bodie

I just flew out of DTW to AMS on NW. I've never seen this before on international flights. US Customs agents on the jet way before the aircraft, stopping and questioning passengers before they leave the USA. Where do you work, your occupation, how much money are you carrying, who will you be visiting and their occupation. Reminded me of "old time" Soviet Union, they had a customs check before you departed. Is this being done in other cities? I'm aware that you legally must agree to a Customs check when entering this country but on leaving? Is this something new?

chalf

I've never heard of this happening. My suspicion might be that they had a tip that someone/something illicit was on the flight, and trying to escape the US.

jet

Never seen that in the US... interesting. Now of course leaving a whole buncha other countries it's almost routine...

WVFM

I have seen it a couple of times this year when departing LAX on flights to Europe. I don't know what the reason is for these checks.

Punki

I thought it was interesting that we went through U.S. Cutoms upon leaving Toronto. Of course it makes a lot of sense, but was just a bit different.

Larrude

Punki,

US Customs often do their thing in Canada when leaving by air to the US. I've had this happen also in Vancouver. Really through me since I'm used to crossing the border by car in either Niagra Falls or near the Thousand Islands.

Brian

When events like this have happened to me in the past, it was invariably to or from countries where there is large drug import/export trade.

For example, there is a lot of narcotics importing into Australia from the U.S. and Europe, so it is very common for customs to have dogs and extra agents in the boarding area and jetway of these flights. On a coule, all the passengers had to file past the dogs.

On an AMS flight, they may be looking for people with lots of cash to buy narcotics for import. Not a bad idea at all.

dg1

From what I understand is that in several Canadian airports US Customs sits there so they can check it all out there and then you can land at a regular gate in the USA rather going through customs in the USA. My question does that make that part of the airport like the embassies, technically US soil? Hmmm...

It worked well for me since customs through Toronto was quick while customs at Pittsburgh gets backed up since the flights from Paris and Frankfurt dump in around then too.

Paulo

US Customs is in Toronto and other Canadian airports so that they can fly direct to nearby airports like Rochester, Syracuse, etc., that do not have customs officers. I'm not sure if that makes the partitioned area technically US territory...or what kinda deals were struck to set this up.

I have passed through the local nation's customs leaving Europe a few times (Milan-Linate comes to mind), but it was pretty painless. Have never seen it leaving the US.

Here's an interesting one, though: US Agriculture Dept. inspecting bags of passengers flying from Puerto Rico (SJU) to mainland US. Considering it is US territory, and imports and agriculture are presumeably held to similar standards, I'm not really sure what the point of that was.

doc

Think each state has some individual regulatory power Paulo. Look at Hawaii back to Mainland USA or even somtimes driving into CA from AZ!

Paulo

I'm sorry, you've totally lost me. What happens when you're driving from CA to AZ? I have never seen anything but a "Welcome" sign at state borders.

l etoile

Because agriculture is such a big part of California's economy there are US Ag Dept. checkpoints at many of the borders when entering California from other states. Keeping our chokes and grapes safe from those pesky "foreign" critters.

I've also gone through US Immigration when going from US Virgin Islands to mainland, which I thought was peculiar.

Kind of OMNI, but the strangest immigration routines I've ever been through have involved sailing a private sailboat in and out of foreign ports. In La Paz, for instance, had to check out with immigration to go sailing in Mexican waters and then check back in upon return to the same port, despite having never left the country ... the equivalent of having to clear immigration to go sailing in San Francisco Bay for a few days. There was a little matter of a $200 fee for the immigration agent's time as well.

On Ios in Greece, the immigration agent called us into a one-room building, where he sat behind a huge yellowed ledger and logged our passport numbers. Felt like I was in some old movie.

I've also seen immigration agents tell foreign sailors before them to button their shirts, put more clothes on, etc. Not exactly the kind of stuff you hear from agents in airports.

[This message has been edited by letiole (edited 11-18-1999).]

doc

Thanks letoile for the agri explanation.

BTW- Letiole- Very Omni0- I thought I was the only American to visit La Paz. Seems mostly Mexican folks on holiday go there. When I initially tried to book my flight, they of course thought I meant LPB, Bolivia, South America! Then my travel agent thought I was absolutely crazy. I recall staying at the old, but nice Los Arcos but this was 15 yrs ago. Very relaxing. My agent previously had been surprised that we were going to Guaymus, San Carlos, SON. Also great time near where Catch 22 was filmed at Algodones beach. Now there is a Club Med up the road there. Anyway some of the less developed areas can be so much fun. And the food, especially seafood, was just spectacular!

l etoile

Doc: Well actually, La Paz is filled with Americans. In fact, most everyone who lives there is American.

As for U.S. citizens vacationing there, there aren't a lot of hotels, but it's a very popular sailing and diving destination, what with all the islands nearby and the abundance of marine life. Also the grey whale mating/birthing lagoons on the left coast of BCS - a day-trip from La Paz - are drawing lots of tourists. Getting there has generally meant an interesting couple hour ride up from Cabo, but AeroCalifornia and now Alaska are offering flights into La Paz.

Wonderful thing about La Paz and the gulf is it seems unchanged from Steinbeck's descriptions in "Log From the Sea of Cortez." It's really a magical place. On my last visit, a whale came and checked us out for a while, a dozen dolphins played around our boat for hours and manta rays would nuzzle up next to us while we dove seemingly encouraging rides. Life doesn't get much better!

Larrude

Paulo, I beleive there are customs agents available in Rochester, not sure about Syracuse. There are occassioanl charter that are international - it seems that I have seen some kind of sign for US customs in Rochester, but it is certainly not a full time presence.