Clearing Customs Is A Joke At ATL
Dec 5, 2010, 4:57 pm
#121
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: ATL - DL DM/3MM - HH Lifetime Diamond - Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 3,117
In addition, every time I have checked a bag, I get to the claim area before the bags even start coming up.
Maybe if things improve when Terminal F opens, I'll join GE.
Dec 5, 2010, 6:17 pm
#122
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Atlanta & San Francisco
Programs: DL 2MM DM & My Wife is a DL 3MM DM
Posts: 2,784
The F concourse will only have 12 gates, only 6 of which will be "preferential use" for Delta and 6 of which will be "preferential use" for other carriers. But all gates are common use, like in E.
With only 12 gates, I highly, highly doubt all int'l arrivals will deplane in F. I think most will still use E.
As for whether E and F will have separate FIS areas or whether E gates will have a secure corridor leading to the F FIS, I don't know. But my money is on the latter.
With only 12 gates, I highly, highly doubt all int'l arrivals will deplane in F. I think most will still use E.
As for whether E and F will have separate FIS areas or whether E gates will have a secure corridor leading to the F FIS, I don't know. But my money is on the latter.
As to arrivals, that would be one hell of a long corridor. I'm atl "runner" so no big deal for me, but I don't think that's what they'll be doing. For now, I'll stick by what I said in post #116.
Last edited by atl runner; Dec 5, 2010 at 6:26 pm
Dec 6, 2010, 3:32 am
#123
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Happily living in Frenaros Cyprus having escaped the near-death experience called Sofia Bulgaria
Programs: Etihad Guest Gold, DL FO and 1MM, and a bunch of others at a low level
Posts: 2,053
Every time I am in the international line at ATL (once a month) it's airport or airline employees directing people to the lines. They will direct elderly, wheelchair, etc. to the line off your right after you drop your bags and turn around. Once in the main line, there is another airport employee balancing the lanes and keeping the lines to them in order. I suppose it's possible that a TSA employee could go out and help with bathroom break, etc. but I've never seen it, at least not one in uniform.
At any rate, my main point is, the TSA and CBP will absolutely allow airline/airport reps to bring whomever they like to the front of the line. ATL is in need of a frequent flier line at post-customs security.
SR
At any rate, my main point is, the TSA and CBP will absolutely allow airline/airport reps to bring whomever they like to the front of the line. ATL is in need of a frequent flier line at post-customs security.
SR
Everytime I go thropugh post-customs security in ATL, the same screaming woman is herding people through to security. I won't describe her, but she is easily recognizable and quite memorable. She she screams and waves her arms a lot and it is impossible to speak to her; she ignores you and keeps on screaming. She is definitely not a DL employee. She works for the TSA and wears a TSA uniform. I have never seen a DL employee directing people into the lines at post-customs security. I wouldn't expect to because DL is not the only airline that uses these lines.
Dec 6, 2010, 7:20 am
#124
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 1,035
I had a conversation with an unnamed but well known person on this forum last night. His understanding is that all international flights will arrive at the new Concourse F, once it is open, hopefully in the Spring of 2012. After pax and luggage are removed, the planes will be moved from those F gates to allow other arriving planes to use them.
Dec 6, 2010, 12:16 pm
#125
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Atlanta & San Francisco
Programs: DL 2MM DM & My Wife is a DL 3MM DM
Posts: 2,784
This sounds nice in theory, but will be a mess if implemented. Having only 12 gates to handle ALL international arrivals is simply not enough. At peak periods (think of the big banks of European arrivals), there will be backups. Planes will either be forced to wait or deplane by airstairs. Not to mention what a mess on the ground of having to be towing all these aircraft from F to E.
Is there one of the many great Delta posters on this forum who can confirm or repudiate the info being discussed (see post #116)--or can offer more information or insight?
Dec 6, 2010, 12:35 pm
#126
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,365
It may not be accurate, and I didn't design the plan--just reporting what I heard. If it is correct, and potential problems have occurred to you and I, then I'm sure they have also been thought of by the folks who run the airport and the airlines--and I would guess they have an idea of how it will be implemented under different conditions/scenarios.
Is there one of the many great Delta posters on this forum who can confirm or repudiate the info being discussed (see post #116)--or can offer more information or insight?
