Orlando - MCO

[airbourne]

And the prize for the most messed up airport goes to MCO!!!!!!

Landed yesterday afternoon and the had the longest taxi ever. Ok, I can accept that. Cleared Immigration...OK. Got down to luggage belt.....waited ages to get bags....slightly annoying. Walked through more security.....Ok. Then was told to leave bag and walk through second security where you have to take off the belts, shoes, take the laptop out etc. Why? We've just gotten off a flight! Why do we need to clear airport security AGAIN to go landside? Then get the monorail to the terminal, walk for ages and then wait on bags...AGAIN!

Seriously, Is MCO the only airport that you have to clear security when you get OFF a flight?

[BlueTui]

I've been saying this for years about MCO, The Scheduled airline snobs refuse to admit that SFB is so much more user friendly.

I have been in my I-Drive hotel and hour from disembarking at SFB, where as the last time I used MCO I was still at the airport waiting for my luggage, 3.5 hours after landing!

I will never use this airport again.

[Bealzebub]

Landed yesterday afternoon and the had the longest taxi ever. Ok, I can accept that. Cleared Immigration...OK. Got down to luggage belt.....waited ages to get bags....slightly annoying. Walked through more security.....Ok. Then was told to leave bag and walk through second security where you have to take off the belts, shoes, take the laptop out etc. Why? We've just gotten off a flight! Why do we need to clear airport security AGAIN to go landside? Then get the monorail to the terminal, walk for ages and then wait on bags...AGAIN!

Yes, it is a big airport with multiple parallel runways and satellite gate areas linked to a central terminal area. After getting your bags the "security" you walked through, would have been customs. Because of the layout and infrastructure at Orlando (MCO) you are then required to place your heavy luggage on a conveyer that delivers it to the main terminal arrivals area, whilst you board the transit to that area. In the meantime you will be mixing airside with the general (airside) traffic of arriving/departing domestic and international passengers. This will be the likely reason you are required to pass through an arch / baggage scan before entering this area. You may have just gotton off a flight, but it wasn't one that the TSA had any operational control over. Having then arrived at the central terminal area, you need to re-collect your bags along with all the other domestic arrivals. The only reason you go through this process twice, is because yours had to be customs cleared first.

I am not advocating this system, but because of the design and operation of MCO, this is the process for international arriving passengers. Bear in mind that the vast majority of flights at US airports (including MCO) are domestic, and half of this process is eliminated for domestic passengers.

[cjhants]

must have changed since i last passed through there in may. never had to go through `security` once cleared customs. the immigration and customs are in the satellite, close to the gates. once cleared immigration, you have to collect your bags, pass through customs, and then leave your bags to be transported to the main terminal where you reclaim them by the exit doors. they dont want your luggage bunging up the transit vehicle.
i`ve got to say MCO is one of the better US gateways, the ride on the transit to the terminal is quick and easy,with a great view over the airfield. and it`s only a short walk to the baggage reclaim. with hand luggage, was through airport an in the line for the car rental in 30 mins. (car rental line is another story).
if you dont like MCO be grateful you didn`t go into SFB!

[silverelise]

Orlando International is pretty rubbish for Internation Arrivals. Sanford is so much better.

[heidelberg]

All Aer Lingus flights arrive at Airside 1. Due to the fact pax off these flights 'mix' with those who have already cleared security for departing flights the TSA require the Airside 1 International arrivals must clear security before exiting for the monorail.
Meanwhile, Virgin and BA flights arrive at Airside 4 and pax from these flights do not 'mix' with departing pax who have already cleared security. Lucky those pax.
Meanwhile those of us who use EI from DUB to MCO must put up with the extra hassle of having to clear security on arrival.
Airside 1 is due to be remodelled, similar to Airside 4, whereby International arrivals will not have to clear security but due to the economic downturn the project has been put on hold.

[wowzz]

Thank goodness I decided to fly into Tampa !!

[TSR2]

Posted by Blue Tui
The Scheduled airline snobs refuse to admit that SFB is so much more user friendly.

Except when there are major delays.

[gatwicknose]

As previously mentioned not too bad if u arrive on VS/BA...i was there a month ago and was off the plane and standing in the 1 hour Alamo queue in just 40 minutes....the system works well and gives u the option to take you bag on the transit or send it on the belt without the need for additional security.

Prior to this it was always a nightmare there.......

