Help with flying indirect

**Firekat** · 25 Oct 21, 11:06 AM

Hi Dibbers

With flight prices Sky High (excuse the pun) I'm looking at flying indirect for the first time.

Looking at MAN - MCO via ATL
Is 1hr 30min long enough time for change in Atlanta?

Can someone explain how it all works?

Do we disenbark, go through imigration, collect our bags, check in and go through security again?

Completely clueless

loldis · 25 Oct 21, 11:10 AM

If that's the outbound leg, no it's not long enough as you will clear immigration in ATL. What you wrote is pretty much correct - disembark, immigration, customs, bag drop and then transfer to new gate. Generally it's suggested to allow 3 hours for this. You'll then arrive into MCO as a domestic passenger so it's just collect bags and go.

Return would be fine with 90 minutes, since all you're doing is the gate transfer.

SmilingSammie · 25 Oct 21, 11:13 AM

I havent flown via ATL before so cant be very specific (hopefully someone will be able to help soon with more specifics) but I would say that immigration can take a while so keep that in mind. You may be able to google and get an average time for immigration at ATL?
In regards to collecting bags and checking in/security etc, if it is all the one booking then you shouldnt have to do that. Your bags should be checked through to your final destination and the airport staff will collect your bags and get them onto your MCO flight. In regards to security, most airports have a bypass if you have a connecting flight so you dont have to go through security again.
If your flights are different bookings/different airlines you most likely will have to collect your bags etc etc.
Hope this helps at least a little?

**Dendycat** · 25 Oct 21, 11:15 AM

It�s a few years since I flew via Atlanta but it�s a huge airport, with immigration to clear as well I wouldn�t risk it.

loldis · 25 Oct 21, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by SmilingSammie

I havent flown via ATL before so cant be very specific (hopefully someone will be able to help soon with more specifics) but I would say that immigration can take a while so keep that in mind. You may be able to google and get an average time for immigration at ATL?
In regards to collecting bags and checking in/security etc, if it is all the one booking then you shouldnt have to do that. Your bags should be checked through to your final destination and the airport staff will collect your bags and get them onto your MCO flight. In regards to security, most airports have a bypass if you have a connecting flight so you dont have to go through security again.
If your flights are different bookings/different airlines you most likely will have to collect your bags etc etc.
Hope this helps at least a little?

The bags are checked through, however you have to clear US customs at your first point of entry, i.e. ATL. So you have to collect them, do customs, and then drop them again. There's usually a connecting flights bag drop just after customs.

On the return, they're checked and transferred straight through so only have to collect once back at MAN.

7SeasSailor · 25 Oct 21, 11:23 AM

I would say that 1 hour 30 minutes is too tight for me. I would be happier with 2+ hours and wouldn't worry if it was nearer 3 hours. You disembark - collect luggage - immigration - customs - baggage drop - train to next gate - toilet - reminded about the gaps on the toilet doors - confirm your gate - coffee. Do the homework, check to see that there is another flight going to MCO after the one that you are originally booked on. If your plans have gone to pot go to the desk forearmed with information about their flying programme for the rest of the day and hold your ground. I have only missed two connections in 30+ years due to bad weather.

Peko · 25 Oct 21, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by SmilingSammie

In regards to collecting bags and checking in/security etc, if it is all the one booking then you shouldnt have to do that. Your bags should be checked through to your final destination and the airport staff will collect your bags and get them onto your MCO flight. In regards to security, most airports have a bypass if you have a connecting flight so you dont have to go through security again.
If your flights are different bookings/different airlines you most likely will have to collect your bags etc etc.
Hope this helps at least a little?

This is not correct if flying to any gateway in the USA direct from a UK airport.

It is necessary to clear immigration and customs at the first arrival point, and that includes collecting any checked bags and then dropping them off
after customs for the onward flight (it�s not a full �check-in�, the bags will already be tagged to the final destination, usually it�s a dedicated baggage belt or desk just after customs).

The process also requires reclearing security before the onward domestic flight.

The only exception is if you arrive in the USA from an airport with preclearance, e.g. Dublin or various Canadian airports. There are no airports in the UK with preclearance.

Samsmum · 25 Oct 21, 11:27 AM

We flew Man-Atl-Mco summer 2019 so pre-covid. We had the 1hr30 min transfer time and I spent months worrying about it as the Airport minimum connection time is 1hr 25 ( from memory). In the end our flight gout moved to under the minimum connection time so Virgin let us move our flight free of charge ( they had wanted quite a bit of money when I had phoned to enquire about changing before hand)

On the day I timed ourselves to see if ' we would have made it' and we would have. However, that was pre covid and we had no major hold ups. A normal queue at immigration, bags normal pick up and easy transfer on the underground. If we had been limited to the 1 hr 30 I probably would have felt anxious and if there had been any 'hold ups' it would have been tight but on a good day it is possible.

As it was we had the extra hour and fitted in burger and chips 😁

SmilingSammie · 25 Oct 21, 12:39 PM

Thanks for the folk who corrected my information! I mentioned that it may be different because I havent gone via ATL before

SO PLEASE disregard my info aha :P

Goodisoner · 25 Oct 21, 08:35 PM

We had a 1-hour layover in Atlanta once, it's a huge airport. We ran like after clearing immigration and customs to the gate for our follow on flight... we missed it. Luckily planes between ATL and MCO are like buses and they just put us on the next flight 1 hour later.

25 Oct 21, 11:10 AM	#2
	25 Oct 21, 11:10 AM loldis Imagineer
loldis Imagineer Join Date: May 17 Location: Sussex	If that's the outbound leg, no it's not long enough as you will clear immigration in ATL. What you wrote is pretty much correct - disembark, immigration, customs, bag drop and then transfer to new gate. Generally it's suggested to allow 3 hours for this. You'll then arrive into MCO as a domestic passenger so it's just collect bags and go. Return would be fine with 90 minutes, since all you're doing is the gate transfer.