Connecting at GRU
 

I know that there seem to be quite a few threads about this already, but I'd be grateful for a few opinions on this...

We're arriving on the BA flight in GRU that will land at 5:20am if it arrives on time. We're hoping to go onwards to IGU (Foz do Iguaçu) straightaway. There is a flight at 9:00am which we were hoping to book. Is it feasible that we could clear immigration, get our luggage, clear customs, get from T3 to T2 (where I gather domestic TAM flights leave) and check-in for the 9:00am flight on time?

Your input is appreciated!

In the monthly trips between the US and Brazil that I have been making for over 7 years, I normally plan on 3 hours between connections and you have more than that. If your BA flight is on time, I would expect no problems. TAM has a recheck desk after you exit Cutoms and it is maybe a 10 minute walk to Terminal 2.

Awesome! Thank you! :D

What is your incoming flight is late? We've used the transit desk when continuing on TAM or Gol from an international flight, but only with the whole trip purchased together. Seems logical that you could use it even with separately-purchased trips but I am not positive. You could be sent upstairs to the regular check-in counters and have to pay domestic flight baggage fees which you would not have to pay if both flights were purchased together (note the weight allowances for domestic fights are very low). Remember that you still have to go through security before going to the gate for your domestic flight.

Domestic checked in allowances are 1 bag @ 50 lbs/23 kilos.

Do those allowances apply to OneWorld Emeralds too? My experience with other OneWorld airlines is that they do try to be helpful...

Anyway, if the flight is up to an hour late (it can't leave more than 1.5 hours late because of the take-off curfew at LHR... So I'm guessing we have bigger problems if we're *that* late.

Just went thru GRU doing Domestic (GOL) to international (UA). I timed it from touchdown. GOL arrived at Gate 9 Terminal 1. Just had carryon. Total time from touchdown, taxi, getting the jetbridge up to the plane and door open, exiting baggage claim, and thru the the trminals to the UA check-in counter at Terminal 3 was 33 minutes.

In my recent experiences, going thru domestic security at GRU has not been a problem. Few, if any, wating in line. Don't know if that is due to the time I am flying or whether they just have it sufficiently staffed to keep lines at a minimum.

And the international security was not bad either. Line was a bit longer at passport control when exiting, but moving.

OP is connecting international to domestic, opposite of you.

Understand that, SoCal. The amount of time it takes to walk from one terminal to the other is still the same. I was providing additional info on my experience for others that may view the thread who are doing domestic to International.

Additionally, today on my return, UA to GOL, was told I could not check-in at the recheck desk until 3 hours prior to my GOL flight. Never had that problem before. Asked if it was a new rule, and was told no, it has always been that way. Also, continue to be put in the Comforto seats without asking and not being charged. And domestic security in Terminal 1 at around 12:30-1 PM was practically a ghost town.

In fact, the domestic allowance is 23kgs., no number of volumes was defined by legislation (GOL has a 10 pieces limit). But the habitual is to check only one piece.

If it is a connect flight, the international allowances still apply.

If it is a domestic flight only, and you have status, TAM gives you some extra weight -please see here under BAGAGEM DESPACHADA. Sorry, I didn't find in English.

OneWorld Emerald will be an extra 20kgs on top the original 23kgs, plus some extra weight based on the ticket fare.

True. Walking time the same. Total time for the whole connection process can be quite different.

Somewhat unrelated but still related - how do domestic connections work in Brazil? Seems like it shouldn't be too hard, as all the airlines sell them. Reason I ask if we may buy a roundtrip GRU-MAO-GRU then immediately connect GRU-GIG - seems like it would be a hell of a lot cheaper this way. TAM's fares have gone sort of bonkers. Would TAM check our bags through within b=Brazil even if on separate tickets? Apologies for the n00b question - we've never been to Brazil - so not sure how easy it is to make connections there or if its like India.

So you would go from the far north of the country to an airport 350 km further south than you want to be and buy yet another ticket to immediately get on another plane to go back north again that same 350 km?

I was looking just now at flights on GOL about 10 weeks out, as an example.
São Paulo to Manaus is as cheap as $253 one way.
Manaus to Rio is as cheap as $275 one way.
(Yes, cheapest fares usually are for less convenient times, but it's an example.)
So tell me again why you're going to fly to S.P. and take a second flight to go back where you want to be?

FWIW, I chose to fly IGU-CWB-GIG instead of the direct flight, because I need the extra Tier Points on BA, and don't mind adding 2 hours onto my journey (connection time in CWB is about 58mins)...

Maybe because we snagged one of AA's fire-sale deals to GRU, and that fare was available to GRU only, not to GIG or MAO. That's why.