Advice needed: Bounced by Delta Airlines

Voyager2002

stewie_griffin wrote: »

Would "to get to Costa Rica" be convincing enough?

I have seen posts from people whose experience suggested that the answer is 'no'.

bigadaj

stewie_griffin wrote: »

It sounds like a right pain. I'm glad we've got 3 hours both going and coming back.

There are no direct flights from the UK to Costa Rica at the moment but that's due to change in April when there will be flights from Gatwick.

Yes, it is a bit, the above poster is right in so far as you are ticketed through, but have to collect and drop off your bags again and there is a terminal change, just a shuttle train but still time and needing a little thought.

If you did miss a connection then they should be able to put you in the next flight, not too much of a problem coming back as there are so many flights into Heathrow but only two a day to San Jose so could require a night in Newark.

The explanation that you are going to Costa Rica should be fine but you do need the esta.

balletshoes

stewie_griffin wrote: »

Would "to get to Costa Rica" be convincing enough?

as long as you don't try to be funny, just tell them you are taking another flight on to Costa Rica, and that will be fine.

peachyprice

duchy wrote: »

No you don't have to check it in all over again.
Your bags are tagged through to your final destination . You DO have to collect your bags at your first point of arrival in the US to go through customs - but you simply put them on a conveyor belt after customs NOT go through a full check in process again as you imply.

Sometimes you do. I've had to re-check bags in DFW travelling on a BA ticketed indirect flight from LGW to MCO.

duchy

peachyprice wrote: »

Sometimes you do. I've had to re-check bags in DFW travelling on a BA ticketed indirect flight from LGW to MCO.

Actually stand in a queue and get the bags retagged ?
Unless you were on two separate tickets and/or the internal was a LCC this should NOT have happened and your bags were incorrectly tagged at LGW .
(or you stood in line when you didn't need to and could have just put them onto a conveyor belt without queuing after customs).

The process hasn't changed in years.