USA Travel Problems

TSA robots

Mike Leco — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:35:50 GMT

I recently returned from a trip to Europe and came through the customs and immigration screening at Philadelphia Airport. My wife had contracted some intestinal virus just before leaving Germany, and was intensely ill on the flight back to the USA. It took us nearly an hour to clear passport control, retrieve our baggage, clear customs and pass through the TSA security screening. That hour was extremely uncomfortable for my wife, so the inconvenience and wait was very trying to our patience.

We were required to wait nearly 20 minutes to go through passport control. The agent was very polite. She simply asked a few inane questions and handed back our passport. With machine readable passports and sophisticated computers, it hardly seems necessary to make people wait 20 minutes just to have a beaurocrat ask a few useless questions.

Customs control took less than a minure and there was no wait.

Going back through security screening was a real ordeal. We were required to wait over 30 minutes just to get to the security screening. It caused us to miss our connecting flight. My wife nearly passed out standing in the screening line for over half an hour. I sought out the TSA security screening supervisor, explained that my wife was very ill, explained that we were going to miss our connecting flight, thus requiring another four to six hour delay in getting home, and asked if there was any possibility of expediting the wait. He was not very polite and not the slightest bit compassionate. He merely said, "You must stay in the line and wait your turn". Good grief! One can get more compassion and understanding from a robot.

As it turned out, we missed our connecting flight and were delayed in Philadelphia Airport for an additional four hours. Fortunately, there is a medical clinic within the airport terminal. My wife was able to obtain some medical assistance and even permitted to lay down for a few hours of rest and recuperation before the next flight.

I have written many posts defending the TSA, and saying that I have always found them to be friendly and courteous. I now understand why so many overseas travelers have expressed criticisms over the inconvenience in entering the USA. Perhaps Philadelphia Airport is just an exception, or perhaps, the TSA supervisor that I encountered was particularly inconsiderate. I know that this was not the proper way to treat people. I saw at least three or four other overseas tourists, panic stricken about missing their airline connections, approach the same TSA supervisor and receive equally inconsiderate treatment.

Being charged for hotel in spite of rejected booking reservation

Rolf Wingard — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:50:36 GMT

Hi,

Today July 6, I booked via online www.usatourist.com a travel package containing Hotel in New Orleans and Return Flight - Syracuse, NY (July 17-21). During reservation process, my credit card (for any reason) was not accepted; I was asked to restart my booking process. Before I did, I checked my bank account realizing that the hotel i New Orleans has made a reservation for money. When buying a travel package it shall not be possible that one part of the package can accept when the other part does not - the entire travel package must be rejected. There is no reservation available so I cannot trace the hotel, appreciate your support in this matter. My Bank made the money reservation 3.05.51 pm (Swedish time - approx 6 hrs difference).

I have spent at least 1 hour on telephone (being charged my number), 5 attempts with no possibility for your representatives to support me. I need to know the name of the hotel in New Orleans, making sure the the booking is cancelled.

I consider you being a well respected company/organsisation, so I expect to hear from you by return with your comment about this situation.

Shall it be possible that something like this can occur?

Can I trust you system if making another try using it booking ourselves the Trip?

All this has caused me a lot of problems and time, now I need your emmidiate support; on Monday next week, we are leaving Sweden for our US trip!

best regards

How to rent a horse in Utah ?

Louis — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:36:13 GMT

Hello guys. I am a frenchy boy and foresee to do a solitary travel in Utah.

I am a former rider (I practiced more than 10 years) and so i seek for a good horse rental ranch, but after one week of web searching i found nothing. I do not search a low time rental like some hours, but for the entire day, at low price : i am not really rich lol

Can you help me, can indicate me ranchs who propose it ?

Thanks so much

Using family to buy temporary car in US

ytimon — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:49:47 GMT

Hi Mike

I believe I have read all your posts regarding buying a car in the US, and have found them extremely helpful. I do have a further question regarding this.

I am planning a 3 months roadtrip, and would really like to buy a car. This is to save costs and also to enable me to buy a classic American car.