Is there one of the many great Delta posters on this forum who can confirm or repudiate the info being discussed (see post #116)--or can offer more information or insight?
The concept that F would be arrivals and E departures is inconsistent with the interactive video somebody else posted that showed new departure gates (besides, as you both point out, it has flaws).
The E/F walk would not be that bad (and I would assume a moving walkway). I do the same all the time between concourses and it is far less than some other international arrival walks.
BTW: Sunday arrived from NRT at 13:40 and was able to spend 40 minutes in the E SC (the old BE one) before catching a 15:10 flight to BNA.
[OK, I was first off, it was a slow time, my connection was out of E18]
Dec 6, 2010, 12:55 pm
#127
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Atlanta & San Francisco
Programs: DL 2MM DM & My Wife is a DL 3MM DM
Posts: 2,784
My understanding is that all immigration will be at the new terminal. Those pax arriving in E will walk in a separate corridor of the underground tunnel connecting E/F concourses.
The concept that F would be arrivals and E departures is inconsistent with the interactive video somebody else posted that showed new departure gates (besides, as you both point out, it has flaws).
The E/F walk would not be that bad (and I would assume a moving walkway). I do the same all the time between concourses and it is far less than some other international arrival walks.
BTW: Sunday arrived from NRT at 13:40 and was able to spend 40 minutes in the E SC (the old BE one) before catching a 15:10 flight to BNA.
[OK, I was first off, it was a slow time, my connection was out of E18]
The concept that F would be arrivals and E departures is inconsistent with the interactive video somebody else posted that showed new departure gates (besides, as you both point out, it has flaws).
The E/F walk would not be that bad (and I would assume a moving walkway). I do the same all the time between concourses and it is far less than some other international arrival walks.
BTW: Sunday arrived from NRT at 13:40 and was able to spend 40 minutes in the E SC (the old BE one) before catching a 15:10 flight to BNA.
[OK, I was first off, it was a slow time, my connection was out of E18]
Dec 10, 2010, 5:15 pm
#128
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: San Diego, CA, USA
Programs: Delta DM, Continental PE
Posts: 230
Wow! That's great.
Everytime I go thropugh post-customs security in ATL, the same screaming woman is herding people through to security. I won't describe her, but she is easily recognizable and quite memorable. She she screams and waves her arms a lot and it is impossible to speak to her; she ignores you and keeps on screaming. She is definitely not a DL employee. She works for the TSA and wears a TSA uniform. I have never seen a DL employee directing people into the lines at post-customs security. I wouldn't expect to because DL is not the only airline that uses these lines.
Everytime I go thropugh post-customs security in ATL, the same screaming woman is herding people through to security. I won't describe her, but she is easily recognizable and quite memorable. She she screams and waves her arms a lot and it is impossible to speak to her; she ignores you and keeps on screaming. She is definitely not a DL employee. She works for the TSA and wears a TSA uniform. I have never seen a DL employee directing people into the lines at post-customs security. I wouldn't expect to because DL is not the only airline that uses these lines.
TSA doesn't care in what order the people get to the lines, as long as they get there. Getting people to the TSA/Immigration service areas is the responsibility of the airports and airlines.
The point that I am trying to make in all these posts is that TSA is not going to change anything. You have to approach it as airport business, probably through the airline with which you have the best status. TSA couldn't care less if First Class or Frequent Fliers wait in the same line as everyone else. You have to convince the airlines that it's needed.
SR
Last edited by srilm; Dec 10, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Jan 10, 2011, 9:18 am
#129
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Atlanta, Malaga
Programs: DL DIA, BA Gold
Posts: 124
Over 15 years I have also suffered countless times the nightmare of arriving in Atlanta from an international flight only to have to re check my bags in even though Atlanta is my final destination. Like others I am amazed at how half assed the TSA are and how badly signposted things are as well as a typical lost 30 minutes at least standing inline. I have also winessed the screaming TSA people and total confusion. It gives a terrible impression of the US to international visitors.
IMHO just being able to not go thru this when the new terminal is finished will be a great improvement.
Its also interesting hearing about access via the i75. I normally take MARTA to and from the airport and wonder if they are planning to add another stop?
