I just returned from ACC via AMS to ATL on 03-28-18 flying Delta. Upon arrival, the crew made a very clear announcement that if you were connecting to another international flight, you were NOT required to go through Immigration, customs, or collect and recheck your luggage. I was tired from hours of ground travel just to get to ACC and then not sleeping on the flights made me feel like I was in tape delay. After I heard this, it took a moment for it to register what was just announced. I actually shook my head trying to recreate what I had just heard. Then they repeated it! No mistaking it this time. Was there a change in US policy or did the FA screw up? I have been scouring the web to find this change and haven’t found anything noting a MAJOR policy change such as this. Can anyone clarify? This must have been a crew error.

If this has changed, it's changed in the last two months. I fly internationally from ATL at least 6x a year and I know that terminal like the back of my hand. When you exit the aircraft, you're funneled directly into the CBP secure area, not really sure where else you go? Did you notice anyone from your flight separating from the majority of the crowd going to CBP?

Was this a live announcement, made directly by a flight attendant, or was it a recording? This is exactly what would be announced when the plane was arriving at Amsterdam. I suspect either the wrong recorded announcement was played, or someone read off the script for flights in the opposite direction.

Yeah, that FA is wrong.

Andy33 wrote:

Was this a live announcement, made directly by a flight attendant, or was it a recording? This is exactly what would be announced when the plane was arriving at Amsterdam. I suspect either the wrong recorded announcement was played, or someone read off the script for flights in the opposite direction.

Agree with this, this is exactly what happens in AMS.

I can't remember where, but I have seen not having to collect luggage recently.

As far as immigration and security goes, this would only be possible if US implemented exit immigration controls. This is not that crazy as it was actually included in an executive order but would be very expensive. Though there are various ways of doing it. I know LPA has police desks at each gate so you get your exit stamp right as you board, but it's just left open if it's a Schengen flight.

LupineChemist wrote:

I can't remember where, but I have seen not having to collect luggage recently.

As far as immigration and security goes, this would only be possible if US implemented exit immigration controls. This is not that crazy as it was actually included in an executive order but would be very expensive. Though there are various ways of doing it. I know LPA has police desks at each gate so you get your exit stamp right as you board, but it's just left open if it's a Schengen flight.

Not strictly correct as the UK has no immigration exit controls, but does not required passengers making international to international connections to clear immigration or to collect and recheck through-checked baggage. Instead there is rigid segregation of arriving and departing passengers, which US airports aren't designed for, with connecting passengers being extracted from the arrivals stream and fed into the departures stream with just a boarding pass and security check.

Now the baggage part is something that could be done - IAH does not require international-international passengers to reclaim and recheck bags, so it obviously is possible under US regulations.

For DL flights, at least, you don't have to pick up and recheck your bags if you're connecting to another international flight - so maybe that's what the F/A was referring to, but mistakenly mentioned not having to go through immigration as well.

Cory6188 wrote:

For DL flights in ATL, at least, you don't have to pick up and recheck your bags if you're connecting to another international flight - so maybe that's what the F/A was referring to, but mistakenly mentioned not having to go through immigration as well.

I know AA does this as well in MIA and DFW only. Any other airports/hubs where this occurs other than those 3?

icrw wrote:

Andy33 wrote:

Was this a live announcement, made directly by a flight attendant, or was it a recording? This is exactly what would be announced when the plane was arriving at Amsterdam. I suspect either the wrong recorded announcement was played, or someone read off the script for flights in the opposite direction.

Agree with this, this is exactly what happens in AMS.

Perhaps the original posters jet lag was bad and that announcement was actually made in Amsterdam. Passengers in AMS do not need to reclear security if coming from certain locations.

Cory6188 wrote:

For DL flights, at least, you don't have to pick up and recheck your bags if you're connecting to another international flight - so maybe that's what the F/A was referring to, but mistakenly mentioned not having to go through immigration as well.

When did this change? Last May I connected in ATL coming from DUS and going to SCL. I sure had to claim and re-check my luggage.

ushermittwoch wrote:

Cory6188 wrote:

For DL flights, at least, you don't have to pick up and recheck your bags if you're connecting to another international flight - so maybe that's what the F/A was referring to, but mistakenly mentioned not having to go through immigration as well.

When did this change? Last May I connected in ATL coming from DUS and going to SCL. I sure had to claim and re-check my luggage.

It probably depends on the terminal and the passport. If you use the green APCs, then you don't have to recheck your luggage if it's checked through, that's my experience in DFW Terminal D.

Like several of you, I fly internationally many times a year out of ATL. This announcement was made by a living breathing FA in real time. It had to be a mistake. While it is true you do t have to pick up your bags for connecting intl flights, everyone goes through immigration and customs. So, it was human error that probably no one caught but me. Darn enthusiast! This site has wrecked me for noticing the details!!!!!

icrw wrote:

If this has changed, it's changed in the last two months. I fly internationally from ATL at least 6x a year and I know that terminal like the back of my hand. When you exit the aircraft, you're funneled directly into the CBP secure area, not really sure where else you go? Did you notice anyone from your flight separating from the majority of the crowd going to CBP?

Exactly this as off last week, I will say that it is one of the easier airports to do this in though, I really wish LAX could figure out how to run this smoothly.

Corpsnerd09 wrote:

Cory6188 wrote:

For DL flights in ATL, at least, you don't have to pick up and recheck your bags if you're connecting to another international flight - so maybe that's what the F/A was referring to, but mistakenly mentioned not having to go through immigration as well.

I know AA does this as well in MIA and DFW only. Any other airports/hubs where this occurs other than those 3?

I didn't on United at ORD. I did at IAD.

Flying LHR-IAD-DEN-ORD-LHR

BritTraveller wrote:

Corpsnerd09 wrote:

Cory6188 wrote:

For DL flights in ATL, at least, you don't have to pick up and recheck your bags if you're connecting to another international flight - so maybe that's what the F/A was referring to, but mistakenly mentioned not having to go through immigration as well.

I know AA does this as well in MIA and DFW only. Any other airports/hubs where this occurs other than those 3?

I didn't on United at ORD. I did at IAD.

Flying LHR-IAD-DEN-ORD-LHR

It only applies to intl to intl connections.