global entry avoids all of that

sts7049 said:

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global entry avoids all of that

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I have Global Entry and was in that line when the agent yelled at me.

The Asian guy yelled at by a different agent was not in the GE line, but we were in the same area as the lines are side by side.

MAROON said:

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I'll never understand why we are treated worse and inconvenienced more trying to enter our own country than a foreign (non-African) country. Our border check system sucks compared to most first world countries.

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I called Ted Cruz's office and told the staffer who answered the phone what happened (to me and the other guy). I doubt anything comes of it, but she expressed sincere surprise and dismay at how we were treated.

At least 3 of the agents were on a real power trip of the worst kind. There is no excuse for it at an airport.

TXTransplant said:

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MAROON said:

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I'll never understand why we are treated worse and inconvenienced more trying to enter our own country than a foreign (non-African) country. Our border check system sucks compared to most first world countries.

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I called Ted Cruz's office and told the staffer who answered the phone what happened (to me and the other guy). I doubt anything comes of it, but she expressed sincere surprise and dismay at how we were treated.

At least 3 of the agents were on a real power trip of the worst kind. There is no excuse for it at an airport.

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Interesting...came back from Cancun on Friday and the guy who checked us through barely said 3 words (and everything actually was running somewhat smoothly)

Oh noes, a normie is reminded the hard way at the conclusion of a first world problem - international leisure travel - that all levels of government employees are power-hungry morons who couldn't survive a day in a real career.

But seriously that customs experience sucks. There is absolutely nothing worse (in terms of non-familial people to people interactions) than being at the mercy of a government employee.

From the loud and surly Luwandas at the DMV to the fat ass goo tub Nathans at Customs, they all suck.

Are you giving him a heads up on what line to avoid when he comes back from his next power outage escape trip?

I have GE but my wife doesn't. I've done both ways in the last month and overall found customs reentry to be not too bad. I do think it depends on the mood of the officer on that day though.

I wish I'd gotten the name of the agent who yelled at me, but the way the line was configured, I couldn't get within 20 feet of him.

And there were 3 aggressive agents in total - 2 in the GE line and one in the other line who was yelling "Go back where you came from!" Unfortunately, IDK if the other line was the MPC line, the US/no GE line, or the non-US line.

The second agent in the GE line was yelling at people to "Stay back, stay back!" from the photo machine in the GE line - despite the fact that we were waiting at least 10-15 feet away. But that was too close!

I've had the same experience multiple times at multiple airports. CBP agents just barking at people. Years ago, my wife and I returned from Cancun through Hobby and we were the first two people off the plane. We're walking up to the customs line and with nobody else around this lady is shouting for us to get our passports ready or something. We clear customs and my wife goes "why was she yelling, she's a foot from us." Bravo dear.

I actually kind of get why they were using loud voices - the way the lines were set up, you had to stop about 20 ft from the agent at the podium who was actually checking passports. You stand there and wait for him to wave you forward to his podium. Problem is, he didn't wave the guy in front of me up to his podium and was yelling at him from 20 ft away, telling him to go to a different agent who was sitting at a plexiglass window off to our right.

So, the agent is yelling and pointing at the guy in front of me that he needs to go to the next window, and that I (his "wife") need to go with him. I "yell" back that I'm not the guy's wife, but he tells me to go with him to the next line. I thought he still didn't understand that I wasn't associated with the guy in front of me, and when I asked why he was sending me to that line when that wasn't my party/family, the agent told me "You go to that line because I told you so. You do what I say and don't question me."

So, he sends me and the guy in front of me to line up in front of another agent, but other people behind us, he was waving up to his podium, checking their passports, and sending them on their way. The agent who ended up letting me through just asked a couple of questions about what I brought back with me (nothing) and sent me on my way. But the whole thing was just bizarre.

