"Exit" seats on American Airlines

[Hintermann]

....

It sounds like you are a bit apprehensive about air travel. Relax

Not at all. I have been travelling around the world ( and not just diving) since 1979 and while I don't like long distance flights because to the crampy discomfort, I am not apprehensive about air travel per se (once we have taken off ).

But I am rather apprehensive about the delays due to the formalities while passing through US airports.

 

[scubadiver888]

Not at all. I have been travelling around the world ( and not just diving) since 1979 and while I don't like long distance flights because to the crampy discomfort, I am not apprehensive about air travel per se (once we have taken off ).

But I am rather apprehensive about the delays due to the formalities while passing through US airports.

I can understand Hintermann's concerns here. This isn't simple apprehension around traveling. Going to or through the USA I have planned badly (first time in over two decade) and spent 3 hours 15 minutes in Customs and Security and missed my flight. Now that I travel to the USA a lot I've got getting through Customs and Security down to 7 minutes (try to get close to front of airplane, only bring carry-on, use Nexus/Global Entry, use tools like TripIt/SeatGuru/Airline app/etc.). A lot of the tricks I use however work because I'm Canadian and won't work for Hintermann.

I know that I clear Customs and Security in Canada. If I have a connecting flight in Dallas I don't need to go outside Security, if I have all carry-on. I can walk between gates within the same terminal and I can take a train between terminals. Not sure if this is the same for coming from the UK but from the physical layout of the terminal I think this is true. Finding out which gates you are inbound and outbound helps to determine time between flights. Usually 45 minutes is sufficient for DFW. I haven't been to Miami recently. So I don't know if it works the same.

I'm not sure what happens if I have checked luggage. Does it get transferred to my connecting flight? Or do I have to pick it up at a carousel (outside of Security) and re-enter Security? If it gets transferred then time for me to get between gates is the determining factor. Turn management will schedule my checked baggages getting from inbound to outbound flight.

Realistically, Hintermann, you might want to ask about this at something like FlyerTalk - The world's most popular frequent flyer community or MilePoint | Where Frequent Flyers Meet. Turn management (handling on ground, on gate, out of gate, in air) is rather complex. There are FAA regulations plus each airline handles other factors differently. The airlines also don't like to make how they handle this public. Getting one plane per station per airport through per day adds a huge amount to the bottom line. If you are good at this you don't want your competition knowing how you do it, which unfortunately means you can't tell your passengers.

 

[eelnoraa]

In all my flight experience, the more expansive, so call "exit" row seats, "exit" mean regular entry exit doors + emergency exits. They are meant to have more leg room, not to be able to get off the plane earlier in an non emergency case. If you want to be the first to off the plane, you want to have seats in the front of the plane. Haven't you notice the 1st class passengers are first on everything, then business class, the enconomy class. Within econ, you want to be as front as possible. But again, don't you need to wait for you check in luggage eventually?

 

[Hintermann]

Yes I realised that and fortunately, American Airlines changed my seat allocation to front row economy seats on both flights that mattered when I explained that their staff member had given me inaccurate information. Therefore, I should be OK for quick disembarkation on both those flights. As for luggage, I have found that by the time we non-US citizens complete the immigration formalities, the luggage would have arrived. Fortunately in Miami, where it matters most for me, there is only one luggage pick-up, unlike Atlanta.

Up to now I used to prefer Delta and Atlanta for my Caribbean trips from the UK but from now on, provided there are suitable flight connections, I will opt for American Airlines via Miami. I'll be doing just that when I go to the Bay Islands.

 

[KeithG]

By my reckoning around 20 minutes, which could make a difference. If there are a lot of non-US passengers on the incoming flights, the immigration queues and consequent delays could be quite long. Under those circumstances, it helps if I can get ahead in the queue.

flights is the issue, not flight. If your plane lands 15 minutes after 10 other out of country "tourist" flights, then getting towards the front of your plane really does not matter much. even if you get a rear seat on your flight, just learn to run once you get off of the plane!

and it also depends upon the business / tourist mix of the planes. IIRC most US customs / immigration has a line for US citizens and a separate line for every one else. In the past, we have arrived in the states from the caribbean where very few people on the plane were US citizens. So the whole plane ended up in the same line (along with several other planes before us...).

as frequent travelers we also try to book our vacation flights during "business travel" times. last weekend we left on thursday morning instead of friday (it was thanksgiving long weekend here in the great white north). a plane full of seasoned business travelers loads and unloads significantly faster than one full of tourists. they also breeze through immigration since they know the routine.

