so, the terrorists win...

[thatsnotmypuppy]

There are rumours (my Mrs works for QANTAS) that the 60 minute thing will stay in place for QANTAS flights into the US and that the TSA is also considering asking foreign carriers to demand all passengers turn off all electrical equipment 90 minutes before landing...

Added to the abysmal experience of immigration and customs upon landing with all due respect I will not bother heading to the USA again any time soon. I love you wacky Yanks however I am sick of being treated like a criminal upon stepping off a plane. We have a visa waiver in place to cut down on these dramas. What a waste.

[cobl04]

is that opening quote for real, ian? so when we go to america next year, for the final hour i'm going to have to stare at the back of the seat in front of me? i can't read a newspaper?

are you fucking kidding me?

i sometimes wish that the media would report every single passenger who got on or off a plane who was not a terrorist or did nothing illegal or carried an object with absolutely no malice of forethought.

[ntalwar]

Originally Posted by thatsnotmypuppy

There are rumours (my Mrs works for QANTAS) that the 60 minute thing will stay in place for QANTAS flights into the US and that the TSA is also considering asking foreign carriers to demand all passengers turn off all electrical equipment 90 minutes before landing...

Added to the abysmal experience of immigration and customs upon landing with all due respect I will not bother heading to the USA again any time soon. I love you wacky Yanks however I am sick of being treated like a criminal upon stepping off a plane. We have a visa waiver in place to cut down on these dramas. What a waste.

I think the rules are in flux right now.

Regarding the strict customs, that's one of the reasons the US lost the Olympics bid. Even citizens returning home are given tough questioning frequently. I don't think the US will win another Olympics bid until they have a change in attitude.

[coolian2]

strict usa customs? ha. i've never dealt with anyone who treated me like a criminal arriving in the usa, the hardest time was when one of the staff wanted to see another form of id because i don't look much like my passport photo, and he couldn't have been nicer about it. not to mention nobody has wanted to stop me after i collect my bags, it's basically a straight line from the bag carousel out of the airport - far less strict than just about anywhere else i've been.

the big problem is the tsa. they're all idiots. i hate dealing with them.

[ntalwar]

Customs can be hit or miss - sometimes you are waved through, other times it can be a minor ordeal, as has been publicized numerous times. Obama was asked directly about the possible "harrowing experience" of entering the US by an IOC member.

[MissVelvetDress_75]

Personally, I am happy that I am not traveling overseas this coming year. I do not have the patience to deal with the lengthy delays.

Thankfully as of yet, I have yet to encounter any problems with customs upon arrival to a EU country or when I come back home to the US. Typically when I go through customs here in the US, I am greeted with a smile and a "Welcome back home" by the customs agents.

My complaints have to do with the inconsistencies of security checks at various international airports. I have been through intensive screening at Dublin airport to extremely limited security screenings at Milan's airport.

TSA does not bother me, mainly because I limit the amount of items I carry on board with me. The last time I was pulled aside for additional screening was in 2002.

[bigjohn2441]

Originally Posted by thatsnotmypuppy

Added to the abysmal experience of immigration and customs upon landing with all due respect I will not bother heading to the USA again any time soon. I love you wacky Yanks however I am sick of being treated like a criminal upon stepping off a plane. We have a visa waiver in place to cut down on these dramas. What a waste.

uh, the visa waiver program has nothing to do with security. it only makes it easier for YOU by not making you get a visa because your country has their shit together. you are still the same as every other "alien" and the fact that you have a visa waiver passport doesnt mean you get special treatment.

you must not have filled out the i-94w and/or your declaration properly and held up the line, therefore pissing off the officer

i'd love to know how you were "treated like a criminal"

[bigjohn2441]

Originally Posted by ntalwar

Even citizens returning home are given tough questioning frequently.

[thatsnotmypuppy]

Originally Posted by bigjohn2441

i'd love to know how you were "treated like a criminal"

Finger printing. Photo taken and filed on g-d knows whose database, questioned at length, patted down. All my forms were in order, passport had years to run so no issue there.

