Aelx2k

Hi,

I've noticed that before checking in for any intercontinental flight out of Europe, some goon always asks you stupid questions and then puts a sticker on your passport.

I don't have a problem with airlines hiring these people to make sure that no "weird" individual ends up on board (even though I do have a problem when their questions become a little too nosy). After all, if you look at the conditions you agreed with when you purchased your ticket, it is clearly stated that they reserve the right to deny transportation to anyone.

What annoys me is that the afore mentioned goons place those stickers on the outside of your passport without even asking if you mind. Well, I am of the strongest impressio. Than that the strong glue used on those stickers ruins the outside of my passport. That is why as soon as they place a sticker on my passport, I take it off, touch it a little to reduce the strengths of the glue and put it back on my passport not to have problems afterwards.

Where is it written that in order to be taken from point A to point B my passport has to be treated like that? Passports are usually property of their issuing governments and technically some governments have the right to "get upset" with their citizens if they mistreat government issued documents.

I know that to most of you this might sound as a really silly problem. However it really upsets me.

Does anyone share the same feeling?

GUWonder

This is rather commonly done by ICTS, a security contractor used for a good number of US airlines' flights to the US. Avoid flying US carriers to the US for the transatlantic portion and less sticky stuff or stickers on your passport from these persons.

Mr MCO

Virgin Atlantic does this also. I have removed the green sticker before boarding with no issue. They only look at the sticker at the check in counter. I also hate these stickers.

747LWW

I am not quite as sensitive as some of the other posters. I just sheepishly accept the sticker issue as part of the security operation these days and periodically remove them.

Also, I have a tight, transparent plastic cover on the outside cover of the passport---something like a book cover. So when a sticker is attached, the item actually is adhering to the cover than the the passport itself.

stimpy

People know I am a serious traveler by the fact that the back of my passport is entirely covered with these stickers. At first I tried to peel one off, but it started to tear the passport so I left it on. Now my passport cover is "protected" by all these stickers.

Aelx2k

Do you remember where you found that plastic cover? Or does anyone else know of a website that sells them?

thanks!

Athena53

Well, thanks for clearing up what ICTS means- never thought about it.

The stickers don't really bother me- I leave them on. My most annoying encounter with an airport "gatekeeper" was in Delhi. He looked askance at the taped pages on my passport. "What happened to your passport?" I explained that extra pages had been added, under seal, just as it said on the additional segment. "Are you stopping in Zurich or going on to Toronto?" (It was an AC flight.) "Stopping in Zurich for a few days." "Do you have a visa to enter Switzerland?"

Uhh... is this a trick question? Not with a US passport, I don't. After that he "allowed" me to proceed to check-in.

747LWW

Hi Aelx2k:
Sorry I do not recall for certain as I have had it almost 10 years (must renew in '08). This item is made of rather thick very clear plastic and is an exact, tight fit.

I believe the passport expeditor who I paid to acquire the passport on short notice for me applied the cover as part of the service. Remember, the item should be quite inexpensive but I do not know where to acquire one. Oh yes, I can assure you that the one I have has been quite durable as I use it often and treat it with abuse.

One thought--why not try passport service organizations in your area?

Good luck, I hope you find one as I think it will alleviate your problem.

MrHalliday

I acquired a nice thick clear plastic cover a few weeks ago.
It came back along with my Passport and Brazil Visa
from an agency in Houston.

However, I am still using the Ostrich skin cover
that SQ gave out years ago !
It doesn't always work as intended, though....

checking in for AUS-CUN on AA recently,
the agent checking docs asked me
to take the passport out of the cover.

Then she stuck my baggage claim check
on the back of the passport !!
It is now VERY sticky.

GUWonder

I've got zero stickers from ICTS on my passport, for I remove them immediately after boarding usually. Sometimes I remove them before even going airside.

Ocn Vw 1K

Please follow this thread in our Travel Safety/Security forum. Ocn Vw 1K, CoMod, TBuzz

bocastephen

Has anyone successfully told ICTS to "bugger off" when they start asking personal questions about your travel? Do they have the right to prevent you from traveling?

bdschobel

I do exactly the same thing.

Bruce

bdschobel

I answer what I want to answer. In the end, they want to get rid of me more than anything! When they ask me if I have anything that "could be used as a weapon," I start listing things like pens, shoes, belts, etc., even my hands and feet. They become exasperated pretty quickly. And, of course, they know perfectly well that their jobs are ridiculous and unnecessary. They know that even better than we do! Sometimes I ask them why they kow-tow to the U.S. government; that always gets a friendly response in Germany, especially.

Bruce

flyinryan

I really enjoyed how this Post
was in quasi-haiku format.
It made me happy.