My return flight gets to Houston at 3:05 and my connecting flight leaves Houston at 3:50 - what are the chances of us getting through customs on a saturday and making a connecting flight??? Seems last time we needed at least one hour and that was pushing it!!

Not a chance in Hell!!!!

nope

Well, it really depends how many are people clearing immigrations and the terminal you leave from. Its possible but not very likely.

That is not gonna happen unless you onlyhave a carryone and run real fast. 45 minutes is the best we ever did.

We just came through Miami onto Newark, we have a 5 hour layover in MIA. Took us an hour to get to our new gate. Not so bad time wise but the layout here is stupid. There are 36 lanes to clear Immigration all funneling into a one lane passage to get to baggage claim. Line was backed up and a mess. Then huge lines to get through customs to check your carryon, long snaking lines like Disney Land, but no fun ride at the end!!

Thanks ceb, Continental has changed mine also, but only 10 minutes. Now I have a 1 1/2 hours to clear Huston. 41 days to go and how many more changes?

Good luck Ceb. We had an hour to make our connection in Houston to Toronto. The only way we made it was because our connecting flight was late getting in... I'm not sure why that airport doesn't have an 'in transit' system so you don't have to go through security again. That is where we lost most of our time, and asking for assistance from the personnel there was useless (they were too busy with their cell phone conversations). Immigration was pretty good and our baggage was tagged all the way through.

I've often wondered why certain groups of people are not simply issued "security clearances" for pass through at airports etc. The world is full of people who have proven security records. And, I'm one of them. I think it is about time that "Homeland Security" revied my record, and the thousands like me, and issue me a pass through at the "take off your shoes places" and at immigration. And I promise I won't smuggle any Cuban cigars into DFW.

In my former position with an airline in Las Vegas, I had security clearance to bypass security, to remain in the secure area in the event of a breach, I conducted aircraft searches, all this without going thru security. But when I got on a plane for travel, I had to go up stairs and go thru security even if I had been doing the above items all day. CRAZY........1

The only country that TSA trusts to connect to a domestic flight without going thru customs and security is Canada.

I remember being told by a security officer at a US airport that the reason there weren't transit lounges was indeed "security". When I asked him how processing all these people rather than simply fencing them in improved security, he asked me if I had ever heard of 9/11. When I said I had but didn't see how this implied that security would be improved by abolishing transit lounges I didn't get a coherent answer.

Headless chickens come to mind.

When you clear Houston customs, do not go use the exit just outside (where they want everyone to go). Clear the the baggage area and go outside, up the stairs (escalator) in enter through the "E" departure gates. There is almost no one there. It usually saves a least 30 minutes on a normal day. Then again, if you have luggage, you're probably screwed.

Well we are now 10 days and counting - i did contact Continental and now we have 4 hours to get through customs. Not my first choice but better than spending an unplanned night in Houston. Not the first time this has happened to us with Continental - the last time - and i swore it would be the last time we flew C - until i decided to come to Belize - we had 23 minutes in Mexico City to make connecting flight. No need to comment on that impossibility. Just crossing fingers for the next ten days!! Can't wait to be on AC - even if i have to fly Contenintal to get there!!

AA did this to my son and his family last year on his return flight through DFW. He simply called the airline directly (even though he didn't book directly through them) and they agreed the timing was too tight. He was rebooked for early the next morning and given a discount voucher for a stay at the airport Hyatt.

CEB123, I'd be interested in knowing the routing and airlines you will use to go through Mexico City to BZ. Is that something you would care to share. I'm a growing NON-Supporter of Co. also.

I gotta disagree with some of you. I have been a CO. One Pass member since 1967. Have flown over a million miles with them and rarely had a problem that was their fault. Sure, delays, changes in schd, nothing I couldnt live with as every air line has the same or worse issues. They are # 1 in my book. Anyone remember when Bob Six owned them, the old DC10s with the lounge in the center of the plane with a piano?

A couple of years ago I flew from Belize to London on AA, on a schedule that they created allowing 3 hours in Miami. I asked if that was enough and they said it certainly was.

When I arrived in Miami I was still in the queue for Immigration 5 hours after landing, and by the time I had cleared Customs it was 7 hours. Insane that there's no transit facility, but that's another matter. I missed not only my onward flight but every flight to London that day, and had to overnight. AA denied any responsibility and far from helping wouldn't even allow me to use their phone to try to find an hotel. All my extra expenses stayed with me.

Sorry for the miscommunications - we used to vacation in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo (and fly direct from Houston) until Continental hijacked my vacation. we've decided to give them another try - and return to Belize instead of MX!!

I don't understand when you say the US trusts Canada, not to have to go through Customs and Security.

I always have to go through US Customs and security and I'm Canadian. The edge is that since I fly out of Calgary, I clear US Immigration at the Calgary airport.

I once was preparing to fly somewhere and was already at the gate, when I remembered that I needed to mail a letter that I had in my purse. After looking around for a while, I asked the desk rep where I would find a mailbox.

She told me that she would take the letter with her and mail it after she left work. She said she had to do that because we were now in the United States, despite that we were still in the Calgary airport.

At this time, I await my Nexus clearance.

I'm waiting to see what airports end up with Nexus kiosks....read anything SS?

Well, for me, I care about Calgary. That said, I already have Canpass which already takes care of me on the way home. But if I understand it correctly, when I get Nexus, I'll be able to miss a bunch of lineup and BS when I'm trying to fly out too.

I was told (which isn't the same as knowing) that Houston will have it. I have a NEXUS sheet that shows enrollment centers. None of them seem of much use to me or most others. lol But then, I suspect there is some belief that this is going to work at border crossings.

Sorry I brought it up. Wouldn't want my application to get held up because they become overwhelmed with apps.

