pgiyer

A new pre-screening and security check program for travelers to USA has been started at Abu Dhabi International airport earlier this year. This is administered by US personnel, and is done in an area cordoned off from the rest of the airport in Terminal 3 (where Etihad flights to NA take off). I had first-hand experience of this process and advise everyone to look at alternate transfer airports until they improve this process.
As it is, travelers have to go through the local security check even while just moving between terminals as a transit passenger. With long walk- times and lines, this can take a while. Then the fun starts!
One has to go through a checking line, where they just inspect your passport and boarding card (which was done just a few minutes prior at the security check); then line up to be abused and harassed by our wonderful TSA-trained (edited by moderator) staff. They want to know how many bags you checked in, your name (while holding your passport in their hands); then belts off, shoes off etc;

Once you dress yourself again after this, you are directed to a cattle pen. Lines are divided based on your destination- NYC, IAD, ORD. Since these are all Boeing 777 craft with lots of passengers, lines are long. The proportion of officers checking documentation appears to be 1 officer to 150 travelers. And they are slow. Any non-US passport holder (the majority at this airport) is finger-printed (no kidding) and iris-scanned, questioned at length. Ancient arthritic ladies struggled to get their fingers on the finger-print scanner. People on wheel chairs were held up so the iris scanner can inspect their cataracts.
Then the officer has to consult a colleague; then the computer malfunctions and they have to summon someone who cannot be found. US passport holders get off lightly, but they have no separate line.
The hall was hot, people were restless; a few looked as if they would collapse.
All in all, this severely delayed the clearance; all flight were delayed by 1.5 to 2 hours. The Etihad staff were trying their best to keep order, but they were mostly helpless.
The payoff is when one lands at the US airport, you can walk out as if its is a domestic flight. But this in no away takes away the brutal treatment of travelers at AUX.
I strongly recommend finding a transit port where this pre-screening has not been implemented, and take your chances at the US airport.

Ocn Vw 1K

pgiyer, welcome to FlyerTalk!
As this concerns airport security, I'll move it to the appropriate forum to discuss those matters. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

FlyingHoustonian

Good anecdote to add to this thread on the topic:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/check...-facility.html


Sadly this happens stateside by the feckless TSA also.

This happens at CBP in the USA.

ballogie

Which is why I will never visit the US again

FlyingHoustonian

and Japan,and a host of other countries I presume?

Often1

1. What has this got to do with TSA?

2. Do you really care whether you are finger-printed at a pre-clearance station or on arrival in the US?

squeakr

1) Using @#)$#$(I$%* to stand for swear words is not allowed anywhere on FT.

2) This is the practical forum, and as this is helpful info I'd hope posters could keep form arguing so everyone can have the benefit of seeing the info.

3) As a housekeeping note - you don't need to quote an entire long post to answer or address it.

thanks

squeakr

co-mod TS/S

:D!

Yes, unless (until?) it becomes the norm in every country, and I have exhausted places to visit in countries where I have citizenship/residency.

pgiyer

At AUH, there is a TSA security process right after one goes through the local security check. If I traveled through a transit port without this pre-screening process, I would not have to go through TSA security on landing at a US airport, just have to go through Immigration and Customs. This extra TSA check just adds to the tiring, long process at AUH.

Yes, I think the process at a US airport would not be so brutal. My experience has been that there are more officers, I have not seen computer breakdowns, the whole process is chaotic at AUH. In addition, US passport holders have no separate line.

chaudri

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and I had a question regarding time required for US preclearance at AUH.

I'm supposed to land at AUH from LHE on AA9083 which lands at 06:30. The next flight to LAX (AA9077) leaves at 08:50. Now assuming there are no delays that gives a total stopover time of 2 hours 20 minutes.

Now the Etihad websites states that "Check-in for all flights to the U.S. will close 120 minutes before departure for guests who are commencing their journey in Abu Dhabi". Does that leave me with 20 minutes to depart the plane and check in for the LAX flight? What if I can't do it in 20 minutes, seems pretty impossible to me.

Also, what really is meant by check in for the connection? If i do the online check-in doesn't that give me more time to just board the plane without this 120 minute restriction?

What i'm not cleared on time and don't make my connection?

Will the customs officers open my luggage which i checked in?

Kindly let me know. Cheers

cbn42

You are not commencing your journey in Abu Dhabi, therefore that particular statement on the website does not apply to you.

You should be fine, don't worry. 2 hours and 20 minutes is enough time to connect at AUH.

GUWonder

If the passenger is on a single ticketed PNR -- which is what it sounds like given the AA codeshare numbers -- then indeed it ought to be enough. Not necessarily enough to spend much time hanging around idle or relaxing at AUH, but enough to connect.

If the passenger has separately purchased tickets on separate airlines, then 140 minutes may be insufficient time to connect unless the airline at LHE was willing to thru-check the bags and the passenger managed to get a boarding pass for the onward flight prior to check-in cut-off time.

chaudri

Thanks guys,

Yes its a single PNR from AA. So i guess shouldn't be that difficult,