I am arriving in LA and have family in the bay area of SF. Further to what I saw in one of your posts, can I tell the authorities they are my base/permanent house, and get registration using their address? If so, will I be able to buy the car by myself in LA and sell it by myself in NY without their intervention?

I appreciate your help very much!

can a tourist buy a bike In CA, and tour USA?

hakan — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:43:25 GMT

is it possible for a tourist to buy a motorbike and tour thru FL? one post, here, suggests that a tourist needs to have permanent address to obtain licence plate. so it is unlikely for a tourust to do so. on the other hand, link below suggests otherwise http://www.usatourist.com/english/tips/carbuying.html which info is true? thanks

WHY DO MOST US FOODS CONTAIN SUGAR?

Mike Leco — Mon, 12 May 2008 02:59:38 GMT

I received this e-mail from a reader. It is a good question so I am sharing it with everyone.

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Dear Mr Leco:

I found your summary of US cooking very informative. However it fails to mention one of the distinguishing characteristics of US food that is a continual source of bafflement for foreigners in this country.

It is this: In the US, sugar and other sweeteners are added to food that in other countries contains no sweeteners. A list: sugar is added to: Chinese food, salad dressings, barbecue sauces, bread (especially the kind of bun eaten with hamburgers and frankfurters), stews, beans and roasted meats.

It is true that there are some dishes in other countries that mix sweet and salty: Persians put raisins in rice, Argentines put raisins in empanadas, there is a Moroccan dish containing sugar, in Sweden bread is often sweetened, etc. But only in the US is it a systematic, all-encompassing principle.

If you like that sort of thing, very well. I myself detest the combination of sweet and salty, and for me eating out in this country is always associated with complex enquiries and negotiations with the serving staff or host with the purpose of avoiding sweet-salty combinations. Except of course in desserts. Fortunately I never have to anxiously enquire whether there is salt in the desserts.

Regards, Carl Stoll

Trouble with customs

Herb — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:37:33 GMT

Hi folks,

My cousins, 13 and 16, live in Hong Kong. They would like to visit California next summer. However, their parents are concerned about them flying overseas alone. More importantly, they've heard of two situations that I am unaware of and have been unable to find any information on. Their parents (both teachers) supposedly heard these stories from their former students. The first is a story about a student who flew to Los Angeles, and could not pass customs. She was required to return on the next flight back to Hong Kong. The second is even more suspect. Another student faced a similar situation but was given an additional option. She was allowed to enter the US but had to wear an ankle GPS bracelet and remain in the home of the relatives that she was staying with. Supposedly there was a fear that these students would come to the US and not return to Hong Kong.

I'd like to hear if anyone has heard any feedback to the situations that I described. Could these be urban legends? Thanks for your help and please let me know.

Herb

pregunta

MELISA — Thu, 08 May 2008 00:31:34 GMT

Buenas Noches

quiero marcar un pasaje desde el dia 19/12/08 para Orlando desde Rio de JANEIRO, CON HOTEL HASTA EL 05/01/2009 EN ORLANDO, Y LUEGO LA VUELTA PARA EL 23/01/09, NO LO PUEDO REALIZAR EN LAS OPCIONES DE BUSQUEDA? (QUEDARIA EL RESTO DE LOS DIAS SIN HOTEL PORQUE LA IDEA ES ALQUILAR UN MOTORHOME HASTA EL 23.

MUCHAS GRACIAS,

AGAURDO RESPUESTA,

MELISA

JFK Airport Problems

Mike Leco — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:42:45 GMT

JFK airport in New York City is really overcrowded and the service has deteriorated. I would avoid using this airport as a point of entry to the USA. I have made several trips to Europe in the last few years, and have flown in and out through, JFK, Newark, Philadelphia and Charlotte. So far, I think Newark is one of the better choices. It is overused like most of the east coast points of entry, but at least its terminal is spacious, its gates are convenient and it has a reasonable choice of restaurants and shops. The customs and passport control facilities are fairly efficient. Unfortunately, the time from boarding to takeoff can be as much as one hour during the busiest times of the day.

