SFO Passport Control Mess
Apr 30, 2019, 1:09 pm
#16
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Apr 30, 2019, 2:08 pm
#17
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This OP puzzled me since I fly through SFO regularly and, though I'm GE, have never noticed extraordinary crowds such as those described. So I checked the CPB Wait Times website https://awt.cbp.gov
And I see that indeed on April 9, between 1 pm and 6 pm the max wait times (for non citizens) were between 220 and 165 minutes. At 3 pm, it was 218 minutes.
However, that's between twice and four times the normal wait times for non citizens. Not sure what created this anomaly - an extraordinary number of international arrivals, lack of CPB personnel, IT problems, or a combination of these - but it is not a regular occurrence.
I was once hung up in a mob at JFK for two hours (pre-GE) because they were unable to machine read the passports. When I finally got through the CPB officer told me the rule was "No swipe, no go." Even though only two years before, they weren't machine reading passports at all and they still could have done the job without it.
And I see that indeed on April 9, between 1 pm and 6 pm the max wait times (for non citizens) were between 220 and 165 minutes. At 3 pm, it was 218 minutes.
However, that's between twice and four times the normal wait times for non citizens. Not sure what created this anomaly - an extraordinary number of international arrivals, lack of CPB personnel, IT problems, or a combination of these - but it is not a regular occurrence.
I was once hung up in a mob at JFK for two hours (pre-GE) because they were unable to machine read the passports. When I finally got through the CPB officer told me the rule was "No swipe, no go." Even though only two years before, they weren't machine reading passports at all and they still could have done the job without it.
Apr 30, 2019, 5:13 pm
#18
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This OP puzzled me since I fly through SFO regularly and, though I'm GE, have never noticed extraordinary crowds such as those described. So I checked the CPB Wait Times website https://awt.cbp.gov
And I see that indeed on April 9, between 1 pm and 6 pm the max wait times (for non citizens) were between 220 and 165 minutes. At 3 pm, it was 218 minutes.
However, that's between twice and four times the normal wait times for non citizens. Not sure what created this anomaly - an extraordinary number of international arrivals, lack of CPB personnel, IT problems, or a combination of these - but it is not a regular occurrence.
I was once hung up in a mob at JFK for two hours (pre-GE) because they were unable to machine read the passports. When I finally got through the CPB officer told me the rule was "No swipe, no go." Even though only two years before, they weren't machine reading passports at all and they still could have done the job without it.
And I see that indeed on April 9, between 1 pm and 6 pm the max wait times (for non citizens) were between 220 and 165 minutes. At 3 pm, it was 218 minutes.
However, that's between twice and four times the normal wait times for non citizens. Not sure what created this anomaly - an extraordinary number of international arrivals, lack of CPB personnel, IT problems, or a combination of these - but it is not a regular occurrence.
I was once hung up in a mob at JFK for two hours (pre-GE) because they were unable to machine read the passports. When I finally got through the CPB officer told me the rule was "No swipe, no go." Even though only two years before, they weren't machine reading passports at all and they still could have done the job without it.
Apr 30, 2019, 6:31 pm
#19
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I've noticed that sometimes, the hall is backed up to the entry way to the hall (with luggage stacked up all over after having been removed from the carousels), and other times, ghost-town-city. A few "A" side arrivals per year. I don't recall when my last "G" side arrival was.
Last edited by rickg523; May 2, 2019 at 2:38 pm
May 10, 2019, 1:10 pm
#20
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There's a blog today about the line at SFO last week (also with photos). I've never seen lines like this.
https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea....gration-lines/
Passengers were clearly agitated, with some on the phone trying to reschedule their connecting flights and others simply taking pictures.
Of course, ground staff were barking orders at them and being generally unhelpful.
As it turned out, this was the line for foreign visitors. The line for U.S. Citizens was much shorter (Global Entry kiosks were totally empty).
Of course, ground staff were barking orders at them and being generally unhelpful.
As it turned out, this was the line for foreign visitors. The line for U.S. Citizens was much shorter (Global Entry kiosks were totally empty).
May 11, 2019, 10:04 am
#21
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My GE experience at SFO on 4/30 at around noon off of an early-arriving UA 900 from LHR, mirrored the other experiences. Although the line for non-US admitees was L-O-N-G and their area was crowded, there was only a small line for US citizens and no line to approach the kiosks for GE. As soon as I printed my kiosk receipt, there was a walking-around officer who took one look at it, collected it, and said that I could bypass going to a booth, and proceed directly to baggage claim. A few others got that same offer -- so quite expedited service for those with GE.
Actually, this SFO situation mirrored my arrival a week earlier into LHR: got to immigration at 7:30 am to discover a hugely crowded hall for non U.K./E.U. arrivals. Fortunately was in Business, so had the magic access to get into expedited Immigration. Took about 5-6 mins. instead of hours.
