Insight Cuba initiation

We are a very compliant group, we all show up at the Sky King check in desk within 5 minutes of each other.  For me, at the Miami Airport Hotel, it is a 6 minute stroll.  We are greeted by an Insight Cuba representative who  cheerfully guided us through the check in process which mostly consisted of us getting our passports and letters of authorization ready to give to the counter agent.  I have to admit, with my passport problems, I am a bit concerned.  We have a dedicated counter agent who processes us all quickly and my luggage,which is five pounds overweight, is given a pass, no additional dollars are collected.  One additional note, the gate agents do ask for your weight.  Its a part of a careful weight and balance check on the part of the airline.  When you see the massive amount of luggage that Cuban-Americans are transporting to Cuba, it kind of makes sense.  It looks like people are moving the contents of their entire home to Cuba.  Huge bags, carefully saran wrapped at the airport for the nominal cost of $15 per bag are loaded on the same shopping trolly's that are offered at Sam's Wholesale Club are wheeled to the check in gate.  I saw bicycles, tires, several 32" flat screen televisions and one guy had several gallon's of Tide laundry detergent that were all being transported to grateful Cuban family members.  We learned that for a nominal cost of $125 you can load as much as you want onto the airplane.  A bargain.

By 5:45 all fourteen of us are processed through the gate agent.  By 6:15 we are through the security check and by 6:30 we are at the gate.  Each one of is asking, okay, the flight leaves at 9:00 am, what was the big deal of arriving at 5 am.   In defense, it wasn't just the Insight Cuba group that showed up at 5 am, many of the Cuban-Americans were at the gate at the same time.