---------- Post added October 14th, 2014 at 07:41 PM ----------

Turn management (handling on ground, on gate, out of gate, in air) is rather complex. There are FAA regulations plus each airline handles other factors differently. The airlines also don't like to make how they handle this public. Getting one plane per station per airport through per day adds a huge amount to the bottom line. If you are good at this you don't want your competition knowing how you do it, which unfortunately means you can't tell your passengers.

Turn management is not up to the airlines - it is up to the airport. Baggage handling and ramp support is all provided by the airport. And there are no secrets. It is a well studied industry.

Yesterday we made a 30 minute connection in YVR (Vancouver) with 2 checked bags. We then waited 1 hour for those same 2 bags to make their appearance at YYZ (Toronto). Same airline, different airports, different experience. At YYZ, a 30 minute connection would have left our bags behind. Actually, the successful 30 minute turn was likely mostly due to the originating airport YLW (Kelowna) baggage handling. They loaded the plane so that "hot" bags came off first. Before the priority bags.

 

[scubadiver888]

Turn management is not up to the airlines - it is up to the airport. Baggage handling and ramp support is all provided by the airport. And there are no secrets. It is a well studied industry.

Yesterday we made a 30 minute connection in YVR (Vancouver) with 2 checked bags. We then waited 1 hour for those same 2 bags to make their appearance at YYZ (Toronto). Same airline, different airports, different experience. At YYZ, a 30 minute connection would have left our bags behind. Actually, the successful 30 minute turn was likely mostly due to the originating airport YLW (Kelowna) baggage handling. They loaded the plane so that "hot" bags came off first. Before the priority bags.

Maybe it is different for Canadian airlines. I have never worked on turn management for a Canadian airline but I have worked for turn management on an American airline.

 

[Hintermann]

If your plane lands 15 minutes after 10 other out of country "tourist" flights, then getting towards the front of your plane really does not matter much. even if you get a rear seat on your flight, just learn to run once you get off of the plane!

Agreed and I intend to run as fast as my 59-year old legs take me. I believe that is where changing the hub from Atlanta to Miami might help to some extent. Hartsfield-Jackson is the busiest international airport in the world and with its double luggage in & out procedure, a quick passage would have been difficult. On the incoming flight from Curacao to Miami, I'll be in the front-most economy row; I'll deplane asap and try to get as far ahead of the queue as practically possible. If necessary, I can explain my position to the ground staff - it may not work, but I'll lose nothing by asking.

 

[scubadiver888]

Agreed and I intend to run as fast as my 59-year old legs take me. I believe that is where changing the hub from Atlanta to Miami might help to some extent. Hartsfield-Jackson is the busiest international airport in the world and with its double luggage in & out procedure, a quick passage would have been difficult. On the incoming flight from Curacao to Miami, I'll be in the front-most economy row; I'll deplane asap and try to get as far ahead of the queue as practically possible. If necessary, I can explain my position to the ground staff - it may not work, but I'll lose nothing by asking.

You might want to mention something to the ground crew at the departing airport. They can often put a note on the system for the ground crew at arrival and they can put a tag on your baggage indicating it needs to be offloaded first. This helps with loading and unloading of your luggage. There are many other factors plus the gate crew might be having an off day and just not have the time to care but you are right, it never hurts to ask nicely.

 

[chavala]

All I have to say is Good Luck! MIA is the worst airport in The States for customs and immigration. Getting a seat near the fron (not the exit!) and running are you're only options and no point in worrying. However, I am a firm believer in contingency plans! Go to Kayak.com and see what later flights will get you to your destination. AA can put you on another airline -- that doesn't mean they WILL. But if the delay is their fault they might.

 

[Hintermann]

MIA is the worst airport in The States for customs and immigration.

I am surprised that you felt that. There us no "easy" international airport to pass though in the USA but MIA was close to that the last time I used it in January. I had no hassles in either direction even though I had not chosen any particular seat. Up to now, I used to use Atlanta as the hum for Caribbean destinations in the UK but the procedure there takes far longer.

Another major advantage with MIA is the presence of a relatively inexpensive airport hotel within the terminal building. Passing through the USA from the UK, my flight usually lands in the evening and I like to spend overnight near the airport before catching the mid-morning flight to my destination. With Atlanta I had to take the shuttle to one of the motels nearby but at MIA all I had to do was push the luggage trolley to the check-in counter.