Customs' Color-coded Passport Specimens
Jun 27, 2016, 10:47 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 574
Customs' Color-coded Passport Specimens
So they say "If you see something, say something" and I guess
this is a good place to do that.
I was coming into Atlanta from the Caribbean a few days ago and hurrying to catch a connect flight to California.
The first Customs agent seemed to be suddenly interested when I told him I had worked in Turkey in the past (teaching) and told me to move down the line and stand behind the red line. I said "Gee, are these people in this line going to be upset I am cutting in front of them?" but he was intent on dealing with me and moved down to talk to another agent.(Yes, they were a little ticked off--they even told me) Then I said "Oh no, he has my passport" to myself and realized I was standing in line with no passport. Then things got weirder.
The guy waved me away from the old line and had me move down
to an other agent and told him the scoop on me. They talked about me for about 5-7 minutes and I knew something was up. The first agent then paraded me down 100 meters or so to "Secondary" Customs room. In this big room Customs agents with blue gloves were walking around holding plastic "specimen bags" (about 12 inch by 15) with people's passports and boarding passes. They were either blue, red, or green at the top. I was sitting and waiting
for 20 minutes (as instructed) and the woman next to me said "Wow, this is kind of strange--why do they have our passports in colored plastic bags?"
They were handing off the bags to another room and seemed to be waiting
for some kind of analysis.
The final agent finally called my name and (as he rummaged through all my stuff) asked me lots of questions about my residence, job, and at the end he asked if I smoked. Huh?
I told him I missed my flight and he acted like it was not a big deal
and walked away, with all my stuff scattered all over the conveyer belt.
My next destination? Security checkpoint for the connecting flight.
From there things got even worse with 3 delays (Delta) on the new flight they offered me. I made it back to California around 11 PM, frustrated and bewildered.
this is a good place to do that.
I was coming into Atlanta from the Caribbean a few days ago and hurrying to catch a connect flight to California.
The first Customs agent seemed to be suddenly interested when I told him I had worked in Turkey in the past (teaching) and told me to move down the line and stand behind the red line. I said "Gee, are these people in this line going to be upset I am cutting in front of them?" but he was intent on dealing with me and moved down to talk to another agent.(Yes, they were a little ticked off--they even told me) Then I said "Oh no, he has my passport" to myself and realized I was standing in line with no passport. Then things got weirder.
The guy waved me away from the old line and had me move down
to an other agent and told him the scoop on me. They talked about me for about 5-7 minutes and I knew something was up. The first agent then paraded me down 100 meters or so to "Secondary" Customs room. In this big room Customs agents with blue gloves were walking around holding plastic "specimen bags" (about 12 inch by 15) with people's passports and boarding passes. They were either blue, red, or green at the top. I was sitting and waiting
for 20 minutes (as instructed) and the woman next to me said "Wow, this is kind of strange--why do they have our passports in colored plastic bags?"
They were handing off the bags to another room and seemed to be waiting
for some kind of analysis.
The final agent finally called my name and (as he rummaged through all my stuff) asked me lots of questions about my residence, job, and at the end he asked if I smoked. Huh?
I told him I missed my flight and he acted like it was not a big deal
and walked away, with all my stuff scattered all over the conveyer belt.
My next destination? Security checkpoint for the connecting flight.
From there things got even worse with 3 delays (Delta) on the new flight they offered me. I made it back to California around 11 PM, frustrated and bewildered.
Last edited by yandosan; Jun 27, 2016 at 11:02 am
Jun 27, 2016, 12:14 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,110
So they say "If you see something, say something" and I guess
this is a good place to do that.
I was coming into Atlanta from the Caribbean a few days ago and hurrying to catch a connect flight to California.
The first Customs agent seemed to be suddenly interested when I told him I had worked in Turkey in the past (teaching) and told me to move down the line and stand behind the red line. I said "Gee, are these people in this line going to be upset I am cutting in front of them?" but he was intent on dealing with me and moved down to talk to another agent.(Yes, they were a little ticked off--they even told me) Then I said "Oh no, he has my passport" to myself and realized I was standing in line with no passport. Then things got weirder.
The guy waved me away from the old line and had me move down
to an other agent and told him the scoop on me. They talked about me for about 5-7 minutes and I knew something was up. The first agent then paraded me down 100 meters or so to "Secondary" Customs room. In this big room Customs agents with blue gloves were walking around holding plastic "specimen bags" (about 12 inch by 15) with people's passports and boarding passes. They were either blue, red, or green at the top. I was sitting and waiting
for 20 minutes (as instructed) and the woman next to me said "Wow, this is kind of strange--why do they have our passports in colored plastic bags?"
They were handing off the bags to another room and seemed to be waiting
for some kind of analysis.
The final agent finally called my name and (as he rummaged through all my stuff) asked me lots of questions about my residence, job, and at the end he asked if I smoked. Huh?
I told him I missed my flight and he acted like it was not a big deal
and walked away, with all my stuff scattered all over the conveyer belt.
My next destination? Security checkpoint for the connecting flight.
From there things got even worse with 3 delays (Delta) on the new flight they offered me. I made it back to California around 11 PM, frustrated and bewildered.
this is a good place to do that.
I was coming into Atlanta from the Caribbean a few days ago and hurrying to catch a connect flight to California.
