Manchester To Atlanta to Orlando

[Embazzy]

Hi everyone
just wondering if i could draw on everyone's experiences,we are due to fly into Atlanta then onto Orlando from there.
Will we clear customs in Atlanta and i wonder how long is this likely to take?I know this would depend on how busy the airport is but we have about an hour and a half before our connection leaves for orlando and am a bit worried about the changeover anyone who can shed any light would help me soothe some frayed nerves in our party

many thanks in advance

Embazzy

[Slowhand]

We went this way several years ago flying Delta I think.
As Atlanta will be your entry point to the US, and the Atlanta-Orlando flight will be an internal flight, we had to clear customs and immigration at Atlanta.

On check in at your airport in the UK, you should be given your boarding cards for both of your outgoing flights and so after clearing immigration, you will be able to go directly to your gate without going through the check in process.[From memory, this will involve going to another terminal[or concourse] as it is called.]

90 minutes should be ample time to get sorted, but you won`t have too much spare time to explore Atlanta airport.
My only concern on these occasions is that if the UK to Atlanta flight is delayed, this obviously eats into the time before your connecting flight. I don`t know for sure, but if the worst happens, the chances are that there will be another flight from Atlanta to Orlando later which you would be transferred to.

[PaulaK]

We did that route too. Our stopover was 4 hours and it was too long. We sat and watched 2 other flights leave to MCO before we could get on ours. They did have a Disney store in the Delta terminal though I would fly that route again. The cabin crew were very nice and quite a bit older than the crew on UK airlines. Someone told me they tend to use the crew who don't have young families on long haul flights. I don't know if that's true, but they seemed much more patient and friendly. I have to say their economy seats seemed much comfier than normal too.

[dcfromva]

...moving this over to the Transport Board...

-DC

[uscwest]

Paula I don't know how the European Airlines work but a majority of the US Airlines work on a seniority bid system. Those with the most seniority bid the routes they wish to fly. Therefore you are apt to see older crews flying the European Routes. However, there is also a mandatory retirement age which I want to say is 60 but I'm not sure. dcfromva may be able to elaborate more on this.

[JuniorMickey]

Just beware that it can take up to 20 minutes to get from the international terminal to the furthest away (which is terminal A, which is where Delta is). I recently returned from the west coast on Delta and for reasons totally unknown to me we landed in the international terminal Of course my connection to come into Fort Lauderdale was in terminal A. You go down a couple of esclators and onto a train thing that travels throguh the terminals. The upside is unlike some other airports, even though you're changing terminals you don't have to clear security again. I was the LAST person onto my connecting flight (you know, the person everyone rolls their eyes at because they want to get off the ground)

[Cindernaenae]

Originally Posted by JuniorMickey

The upside is unlike some other airports, even though you're changing terminals you don't have to clear security again.

Had this happen to me for the first time ever in Houston at Hobby. I hadn't even realized I'd walked out of a secure area. Thought I'd done something wrong. Nope, just the way it's set up.

[Johnie]

It could take more than 20 minutes. Just depends on how far you have to go and hwo fast you can walk. Atlanta's airport is HUGE!!! We had a 45 minute layover in Sept. I figure we'll have plenty of time to get something to eat. HA! It took forever to get to the other terminal, which involved going downstairs and then going back up another escalator.....