JFK is one of the worst points of entry. It is terribly overcrowded. The gates are not conveniently located, and it is difficult to get from terminal to terminal with any speed. Delta has so many planes at this airport, that they cannot even get them near the gates. They use people movers to transport travelers from the aircraft to the terminal. It is not uncommon to spend at least an hour getting from your air plane to the passport control area. Some of the airport employees including the TSA security agents, the passport control people and the customs agents can be rude and inconsiderate. To be fair, I must also say that a few of those employees can be kind and considerate.

Philadelphia and Charlotte are mediocre. They are overcrowded, and takeoff waits can be quite lengthy, but their terminals are adequate. The passport control, customs and TSA security at Charlotte are rather slow and inefficient from what I saw.

TSA Tips

Mike Leco — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:51:53 GMT

I keep hearing horror stories about encounters with the TSA security screeners at the airport.

I travel quite often and I must battle the security lines every time I go to the airport to take my flight. I, personally, have never had a horrible encounter with the TSA screeners. I have had some unpleasant encounters,some inconvenient encounters, and even some stupid encounters, but none that I would call horrible.

Here are some things that I have learned after taking hundreds of flights over the past five years. (1.) Not all TSA screeners are unpleasant or impolite, at least a few of them are very nice (2.) They are doing a boring job and dealing with many rude and stupid passengers every day, so they can get a bit jaded (3) A few of the TSA employees are just plain nasty, rude, ignorant and stupid. Don't fight it! When you encounter one of those just follow my advice.

Here are my tips.

1. Be prepared when you go through security, Do not take weapons, knives, liquids or explosives in your carry-on luggage, Put all of your liquid cosmetics into bottles of no more than 3 ounces, and carry them in a small plastic bag. At the security check, remove this plastic bag from your luggage and place it in the bin to go through the screening check. Also remove your shoes and place them in the bin.

2. Have your boarding pass and your identification in your hand ready to show the TSA screener.

3. Do not make any nasty, sarcastic or critical remarks to the TSA employees. They do not appreciate jokes about security violations. If you insist on making such remarks, expect to be delayed or detained longer than necessary.

4. Humor, as long as it is congenial and non sarcastic, can be very beneficial in winning over the compassion and empathy of the TSA screeners. The TSA employees must have a very tedious and boring job, putting up with people that are sometimes rude, truculent and often stupid. When they encounter a traveler that is friendly, jocular and congenial, they usually react in a positive manner.

5. When you encounter rude, nasty, obnoxious, arrogant or belligerant TSA screeners, do not fight it. Just follow their instructions exactly. Do exactly what they tell you to do. Answer their questions politely and without sarcasm or belligerance. Just imagine that a policeman has stopped you for driving too fast. If you try to argue with the policeman or try to use sarcasm or belligerance, you might just end up in jail.

More TSA complaints

Mike Leco — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:43:06 GMT

This complaint was recently posted on our Blog Page by "carstair". I am copying it here because it belongs in this discussion.

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Sorry, but my wife and I will think very hard before we go anywhere near Kennedy airport again. I had travelled to the US several times ( Boston,Massachusets; New Hampshire; Pennsylvania; Maryland; Las Vegas (twice) before we went to visit our son who had taken up a job in New York City. The first visit to New York (2005) was notable for the brusqueness of the security at JFK but last September was unbelievable! My wife - a retired nurse - had her passport taken away and she was told to go into a side office. Grudgingly, it was accepted that I could accompany her. Monosyllabic, crop headed, hulking people with guns were refusing to explain to people ( not just us) what was happenning and we were told to sit down. No explanation, no chance of telling my son what was happenning, and finally the passport was thrust back without further ado. Of course the cases had been broken open as well.

All this next to a notice "welcoming people"! In spite of a letter to the US Embassy in London, no explanation was ever forthcoming.