[heidelberg]

Forgot to mention in my earlier post the fact all USA bound flights from DUB's new T2 opening next year will be deemed to be 'domestic' flights.
This is due to the fact all PAX will have cleared USA Immigration, Customs & Dept of Agriculture at DUB.
Presently, arriving flights at MCO from Canada and the Bahamas are treated as 'Domestic' because of the 'pre clearance' facilities at those countries.

As far as I'm aware they do not have to clear TSA Security even if they arrive at Airside 1.
If this is not so, can someone please correct me.

[Peter47]

Airbourne.

You also have to go through security at Atlanta, again for the reason that you have to go through the "sterile" area on arrival. This also means checking in and reclaiming hold baggage.

Certainly flights from several Canadian airports are deemed domestic and arrive at domestic concourses. I don't know whether the TSA operate security at Canadian airports or audit it. (Remember that TSA does not operate security at SFO). I would suspect that DUB/SNN will be similar to Canada.

You would think that you could get agreements between different countries to recognise each other's security, as is happening in much of Europe, but remember that the UK requires transfer passengers (from outside the UK) to be rescreened as it does not consider other European county's security to be up to UK standards so it is not just a US issue.

When I was at HKG passengers to Australia & the USA (but not the UK) has to undergo secondary security at the gate. I'm not sure of the logic of it all. I presume that different countries audit each other's security arrangements.

[timboab]

Anyone have any suggestions on who is the best car rental agency at MCO?

I like nice cars!!!!!!!!!

[flyguy901]

car hire 3000 are the cheapest, they use dollar, budget and alamo i think

[timboab]

i wanna know what kind of cars they have !!! Especially if any of them have nice convertibles on offer

[lbia2008]

Try Google then Tim.

[NEDude]

It is due to the fact you have to enter the "sterile" area again prior to go over to the landside area. It would be nice if MCO had a dedicated International Arrivals terminal, but it doesn't. BTW this is similar to some of the smaller international gateways in the USA. PIT is similar to MCO in that you have to go back into the sterile area to take a tram over to landside terminal after clearing customs, so you get re-screened there as well. CLE also has customs near the end of the "A" pier. After clearing customs, you have to re-screen to get into the sterile area to get to baggage claim, however they often have you board a bus after customs and they drive you around to the landside curb to go claim your bags. It is much nicer when customs empties out into the non-sterile area of the terminal.

[Captain Flynn]

Enter Promo Code w9 on Alamo website booking engine and compare the savings. Aircrew Id required at pickup. Cheapest I have ever seen by far.

[timboab]

afraid i dont have airline id :-(

[blaggerman]

You may have just gotton off a flight, but it wasn't one that the TSA had any operational control over
You would think that you could get agreements between different countries to recognise each other's security
It's nothing specifically to do with TSA control or trust. Passengers have been in a non-sterile area (baggage hall) so they need to be re-screened to pass through the sterile area. Simple as that.

[heidelberg]

I've received confirmation from the MCO people stating domestic flight arrivals do NOT have to be rescreened.

Next year when T2 at DUB is operational with 'full' pre-clearance for the USA in operation it will mean all flights to the USA will be treated as Domestic = no immigration, no customs, no security & no Dept of Agriculture on arrival.
Same applies on flights from SNN to the USA.

I wonder will this encourage pax from other European countries use DUB for onward travel to the USA?

[Peter47]

Blaggerman

My point was that the baggage in the arrivals hall should have been effectively screened at the start of the journey so it is effectively a sterile area.

That said, you only need one arrival from an airport whose security is not considered up to scratch to "infect" the sterile area and that is likely to be the case at an airport such as ATL.

[blaggerman]

There are lots of items that can be checked but can't be carried on board. If people have had access to their checked bags then they must be rescreened.

The entire US domestic network is dependent on every single entry point being secure. Most flights from Canada and some from Ireland arrive into US domestic gates without passenger screening because checked luggage has been precleared. TSA have no issue with Canadian or Irish airport security.

[heidelberg]

Pre clearance for customs and immigration is already in operation for pax departing Shannon for the USA.
However the only airlines using said facility are Continental, US Airways and Delta.
Aer Lingus are waiting for the Dublin pre clearance facility to open in Mid 2010
before using the Shannon one.

[timboab]

Does anyone know how good the service of Hertz rental car is at Orlando airport? I know that they are now off the airport on Butler National Drive, but wonder if the travelling to and from the pick up location is worth it?

I know they used to be on airport a long time ago!!