qfrodo

I believe PP will get you into the GOL lounge in Terminal 2 while waiting for your domestic flight. It is in the space formerly occupied by the United Club. And for your outbound international, the Star Alliance lounge and Executive lounge in Terminal 3. They are across from each other. All lounges are on upper floor.

vlad353

Thank you!

B747-437B

We will have a 2:10 domestic to international connection at GRU next month, arriving from REC on O6 at 1550hrs and departing to JNB on SA at 1800hrs. O6 arrives in T2 but SA departs from T3.

There is a lot of dicussion about international to international connections between terminals, but not much about domestic to international.

What process do we need to follow on arrival in GRU? Is the airside walkway usable for Domestic to International connections or do we need to exit the terminal and walk over to T3 on the landside?

As the booking is a single ticket, I presume the baggage will be tagged all the way through to final destination and the Minimum Connecting Time is listed as 90 minutes, so I'm confident that we'll make the connection without too much hassle. However, I'd rather know the shortest/most efficient way to do the connection rather than waste an hour walking about aimlessly!

I also assume that Avianca can issue our SA boarding passes in Recife, otherwise we'll probably have no choice but to exit landside to re-checkin with SAA. We are both *G and ticketed in Business on the SA sectors so the length of lines at check-in are not likely to be an issue.

RafKa

You will have to go lndside regardless, since you'll need to clear immigration. Avianca/SAA should be able to interline so your bags will follow directly. You should also check in online with SAA 24h prior in the very likely event Avianca can't check you in. Walking distance between the two terminals is 20-30 mins depending on your walking speed. It should be doable, if your domestic flight isn't delayed.

qfrodo

You can use the airside connection between terminal 2 and terminal 3 IF, and I repeat IF, you already have your boarding pass for the international flight. Right as you enter the airside connection in the domestic part of Terminal 2. the boarding pass has to be read and then you go thru security.

This video may be helpful: https://yhoo.it/2Lj16aM

They did not film in the security area or Passport control. Ignore after the 4:35 mark as when you turn the corner into Terminal 3 that is where the aforementioned escalator now takes you up. You eventually come out post passport control in terminal 3.

What I also found, is that while the domestic airline provided a boarding pass for the international flight, allowing me to do the above, the international airline preferred their own boarding pass, and you can change that by going to the departure gate, if you need to do so.

B747-437B

Oh wow, brilliant information. So if I understand correctly, provided that Avianca issues me the boarding pass for the SA flights, we essentially clear security and passport control in Terminal 2 itself and then take the international airside walkway over to Terminal 3? The lounges in Terminal 3 are all airside I presume so this shouldn't affect our ability to visit those?

qfrodo

If things haven't changed since I last did this, that is correct. As was mentioned in the video, follow the signs for terminal 3

ticino

We were in a similar situation a few days ago, but with GOL+Air France. Same ticket but for some reason GOL couldn't issue our boarding passes, and neither could the Air France app. So GOL gave us a manually written note with our AF flight details to get through security. It was super easy getting from T2 to T3, there are signs everywhere and there were no lines whatsoever to clear security security.

LillianJ

B747-437B

So we attempted to do this connection on Tuesday afternoon. We had a 2:10 connection, but were 40 minutes delayed inbound from Recife due to a disruptive passenger having to be removed before departure there.

Our onward boarding passes had been issued in Recife by Avianca, but the airside walkway between terminals was closed "by order of Federal Police" according to the sign and the helpful official left to police the barriers.

We had to exit to landside and then make the transfer between terminals there. Overall it took around 45 minutes from touchdown to clearing immigration at T3, which gave us enough time for a quick visit to the Star Alliance lounge before boarding.

qfrodo

Bummer, but glad it all worked out for you. I have been using Azul recently, which operates in Terminal One and have to use the bus between terminals, so was not aware of that airside walkway between Terminal Two and Three being closed.

headinclouds

Need clarification on an intl-> intl connection on separate tickets. Considering Aerlineas Argentina flights to/from EZE while arriving and departing on BA/AA into GRU. As long as I have the onward boarding pass and no checked bags, I can transit at GRU without a visa. Is this correct? Connection timeas are 4-6 hours. What is the minimum safe connection time, 2 hours or more?

viewfromthewindowseat

Does someone check boarding pass at any point in this process?

qfrodo

You may have already taken your trip, but if not, with an onward boarding pass and no checked bags, you should be able to stay airside. The walkway between Term 3 and Term 2 was closed at one point for some reason, but the last time I was thru it was open.

qfrodo

If you are referring to using the walkway between Term 3 and Term 2, yes, you need a boarding pass to use it. At least going from Term 2 to Term 3. Not sure about going from Term 3 to Term 2, as I haven't done that. There are automatic machines to read your boarding pass when entering to use the walkway in Term 2. This is followed by security screening. A little way along you will go thru passport control in Term 2. This is due to the exit from the walkway into Term 3 being past passport control in Term 3.