Originally Posted by
beyond
I'd done a number of PTY same plane turns, just staying at the gate with no issues. Then as it turns out I sat next to an air marshall, who queried me on my return - I thought he was also doing a mileage run, but turns out he was clueless, even after I explained it.
Next time I was met by 2 customs men at the gate who interrogated me for 10 min while going thru everything in my bag [including reading my notebook] - all without my permission - clearly never having heard of mileage runs. I referred them to the gate agents who were around to verify, but they wouldn't talk to them.
Finally they let me board [last on], but the plane took additional delays both ways due to "flow control" - something I never heard of for PTY, nor did any other plane experience that the same day. Coincidence? Who knows. On return, I sailed thru customs, so sounds like they were just doing something for their own job security [if air marshals don't actually prevent any attacks - they have to justify their job of sitting there somehow].
Now I'm taking with me a printout explanation of what mileage runs are so they can "document" they're presumed reports. Most customs people have heard of MR's, and just laugh, but some with a badge are just ignorant, intrusive, and arrogant.
Had the same thing happening to me doing two MRs on F upgraded cheap LAX-MIA-MEX-MIA-LAX tickets in 10 days. Close to TLV-class security with extremely close looks on everything I had as HBO, talking to me in rather harsh voices. After some 40min allowed to repack my stuff, barely made it to the gate before closing. Arriving at MIA, my small Victorinox rollaboard was almost taken in pieces, samples taken for analyses (drugs?) from everything in the bag, my trouser pockets, hands and shoes. Missed my LA flight and re-booked by understanding Aangels, who were very familiar with the concept of a MR.