66 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

I guess you are right...I was pulled again in Roatan my last trip and we checked in very early. This time I also noted that the others with pulled bags ALSO checked in very early. Heidi when you were pulled for SSSI did you check in very early?

This sounds predictable to me Kamala, and not in any kind of cynical way. I would expect this in your case.
I suspect the frequent traveler status coupled with WHERE you travel and a "trusted" status is the clue. You travel almost exclusively to third world countries, some of which we have major covert SF operations in (Phillipines, Indonesia) and others which are becoming grounds for terrorists. Mexico and the Caribbean are getting an Al Queda presence due to the easy access to the US (legal and illegal) and relatively lax police system in some of these areas. They also can, and are, generating money by drug trafficking in these areas to fund their activities. You travel almost exclusively to areas the military and intelligence community care a lot about today... and you do it often. That is a red flag. Security against you will be higher if you are "trusted."


Many of these countries are on the list I have to be cleared to enter. I have an active security clearance and have to report many places I go before I leave and be debriefed by personal interview after I come back. With a clearance they are even allowed to follow you and wiretap your phone without a court order, so it could be worse. There is no such thing as "trusted", and the more "trusted" you are... the more they want to know what you have done and what you are doing. This is no privacy or trust in the "trusted" world. This is the price of security and after dealing with it everyday for 15 years, I think it's fair and necessary. Those that don't get the briefings daily/weekly don't quite appreciate how subtle the bad guys are. We get the "how to spot a spy" training every year and then get audited with real life tests at random times, sometimes announced sometimes not. After a while, and particularly after you see people doing what they show in the videos, you start to think it isn't enough security. These people are on guard 24/7 for a reason. They are paranoid for a reason. The bad guys are subtle and they often look just like you and me. Its not always dark skin and middle eastern accents that tips them off. More times than not, its a white guy from the suburbs they are interested in.


If my clearance was any higher I would have to report and document with personal interview EVERY trip out of the country.

This is actually a good thing, although it sucks for you. My advice is smile and cooperate fully, its just a job for them and they don't have a sense of humor about it. I learned that the hard way with 2 guns to my head in Crystal City about 15 years ago for not having my badge clearly visible at Naval Sea Systems command. Never made that mistake again

[uwfan]

Yes, I would say pretty early, though typical expected time for international flying.

[WreckWench]

My theory is in these small airports that must comply with TSA standards that they take the first few people who check in for a flight as they need quite a bit of time to complete this process. Only those who have arrived very early for their flights would have enough time. Add to this that they may need some GOES pax to make the quota and there you go...

I have never been pulled for the 4S UNLESS I have showed up extremely early for my flight and since I've had the GOES. I will not be checking in that early for my return Belize flight and so I ma 100% doubtful I will be pulled as I would miss my flight to complete the process. I'm just saying...

[georoc01]

Last night in the Miami airport, there was absolutely no advantage of being in that line. They didn't have it seperated out, it was just another line of the 6 open in that airport.

Of course, when the person in front of you in immigration admits that she is flying on our sister's passport, it can really, really slow you down as the agent then took her into the back from and was gone for a good 15-20 minutes, processing no one.

This year I flew internationally through Miami, Dallas and Houston, with Miami being by far the worst. I saw a sign that renovations of the Immigration/Customs area are underway, it really needs to get better.

[scubaski]

HNY George, Miami has Global Entry Kiosks, maybe you missed the signage.
Renovations have been ongoing there for some time, perhaps the entry hall has been reconfigured and you entered from the wrong side.

[georoc01]

HNY George, Miami has Global Entry Kiosks, maybe you missed the signage.
Renovations have been ongoing there for some time, perhaps the entry hall has been reconfigured and you entered from the wrong side.

Technically they did, but they weren't exclusive for GOES as they are in other airports. Since they were in row 1, they actually had longer lines than the other lines. And Miami as you enter the room doesn't have a single line, but more like a supermarket line where you must choose one of the 6 lines that were open on NYE. So when the agent took the person using someone else's passport to the back, You would have hard to start over in one of the other lines from the beginning.

[scubaski]

I just used Global Entry (2nd time) at JFK on Tuesday night. JB plane parked on tarmac, needed to use stairway and bus to International Arrival Hall. Signage for Global Entry smallish but easily visable. Two kiosks side by side w/ know one in front of me. Kiosk within viewing of seated CBP Officer handling regular passport USA citizens. Total time from entry to reciept printed from kiosk machine under 5 minutes. The snafue is always time for checked bags to get off plane into customs hall probably 20+ minutes then just a quick walk and handoff of declaration reciept that kiosk prints to CBP officer. Down to $50 per use now but need to spend more bucks for additional passport pages.

[ScubaTex]

Thought I'd resurrect this thread, because of my recent experience returning from Indonesia in March. Even though, my flight returned to DFW at 8am, it took well over an hour to clear immigration. There have been recent reports of increased times for clearing customs at a number of international gateways. I'll be submitting an application soon for the Global Entry program, which now also includes priority for TSA screening. This will become a necessity when making a connecting flight after returning from an international destination.

Bill

[WreckWench]

Bill you have to apply separately for the US expedited clearance...it does not come automatically with the Global Entry. (At least it is not retroactive as I have to file separately for the US version.) I probably should as it would have helped in a few instances. Only the larger airports use the US PRE I think they call it. Most of the airports I fly in and out of are not that big.

