long story short, they are considered tobacco, and regulated accordingly. I was bring more than "1 carton" worth. When I explained they were personal use (3 week trip), and since they dont know the value (they are not sold in Mexico outside of grey market), they wrote up the value of the extra packs as $10. Tobacco has a 5x markup fine, hence the $50 fine.
Originally Posted by
MSPeconomist
If the procedure is to be called at the gate as boarding is starting, I'm not sure that having a longer connection would have helped.
I think the procedure is probably call at the gate, at the earliest opportunity. The fact that this time was as boarding was about to start was a circumstance that I had landed (and had my bag pulled) so close to boarding time. But I would guess that the gate call is the only reliable location that the airline would know where to find you, unless you checked into a lounge.
The more I think about it, I think you are right about the longer connection not helping. Even though the whole process from leaving the gate-bag search-fine-recheck (to a later flight)-back though security into the terminal was about 40 minutes, I think that this process would have broken down at rechecking my bag for the original time. Gate agents at best start setting up 30-40 minutes before boarding. Which would put my recheck at about 10-15 minutes before boarding under the best circumstances. I doubt they would have been able to get my bag on board in time, even if I could get myself back in time.