TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums Cancun - Isla Mujeres - Mexico BEWARE ! ! Cancun back to US through Atlanta

Just came back last nite and Atlanta C&I was a joke. Literally took more that 1.5 hours of long C&I lines and having to go back through security again. Nearly missed our connection. Find another entry port (PR or Charlotte) for your return travel plans.

As far as going back through security again, it doesn't matter where you come in, when you land at your first airport in the US, you have to go back through security.

Customs and immigration need to be cleared. Security, not always. BWI & PHL do not require re-screening.

It's been a long time since we've stayed in Cancun. Does Cancun have TSA precheck now? As otherwise, I think any person has to clear TSA again, coming from out of the country.

Carol, you are correct the is no preflight clearance in Cancun. This is different from TSA precheck, which is also not in cancun. Many Canadian and Irish airports have preclearance. With preclearance you do not have to do security again.

When I said TSA precheck, I meant preflight clearance, but said it wrong. That is odd, not having to go back through security again in some places, as I have always been told it was mandatory whenever you first set foot in the US and it's been our experience always. As I said, it's been a LONG time since we've flown to Cancun though, so don't remember it.

Carol again you are correct it is mandatory to pass security after passing customs. I travel a lot internationally via many airports and I have global entry and pre check and I still have to do security. I believe his information is incorrect.

I looked at the PHL airport site and it says they same as all other airports.

I also went in and out of cancun in December and nothing there is different from the past few years.

Doesn't make sense, I'm confused..

Leave from SJU or STT into ATL(DL) or CLT(AA/US) and no Customs and Border Patrol or TSA in arrival airports. We did both Jun and July respectively in 2014.

Buy duty free in both, continue as carry-on on connecting flight! as no TSA check on USA landslide.

Not the case in CUN. did that dec 2013 into ATL. You have to clear USA CPB and TSA arriving ATL. Could have duty free booze bought after CUN security , but only if ending in ATL. If connecting, you would have to place in checked baggage, couldn't be carry- as more than 3oz 100ml rule.

The issue is access to your checked luggage. Normally clearing customs means you have to claim your bag and present it to customs. Since at that point you have access to everything in your checked bag you must be re screened at any airport not just Atlanta. It is legal and permissible for your checked bag to contain weapons including firearms.
If you pre clear customs and immigration like STT or DUB you also pre clear your checked luggage and will not have access to it at the arrival US airport if connecting.
G

I stand corrected. She remembers it differently than I. Maybe we fly too much.

Just as a note on Atlanta they just revamped the customs area with a huge number of the new kiosks. Lines seem very short but like every customs area if you arrive behind a widebody international flight you might wait.

The point of my OP was that C&I and security was not prepared for the number of people trying to clear. It was very poor service and an unnecessarily long wait. I pity the poor person that needed a bathroom break or was in poor health etc that had to stand in 3 separate lines each one appx 30 min. The system should be able to provide better service. We are citizens not cattle.

Actually, that situation happens often in various places, just depending on whether there are flight delays, etc.

That is the problem. You have one light arrive 30 minutes early and the another flight 30 minutes late and you dump 500 people into customs at the same time. They will not staff for those kind of peaks. If you do a lot of international travel global entry is your best friend.

Right, they have to staff based on what a normal load is supposed to be, although some places do appear to be perpetually understaffed. ..and then there is always the issue of 'no room at the inn'--no international gate available, so you sit in the plane on the tarmac for 45 minutes because there is no available gate. But that's another issue. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Crazy.gif" alt="" />