will connecting time increase in American arrival airport due to covid requirements?

[disneyholic family]

I have had 90 minute connections in LAX twice and it’s been fine. That was from Australia not U.K. but it wasn’t a problem.

i've never entered the country at LAX, only flown through on domestic flights.
I would have thought it has a lengthy immigration process like JFK and Miami.
Interesting that it doesn't.

Of course, it depends if your immigration officer woke up on the wrong side of the bed that morning.
As an American, it can be surprising where we run into trouble.
There's a whole theory of whom you should pick (if you're able to choose at all):, young, old, male, female, ethnicity, etc.
I've found men to be a whole lot easier and friendlier than women. Not sure if that's because i'm a woman, or because women immigration officers just hate everyone.

 

[disneyholic family]

I have had 90 minute connections in LAX twice and it’s been fine. That was from Australia not U.K. but it wasn’t a problem.

i've done it in Detroit, but it's extremely stressful the entire time..

 

[Minniesgal]

i've never entered the country at LAX, only flown through on domestic flights.
I would have thought it has a lengthy immigration process like JFK and Miami.
Interesting that it doesn't.

Of course, it depends if your immigration officer woke up on the wrong side of the bed that morning.
As an American, it can be surprising where we run into trouble.
There's a whole theory of whom you should pick (if you're able to choose at all):, young, old, male, female, ethnicity, etc.
I've found men to be a whole lot easier and friendlier than women. Not sure if that's because i'm a woman, or because women immigration officers just hate everyone.

Immigration at LAX was all through electronic machines. Once through the machines it is downstairs to luggage claim where for us the luggage was there before we go there, Customs was about a 100 yard walk then you hand the bags back to the connecting flight transfer area, have literally done it in 30 mins.

 

[disneyholic family]

Immigration at LAX was all through electronic machines. Once through the machines it is downstairs to luggage claim where for us the luggage was there before we go there, Customs was about a 100 yard walk then you hand the bags back to the connecting flight transfer area, have literally done it in 30 mins.

when did you go through LAX?
it used to be completely by machine in both detroit and JFK, but the last times i went through there (2019), while you had to start with the machine, you still had to go to an immigration officer.
I haven't been to the USA since October 2019, so i don't know if that's still true, but i was surprised when they added back the immigration officer step.
The machine churned out a piece of paper that we had to hand over to the officer, who then proceeded to ask additional questions.
That was true in Detroit and JFK.
I also flew via Boston around the same time, but there were only immigration officers there, no machines at all at the time (which i also found surprising).

Now that i think about it, we also flew directly into Orlando in August 2019, but i can't remember if there were machines or not. I do remember talking to an immigration officer because he was one of the nicest we'd encountered in a while. We laughed a lot while we chatted with him. But i don't remember if we had machines first or not.

that was the year i flew into the states multiple times over August, September, October.
And that was followed by 2 years of nothing.

 

[Minniesgal]

when did you go through LAX?
it used to be completely by machine in both detroit and JFK, but the last times i went through there (2019), while you had to start with the machine, you still had to go to an immigration officer.
I haven't been to the USA since October 2019, so i don't know if that's still true, but i was surprised when they added back the immigration officer step.
The machine churned out a piece of paper that we had to hand over to the officer, who then proceeded to ask additional questions.
That was true in Detroit and JFK.
I also flew via Boston around the same time, but there were only immigration officers there, no machines at all at the time (which i also found surprising).

Now that i think about it, we also flew directly into Orlando in August 2019, but i can't remember if there were machines or not. I do remember talking to an immigration officer because he was one of the nicest we'd encountered in a while. We laughed a lot while we chatted with him. But i don't remember if we had machines first or not.

that was the year i flew into the states multiple times over August, September, October.
And that was followed by 2 years of nothing.

August 2019, April 2018 and April 2016

When we went they were picking certain people who got a cross on the paper from the machine to see an officer but most did not need to

 

[disneyholic family]

August 2019, April 2018 and April 2016

When we went they were picking certain people who got a cross on the paper from the machine to see an officer but most did not need to

that one happened to us in 2017 in JFK.
We were a group of 8 at the time.
4 of us Americans and the other 4 non-american.
Of the 8 of us, only one got an X on her paper.
Of course it was the one year old!!!!
how ridiculous.
So we all went with her to stand in an hour long line waiting to be checked.
They kept trying to separate us. Send everyone cleared out of immigration and just keep the one with the x.
Did they expect us to leave the one year old in line by herself?
They really gave us a hard time about keeping the group together.
But we didn't want to be separated since we were connecting to Orlando.
JFK's the kind of place you need to stick together.
Especially since you're not allowed to use mobile phones while in immigration.
Eventually a more senior immigration officer came to the line to see what all the fuss was about.
When we explained she said "obviously you want to stay together" and gave the underlings a look that could do medusa proud.
No one bothered us after that.
When we eventually got to the officer, he looked at the paper, looked at the baby, rolled his eyes and sent us on our way.