If the US authorities had their way they'd control all international airports world-wide. They also actively try to control all worldwide operations of non-US companies that partly operate in the USA.

A few years ago we even had US Secret Service parading and elbowing people aside in Oxford when Clinton came to visit his daughter. Until, that is, it was pointed out to them (forcibly) that in Britain they were civilians. I don't know how they had ever been allowed to bring their guns, but at that point those were confiscated.

They've never quite sussed the concept of sovereignty as applied to other countries. It's probably their way of endearing themselves to others.

What is Nexus?

Iris recognition.

Don't really agree. I often have a 45 minute connection when I go to the states through Houston. Not to mention Continental often arrives a good 20 minutes early which would then give you just over an hour. There is a chance your connecting flight could always be late as well.

Your plane arrives early.. the connection arrives Late!! Good luck on that one. Ain't gonna happen too often. Planes don't arrive early, It would throw the whole system out of wack.A commercial plane has a arrival window and they stay as close to it as possible. Especially at a busy A/P like Houston.

On one one vacation here before we moved, we had a similar issue not enough time to make connecting flight. (I did not want to go home anyways)

We got to Houston once and lines were huge we tried to find help and finally someone came by and told is we could go in the US line we did not even consider that cause we are Canadians. That was much faster, we still ended up sprinting down the corridor to the gate and missed our flight. Luckily they put us up over night.

Wade, I think you missread my post. I said we went through customs and that was fine. Since after going though immigration and customs we had to go through security again, I asked why that airport doesn't have an 'in transit' system like most international airports. Once we have gone through security at an airport allowing us to fly into the US on an american plane to make a connection, why should we again have to go through security (not customs and immigration)? I agree with seashell, in Canada at our international airports we have USA entry points with USA customs and immigration on site. We also have an in transit system where passengers coming from another flight stay on the 'secure side' of the airport and proceed to their next gate as most airports such as Barbados, Antigua, St. Lucia, Mexico City, Grenada, Charlotte NC and I think Miami.

I wont jump out and comment on other airports that I don't know. my experience is more with the bags and flight crew, but the same rules apply to passengers. As I understand it from my experience in las vegas. TSA is present in Canada for flights into the US. however coming into the US from other countries there is no TSA. And we all know TSA is the all mighty, They mandate that you get to see them at your first domestic flight. There are so many inconsistencies and "Local" procidures I should not have implied that was the way for all airports. In Houston, for myself I have several bottles of rum in my carry on from Belize, so I need to re-pack these and must go thru security to ensure I did not repack these into my carry on. It is three departments of the federal government, TSA Customs and Immigrations not working together.

What are you talking about??
I fly approximately 12 times per year and normally arrive the states early when leaving Belize. Flew last month from Lima, Peru to Houston as well and after departing Lima 30 minutes late still arrived 15 minutes early.

Lucky you!! It doesn't happen often and the Airlines on-time statistics backup that fact. I hope all your flights continue to be as good as you have experienced in the past. Never happened to me ( leave late /arrive Early) WOW!!


Carrier On-Time Arrival Pct.
Hawaiian 92.26
Pinnacle 89.64
Skywest 85.65
Northwest 85.31
Southwest 84.35
Frontier 82.91
US Airways 80.82
Alaska 78.71
American Eagle 78.48
AirTran 78.32
Delta 77.08
Mesa 75.72
Atlantic Southeast 75.19
Continental 73.83
United 72.91
ExpressJet 72.14
American 70.56
Comair 67.39
JetBlue 64.68
All Airlines 78.44

our upcoming nov flight home was supposed to go thru DFW, and they sent me an email saying they put us thru miami instead.

can you imagine my disappointment????

ps - one time in houston we went out for a smoke between flights, AFTER customs, and still missed out connection cuz of a long line @ TSA. now, of couse that was 100% our fault, but they still gave us vouchers.

BMG

Yep! I'm sure it must be the positive thinking. Principals of The Secret.

Yet another miracle BMG this week out of the busy airport of Houston.

Phily-Houston scheduled arrival: 9:50am
Actual arrival: 9:28am

Houston-BZE scheduled arrival: 3:00pm
Actual arrival: 2:42pm

Guess I'm lucky nearly everytime (with exception to a horror story which I'll update on a flying with animals thread soon)

With your luck I want to fly with you.

I would like to change my advise due to a recent travel experience.

Traveling from BZE into Miami is completely different than
traveling through Dallas or Miami. It is like traveling through a disorganized foreign country and was a chaotic mess! Took over one hour to walk something close to one mile from the plane
to customs, get through customs, find bags in the piles of mess inbetween carosels, and walk a far distance to the next connecting gate. By the time I got to my gate I only had one hour of my three hour layover left.

I still feel flying out you do not need as much time for connections, just coming back in through Miami.

Might be it is due to the security reasons you are getting delay in flights.
New Jobs

who is getting delays in flights?

I find the delays (and they do often happen) are often on the ground rather than in the air. I haven't been through Miami in several years and not since the building works have (presumably) been completed, but my experiences there have been easily the worst anywhere. Like 7 hours to clear inbound formalities when all I was doing (trying to do) was hop on another plane out of there. And I was given no voucher.

The line to clear security is by the worse in Miami than anywhere in the world we have been. Last time we had a TSA guy for some reason come up to us out of the hundreds in line and tell us to go down a gate or two. Well I had been teasing him. The line there was only 20 or so people long.

If you are leaving Houston at 3:50, it is a 2 or 2 1/2 hr flight to Belize City. You will arrive too late for a connecting flight or a water taxi, I'm pretty sure.

If you book onto a Tropic flight so that they know you're coming, they will often hold back a plane for you. No guarantees, but it's happened for me and for others I know. Only Tropic, and must be pre-booked. My record is landing at SP after 8pm!