Preclearance Question
Mar 18, 2012 | 4:06 pm
#16
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: CLT
Programs: DL Medialia Aurum
Posts: 801
I flew DUB-ATL in 2009. As others have said, I went through US immigration in DUB and US customs (a non-event) in ATL. The flight landed at Terminal E in ATL, and there was an ATL staffer directing people who were coming off the DUB flight to a special line that bypassed US immigration and led straight to the escalator to baggage claim. I don't recall if I had to show the staffer a boarding pass to prove that I was coming from DUB and not anywhere that required going through immigration.
Mar 18, 2012 | 4:27 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 16,046
Preclearance and Global Entry may be ginger peachy if you don't have any checked baggage but if you do they are worthless.
I don't have GE and on my last TLV-JFK flight there were not enough Immigration officers working in the "Citizens Only" lines, so a number of us were instructed to go to the "Visitors" lines. I was one of them.
I had the great good luck to be behind a family of four from some Asian country and apparently at least one of them had a passport problem because they were talking to the Immigration officer for at least 30 minutes. Our line remained stuck.
Finally, they were cleared and our line moved. As everybody behind them were US citizens there were no further delays. Still, having waited so long, I was a bit concerned that my baggage was going around on the carousel and that anyone could grab it and walk off with it. (I was flying Biz Elite and had the "Priority tag" which, I believed, would mean that my suitcase would be among the first off.)
When I got to the carousel, I did not see my suitcase. Nor did I see anyone else's -- our baggage had not yet started to be unloaded. When it was (about 15 minutes later), I had to wait another half hour until mine arrived.
That totals up to about 1 hr, 30 minutes, from the time that I got off the plane until I got my checked baggage. Having GE would only have meant that I would have spent less time in the Immigration line and more time waiting for my luggage.
I don't have GE and on my last TLV-JFK flight there were not enough Immigration officers working in the "Citizens Only" lines, so a number of us were instructed to go to the "Visitors" lines. I was one of them.
I had the great good luck to be behind a family of four from some Asian country and apparently at least one of them had a passport problem because they were talking to the Immigration officer for at least 30 minutes. Our line remained stuck.
Finally, they were cleared and our line moved. As everybody behind them were US citizens there were no further delays. Still, having waited so long, I was a bit concerned that my baggage was going around on the carousel and that anyone could grab it and walk off with it. (I was flying Biz Elite and had the "Priority tag" which, I believed, would mean that my suitcase would be among the first off.)
When I got to the carousel, I did not see my suitcase. Nor did I see anyone else's -- our baggage had not yet started to be unloaded. When it was (about 15 minutes later), I had to wait another half hour until mine arrived.
That totals up to about 1 hr, 30 minutes, from the time that I got off the plane until I got my checked baggage. Having GE would only have meant that I would have spent less time in the Immigration line and more time waiting for my luggage.
GE helped me there.
Mar 18, 2012 | 4:32 pm
#18
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: Fallen DL DM (PM) 2MM
Posts: 4,783
I did DUB-JFK twice last year and DUB-ATL once -- all three times we cleared customs in DUB as well -- were let off at a "domestic" gate every time. If you have checked luggage they show you a picture of it on a monitor and ask you to verify it is your luggage. Just like when I precleared in YVR.
And there are now some amenities post pre-clearance -- no lounge but snack bars and stuff.
And there are now some amenities post pre-clearance -- no lounge but snack bars and stuff.
Mar 21, 2012 | 5:49 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Continental OnePass, Aer Lingus Gold, BA Executive
Posts: 10
I guess it's thanks to this thread I stick to Shannon SNN, as I can choose between the two; check in with bags at 6-45am, stroll through security about 7am, smoke, look in duty (cannot avoid as you have to go through it
, wait for US Immigration & customs to open, usually a few minutes later than 7-15am, worst was 7-30am, still everyone's on the plane just after 8am.
And they have a kiosk, enough seating and a duty free post US control.
Very relaxed, I guess Dublin won't be so pleased with Flyertalk, as they've more or less lost this transatlantic customer thanks to all you comment
, wait for US Immigration & customs to open, usually a few minutes later than 7-15am, worst was 7-30am, still everyone's on the plane just after 8am.And they have a kiosk, enough seating and a duty free post US control.
Very relaxed, I guess Dublin won't be so pleased with Flyertalk, as they've more or less lost this transatlantic customer thanks to all you comment