Same with the poor Asian guy in the next line over. He was about 3 people back from the front of the line, and the agent yelling "Go back to where you came from!" And waving his arms all over the place was about 20 feet away. The agent yelled this at him several times and pretty much everyone in the re-entry area (regardless of what line you were in) heard him. The people in line in front of the Asian guy looked upset/confused, too. I don't think the Asian guy had a clue as to where he was supposed to go and just stood there. He wasn't redirected to any specific line. Last thing I heard (as I was getting the heck out of there) was that agent yelling at the Asian guy again, something along the lines of "Fine, I don't care, just stand there!"

MAROON said:

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I'll never understand why we are treated worse and inconvenienced more trying to enter our own country than a foreign (non-African) country. Our border check system sucks compared to most first world countries.

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I was in line for my global entry interview on the way back in to the country and a whole plane load of "refugees" came in and was lined up next to me waiting for the same couple of agents. I was next up in line and the woman the agent was interviewing finished and I made eye contact with the agent and must have appeared like I was going to approach and he pointed at me and angrily said something to the effect of "I didn't call you" then proceeded to call several "refugees" ahead of me. Appalling. I'm a citizen paying additional money for a service from my own government and these leaches get priority? I've never hated my government more than at that moment. Some of these trash were wearing Jordans and other designer crap. Just completely disgusting behavior.

What happened to the self-serve entry kiosks that used to take your picture and print a ticket that you gave to the CBP agent?

Why have we reverted back to lines and agents asking questions?

TXTransplant said:

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What happened to the self-serve entry kiosks that used to take your picture and print a ticket that you gave to the CBP agent?

Why have we reverted back to lines and agents asking questions?

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They have what looks like an iPad on a stand and 2 of the last few flights in over the last 6 months where it recognized me without even stopping walking towards it, and then I turned and an agent asked my name, I confirmed name and barely stopped and they said something like welcome home so honestly less than 10 seconds of engagement with anything or anyone.

The last time on Memorial Day with my wife that iPad looking device was down and someone was trying to work on it so a line of about 75 people had formed. We quickly added our flight and current picture to the MPC (Mobile Passport Control) and stepped out of line and bypassed the entire group and moved right through.

I think I've seen those when we've boarded a couple of international flights. You don't have to show your passport again to the gate agent - it just recognizes your face.

There was a picture taking machine (more than just an iPad on a stand) in the GE line yesterday. But you had to stop in front of it and give it a few seconds to take your picture.

TXTransplant said:

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I think I've seen those when we've boarded a couple of international flights. You don't have to show your passport again to the gate agent - it just recognizes your face.

There was a picture taking machine (more than just an iPad on a stand) in the GE line yesterday. But you had to stop in front of it and give it a few seconds to take your picture.

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I think we are talking about the same thing at GE. I was probably just thinking more of what United has at the gate sometimes so didn't describe it very well. It was really fast on my 2 experiences as I remember reaching for my glasses to take off and it turned green before I could get my hand to my face and actually was surprised I wasn't blocking my face. When it works it is great!

Between the original customs kiosks that took your picture and printed a ticket, the photo machine that was at GE yesterday, the picture machines in the TSA pre lines, and the iPad on a stick things at the gates, how many different types of picture taking/identity devices are necessary?

I swear, every time I go to the airport the "tech" is different. Seems horribly inefficient and wasteful.

TXTransplant said:

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Between the original customs kiosks that took your picture and printed a ticket, the photo machine that was at GE yesterday, the picture machines in the TSA pre lines, and the iPad on a stick things at the gates, how many different types of picture taking/identify devices are necessary?

I swear, every time I go to the airport the "tech" is different. Seems horribly inefficient and wasteful.

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Yay government!" And I'm pretty sure no one is caring or paying any attention to who or what is coming through.

flight out at 5:45 AM next Thursday to Hawaii...hopefully not much going on at 3:45 am when we get there

So does IAH still suck or not? Kind of got lost here.

