Frequent Flyer
Joined: 15 May 2005
Posts: 60
Location: Dallas Texas
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 Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:03 am Post subject: Follow-up |
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We ended up getting to the airport around 6:30, deciding it was dumb to push it!  There was a pretty long line at the American counter, and the departure lounge was plenty full.
We learned a lesson the hard way in these post 9/11 days. My husband was one of a handful of passengers chosen at random to be fully screened. Twice. The first time was when he went through security. The second time, they picked him to go through his checked bag. A desk agent called a list of names and we heard one that sounded similar to his, but both the first and last name were massacred. Sure enough, when we boarded the plane and they asked for his name, they said he had to go back for the bag screen. Lesson learned: in another country (or even in the US), if a name is called out that sounds even remotely like it might be ours, check on it.
BTW, with the new "no liquids" security rule, Tortuga Rum has changed the packaging of their duty-free delights. When I picked up my purchases inside the airport, they wrapped each bottle in bubble wrap and put each one in a tall zip-lock bag, then into the box. Had something disastrous happened once we put our rum in our bags, the mess would have been contained. I'm keeping the wrappings for the next time we take wine with us on a trip!
Oh, and one more point on bringing rum home. We bought four bottles, which they put into two boxes because they're easier to handle than one large box. I was concerned because with our laptop carry-ons and my purse, that made 5 personal items to take on the plane, instead of the allowed 4. But the airline people said it was no problem. Yeayy!
As soon as we took our luggage off the carousel in Miami, we put the boxes inside, there in baggage claim before clearing customs. This worked well since immediately after customs, you drop off your luggage for it to be scanned and then sent on to the next connecting flight.
But boy, was security a MESS upstairs! It was just an ordinary Sunday morning, not Thanksgiving or Christmas or spring break craziness, but the lines for security were unbelievably long. Some people waited over an hour, snaking through the lines. (We were waved to the wheelchair line since I was in a scooter.) Lesson for MIA: if you have to go through security, make sure you have plenty of time! ::::shudder::::
Sue [sorry to leave Paradise, but awfully glad to sleep in my own bed!]
P.S. We had to leave Shangri-La too early to enjoy the cooked breakfast, but they left out muffins and cereal for us the night before so we were able to have SOME kind of breakfast before leaving. |
Edited By : Suebee Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:05:13 -0500
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