Rudest Airport Award goes to....
#32
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 616
I have to agree with MIA. I've only been there once and that was enough for me. I've only been through FRA once and it wasn't bad. I was a little worried about a patdown after setting off the WTMD. I've heard stories on here about, but it wasn't as bad as what I've received in the US.
#33
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: |QF Platinum|DL Platinum|HH Gold|ALL Silver|
Posts: 1,738
#34
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Fairmont Platinum, Aeroplan Diamond, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 18,686
Denver is the rudest because it looks like a hoodiddly.
But the last time there was a bit of an experience.. as we had to switch out of two UA planes.. The third UA plane was a charm..
#35
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: QFF Gold, Flying Blue, Enrich
Posts: 5,366
I've been heavily questioned and sent to secondary there more often than I have in any other airports I have traveled through. And the encounters are not pleasant at all. Even after arriving on direct flights from NZ or the US I get asked questions like "Am I bringing fortune cookies?" and most of the people I see that are sent to secondaries are people of Asian/Middle Eastern/African descent. They once broke my luggage at secondary by slamming it to the ground after an early morning arrival back in 2006.
I would have thought, given Australia's ethnic make-up, that Sydney's immigration officials wouldn't have had a problem dealing with people of Asian or Middle Eastern descent - fewer African people here than in a lot of other places, I guess. In fact I quite a number of airport officials in Sydney appear to come from those ethnic groups. Maybe you're experiencing some kind of reverse racism if you're constantly being selected for secondaries.
I wonder if for some reason you have been flagged for special attention for some reason (not necessarily a valid reason).
I know that in Syd they come down hard on people trying to bring food in from overseas, and for good reason.
#36
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 268
LAX. I broke the record of longest time spent in immigration there. All other entry points in the US take less than five minutes, but my last time at LAX took more than an hour to 'verify' my documents.
After the first officer sent me to secondary screening, he went on lunch break about 15minutes later. Passing the second officer who was screening, he told the second officer that 'he should be OK', which I found extremely paradoxical because why had he sent me to secondary in the first place?
Thankfully I did not have any ongoing connections out of LAX.
After the first officer sent me to secondary screening, he went on lunch break about 15minutes later. Passing the second officer who was screening, he told the second officer that 'he should be OK', which I found extremely paradoxical because why had he sent me to secondary in the first place?
Thankfully I did not have any ongoing connections out of LAX.
#37
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Fairmont Platinum, Aeroplan Diamond, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 18,686
LAX. I broke the record of longest time spent in immigration there. All other entry points in the US take less than five minutes, but my last time at LAX took more than an hour to 'verify' my documents.
After the first officer sent me to secondary screening, he went on lunch break about 15minutes later. Passing the second officer who was screening, he told the second officer that 'he should be OK', which I found extremely paradoxical because why had he sent me to secondary in the first place?
Thankfully I did not have any ongoing connections out of LAX.
After the first officer sent me to secondary screening, he went on lunch break about 15minutes later. Passing the second officer who was screening, he told the second officer that 'he should be OK', which I found extremely paradoxical because why had he sent me to secondary in the first place?
Thankfully I did not have any ongoing connections out of LAX.
We waited a total of 3 hours..
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 13,145
I would have thought, given Australia's ethnic make-up, that Sydney's immigration officials wouldn't have had a problem dealing with people of Asian or Middle Eastern descent - fewer African people here than in a lot of other places, I guess. In fact I quite a number of airport officials in Sydney appear to come from those ethnic groups. Maybe you're experiencing some kind of reverse racism if you're constantly being selected for secondaries.
BTW this seems to be a SYD problem as I've had little issues clearing through MEL & BNE.
#39
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: MCO
Programs: DL-DM/1MM, HILTON-DIA, .HYATT-DIA/GLOB , IHG-PLT,HERTZ 5*, NATIONAL ES
Posts: 8,691
1. MIA - this is the only airport in the US where I question if I am still in the US when I land. Rudest, most unhelpful people....
2. PHL - bad attitudes all around
3. Lax/JFK - Hit or miss, often more miss.
4. PHX - i think its the "i don't give a crap" attitude that bugs me most.
2. PHL - bad attitudes all around
3. Lax/JFK - Hit or miss, often more miss.
4. PHX - i think its the "i don't give a crap" attitude that bugs me most.
#40
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: US GP, UA Prem Exec, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold,
Posts: 15
PHL
It has to be PHL for me too. The retail people have been very nice, but anyone in airline or DNS have been downright mean. Especially international arrivals... "Welcome to America! "
#41
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: QFF Gold, Flying Blue, Enrich
Posts: 5,366
That doesn't make any sense - I would have followed it up if I didn't get a response within a reasonable time. I would think they would take this sort of complaint quite seriously. Deliberately damaging your luggage just isn't on.
I can't say that I've ever noticed immigration staff of Aboriginal descent at SYD, I would challenge your comment that you are being selected by "some Aboriginals" for grilling. I would have thought that somebody who has spent a considerable length of time in Australia, as you seem to have from your comments, would be able to discern if "that's who they really are".
To be honest, there's a lot that doesn't quite ring true regarding your experiences at SYD.
I did. Never got a response from them at all.
Most of the grilling I have received have come from the Caucasian Women Staff and some Aboriginals (if that's who they really are, I'm only going based on my perception). I would say only 30% of my entries through there have come without silly questionings, scrutiny, and/or secondaries. I have had many occassions where I'm just spending one night for transit and so on. FYI, I've been sent to secondaries a few times in AKL (one of my home airports) for weird itineraries but at least have been treated with better courtesy.
BTW this seems to be a SYD problem as I've had little issues clearing through MEL & BNE.
Most of the grilling I have received have come from the Caucasian Women Staff and some Aboriginals (if that's who they really are, I'm only going based on my perception). I would say only 30% of my entries through there have come without silly questionings, scrutiny, and/or secondaries. I have had many occassions where I'm just spending one night for transit and so on. FYI, I've been sent to secondaries a few times in AKL (one of my home airports) for weird itineraries but at least have been treated with better courtesy.
BTW this seems to be a SYD problem as I've had little issues clearing through MEL & BNE.
I can't say that I've ever noticed immigration staff of Aboriginal descent at SYD, I would challenge your comment that you are being selected by "some Aboriginals" for grilling. I would have thought that somebody who has spent a considerable length of time in Australia, as you seem to have from your comments, would be able to discern if "that's who they really are".
To be honest, there's a lot that doesn't quite ring true regarding your experiences at SYD.
Last edited by BadgerBoi; Aug 19, 2011 at 6:12 am
#42
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: QFF Gold, Flying Blue, Enrich
Posts: 5,366
That doesn't make any sense - I would have followed it up if I didn't get a response within a reasonable time. Deliberately damaging your possessions just isn't on, and I'm sure that the authorities would have taken your complaint quite seriously.
There's a lot that puzzles me regarding your experiences in SYD.
There's a lot that puzzles me regarding your experiences in SYD.
#44
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Northern Nevada
Programs: DL,EK
Posts: 1,652
JFK. I had just arrived from Istanbul, walking toward immigration behind a 60-ish Turkish woman who speaks no English. There was a woman directing people to the right queues and when the Turkish woman stopped for a moment to figure out where to go the customs agent walked up to her, stood close by and yelled "Are you American? I - DON'T - THINK - SO. Go stand over there".
Welcome to the USA I guess.
Welcome to the USA I guess.
#45
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Fairmont Platinum, Aeroplan Diamond, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 18,686
Although we did go through in the early morning.. so maybe we missed something