SJD-DFW 19 Dec: gate agent let pax into terminal, not Immigration & Customs
Dec 20, 20, 11:45 am
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SJD-DFW 19 Dec: gate agent let pax into terminal, not Immigration & Customs
Not a long story---or really that consequential-but could have been. We were in 1 A and B -but not first off the plane-about 5-6 people had gotten off first. As we neared the end of the jetway, I could see the door to the D terminal was open-not closed as it should be. The door to head to customs was closed. The folks in front proceeded into terminal. I asked the gate agent "Shouldn't we be headed to customs." Her face drained of all color as she asked where we came from. Mexico I said. She asked if we were the first out and I said no. She scrambled and was able to grab the others and get them back into the corridor and close the door. She then opened the other door and we were on our way. Thanked us and said she could have lost her job. What a mess if people had filtered to the terminal etc...unclaimed luggage in customers and more.
Last edited by Mr. Vker; Dec 20, 20 at 7:16 pm
Dec 20, 20, 12:32 pm
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Originally Posted by Mr. Vker
Not a long story---or really that consequential-but could have been. We were in 1 A and B -but not first off the plane-about 5-6 people had gotten off first. As we neared the end of the jetway, I could see the door to the D terminal was open-not closed as it should be. The door to head to customer was closed. The folks in front proceeded into terminal. I asked the gate agent "Shouldn't we be headed to customs." Her face drained of all color as she asked where we came from. Mexico I said. She asked if we were the first out and I said no. She scrambled and was able to grab the others and get them back into the corridor and close the door. She then opened the other door and we were on our way. Thanked us and said she could have lost her job. What a mess if people had filtered to the terminal etc...unclaimed luggage in customers and more.
Dec 20, 20, 12:36 pm
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Wow. Good catch. Not only could the airline have been fined by CBP, but the individual agent who opened the wrong door could have faced an individual, personal fine for violating federal inspection area regulations.
Dec 20, 20, 3:22 pm
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Whew! I thought this was going to be that they had opened the wrong door on the airplane -- which happened to me once. This was a 757, and for some reason (gate configuration) the plane was to disembark from 1L, not the customary 2L. FA opens 2L, and somehow the evacuation slide deploys. Another FA then opens 1L, and we all get off the right way.
Dec 20, 20, 3:54 pm
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Originally Posted by AndyPatterson
Whew! I thought this was going to be that they had opened the wrong door on the airplane -- which happened to me once. This was a 757, and for some reason (gate configuration) the plane was to disembark from 1L, not the customary 2L. FA opens 2L, and somehow the evacuation slide deploys. Another FA then opens 1L, and we all get off the right way.
Dec 20, 20, 6:08 pm
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Originally Posted by nmpls
That was for the customers who wanted to exit in an extra dramatic fashion. A nice service.
Dec 20, 20, 7:05 pm
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Originally Posted by ESpen36
Wow. Good catch. Not only could the airline have been fined by CBP, but the individual agent who opened the wrong door could have faced an individual, personal fine for violating federal inspection area regulations.
Dec 20, 20, 7:15 pm
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Originally Posted by garykung
The fine is nothing, compare to CBP revoking the GA's CBP Seal, practically make the GA eligible for termination.
Dec 20, 20, 7:15 pm
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Originally Posted by AndyPatterson
Whew! I thought this was going to be that they had opened the wrong door on the airplane -- which happened to me once. This was a 757, and for some reason (gate configuration) the plane was to disembark from 1L, not the customary 2L. FA opens 2L, and somehow the evacuation slide deploys. Another FA then opens 1L, and we all get off the right way.
HAHAHA Much better thread title now.
Dec 20, 20, 8:48 pm
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Originally Posted by Mr. Vker
Not a long story---or really that consequential-but could have been. We were in 1 A and B -but not first off the plane-about 5-6 people had gotten off first. As we neared the end of the jetway, I could see the door to the D terminal was open-not closed as it should be. The door to head to customs was closed. The folks in front proceeded into terminal. I asked the gate agent "Shouldn't we be headed to customs." Her face drained of all color as she asked where we came from. Mexico I said. She asked if we were the first out and I said no. She scrambled and was able to grab the others and get them back into the corridor and close the door. She then opened the other door and we were on our way. Thanked us and said she could have lost her job. What a mess if people had filtered to the terminal etc...unclaimed luggage in customers and more.
Dec 20, 20, 9:18 pm
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It's a serious breach. I recall a story about this happening at another airport a few years ago. Nobody realized until some pax without checked bags had already left the airport and headed home. I believe those pax who quickly left and were not intercepted were asked to return to the airport to clear FIS in the subsequent days, and they did so...
Dec 20, 20, 10:29 pm
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Originally Posted by Mr. Vker
She said she likely would have lost her job. It all worked out.
Originally Posted by dblumenhoff
You are a good human being.
We know AA staffers read this board even if they don't post. They could soon raise this internally.
As do all sorts of other people who will be only too willing to report this incident to either AA or the CBP even if they weren't affected by it just to stir up trouble.
Sorry but sometimes it's better not to report these incidents or if you do make them so generic that it's not possible for anyone to work out when and where it happened.
Dec 21, 20, 2:38 am
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Originally Posted by UKtravelbear
Except he has outed this gate agent by providing chapter and verse of the date and flight numbers so it may not work out for her.
We know AA staffers read this board even if they don't post. They could soon raise this internally.
As do all sorts of other people who will be only too willing to report this incident to either AA or the CBP even if they weren't affected by it just to stir up trouble.
Sorry but sometimes it's better not to report these incidents or if you do make them so generic that it's not possible for anyone to work out when and where it happened.
We know AA staffers read this board even if they don't post. They could soon raise this internally.
As do all sorts of other people who will be only too willing to report this incident to either AA or the CBP even if they weren't affected by it just to stir up trouble.
Sorry but sometimes it's better not to report these incidents or if you do make them so generic that it's not possible for anyone to work out when and where it happened.
Exactly what I was thinking. It's already been picked up by the major blogs, so it may sadly already be too late for this gate agent over what sounds like a completely innocent, honest mistake.
