Tier Point Run to Cancun in Jan 2014: Day 5 – Cancun (CUN) to Miami (MIA)

By Nige on Sun 05 Jan 2014 at 14:42
Type: Post
Story: Tier Point Run to Cancun in Jan 2014
Tags: American Airlines | Cancun | CUN | MIA | Miami

The return trip was nothing much to report about. I dozed most of the way, and ate my biscuit but I didn’t order a drink.

There was an unusual seating arrangement for a family – 2 behind me, 1 next to me and another on the other side in the aisle.

They got on just in front of me so I offered to swap with the mother (well I assumed it was the mother) – father and son was in the row behind, and a young girl was sat next to me.

The father thanked me for the offer but they decided to stay with the seats they had been assigned. Not sure why, but heck I did my bit.

There was a slight hold up on leaving the gate, but we got back to MIA on time. Oh, and it was raining in Cancun but warm which was nice.

Got back to MIA at gate D38 and we went through passport control etc. Global Entry would have been straight forward again except that it was back to normal in the kiosk stakes. Out of 12 kiosks 5 weren’t working and there were queues at all the others. Not what I expected.

Then there was a 10 min queue to get through Passport Control with my receipt. What’s all that about? I thought this GE “whoosh through” business was just for FlyerTalk members!

And then disappointed again when going through the International Flight Connections security check. No fast track and not happy.

I’ve been through here at least twice in the last four weeks and both times I’ve been directed down the channel that goes straight to the x ray machine, saving me at least 15 mins.

Today a burly young woman was “takin no sh*t” from anyone and everyone was going down the slow lane. One or two people were allowed down the fast lane, but I suspect these people were on short connections. She certainly wasn’t accepting status, class of travel nor level of celebrities as a good enough reason, since Nigel Lythgoe got caught as well.

Once I was through I asked the head security man what the deal was with not running a fast track service and he said that they have never run a channel for first class pax and they don’t have the machines to support TSA Pre-Check – I must have been lucky the last couple of times.

Anyway into the Admiral’s Club and saw Susie who sorted me out with a shower and I reported the problem with the fast track security queue. Not sure anything is going to happen though.

On the advice of a FlyerTalk member I checked out the Premium Lounge on Concourse E which was far better than the Admiral’s Club. There’s space – hardly anyone here, and loads of free food – good quality food at that.

Follow the whole story here: Tier Point Run to Cancun in Jan 2014