Airside transit intl-to-intl at EZE?
 

I've seen variations of this question posted before, but many years ago and involving different airlines. Wondering if anyone can help.

I'm due for a midnight-ish connection between TK (from GRU) to CM (to PTY), both using the same terminal. As an American who has never been to Argentina, I really want to avoid clearing immigration and having to pay exorbitant fees.

Assuming that Turkish will check my luggage through to Copa, will I get to remain airside? I read that transfer desks exist but I wonder if they will be open at that late hour.

I realize that EZE is no one's idea of a good international connection, but this is part of a crazy award ticket that left me with other option.

I'm not sure if this is possible. The issue is that TK might not even let you check-in at GRU if you haven't paid the reciprocity fee.

But I don't see how TK could do that seeing as my final destination is not Argentina. My layover is about 3 hours. Timatic shows a transit without visa time of 12 hours:

"Visa required, except for Holders of onward tickets for a max. transit time of 12 hours."

Which is confusing because Americans aren't required to have a visa to enter Argentina in the first place. But we are required to pay. And I don't want to pay, so assuming I'm in this TWOV category, I won't have to pay.

Any suggestions on how to resolve this? I suppose I could call TK but they're useless.

Have you called the airline...???

I was just about to suggest what Gaucho100k said.. Call both TK and CM to make sure. They should know, and maybe even assist you when you arrive there. I highly doubt they'll make you pay the reciprocity fees, but calling the airlines should clarify this.

Just found this on the aa2000 site (the people who run most of our airports) doing a bit of research:

It basically says that when you descend the plane (I'd suggest you do this before) you should notify someone from the airline on your transit condition to guide you. Head to the transit area, and not to "migraciones" (passport controls), otherwise you'll loose your transit-passenger condition and your connection (and you'll have to pay the reciprocity fees, which are checked in that part). There should be some kind of signs/indicators once your disembark the plane.

Once you come off the air bridge at EZE connecting passengers are diverted away from the pax who are heading for immigration and baggage reclaim. That's the way I've seen it working so if you're travelling all on one ticket that's what should happen to you.

From my dealings with TK, I would not hold my breath waiting for TK being in a position to provide clear and reliable answers.
I suspect that they will struggle to understand what you mean and attempt to provide some kind of answer, which may or may not make sense and may or may not correspond to the truth.

No harm in trying, of course, but it would make sense to keep expectations low.

Can you pick up boarding passes in the "in transit" area? If so--is a transit desk easy to find/identify.

In all my trips through EZE, I never really paid attention as I was always visiting Argentina on those trips.

I am flying in and out internationally on two different tickets (yes I will be back to stay on another trip!) with my onward flight on AC with origin EZE. While AC allows you to check in online, EZE is one airport where they cannot issue a boarding pass (must be issued at airport they say). This time I have two hour connection, no checked luggage, flying up front so could go near front of the line, and my reciprocity fee is already in place so I could go outside if plane arrives on time but prefer to stay airside if possible.

answering my own question for future reference (but still incomplete).

This is all for the new terminal which is a lot nicer than the old one.

After deplaning we headed towards baggage claim and signs saying Pasajeros transitos. Where you go down the stairs/escalators to baggage claim/passport control/exit, you only go half way down the stairs on the left of the escalators (well-marked "Pasajeros Transitos") and into a small area with a booth and security screening. They direct you to the booth but not sure why. If you have a "Transit" card, you go directly to the screening. I didn't but they didn't seem to check at the screening. The sign directs "Pasajeros Transitos" to the booth so that's where I went then rejoined the security screening line (at the end). Things seemed to be moving ok, perhaps 2-3 minutes to get to the booth and another 4-5 to get through security screen at about 4 PM on a Friday so about 15 minutes max from deplaning to getting to my gate and my boarding passes.

You come out of the booth/screen area near Gate 9 which is where the Star Alliance lounge is. I went searching for a transit desk which I never found. I ran across AC's gate first and asked if they could print my boarding passes (I had checked in online). They obliged so I didn't search anymore and went back to Star lounge (1 floor above the gate area via elevator near gate 9).

further info -- you cannot get boarding passes at Star Alliance lounge nor at the little window between gates 7 and 8 (on the corner) which reads "Pasajeros en Transitos". Both said I would need to get it at the gate (which I did again).

On another note--new Star lounge above gate 9 area has a shower which can be handy (likely reported on another thread).

Thanks for reporting back on the transiting process in the new side of the terminal.
I'm sure some people will find it useful. ^

Thanks for the info, BlondeBomber! Already updated the EZE Lounges thread, I didn't know the Star Alliance Lounge had a shower.

thanks tuchop--now I don't have to check that out.

Word of advice to those transiting with tight connections--make sure you at least check in online if you are able. Seems to make spitting out the boarding passes at the gate OK plus you don't run into issues around missing checkin deadlines.

These details of course only apply if you have no bags to check. If you are travelling on two tickets and they can't transfer between, then you will have to go out collect bags and recheck in which will mean a pretty lengthy process potentially.

Airside transit with no bags is a breeze IMHO.

Gracias, BlondeBomber and HIDDY. I've taken information from your helpful posts and edited it, putting it in a wikipost.

Just to say I was at EZE this morning and signs to "Pasajeros en conexión" were easily spotted throughout the arrivals hall before reaching border control. Following these signs leads to a stairway which itself ends in a security check.

EZE was my final destination so I didn't try it, but it all seemed quite organised. There was ground staff at the jetway helping connecting passengers who got off my flight, but I don't know whether this is usual stuff or it's BA that goes the extra mile.