Atlanta (check up the details here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta?wprov=sfla1) is the capital city of the state and besides being HQ of CNN, it has large population (out of a total of about 5,00,000) of Indian IT professionals.
Now on hindsight I feel I should have got coordinates of the airport we were landing at. You will find the details here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartsfield%E2%80%93Jackson_Atlanta_International_Airport?wprov=sfla1.
I wonder for a population of 5 lacs why should the city need an airport spread over 4,700 acres of land!! I believe they must have reasons. If you look at the map, 222 gates are arranged in concourses A to F. International terminal is at concourse F and domestic terminals are in concourse T before concourse A. These concourses are connected through underground fast moving train, they call sky train. I am trying to provide you an idea about enormity and distances and suggest you should get information about the place you are going, before embarking on the journey. I have learnt lessons the hard way. I could have done better since I have had opportunities to visit such unknown places recently including Denver, in USA, a similar mammoth airport.
Passage to the gates to board flight at Toronto was extremely smooth. I wondered why should we have been asked to report three hours before scheduled departure!! We were at the gates to board flight in 45 minutes having been interviewed by US immigration.
Even the US immigration officer who gave permission to enter USA behaved extremely friendly. Those who must have come to this country would consider us lucky to have that experience. They normally are afraid of every visitor and so try to browbeat them.
Flight to Toronto was even smoother, taking less time than expected.
It had taken three hours at Toronto airport and less than two hours of flying time. Great going, I thought as the aircraft touched down at Atlanta, considering immigration process was over, we had to just pick up bags and walk out. Little that I knew that it will be after about three hours that will get out.
Passanger accompanying me has challenges with legs and has difficulty walking distances longer than about 50 feet. To help her, airlines (Delta, in the present case) had kindly agreed to provide wheelchair, and did actually do at Toronto with utmost hospitality.
The quality of services was put to test when we landed. On exit from aircfaft I asked the crew if she will get wheelchair and from where. He was supportive and arranged to get one at the aircraft door after all passangers had deboarded. And it takes about 15 minutes for aircraft to get emptied.
The wheelchair fellow had limited range to operate within. He kept the chair at the gate, which is just at the end of the vestibule, and informed that someone else will help going further.
It had taken three hours at Toronto airport and less than two hours of flying time. Great going, I thought as the aircraft touched down at Atlanta, considering immigration process was over, we had to just pick up bags and walk out. Little that I knew that it will be after about three hours that will get out.
Passanger accompanying me has challenges with legs and has difficulty walking distances longer than about 50 feet. To help her, airlines (Delta, in the present case) had kindly agreed to provide wheelchair, and did actually do at Toronto with utmost hospitality.
The quality of services was put to test when we landed. On exit from aircfaft I asked the crew if she will get wheelchair and from where. He was supportive and arranged to get one at the aircraft door after all passangers had deboarded. And it takes about 15 minutes for aircraft to get emptied.
The wheelchair fellow had limited range to operate within. He kept the chair at the gate, which is just at the end of the vestibule, and informed that someone else will help going further.
After about ten minutes I asked the airport staff at that gate exit how much more time will it take and she said someone is on way. She asked if we had connecting flight to catch to which I informed in negative and additionally informed we had to claim baggage and get out. Every reminder resulted into someone scanning the boarding card to note who is to be helped, where has she come from and where is she to be taken to.
After 45 minutes a seemingly innocent (I mean a bit dumb looking) help of african origin arrived, scanned boarding card again and asked where are we heading to. I informed him that I have to claim baggage from international baggage claim, to which he asked with astonishment, was I sure? I tried to explain to him we came from Toronto and that to the best of my knowledge makes our travel international one.
He started slowly from concourse D where we landed and arrived at the point where path to international baggage claim diverted from domestic baggage claim. On my insistence he moved towards international one, with some hesitation. Before covering a distance he asked some one who looked like member of flying crew, who suggested we go to domestic baggage claim with a disclaimer, that he may though get second opinion.
After 45 minutes a seemingly innocent (I mean a bit dumb looking) help of african origin arrived, scanned boarding card again and asked where are we heading to. I informed him that I have to claim baggage from international baggage claim, to which he asked with astonishment, was I sure? I tried to explain to him we came from Toronto and that to the best of my knowledge makes our travel international one.
He started slowly from concourse D where we landed and arrived at the point where path to international baggage claim diverted from domestic baggage claim. On my insistence he moved towards international one, with some hesitation. Before covering a distance he asked some one who looked like member of flying crew, who suggested we go to domestic baggage claim with a disclaimer, that he may though get second opinion.
I knew prognosis was poor. The African American (AA) chose not to get second opinion and took us to a closed enclosure after descending some depth. I realised after reaching there that we were boarding a train going towards concourse T housing domestic baggage claim, exactly in direction opposite to international baggage claim.
We reached the destination after three stations to be told by the staff there that we were at a wrong place. What surprised me was that one of the carousel had the number of flight we arrived by, displayed. But the bags were not there for sure.
I had at that point no idea and orientation about the location map and that AA also looked equally disoriented. Ultimately I contacted my host (who were at international arrival) and suggested they may pick us up from domestic arrival and help me find bags. And look at that kind gentleman, he did not want the Passanger to wait for pick up in the heat outside. I thanked him and he left, leaving the chair also.
That we were picked up from domestic end and taken to international arrival, a drive of about ten minutes, and that we found our bags and started for home was without contribution from air lines.
It had taken us three hours to leave the premises, with throats dry and other pronounced physical demands.
I am sure the air lines will have to pay heavily for many discomforts, take it from me. I have learnt lessons, the air lines should also learn.
