US Customs computer outage - massive delays at airports [Jan 2, 2017]
Jan 3, 2017, 5:54 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,526
US Customs computer outage - massive delays at airports [Jan 2, 2017]
U.S. customs system crashes nationwide, leaving massive lines at airports
Jan 3, 2017, 7:17 am
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
A nasty four hour system outage resulting in some passengers taking even longer than 4 hours to be admitted into the US. Sounds like a New Year nightmare for a lot of passengers returning to the US and not expecting it to be worse than anything they've ever experienced before at a US airport of entry.
Jan 3, 2017, 8:45 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Trenton, NJ (PHL, EWR)
Programs: A3 Gold, BA Bronze
Posts: 1,633
At what point does their refusal to process people amount to an unlawful detention? Serious question, because if I arrive at a US port of entry and am not afforded to opportunity to present my documents as a US citizen, whether due to a systems outage or not, I've in effect been detained without recourse.
Here's my passport, I don't care if your systems are down, I'm a citizen.
Here's my passport, I don't care if your systems are down, I'm a citizen.
Jan 3, 2017, 8:49 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,738
At what point does their refusal to process people amount to an unlawful detention? Serious question, because if I arrive at a US port of entry and am not afforded to opportunity to present my documents as a US citizen, whether due to a systems outage or not, I've in effect been detained without recourse.
Here's my passport, I don't care if your systems are down, I'm a citizen.
Here's my passport, I don't care if your systems are down, I'm a citizen.
Jan 3, 2017, 8:59 am
#6
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
Something similar happened around September 1st, maybe about ten years ago. It was also a very busy travel delay that was supposedly made worse by the time needed to process foreigners entering on new student visas.
On that day, people with GE breezed through, other USA citizens waited one to four hours, and foreign nationals waited up to six hours at ORD.
On that day, people with GE breezed through, other USA citizens waited one to four hours, and foreign nationals waited up to six hours at ORD.
Jan 3, 2017, 9:23 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,111
At what point does their refusal to process people amount to an unlawful detention? Serious question, because if I arrive at a US port of entry and am not afforded to opportunity to present my documents as a US citizen, whether due to a systems outage or not, I've in effect been detained without recourse.
Here's my passport, I don't care if your systems are down, I'm a citizen.
Here's my passport, I don't care if your systems are down, I'm a citizen.
Jan 3, 2017, 10:13 am
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
At what point does their refusal to process people amount to an unlawful detention? Serious question, because if I arrive at a US port of entry and am not afforded to opportunity to present my documents as a US citizen, whether due to a systems outage or not, I've in effect been detained without recourse.
Here's my passport, I don't care if your systems are down, I'm a citizen.
Here's my passport, I don't care if your systems are down, I'm a citizen.
Jan 3, 2017, 11:48 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Trenton, NJ (PHL, EWR)
Programs: A3 Gold, BA Bronze
Posts: 1,633
But what's the process for a US citizen if it's "manual?" Look at passport, look at customs declaration form, stamp, done. That's basically what they still do now even with the automated kiosks. What else can they really do/need to verify before processing a US citizen?
Not trying to be obstreperous, just trying to see what could legitimately back up the line that long. Speaking of US nationals only, obviously some sort of checks are probably required for non-US passengers.
Not trying to be obstreperous, just trying to see what could legitimately back up the line that long. Speaking of US nationals only, obviously some sort of checks are probably required for non-US passengers.
Jan 3, 2017, 12:49 pm
#10
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: YUL
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 446
But what's the process for a US citizen if it's "manual?" Look at passport, look at customs declaration form, stamp, done. That's basically what they still do now even with the automated kiosks. What else can they really do/need to verify before processing a US citizen?
Not trying to be obstreperous, just trying to see what could legitimately back up the line that long. Speaking of US nationals only, obviously some sort of checks are probably required for non-US passengers.
Not trying to be obstreperous, just trying to see what could legitimately back up the line that long. Speaking of US nationals only, obviously some sort of checks are probably required for non-US passengers.
Jan 4, 2017, 12:06 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Canada
Programs: BA Gold (OWE), Star Alliance Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,194
But what's the process for a US citizen if it's "manual?" Look at passport, look at customs declaration form, stamp, done. That's basically what they still do now even with the automated kiosks. What else can they really do/need to verify before processing a US citizen?
Not trying to be obstreperous, just trying to see what could legitimately back up the line that long. Speaking of US nationals only, obviously some sort of checks are probably required for non-US passengers.
Not trying to be obstreperous, just trying to see what could legitimately back up the line that long. Speaking of US nationals only, obviously some sort of checks are probably required for non-US passengers.
A French colleague of mine actually found a land border crossing more convenient during the outage as normally he'd have to go inside (pay 7 or 8 dollars) and get a paper i94 document but they couldn't issue them during the outage so they just let him through.
Jan 4, 2017, 1:10 am
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Jan 4, 2017, 10:39 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: enjoyed being warm spit for a few years on CO/UA but now nothing :(
Posts: 2,507
I re-entered through FLL this past Monday and did not experience nor witness any delays; an "x" on the APC receipt for my spouse incurred only a 10 minute wait to be cleared. Perhaps we arrived before the festivities.
Last edited by Section 107; Jan 4, 2017 at 11:30 am
Jan 4, 2017, 10:47 am
#15
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,638
Far from normal? Not hardly at the major international airports at which I have had recent experience (in the last 30 days) in monitoring such activity. 3-4 has been regularly experienced recently both personally and anecdotally at IAD, ORD, FLL and CLT even as it is a bit more than is typically experienced but admittedly up to six is at bit more than should be regularly expected to be experienced.