The first Customs agent seemed to be suddenly interested when I told him I had worked in Turkey in the past (teaching) and told me to move down the line and stand behind the red line. I said "Gee, are these people in this line going to be upset I am cutting in front of them?" but he was intent on dealing with me and moved down to talk to another agent.(Yes, they were a little ticked off--they even told me) Then I said "Oh no, he has my passport" to myself and realized I was standing in line with no passport. Then things got weirder.
The guy waved me away from the old line and had me move down
to an other agent and told him the scoop on me. They talked about me for about 5-7 minutes and I knew something was up. The first agent then paraded me down 100 meters or so to "Secondary" Customs room. In this big room Customs agents with blue gloves were walking around holding plastic "specimen bags" (about 12 inch by 15) with people's passports and boarding passes. They were either blue, red, or green at the top. I was sitting and waiting
for 20 minutes (as instructed) and the woman next to me said "Wow, this is kind of strange--why do they have our passports in colored plastic bags?"
They were handing off the bags to another room and seemed to be waiting
for some kind of analysis.
The final agent finally called my name and (as he rummaged through all my stuff) asked me lots of questions about my residence, job, and at the end he asked if I smoked. Huh?
I told him I missed my flight and he acted like it was not a big deal
and walked away, with all my stuff scattered all over the conveyer belt.
My next destination? Security checkpoint for the connecting flight.
From there things got even worse with 3 delays (Delta) on the new flight they offered me. I made it back to California around 11 PM, frustrated and bewildered.
Jun 27, 2016, 12:28 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 574
"Never volunteer information that has not been asked."
Do you mean "Don't waste people's time with airport annoyances" (I thought this
experience had enough of a Clockwork Orange/1984 tone to mention)
or "Don't tell the customs guys you worked in Turkey"?
He did ask.
People on this forum have said you don't have to answer questions at Customs but when the arrogant bully has a gun and an attitude I just don't think that is realistic.
Do you mean "Don't waste people's time with airport annoyances" (I thought this
experience had enough of a Clockwork Orange/1984 tone to mention)
or "Don't tell the customs guys you worked in Turkey"?
He did ask.
People on this forum have said you don't have to answer questions at Customs but when the arrogant bully has a gun and an attitude I just don't think that is realistic.
Jun 27, 2016, 1:21 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 574
Was this Immigration or Customs?
Well, I am a US citizen so I don't think it was Immigration.
Problem is, these days the way they treat you, even for a connecting flight,
I am not sure this is much difference. In fact I told the employer for this job interview/trip to avoid Miami altogether because of the awful reputation (3 hours waits for connecting flights thru customs) and look what I got. More Orwell.
Well, I am a US citizen so I don't think it was Immigration.
Problem is, these days the way they treat you, even for a connecting flight,
I am not sure this is much difference. In fact I told the employer for this job interview/trip to avoid Miami altogether because of the awful reputation (3 hours waits for connecting flights thru customs) and look what I got. More Orwell.
Last edited by yandosan; Jun 27, 2016 at 2:14 pm
Jun 27, 2016, 3:22 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,110
"Never volunteer information that has not been asked."
Do you mean "Don't waste people's time with airport annoyances" (I thought this
experience had enough of a Clockwork Orange/1984 tone to mention)
or "Don't tell the customs guys you worked in Turkey"?
He did ask.
People on this forum have said you don't have to answer questions at Customs but when the arrogant bully has a gun and an attitude I just don't think that is realistic.
Do you mean "Don't waste people's time with airport annoyances" (I thought this
experience had enough of a Clockwork Orange/1984 tone to mention)
or "Don't tell the customs guys you worked in Turkey"?
He did ask.
People on this forum have said you don't have to answer questions at Customs but when the arrogant bully has a gun and an attitude I just don't think that is realistic.
Jun 27, 2016, 4:37 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Happily living in Frenaros Cyprus having escaped the near-death experience called Sofia Bulgaria
Programs: Etihad Guest Gold, DL FO and 1MM, and a bunch of others at a low level
Posts: 2,052
Jun 30, 2016, 11:25 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,622
"Never volunteer information that has not been asked."
Do you mean "Don't waste people's time with airport annoyances" (I thought this
experience had enough of a Clockwork Orange/1984 tone to mention)
or "Don't tell the customs guys you worked in Turkey"?
He did ask.
People on this forum have said you don't have to answer questions at Customs but when the arrogant bully has a gun and an attitude I just don't think that is realistic.
Do you mean "Don't waste people's time with airport annoyances" (I thought this
experience had enough of a Clockwork Orange/1984 tone to mention)
or "Don't tell the customs guys you worked in Turkey"?
He did ask.
People on this forum have said you don't have to answer questions at Customs but when the arrogant bully has a gun and an attitude I just don't think that is realistic.
You have no more obligation to answer their personal questions than you do if a random person on the street or anonymous telemarketer tried asked you the same stuff.
The reason why Americans are subjected to this treatment is because 99.9% of them go along with it. If we all started refusing tomorrow, or even 25% of us, they would have to drop the personal questions because they wouldn't have the manpower to continue.
Come to the dark side. Tell them you will answer questions about your citizenship, where you were born, how you got your passport, etc., but if they have questions about what you were doing outside the USA or what you do inside the USA, or whether you smoke(?) they can take a hike.