IMHO just being able to not go thru this when the new terminal is finished will be a great improvement.
Its also interesting hearing about access via the i75. I normally take MARTA to and from the airport and wonder if they are planning to add another stop?
Jan 10, 2011, 9:28 am
#130
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: West of CLE
Programs: Delta DM/3 MM; Hertz PC; National EE; Amtrak GR; Bonvoy Silver; Via Rail Préférence
Posts: 5,384
Over 15 years I have also suffered countless times the nightmare of arriving in Atlanta from an international flight only to have to re check my bags in even though Atlanta is my final destination. Like others I am amazed at how half assed the TSA are and how badly signposted things are as well as a typical lost 30 minutes at least standing inline. I have also winessed the screaming TSA people and total confusion. It gives a terrible impression of the US to international visitors.
IMHO just being able to not go thru this when the new terminal is finished will be a great improvement.
Its also interesting hearing about access via the i75. I normally take MARTA to and from the airport and wonder if they are planning to add another stop?
IMHO just being able to not go thru this when the new terminal is finished will be a great improvement.
Its also interesting hearing about access via the i75. I normally take MARTA to and from the airport and wonder if they are planning to add another stop?
I'm not sure how they are going to resolve the traffic issues with the new international terminal entrance being almost next to Delta TechOps, which is major employment center with its own very large parking structure.
Jan 10, 2011, 9:38 am
#131
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: West of CLE
Programs: Delta DM/3 MM; Hertz PC; National EE; Amtrak GR; Bonvoy Silver; Via Rail Préférence
Posts: 5,384
My Last Two International Trips into ATL
In October '09, I was on a DUB-ATL-BWI itinerary. Even though we "pre-cleared immigration" at DUB, we still had to clear customs at ATL (why they don't do it all at DUB is a mystery). The flight was 100% full; as luck would have it, the ATL ramp staff offloaded the Priority-tagged bags last. Then there was a long line to hand one's customs form to a CBP officer, and almost equally long wait to go through TSA. This whole process took more than 70 minutes--I went straight to the BWI gate and arrived there after boarding had started.
In September '10 my wife and I were on a BRU-ATL-BWI itinerary (we got a reroute out of Europe because of the general strike in France). While we got through immigration pretty quickly, our bags took a long time to reach us; even though they were some of the first off the belt, we were at about 40 minutes after we had left the airplane. Then, while we had no wait to hand in our customs form to CBP, TSA was an absolute mess; there is no SkyPriority line there, and only three lanes were open when we got in line, one of which was reserved for pax who were terminating at ATL. Just as we got to the front of the line TSA thoughtfully opened a fourth line. Total time from the airplane to the formerly BE club in E was about 75 minutes.
Moral of story--if you can, travel light and try to avoid checking bags.
Jan 10, 2011, 9:56 am
#132
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New Orleans (for now)
Programs: DL PM, WN, SC, various other programs of lowly status
Posts: 1,673
Wow! That's great.
Everytime I go thropugh post-customs security in ATL, the same screaming woman is herding people through to security. I won't describe her, but she is easily recognizable and quite memorable. She she screams and waves her arms a lot and it is impossible to speak to her; she ignores you and keeps on screaming. She is definitely not a DL employee. She works for the TSA and wears a TSA uniform. I have never seen a DL employee directing people into the lines at post-customs security. I wouldn't expect to because DL is not the only airline that uses these lines.
Everytime I go thropugh post-customs security in ATL, the same screaming woman is herding people through to security. I won't describe her, but she is easily recognizable and quite memorable. She she screams and waves her arms a lot and it is impossible to speak to her; she ignores you and keeps on screaming. She is definitely not a DL employee. She works for the TSA and wears a TSA uniform. I have never seen a DL employee directing people into the lines at post-customs security. I wouldn't expect to because DL is not the only airline that uses these lines.
In 20 + years of running this gauntlet, my experience has been that I either breeze right through (pure luck of the draw), or it's a total clusterX. I just got the GE and was looking forward to using it on my last trip but our inbound was late arriving and an actual Red Coat paged us and brought us to the front of the line.
That didn't help the reclearing TSA though. We still had to deal with the screaming lady.