With the exception of some int'l destinations... many of the normal lines are moving as fast as my Global Entry line or kiosk. HOWEVER I would not want to trade it...as it only takes one long line to ruin a connecting flight.

[ScubaTurtle]

GOES FEEDBACK AND INFORMATION
I applied for and was accepted to the GOES program this past Feb before my trip to Bonaire. After missing a connection in Houston coming home from Roatan last year in November due to immigration lines I was eager to have a way to speed up the process.

I was able to use the GOES process successfully on my way home from Bonaire and as has been described previously it was great. When I arrived at Houston the normal lines in this case were practically empty compared to the last time I was there but I was able to head right over the the GOES section. Processed my paperwork, presented it to the official and was through immigration in about 2-3 min. If you didn't have checked luggage your entry into the US would end there. You head off and your done. If you have checked bags you go to collect them (wait times vary for that of course). Once you have your checked bags you head off to the customs area. In Houston they had two very large lines in this case for getting through. They also had a "Crew and Priority Line" which was empty. Because I was in the GOES program I headed into the priority line and was through in another 1-2 min. That was where it paid off in this case. No waiting.

TSA PRE-CHECK INFORMATION

The TSA Pre-check program is separate from the GOES (as Kamala and others have mentioned). You can get more information here: http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck

It's not at every airport just yet or airline even if you do apply for it. You have to be able to head to an airport that has it active and working. I think the other catch to that program is that even if the airport has the program there's no guarantee that they will have it open for use when you need it. In other words it's random as to when it's available even at an airport that has a special TSA Pre-check for the airline that you are taking. I would still for now even with the TSA Pre-check and GOES program plan on taking enough time to get through security for flights. There still doesn't seem to be a consistent way for non-priority customers of an airline to get through security faster or have a separate priority line.
Here's a link to the current airlines participating and which airports have the pre-check available: http://www.tsa.gov/t...pating-airports

If you applied and were accepted for the GOES program, from what I understand, you are automatically enrolled in the TSA Pre-check program. From the http://www.tsa.gov/t...how-participate Website page.

Individuals who apply and are cleared for enrollment in one of CBP's eligible Trusted Traveler programs, are automatically qualified to participate in TSA Pre✓™ when flying a participating airline at a participating airport.

Again as you read that "participating airline and participating airport" are needed. When you book your tickets you type the GOES number that you are assigned into the field they ask for. I think you can also set that number in the trusted traveler number of your frequent flier account for an airline. So far it seems to be a ghost program in my opinion with no real support industry wide. Maybe someone else who has traveled recently and is a GOES member can provide updated information.

[scubaski]

Returning from Barbados on Saturday thur Miami Immigation line about 15 deep, GOES kiosk empty took about 1 minute to transact. Luggage one of 1st off carosel BUT no dedicated Customs line for GOES in Miami whereas some airports have in past priorty lane for GOES travelers. At least TSA does not require a ID check right after Homeland Security in Miami.

[Divegirl412]

I have used Global entry for years and love it.

Stan, I also used it in Miami yesterday, and was through the kiosk in about 3 minutes. It took at least 20-30 minutes for the other business class passengers to show up... and I was the last business class passenger to get off. It took a looong while to get our bags. But once mine showed up, there WAS also a special Global entry customs exit in Miami. It was on the far left, on the side of the rest rooms. There was a sign for Global entry, so I just walked through and did not have to join the 4 deep long line to exit routinely. Kamala and Larry used the same exit too. It definitely makes a HUGE difference if you have a domestic connection from an international flight.

As far as TSA precheck. I joined early when you had to be "invited" by your frequent flyer airline program to join. I am not sure what the parameters for joining now are. It is restricted by participating airlines and airports. I have only used it once.. a few weeks ago. While returning via BWI, I cut it a bit close and got to the security line about 15 minutes before boarding. The line was way longer than 15 min worth. BUT I noticed they had the TSA precheck line open and walked right through and made my flight. There was NO-ONE else in that line. So it is worth signing up for if you have the chance. Useful when available, and free.

Once you have your PASS ID / GOES number in your frequent flyer profile data for the participating airlines, the boarding pass should have the TSA precheck symbol, and that is all that is needed. ANd I think...check on this... that you only have to join once through one eligible airline, and it carries over to the rest... as long as you have your pass ID number either in your profile... or enter it when making your booking.

[Buzo Guero]

FYI. Applied for mine this year & was denied for self-disclosing a prior that had been expunged (minor marijuana charge in AZ when I was 20). Would have been better off letting them figure it out for themselves, rather than being honest. FEDS...

[HoustonAngelfish]

1374930855[/url]' post='311151']
FYI. Applied for mine this year & was denied for self-disclosing a prior that had been expunged (minor marijuana charge in AZ when I was 20). Would have been better off letting them figure it out for themselves, rather than being honest. FEDS...

I too was denied for a similar problem.Sucks that something that happened so long ago,still follows you.just have to take responsibility for the indiscretion.

[ScubaTurtle]

FYI. Applied for mine this year & was denied for self-disclosing a prior that had been expunged (minor marijuana charge in AZ when I was 20). Would have been better off letting them figure it out for themselves, rather than being honest. FEDS...

I too was denied for a similar problem.Sucks that something that happened so long ago,still follows you.just have to take responsibility for the indiscretion.

I remember you mentioning your application being rejected Tim. That's unfortunate.

HoustonAngelfish, Also sorry to hear that you were also denied. I agree that something so minor so long ago should be able to be overlooked.