Does the OP perhaps have some concerns related to how some international flights to ATL arrive at E and other international flights to ATL arrive at F?
Originally Posted by
Loren Pechtel
This is how it works in most places, not just Atlanta and not just the US.
ATL has been a bit different for me than most US airports of entry when it comes to how passengers with thru-checked bags arriving into the US proceed on arrival. The layout and related process difference has made ATL sort of different if wanting/needing to ditch the onward domestic segment when having arrived into the US with checked luggage at ATL that was thru-checked for a destination beyond ATL but does not qualify as cabin baggage. For example, if landing at F at ATL, it's been a walk in the park to exit the airport with the bag instead of rechecking the bag for the onward segment on the ticketed itinerary regardless of if the bag was tagged as thru-checked bag. However, when landing at E at ATL, it seemed like all connecting checked bags are stuck with E for rechecking, and that unless the check-in agent outside of the US agreed to short-check the bag to just ATL, it could lead to an issue that I have never seen at any other US airport of entry for my international common carrier arrivals to the US during the FT era. If the checked-in luggage would clear the TSA screeners at E as cabin baggage, it may be less of an issue.
Arriving in F and having a connection means clearing the F customs and rechecking in there or walking out. But if arriving at E and having a connection, it means customs is done in E and checked luggage is going to go to the tagged onward destination; and if staying in ATL after arrival at E, it's a hike to F to go through customs in F and claim luggage in F.
If this is a trip with DL to ATL where you have a 6+ hour connection at ATL, the check-in agents for DL's international flights to the US may be more amenable to short-checking the bag to ATL and thus get around a particular issue with arrivals into the US at E in ATL.