Probably because i'm an american (born and bred) and an expat, i have zero tolerance and even less patience for american bureaucracy.

 

[Plague]

i have zero tolerance and even less patience for american bureaucracy.

How can you say that? It's legendary. Part of the American dream/experience ...
I'm surprised there isn't a Disney ride based on it - you know, 90 minute wait for a 5 minute 'experience'.

Oh ...

 

[Flossbolna]

A few thoughts:

short connections are possible for people who have global entry and TSA Pre Check. My husband (pre Covid) was fine with 90 minutes in Atlanta arriving there from Amsterdam. I would be too worried though.

My Miami is experience has been mixed. From waiting 1 hour to being through in 10 minutes. It depends very much on how many planes arrive at the same time.

If you are traveling on an ESTA, if it’s a new passport, you get an X. I guess that’s why the baby got it.

Finally: of course no one knows yet what the procedures are going to be. But I just traveled back to Germany which requires vaccination or negative test and a travel registration with the health authorities and passport checks here were taking far much longer than previously because they were checking it all despite the airline checking it before the flight already. So, I can see the new requirements in November slowing down immigration in the US.

My own experience this fall was definitely longer than usual. Besides walking for 20 minutes in what felt like circles at the international terminal in Atlanta (some very strange routing going on there…), it involved me being in secondary screening for immigration because the only reason I could travel was as a spouse of a US citizen. It was ok, I just had to wait. But I am not keen to repeat this. It kind of gets scary when you realize that the door of the waiting room only opens from the outside. I still made it legally into the US in time to grab my bag from the luggage belt before it was switched off.

My advise for these kind of questions would be to look at the forum at Flyertalk. They have been very helpful to me many times. Especially this trip with finding out how to make the trip from Schengen as a non-US-citizen.

 

[disneyholic family]

My own experience this fall was definitely longer than usual. Besides walking for 20 minutes in what felt like circles at the international terminal in Atlanta (some very strange routing going on there…), it involved me being in secondary screening for immigration because the only reason I could travel was as a spouse of a US citizen. It was ok, I just had to wait. But I am not keen to repeat this. It kind of gets scary when you realize that the door of the waiting room only opens from the outside. I still made it legally into the US in time to grab my bag from the luggage belt before it was switched off.

that is so true. Even if it's only a minute or two, it's scary and you have no idea what's going to happen or for how long. That's why we insisted on all of us staying together, the US citizens and the 'aliens'.

 

[Moliphino]

When we returned to the US from Greece last month (flew into JFK), it was just normal immigration. No one on the US side checked our covid tests - that was all done by the airline before we departed Greece.

Same thing when I came back from Spain a month ago. The airline checked for the attestation form and negative Covid test when we checked in (Seville) and before the gate area in Madrid. In the US (BOS) we went through customs as usual, they did not check any of the Covid stuff.

 

[2Tiggies]

My parents are coming over tomorrow (finally two years after booking!)

They are flying into Atlanta and then coming through to Orlando. I'll let you know what they report as far as lines and immigration etc.

They didn't actually choose that airport. They had flights direct to MCO but BA canceled their inbound flight and rerouted them to ATL. End of journey! We got them flights from ATL to MCO and I hope it's not too overwhelming for them - they'r almost 80. Hopefully things go smoothly.

Of ALL the airports to dump them in, why ATL?!

 

[disneyholic family]

My parents are coming over tomorrow (finally two years after booking!)

They are flying into Atlanta and then coming through to Orlando. I'll let you know what they report as far as lines and immigration etc.

They didn't actually choose that airport. They had flights direct to MCO but BA canceled their inbound flight and rerouted them to ATL. End of journey! We got them flights from ATL to MCO and I hope it's not too overwhelming for them - they'r almost 80. Hopefully things go smoothly.

Of ALL the airports to dump them in, why ATL?!

that's insane!!! they were booked to MCO and BA thinks it ok to dump them in atlanta???????????????????????????????????????????????????
that's completely outrageous!!!!
perhaps you can order them wheelchair escort in atlanta and that might help them get through immigration and to the plane change?...

on the bright side how wonderful for you to be able to see them!!!
has it been 2 years since the last time you saw them?
.

