Originally Posted by
flyinbob
Do you really think people will put off trips halfway around the world just because there will be a 30 minute hassle at the airport? Or a 60 minute hassle? Who does that? Is there any credible evidence that the pain-in-the-... TSA or immigration is the cause of this? It's like saying I won't go to London because the cab ride into town to way too long, or I don't like all those cameras on the street. A drop in tourism because of airport hassles? Tough sell.
Yes. Air NZ even started flying to London via HKG instead of adding a second flight via USA (they have 2 daily flights AKL-LHR vv, one via LAX and the other via HKG). This despite the high level of competition on HKG-LHR route in particular. NZ$ is at the highest level in more than 20 years against US$. And yet visitors to California or Hawaii are not growing.
Don't forget, if not US resident the full palaver of entering US, even for a same plane international transit, is considerable.
At LAX T2 I consider myself very fortunate if I get through immigration & customs in under an hour, and then I still have to clear security for the departing flight which can add another hour. SFO isn't quite as bad but can easily take an hour or more to clear immigration & customs. And I am lucky enough to need just the finger prints, eye scan (way to make me feel welcome) and visa waiver. For the poor folk who have to apply for an entry visa it is much worse.
I still visit and transit the US a few times each year, but more and more I avoid it by travelling via Asia or even Canada.