Originally Posted by
tigerpaw580
It makes sense to check the trains,if you're going to have security you should be checking everything.Re the TSA, I believe they are not doing all that should be done or doing what they do in the right way for political reasons beyond their control,but the trains should be checked. Either it should be done right or not bother at all.El Al type security should be the standard, or go back to as before.I have flown into MCO many times and have seen several lapses that should be addressed, and that was one.
This has nothing to do with the TSA all of a sudden trying to improve their efficiency or close any loopholes.
As mentioned it has to do with international arrivals at MCO.
When the current MCO terminal and airsides opened in the 80's, Orlando had very little regularly scheduled international traffic.
Arriving international passengers would deplane at the departure level of the airside and then, at one of only several specially equipped gates, walk down a ramp to the lower level, claim their bags, clear INS and then right after clearing INS you had to put your bags back on the carrousel, go back up to the main departure level, take the tram to the main terminal and then claim your bags again from one of the domestic baggage carrousels.
Because there was so little international traffic the airport authority figured both passengers and airlines would put up with this ridiculous double bag-claim system.
In the years since international traffic has grown exponentially and both passengers and airlines have grown sick of the double bag-claim system so in an attempt to make things easier, arriving international passengers now deplane on the same level as domestic passengers and take the train to the main terminal where they are now screened by INS and pick up their bags just once.
Its still a stupid system but one that won’t change until Orlando sacks up and builds a proper international terminal.