While I can well understand, and in most respect and applaud the stepped-up security and attempts to thwart terrorists flying our skies,my experience last week at IAH has left me quite bitter.
While waiting at the gate in IAH for my connecting flight to Mexico, the CO agent at the check-in counter made an announcement that we should pick up our customs forms. I approached the counter with several other people who were simply handed the forms.When I approach The agent,( a foreigner, judging by her accent) she asked to see my boarding pass. I handed it to her along with my husband's. She then asked for my photo ID-which I produced. Then she asked for my passport. I told her I didn't have a passport-I showed her my birth certificate instead, acceptable for travel to Mexico. She looks at my birth certificate, then my license, and tells me " not good enough" -my name on my license doesn't match the name on my birth certificate. I told her of course it doesn't--I've been married for 32 years! She then asked me if I had any other ID. I produced my credit cards. No, she wants to see something else with my maiden name! I told her that I did not bring my marriage certificate because I do not need it. Now my husband approached, because he saw that I was visibly upset. He showed her his ID, and she still insisted that my birth certificate wasn't good enough, implying that it was a fake! EVERYONE within earshot was gawking at us. I asked her when Mexico changed the rules. "Oh, they change them every week." So I asked if it meant that only men and never-married women could go to Mexico with a birth certificate. She said, no, that wasn't the case, took both my husband's and my boarding passes, and left the counter. She returned a few minutes later, saying a "redcoat" was coming. Another agent wearing a red jacket approached and asked to see my birth certificate. She then fingered the seal on it, further giving the impression that to these agents, I was a fake. I was livid! I told her that it was real-I'm no fake-I'm a 56 year old American citizen by birth---These 2 agents had me close to tears. Then the "redcoat" had me fill out a form stating that I was born the same place and date as listed on my birth certificate . She "notarized" it and handed it back to me. ( When I got to Mexico I looked at the form, only to see that she forged the notary's signature-for the notary stamp showed a man's name!)
Then, when the flight was boarding, the agent at the ticket counter signals to the person doing the random checks. I'm pulled aside, my carry-on placed on a table--and never searched--but I was told to take off my Sandals-so she could wand my bare feet! Then she made a big show of frisking me. Someone please tell me the purpose of this kind of treatment! It certainly had nothing to do with security or my birth certificate, The stewardess on the plane gave out the customs forms--no questions asked. Customs in Mexico only looked at the customs form and my birth certificate--no further ID required-(I asked). Coming back into the US, I showed my license and birth certificate---again no questions asked. I WILL NEVER fly with CO unless it's absolutely necessary! Enough is enough!