Wonder why we don't feel much like visiting again?

clearing US Cutoms security

skiff66 — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:36:44 GMT

Hi all,

I am flying to the USA with my wife and kids in May for a family holiday in Florida. I am a UK citzen and arrive in the US on a Friday at 1345 hrs. I then have a conecting flight at 1545 hrs in a diffferent terminal with a different airline (United), this only allows 2 hours to clear through all the security checks. Is this a resonable amount of time or am I likley to miss my connection to Florida? any help greatly recieved.

Andy

TSA update

Mike Leco — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:31:02 GMT

I recently returned from a trip to Europe, so I had a chance to personally experience the performance of our homeland security people at the entry point. I did not experience any arrogance or impolite behavior from the TSA screeners, the passport control officers or the customs inspectors. In fact, some of the TSA employees were actually friendly and courteous. One of them even joked around while screening our carry-on luggage.

At the passport control point, I went through the section reserved for US residents and did not experience the section reserved for non-US residents. I did, however, notice that the wait for the non-US residents was shorter than the wait for US residents. Foreign visitors were being screened more quickly than us US residents.

I was certainly disappointed with the mindless bureaucratic inconvenience of it all. We had to wait in line nearly 20 minutes to see the passport control officer. He scanned our electronically encoded passport into his computer which should have given him all the information required to see who we are, when we left the country and how long we were gone. Never the less, he slowly asked us his inane questions, "How long have you been gone?", "What countries did you visit?", "Did you bring any foods or agricultural products?", "Did you bring any alcohol?" After delaying us for five or six minutes, while hundreds of other passengers awaited their turn to answer the same inane questions, he handed back our passports.

We then retreived our luggage and had to stand in a 50-meter long queu waiting to see the single customs control officer. He simply looked at our declaration form, which had every item that we had purchased abroad listed on it; and asked us, "How long have you been gone?", "Did you bring any foods or agricultural products?", "Did you bring any alcohol?" I wanted to say, "Just read the declaration form in your hand dummy"; but my common sense told me that that would probably result in an even longer delay. I simply answered his inane questions and we passed on to the terminal.

We were now out in the general terminal outside of the security area, so we had to pass back through the TSA security screeners to get to our connecting flight. All in all, It was a very tedious and frustrating experience that I was not pleased to endure after an exhausting nine-hour flight.

In summary, the TSA screeners and the other homeland security personnel were not rude or inconsiderate, they simply behaved like mindless bureaucratic robots in a Kafka like process that seems to be designed without much consideration for the travelers' convenience.

Why I'm not coming to the USA

Philipek — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:10:18 GMT

I have never been to the USA. There was a time not long when I would have loved to visit. I grew up reading Jack Kerouac novels and was keen on a good old road trip. I wanted to see the "real" USA, but not now. These days you wouldn't get me to set foot in the USA any reason at all. Why?

Well, recently, the United States government announced that all non-citizens entering the USA will be given a terrorist risk assessment, with the resulting data being kept on record for forty years. Essentially 32 million non-citizens entering the country annually are to be fingerprinted and photographed at 115 airports, 15 seaports and 154 land ports.Obviously this only applies to people crossing the border LEGALLY. People who for whatever reason cross the border illegally will never get a "terrorist profile". Pointless? Seems like it, but the ramifications are the same.

Unsurprisingly I am reluctant to be catalogued by a foreign power, especially as the new laws are except from the privacy Act of 1974 that allow people to access records to determine "if the system contains a record pertaining to a particular individual" and "for the purpose of contesting the content of the record." In a nutshell, even if I live in Europe the US government has all of my personal data locked up in an incontestable and inaccessible private datafile and there's not a damned thing that I nor anyone else can do about it. Considering the emergence of the global economy, this is economically short-sighted (I am a tourist, but now my money is going elsewhere), but moreover utterly pointless as it seems to me to be little more than harassment of people entering the USA via legal means.