Big_Time_Timmy_Jim said:

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flight out at 5:45 AM next Thursday to Hawaii...hopefully not much going on at 3:45 am when we get there

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Unless things have changed, plan for that to also include no places in the airport open for breakfast until 6am.

Ag06Law said:

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So does IAH still suck or not? Kind of got lost here.

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Yes. And when you think it can't possibly suck any worse, it says "hold my beer".

Its my turn to go play at the airport on saturday. I havent flown out of Terminal A in roughly 15 years. I fully expect it to still look the same as it did in the 90s. Is Chilis too still there?

cajunaggie08 said:

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Its my turn to go play at the airport on saturday. I havent flown out of Terminal A in roughly 15 years. I fully expect it to still look the same as it did in the 90s. Is Chilis too still there?

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If you plan to park at the airport for terminal A, reserve your space right now.

I already booked at The Parking Spot. This aint my first rodeo.

I recommend getting the Global Entry app. As soon as you arrive to your gate, you process your own arrival and take a selfie. If you have the app, you can get ahead of the line and no issues. Did it on my last trip and worked great.

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/global-entry-mobile-application

Have you used that app at IAH? Asking because last week they were directing ALL of the GE people into the line that had the selfie machine in it, and the agent was directing everyone to stop at the machine and have their picture taken.

I'm not sure the agent would have cared about a picture on an app, and I didn't see a second line that bypassed the picture machine. The agent was making everyone stop and wait and taking photos one at a time.

The last couple of trips, I have also put my info into the CBP Mobile Passport Control app and have that ready to go, as sometimes that line is shorter than GE. I also used it when traveling home from Montreal last year, and IIRC, there was no GE line. It made a big difference there. My flight was actually delayed by about 45 min because they had such a huge backlog of people to process, but I breezed right through in minutes with MPC.

Just another data point. I flew out of IAH on July-3, went through security at Terminal E and the line was pretty empty. I was shocked since it was a day before a busy holiday. For comparison purposes, I went through Terminal A on Memorial Day weekend and the line was crazy long. Never seen it that packed before.

Not sure if thats how it always is, but with Terminal B closing, Im going to start going through E.

TXTransplant said:

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CDG is the international sister airport of IAH. Had a test of patience trying to exit a parking garage at CDG today. Described it to my BF as "I thought I was at effing Bush!"

The signage here is nuts, too. Literally needed to take an escalator up to catch the train line we needed, and the sign in front of it had an arrow pointing down. Thankfully, there was no option to go down, so we figured it out.

Had a couple bad thunderstorms yesterday afternoon and last night that shut the train system completely down. Certain lines were still having trouble this morning. We were forced off a train 3 stops before the one we needed and had to take an Uber the rest of the way.

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I absolutely despise the CDG airport, it is extremely chaotic and difficult to navigate. Not to mention, the airport employees are a little rude and not very helpful. I will go out of my way to not have a layover there.

Im actually a fan of IAH, its one of the better airports IMO and easy to navigate.

I used it on Friday the 4th coming in from Munich. Take a picture of yourself while taxing to the gate and as soon as you get to the GE line you take a left instead of walking into the iPad line...could not be easier

Good to know - I downloaded the app already. I didn't see that last Wednesday, and I didn't notice anyone skipping the selfie line. But I could have just missed it since I wasn't looking for it. The line at GE wasn't very long when I got in it, so getting through really didn't take much time, but the line was getting longer behind me.

If departing from C, is it ok now to go though C? Is it not as big of a mess as it was earlier in the year?
Earlier in the year I went through A then the sky train to C.

flying out of C tomorrow, 5:45 am, plan to be there by 4 am...don't expect any issues but will report back

jesus...you checking bags with a family of 12?

Diggity said:

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jesus...you checking bags with a family of 12?

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bags yes, just the wife and I...don't fly often, not sure what to expect lol super OCD about being late...

might push to 4:30? 4:45?