New International Terminal Sucks (Atlanta: insurance, hotels, school)

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by tikigod311

Sounds like a serious inefficiency b/t the two agencies.

The easiest option here would be to compel the TSA to rescreen people with checked bags. Being the busiest airport in the world, I would imagine we have some clout.

I fly internationally on 100% of my business, so far the last few years my (air) ports of entry to the U.S. have been Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Dulles, Chicago, Dallas, Freeport Bahamas, Quebec City Canada, Vancouver Canada, San Juan, JFK, and probably a few others I am forgetting about at the moment.

This isn't set up as an inefficiency, but was set up as a heightened security measure post-9/11. Basically Customs (not TSA, but the actual agency charged with letting people in the country) wants/needs to be able to screen people walking through -with- their checked luggage. They want the ability to see both the individual -and- their luggage at the same time to make the decision to further screen their luggage. They want to connect suspicious looking people with their luggage and suspicious looking luggage with people to make decisions.

The problem being... once you touch your checked luggage and recheck it... you need to be screened to enter the airport again, since you might have picked up something from the checked luggage.

The only case I don't see this happen is in freeport, the bahamas. There aren't many people going through there and you are watched sufficiently enough you can walk your checked luggage through customs and immediately give it back they know they don't need to rescreen you.



Some of the people I really feel sorry for are the travelers going between Europe (and elsewhere) and South and central America. They commonly connect through the US, the US is not the destination at all, but they still have to enter the US, go through customs, and rego through security. The only thing that makes me feel better about it is customs and visa procedures down south are absolutely horrible compared to Canada, the US, and most of Europe

[alinka72]

Originally Posted by jpatlanta

The new international terminal needs to be shut down until someone figures out how to let passengers get off an international flight and into the main terminal. It defies belief that they could have opened without forseeing these problems. Right now if you land at a gate in F you are literally fdddd A slot at the old E and you are good and can still take the train. Yes thats right it is better to land at the old terminal E than the new terminal F we just spent all the money on!

I just took 2 hours longer than normal to get home (after landing at F) on the Marta due to no way to access the main terminal anymore other than wait 90 mins for a jitney bus where the driver then wanted a tip (seriously). Hardly what international travellers want to endue after a 8 hour flight.

Whoever came up with the idiotic idea to not connect the new terminal with Marta or some other way to practically get between terminals needs to be fired. This is already causing major embarrassment for Atlanta and re-enforces our reputation as a car dependent backward city. Not that car users are immune from this mess because what happens if your parking was for the main terminal where you checked in and you return to F terminal. You will still have to wait 2 hours to take the jitney back to the main terminal to then get you car.

Check this links on frequent flyer forums to see how other are reacting as well in case y'all think its just me whining:

AJC - Shuttle Buses overwhelmed at Atlanta's (ATL) New International Terminal - FlyerTalk Forums

Why did I know that was going to happen. Not even the cheerleaders can come to its rescue now...

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by jpatlanta

Probably a circle would have been best Main term, International term, Hapeville/ Cargo and then back to Main and northbound. Would have solved this mess and added ridership as well.

That's a good plan

[MathmanMathman]

And arriving passengers are not thrilled with it.

New terminal means long, winding walks for some *| ajc.com

[testa50]

I've made the walk. It's not outrageously long by the standards of international arrivals or airport walks IMO (as the article points out), but it's not short either. Moving sidewalks were working just fine. My biggest gripe was that there wasn't a bathroom available until you get to the customs area. (It's before you get through customs, thankfully--I would have probably exploded otherwise.)

The customs operation itself being a poorly organized madhouse is a far bigger problem. You give them a blank check to design whatever customs facility they want, and it still turns into mismanaged chaos. Worst part of an arrival into any American airport imo.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by testa50

I've made the walk. It's not outrageously long by the standards of international arrivals or airport walks IMO (as the article points out), but it's not short either. Moving sidewalks were working just fine. My biggest gripe was that there wasn't a bathroom available until you get to the customs area. (It's before you get through customs, thankfully--I would have probably exploded otherwise.)

The customs operation itself being a poorly organized madhouse is a far bigger problem. You give them a blank check to design whatever customs facility they want, and it still turns into mismanaged chaos. Worst part of an arrival into any American airport imo.

Oh I know that feeling all too well! It is the worst!

I have contacts, so on long flights I have to drink water about once an hour to keep them from drying out. I'm always in that boat of trying to find the restroom.

I will be doing my first ATL customs arrival in Sept. I'm kind of excited... kinda nervous what I might see

Just curious... how do they have it set up? I was trying to get details from the article, but it was unclear.

It made it sound like the concourse E customs area still exists, but only those arriving in ATL need to go to the customs area in concourse F (?).

If this true what do people arriving into Concourse F do? Do they all go through customs in F or are they split up between ATL arrivals and transfer arrivals? Who goes to E from F? Anyone know?

[flyonpa]

E arrival's who are connecting, go to E customs, E arrivals who are ending in Atlanta go to F custom's
All F arrivals go to F customs.

There is a 'secured' route from E to F, a Secured FIS (Customs) route from E->F .Also I think there is a 'unsecured' path from E customs to F Terminal (Ground Transportation),

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by flyonpa

E arrival's who are connecting, go to E customs, E arrivals who are ending in Atlanta go to F custom's
All F arrivals go to F customs.

Thanks!

I almost wish I could just opt into going through E customs, re-go through security, and access the main terminal like I always have. The off-site parking shuttles and MARTA is riiiiight there.

Ah well... my point of entry is only ATL about 1/3 of the time

[flyonpa]

"Also I think there is a 'unsecured' path from E customs to F Terminal (Ground Transportation)"

Nope... there is not path... I guess when only 1 FIS is open, its F E would be the one they closed, Everyone goes to F FIS

E/F connecting passengers get screened in F FIS/TSA area, and can go to F Gates/PlaneTrain.

E/F Local passenger go out to Ground transport from F doors.

[chalvey]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

Oh I know that feeling all too well! It is the worst!

I have contacts, so on long flights I have to drink water about once an hour to keep them from drying out. I'm always in that boat of trying to find the restroom.

I will be doing my first ATL customs arrival in Sept. I'm kind of excited... kinda nervous what I might see

Just curious... how do they have it set up? I was trying to get details from the article, but it was unclear.

It made it sound like the concourse E customs area still exists, but only those arriving in ATL need to go to the customs area in concourse F (?).

If this true what do people arriving into Concourse F do? Do they all go through customs in F or are they split up between ATL arrivals and transfer arrivals? Who goes to E from F? Anyone know?

Hey just went through border control on Friday and it was much better than the previous set up. There were only 2 custom officials who just glance at the form and let you through. It felt much less militarized than before, which for me is a plus.

On a side note I do have some complaints about the process. First being the 15-20 minute wait of going through immigration. I am a dual national (British/American) and have never had to wait more than 3 minutes to be admitted into the U.K. Secondly, as a citizen, there is no need for the immigration officer to be asking me questions about my trip. Lastly, as a citizen, what is the point of a custom form? As a Briton I have never filled one out when entering the U.K. What I am trying to say is that U.S border is "stressy" and can be overhauled.

That being said, the experience of going through border control was much better than before. Also, I took MARTA home and there were three shuttle buses waiting to pick up passengers. Quite impressed by that. The only other complaint, besides the the ones mentioned above and in previous posts, is the Sky lounge feels properly cheap.