This is all undertaken, of course, under the ever growing "threat" of terrorism, but it just seems to me to further evidence that the USA is drifting closer and closer to draconian police state. Obviously the USA is nowhere near as far down this road as many other places in the world, but the keyword missing here for me is “yet”. I am also aware that many Americans will consider this post anti-American, but that's a ridiculous notion. I have no beef with Americans, nor their country - government yes, but I am none to fond of my own either.

As far as I am concerned this policy is offensive to non-Americans, it labels us as criminals as terrorists without any notion of innocent before proven guilty. That's why my tourist dollars will be going elsewhere, and don't think I am alone in thinking this way, far from it.

What happened to America?

Trouble — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 21:27:36 GMT

We always believed USA was the land of freedom and democracy. It was the protector of the weak and the enemy of the tyrants. It protected human rights and helped the poor people of the world. We looked up to America and hoped that our own country could be more like it. We wanted to learn from the USA, so we could enjoy more human rights, more freedom and more democracy. We all wanted to visit this land of freedom.

Now, USA invades other countries like Iraq. Why? Because they have oil? Your president did not listen to the UN. He did not listen to old friends and allies like Germany or France. How is this democracy? Do you believe that you can force other countries to accept democracy when you do not practice it yourself.

Now, USA has political prisoners in Cuba. These people are in prison for many years without trial and without justice. What happened to human rights? For many years, USA denounced other dictators for doing the same thing. Now USA does it.

Now, USA allows its army and its CIA to torture prisoners. Your president and his advisors say they must not follow Geneva convention. They say it is right to torture. How is this better than any other tyrant or dictator?

I hear that the people of the USA are losing many of their own human rights since 911. I hear that they are not so friendly to visitors from other countries especially visitors from the middle east.

This is sad for us. Where do we look for freedom for democracy and for human rights if they are gone from America?

Why is there no God in USA?

Trouble — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 20:42:53 GMT

I read that US people say they are a Christian country. They say they believe in God. They say they beleive in family values. They think they are good Christian peoples.

Why do the good people of USA attack Muslim countries like Iraq? Iraq had no Al-Quaida terrorists. It had no weapons of mass destruction. Did the USA attack Iraq because they wanted to punish all Muslims for 911? Many innocent people were killed in Iraq. Many innocent people are still killed in Iraq. Women, children, even little babies all die for nothing. Some die from American bullets and American bombs. Some are killed by their own people because of the great war started by the USA.

How can Christian people do this to their Muslim brothers?

It seem like the US people do not really believe in God. They just like to say they believe in God. It seem like US people believe in money and oil and guns and bombs. I think there is no God in America.

Middle Eastern People are not welcome

Trouble — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:16:55 GMT

I hear that people who appear to be Middle Eastern or Arab are treated badly in the USA. I hear that people who look like they might be from the Middle East are often stopped by security people in the airports or on the trains. If the border guards or the police think you are Arab, they may question you or even detain you for long periods.

I have heard stories about people who were stopped at the airport only because they appeared to be from the Middle East. Sometime they were Indian or from some countries not in the Middle East. I heard that some people were detained in the airport for many hours or even some days. Is it safe for anyone that is not white, caucasion and from Northern Europe to visit the USA?

Problems in US airport

Mike Leco — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 20:56:30 GMT

Yesterday, I received an e-mail from an irate European traveler who said that he encountered rude and hostile behavior from the homeland security personnel at the Atlanta Georgia airport. He did not elaborate on which personnel treated him and his traveling companions badly. He was clearly disappointed with the lack of hospitality and cordiality from the US government employees.

I can certainly sympathize with him. No one likes to be treated rudely. We all realize that the security precautions are necessary and are likely to cause us inconvenience. The least our government employees can do to aleviate this situation is to be courteous and friendly. I travel quite a bit, and I can say that I have not personally encountered any rude behavior from the Homeland Security employees. Unfortunately, I have also experienced very little cordiality and friendliness from them.

Have you encountered any bad experiences with the Homeland Security employees at US airports? This could include the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) screeners; the passport control or the customs and immigration staff? Please share your complaints with us!