Actually, this SFO situation mirrored my arrival a week earlier into LHR: got to immigration at 7:30 am to discover a hugely crowded hall for non U.K./E.U. arrivals. Fortunately was in Business, so had the magic access to get into expedited Immigration. Took about 5-6 mins. instead of hours.
Last edited by Ocn Vw 1K; May 11, 2019 at 10:12 am Reason: To close the loop by comparing with UK arrivals.
May 14, 2019, 4:33 am
#22
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Although I've never seen lines like those above, I've seen it close.
In my experience, Intl A is generally far worse than Intl G, which I suspect has a lot to do with the fact that A has more foreign airlines than G (which generally means more foreign citizens). In general things are worst if you end up behind a few flights landing from Asia, especially from countries where people don't necessarily speak English, which results in the flow of people through immigration being slower. If that happens to be a flight (or three) on an Asian carrier (again, generally more foreigners than Americans) then it's normally even worse.
That said, the blog photos above do appear to be Intl G - but have they re-arranged the counters? US Citizens (non-GE) always used to be on the right, but the photos above show both Citizens and GE on the left, and Visitors on the right.
In my experience, Intl A is generally far worse than Intl G, which I suspect has a lot to do with the fact that A has more foreign airlines than G (which generally means more foreign citizens). In general things are worst if you end up behind a few flights landing from Asia, especially from countries where people don't necessarily speak English, which results in the flow of people through immigration being slower. If that happens to be a flight (or three) on an Asian carrier (again, generally more foreigners than Americans) then it's normally even worse.
That said, the blog photos above do appear to be Intl G - but have they re-arranged the counters? US Citizens (non-GE) always used to be on the right, but the photos above show both Citizens and GE on the left, and Visitors on the right.
May 14, 2019, 4:54 am
#23
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Although I've never seen lines like those above, I've seen it close.
In my experience, Intl A is generally far worse than Intl G, which I suspect has a lot to do with the fact that A has more foreign airlines than G (which generally means more foreign citizens). In general things are worst if you end up behind a few flights landing from Asia, especially from countries where people don't necessarily speak English, which results in the flow of people through immigration being slower. If that happens to be a flight (or three) on an Asian carrier (again, generally more foreigners than Americans) then it's normally even worse.
That said, the blog photos above do appear to be Intl G - but have they re-arranged the counters? US Citizens (non-GE) always used to be on the right, but the photos above show both Citizens and GE on the left, and Visitors on the right.
In my experience, Intl A is generally far worse than Intl G, which I suspect has a lot to do with the fact that A has more foreign airlines than G (which generally means more foreign citizens). In general things are worst if you end up behind a few flights landing from Asia, especially from countries where people don't necessarily speak English, which results in the flow of people through immigration being slower. If that happens to be a flight (or three) on an Asian carrier (again, generally more foreigners than Americans) then it's normally even worse.
That said, the blog photos above do appear to be Intl G - but have they re-arranged the counters? US Citizens (non-GE) always used to be on the right, but the photos above show both Citizens and GE on the left, and Visitors on the right.
The (only) amusing thing from my point of view is that, in the hour long wait before they separated US from foreign, people were more polite. Now, in the foreign queue, stripped of US citizens, the mood is much darker and escalates during the 3 hour wait until everyone snaps out of it for their 30 seconds of doing with a human what they've already did three hours previously with a machine.
May 14, 2019, 6:44 pm
#24
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I flew in on Sunday on UA949 and it was rammed. I took pictures but have not uploaded them as yet so if you can imagine the line stretching out the hall down to about gate 94, then you have it about right. I landed at about 1500. GE was as clear as I have seen it. For visitors it was appalling. Something is not working.
May 15, 2019, 7:49 am
#25
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https://awt.cbp.gov/
This site shows the wait times.
International G has a different queue for immigration than International A, correct? I arrived on Cathay last December but for the life of me can not remember coming through immigration.
This site shows the wait times.
International G has a different queue for immigration than International A, correct? I arrived on Cathay last December but for the life of me can not remember coming through immigration.
May 15, 2019, 12:24 pm
#26
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May 15, 2019, 3:39 pm
#27
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I flew in on Sunday on UA949 and it was rammed. I took pictures but have not uploaded them as yet so if you can imagine the line stretching out the hall down to about gate 94, then you have it about right. I landed at about 1500. GE was as clear as I have seen it. For visitors it was appalling. Something is not working.
May 16, 2019, 1:34 am
#30
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Really curious if SFO is one of those "lending" personnel to the southern border. The Washington Post ran an article a few days ago about resources being moved from the northern border. Haven't seen anything yet addressing SFO or any other Northern CA airport.
...and this:
US-Canada border transfers raise fear of delayed crossings
U.S. Customs and Border Protection says 731 northern border agents from land, sea and airports are in the process of being sent to the U.S.-Mexico border, where they will help their southern counterparts handle the influx of families and unaccompanied children from Central America.
While CBP wouldn’t specify where the agents are coming from, they are being drawn from 328 ports of entry.
