Your Worst POE experiences outside of the US
Jan 6, 2016, 1:10 pm
#91
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, AmEx, NorthWest WorldPerks, Jelly of the Month. S&H Green Stamps, Subway sub club
Posts: 1,754
How about Tony Poe? He seems like an interesting fellow.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Poshepny
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Poshepny
Jan 7, 2016, 11:40 am
#92
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,830
Arriving by sea into Turkmenistan. Forty degrees in the shade, no food, water or toilets and a nine hour process. I ended up going behind a train siding only to have a Kalashnikov waving solider who looked about 12 admonish me mid-stream. I didn't stop. And we had a guide to get us through "faster".
Jan 7, 2016, 10:04 pm
#93
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
Lisbon Airport for non EU citizens in 2009. Most of the incoming flight from Newark consisted of American passport holders. We had to wait a LONG time while they did absolutely nothing to open up those booths. My dad was suffering from Parkinson's and nearly fell over. One of the airport workers happened to notice that he was a sick old man and somehow just by force of will got the three of us to the EU section, basically telling the startled clerks: "Just DO it!" and they did.
Jan 8, 2016, 7:54 am
#94
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, IHG, Enterprise, Avios, Nexus
Posts: 8,355
Nevermore!
What about General Orlando Poe who oversaw the burning of Atlanta?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Metcalfe_Poe
He also designed lighthouses and shipping locks. A lock on the St. Mary's River in Sault Ste. Marie is named after him. The Poe Lock.
What about General Orlando Poe who oversaw the burning of Atlanta?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Metcalfe_Poe
He also designed lighthouses and shipping locks. A lock on the St. Mary's River in Sault Ste. Marie is named after him. The Poe Lock.
Jan 8, 2016, 8:00 am
#95
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, AmEx, NorthWest WorldPerks, Jelly of the Month. S&H Green Stamps, Subway sub club
Posts: 1,754
Lisbon Airport for non EU citizens in 2009. Most of the incoming flight from Newark consisted of American passport holders. We had to wait a LONG time while they did absolutely nothing to open up those booths. My dad was suffering from Parkinson's and nearly fell over. One of the airport workers happened to notice that he was a sick old man and somehow just by force of will got the three of us to the EU section, basically telling the startled clerks: "Just DO it!" and they did.
Sorry to hear of your experiences.
Jan 20, 2016, 6:34 am
#96
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: coastal Croatia
Programs: BAEC Gold, M&M Senator
Posts: 2,181
This was long ago (mid 70s), but despite being welcomed in HKG and BKK, SIN was not quite so friendly. We were going to Penang and had a six hour layover in SIN. My family (I was fifteen at the time) thought it would be nice to see Singapore for a few hours. But the entry sentinel said my hair was too long (it was shoulder length and I am male) and said "cut it short or stay out." So we stayed out. Not really a horror story, but not very friendly, either.
Jan 22, 2016, 4:52 pm
#97
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,344
This was long ago (mid 70s), but despite being welcomed in HKG and BKK, SIN was not quite so friendly. We were going to Penang and had a six hour layover in SIN. My family (I was fifteen at the time) thought it would be nice to see Singapore for a few hours. But the entry sentinel said my hair was too long (it was shoulder length and I am male) and said "cut it short or stay out." So we stayed out. Not really a horror story, but not very friendly, either.
My uncle tells me that a bribe was necessary to enter Thailand quickly in the 70s. Those who didn't know initially had to wait until they understood what was required.
Jan 25, 2016, 3:16 am
#98
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: YYZ
Posts: 1,666
I had the worst attitude arriving into SYD last month. I used the ePassport gates, got through the gate without a problem when an officer stopped me and asked me a couple questions about my stay (I was staying in SYD for 24 hours on the way to NZ.)
Sure enough, I get pulled at the exit and then examined by the same officer. This officer proceeds to ask me a lot more intrusive and personal questions, some phrased in a way that implies I had done something wrong and some definitely loaded (I didn't fall for the trap.) About 45 minutes late and some swabbing, they let me go.
In retrospect I guess I had fallen into some kind of profile. Single male traveller, arriving with a one-way premium class ticket (flew AUH-SYD in EY Apartments) that was booked only a few days prior, and a planned short stay. I was worried I would get the same treatment entering NZ via CHC the next day, so I skipped the ePassport gates and went to an officer who asked some pretty lengthy questions about my stay, but I was on my way within 3 minutes.
Sure enough, I get pulled at the exit and then examined by the same officer. This officer proceeds to ask me a lot more intrusive and personal questions, some phrased in a way that implies I had done something wrong and some definitely loaded (I didn't fall for the trap.) About 45 minutes late and some swabbing, they let me go.
In retrospect I guess I had fallen into some kind of profile. Single male traveller, arriving with a one-way premium class ticket (flew AUH-SYD in EY Apartments) that was booked only a few days prior, and a planned short stay. I was worried I would get the same treatment entering NZ via CHC the next day, so I skipped the ePassport gates and went to an officer who asked some pretty lengthy questions about my stay, but I was on my way within 3 minutes.
Jan 25, 2016, 3:07 pm
#99
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PHL
Programs: UA Plat, 2MM
Posts: 1,860
I have traveled all over the world and gone through immigration in countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America but the WORST is Toronto, Canada. They are rude, brusk, never believe that you are entering Canada for any other reason to be a criminal or ward of the state. I will not longer do business in Canada or transfer flights there, due to their agents. Vancouver is not as bad as Toronto.
Jan 26, 2016, 6:19 am
#100
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 288
I have traveled all over the world and gone through immigration in countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America but the WORST is Toronto, Canada. They are rude, brusk, never believe that you are entering Canada for any other reason to be a criminal or ward of the state. I will not longer do business in Canada or transfer flights there, due to their agents. Vancouver is not as bad as Toronto.
Jan 27, 2016, 1:58 pm
#101
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
That's entirely unfair. If you're in a suit, they'll immediately assume you're there to steal a job from a Canadian. After two interactions with them that required going to the second counter for a longer talk, a Canadian colleague told me the magic words: "internal meeting."
Feb 4, 2016, 11:09 am
#102
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,872
I have traveled all over the world and gone through immigration in countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America but the WORST is Toronto, Canada. They are rude, brusk, never believe that you are entering Canada for any other reason to be a criminal or ward of the state. I will not longer do business in Canada or transfer flights there, due to their agents. Vancouver is not as bad as Toronto.
Feb 5, 2016, 6:54 am
#103
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: enjoyed being warm spit for a few years on CO/UA but now nothing :(
Posts: 2,507