MCO gates 60-99
 

Does anyone know why the smurfs put the little black ropes over each and every door of the train that goes between the main terminal and gates 60-99 (where delta is)?

One smurf sits on a chair, the train arrives, he walks along the outside of the train (Extremely slowly) then individually pulls the ropes down one by one (did I mention very slowly), culminating in him finally turning a key to open the doors. This agonizingly slow procedure doesn't happen on the higher gates. I'm guessing it has something to do with international....

If I recall correctly, they do this when large numbers of international flights are arriving, so that passengers do not have to recheck their bags after customs to get out of the secure area.

+1...

usually only happens mid morning through the afternoon when the international gates are active.

If you fly early or late you can miss the crazies.

I used to board on the exit side because those doors open first until TSA had me go speak to a manager and security as if I were a criminal {yes, the sign clearly reads, do not enter] but common... It's not the interstate!

I usually fly out of MCO early morning and return late at night so it is a non-issue. IMO it is more TSA overkill but yes, it is because of intl flts.

I feel your pain
 

As a MCO based flyer, it's frustrating...and it first glance appears to be more silly TSA window dressing. But the entire process is to separate the inbound international passengers from the outbound travelers & make sure they're either leaving the airport, or if connecting, they are screened by the TSA in the main terminal. I'm particularly fond of the fold out wall that goes up to divide the post-security screen area from the inbound passengers just getting of the monorail. The whole thing is haphazardly set up.

It is in fact just more TSA "window dressing" I just can't bear to call this a security enhancement. It has been going on for several years now and has had many variations to it since it started. At one point the TSA brain trust thought it necessary to "segregate" the arriving International passengers from the lowly domestic folk. The common folk (as we were known) were not allowed to leave their designated tram cars until all the International folk had gotten off. Pure and simple TSA BS at its finest. Nothing more and nothing less! YMMV Oh and one more reason I so look forward to retiring in a few years! :D

It is a stop gap designed to cover for the even dumber system that had arriving international pax putting checked luggage back on a conveyer after customs - then going thru a security checkpoint just to return landside (on the tram) and recollect their bags.

They popped a hole in the floor by the trams to let the intl people board the trams with their luggage and leave the airport with less hassle. Unfortunately the efforts to segregate these arriving intl pax can result in significant hassle for everyone else while the TSA scans the tram cars to make sure everyone gets off at the landside area. They also hold people behind the makeshift wall in between the checkpoint and the trams while this circus plays out.

I thought they might at least install some sort of glass wall system in the tram area that might allow the intl pax to come up the stairs and board a dedicated (for that time period) tram to the landside area. A similar glass wall at landside could herd them out of the secure area. The other tram could be left to shuttle the domestic pax back and forth without participation in the circus. During non intl arrival times both trams could operate as they do now. But - I guess it's better to employee more TSA people and inconvenience the masses.

To validate this point for all of us MCO'ers - you will be happy to know that a similar set up will soon be in operation on Airside 1.