 

[2Tiggies]

that's insane!!! they were booked to MCO and BA thinks it ok to dump them in atlanta???????????????????????????????????????????????????
that's completely outrageous!!!!
perhaps you can order them wheelchair escort in atlanta and that might help them get through immigration and to the plane change?...

on the bright side how wonderful for you to be able to see them!!!
has it been 2 years since the last time you saw them?
.

yeah, seriously ... you can’t make this stuff up!
I’m guessing they continued the rolling cancellations even after the announcement of the borders opening until an official date was announced. Apparently their flight to MCO was canceled. The problem was BA didn’t notify them if the change. My mom said that flight wasn’t showing up on the online reservation So she kept calling to try speak yo someone. She was told it was probably just high traffic on the website. Fast forward two weeks and apparently the flight had been canceled but with high demand all the alternatives had been taken. So they rerouted them to ATL but couldn’t get them to MCO until the next afternoon.

we bought them tickets from ATL to MCO and then last night we paid for their bags. So that’s a cool $670 over and above thanks to BA

my poor dad was so stressed he just wanted to scrap the trip. We got them assistance one ATLand since the baggage is paid they can do a bag drop. I told my mom to find a skycap, slip him $30 and we will reimburse them when they get here at midnight lol.

I’m just relieved they’ve just taken off from LHR

they were last here for thanksgiving in 2017

this trip was actually daughters graduation surprise although it’s now late. I think I have an appointment with a bottle of rum when we get home from the airport tonight

 

[2Tiggies]

PS I spent all day on the phone on Monday trying to get a concierge service but with /since covid the US airports aren’t allowing them until after security and BA refused as they don’t have a medical disability. They wanted $725 to meet them outside customs and escort them to check in. We would have paid that if they got help through immigration and customs but without that aspect of the service it’s about as useless as DD cups on a nun

 

[2Tiggies]

Deleted double post

 

[disneyholic family]

yeah, seriously ... you can’t make this stuff up!
I’m guessing they continued the rolling cancellations even after the announcement of the borders opening until an official date was announced. Apparently their flight to MCO was canceled. The problem was BA didn’t notify them if the change. My mom said that flight wasn’t showing up on the online reservation So she kept calling to try speak yo someone. She was told it was probably just high traffic on the website. Fast forward two weeks and apparently the flight had been canceled but with high demand all the alternatives had been taken. So they rerouted them to ATL but couldn’t get them to MCO until the next afternoon.

we bought them tickets from ATL to MCO and then last night we paid for their bags. So that’s a cool $670 over and above thanks to BA

my poor dad was so stressed he just wanted to scrap the trip. We got them assistance one ATLand since the baggage is paid they can do a bag drop. I told my mom to find a skycap, slip him $30 and we will reimburse them when they get here at midnight lol.

I’m just relieved they’ve just taken off from LHR

they were last here for thanksgiving in 2017

this trip was actually daughters graduation surprise although it’s now late. I think I have an appointment with a bottle of rum when we get home from the airport tonight

i'd be hitting the wine - i have a bottle of really great red wine i just bought, want a glass?

my fingers and toes and everything else are crossed for everything to go smoothly for them!!!

 

[2Tiggies]

i'd be hitting the wine - i have a bottle of really great red wine i just bought, want a glass?

my fingers and toes and everything else is crossed for everything to go smoothly for them!!!

Awww thank you so much!

Just a Glass? I was thinking a magnum bottle with a milkshake straw

I’m so glad this ordeal is almost over though

 

[disneyholic family]

Awww thank you so much!

Just a Glass? I was thinking a magnum bottle with a milkshake straw

I’m so glad this ordeal is almost over though

this time tomorrow, it will all be in the rearview mirror!!

 

[disneyholic family]

Awww thank you so much!

Just a Glass? I was thinking a magnum bottle with a milkshake straw

I’m so glad this ordeal is almost over though

did they make it ok?

 

[2Tiggies]

did they make it ok?

Thank you, Yes!! Phew!

So it turned out that they were very impressed with ATL! They said it was a lot of walking and very busy at immigration and customs but lots of staff and the line just kept moving so it was a continuously moving line. It took them almost 90 months from off the plane at International arrivals to their boarding gate at the Delta terminal. Now they would have moved way slower than the average passenger so 90 minutes wouldn’t have been sufficient connection time for them And I’d argue it would be tight for anyone. I have them 3 hours and they didn’t feel panicked or pressured. Just exhausted, but otherwise all good. They were so impressed with the friendliness and efficiency there though. They said if they ever travel this way again they will be sure to clear immigration etc at a different airport because it stood out worlds apart from the constant chaos at MCO

As far as the Covid proof my dad said they checked everything at each of the three airports, although the US side didn’t need vaccination info, but he said they checked it anyway. I guess they had all their papers together and just presented the bundle each time.

If anyone one has questions let me know and I’ll ask them

thank you again for all your help.