What they found suspicious was I had travelled to China a lot and was an Australian Government employee at the time. I worked for Immigration - so I have no idea what the issue was.

They kept asking what possible reason I have to be travelling to China three times in a year. Firstly it is none of your business what I do outside your shores unless I am travelling through the 'Axis Of Evil' - then you may have some valid queries. Secondly I had travelled to the US previously (before and after 9/11) and have been stopped every time. Always on a QANTAS flight, always direct. I just dont get it. Needless to say my trip to Vancouver for the Games is a direct flight with Air Canada.

Let me reiterate - I love the USA and think that most of the holidays I have had there have been awesome. But to get continually singled out.... I have no criminal record and I come from a country with extremely strong ties with the USA (we are in Afghanistan and Iraq as well and have been from the get go). If I was from Yemen, Saudi Arabia (then again) or Myanmar I'd expect issues.

I've had colleagues in the UK, NZ and Canada also complain about this issue. I will say this though - it is mainly at LAX. Flying into San Francisco isn't as bad.

[bigjohn2441]

finger printing and photo are standard practice for EVERYONE except US citizens, canadians, and certain visa classifications. even green card holders get printed and photo, every time they cross. primary and secondary questioning are also standard practice.

and it IS their business what you do outside our shores. they can ask you anything they want to determine your admissability to the US, including what you do for a living, where you have been and why, and purpose of your travels. it's nothing personal, they are just being vigilant and doing their jobs. if you have recurring in-depth interviews with patdowns and all that, they should provide you with a comment card and tear sheet so you can write and inquire to the goverment and they will answer any questions you may have, and might even fix the problem for future travels.

[martha]

Originally Posted by bigjohn2441

they should provide you with a comment card and tear sheet so you can write and inquire to the goverment and they will answer any questions you may have, and might even fix the problem for future travels.

That's so sweet.

[KhanadaRhodes]

i got singled out when i visited australia earlier this year. but i guess it's okay because australia's fucking awesome and the us sucks and americans are stupid.

[ntalwar]

Originally Posted by bigjohn2441

[financeguy]

Originally Posted by MissVelvetDress_75

My complaints have to do with the inconsistencies of security checks at various international airports. I have been through intensive screening at Dublin airport to extremely limited security screenings at Milan's airport.

I'd reckon that's because it was your first entry point to the EU. If you alighted first in Milan then you would have had the intensive screening there, I'd guess.

[bigjohn2441]

Originally Posted by ntalwar

just found that statement funny, based on personal experience

[bigjohn2441]

Originally Posted by martha

That's so sweet.

it's true, ive seen it happen many times, and it does solve people's issues

[ntalwar]

Originally Posted by bigjohn2441

it's true, ive seen it happen many times, and it does solve people's issues

When you have issues like this:
Report: Racial profiling used at borders - UPI.com

-it's much bigger than something on a card can fix.

[bigjohn2441]

right, cause the civil liberties group from san francisco knows EXACTLY how CBP operates.

officers rely on facts and behaviors rather than "oh he's an arab, lets toss his shit", it doesnt work that way, thats a huge no no.

and besides, you have very limited rights when it comes to border searches anyway. they can pretty much search anything they want anytime they want, without suspicion. and this is nothing new, it's been that way since customs was first formed. compairing border searches to police searches is compairing apples and oranges.

[coolian2]

Originally Posted by ntalwar

Customs can be hit or miss - sometimes you are waved through, other times it can be a minor ordeal, as has been publicized numerous times. Obama was asked directly about the possible "harrowing experience" of entering the US by an IOC member.

it does help that i'm a white guy with a pretty normal name. but given i've been through the apparent worst place to do it every single time - los angeles, most of the times at the tom bradley terminal - i've found it okay. there was one flight where i was from the plane to the street in about 20 minutes and almost all of that was walking to the baggage claim and waiting for my bag, nothing else.

[martha]

Originally Posted by bigjohn2441

it's true, ive seen it happen many times, and it does solve people's issues

So if we all insist that these new procedures are fucking stupid, and we fill out the little cards, they'll stop?