Singled out for document verification on an international flight?
#31
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I hope so, because it's 100% true.
I've found it's airport-dependent. I always see this at SFO, but rarely at other airports.
I've found it's airport-dependent. I always see this at SFO, but rarely at other airports.
#32
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#33
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Agree with most others, nothing was done wrongly and I'm surprised UA gave you some miles for your complaint. Doc checks are standard, and sometimes are re-checked again at the counter and/or at the jetbridge. No harm, no foul.
#34
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It is all about the potential accountability if a person without proper documentation to enter the country at the desitnation. It costs the airline dearly, not only in returning the pax, but in fines.
You believe that the United gate agent is actually a layer of security?
With that reasoning, shouldnt IDs be checked at every jetway, not just when boarding intl E145s?
Isnt ID checking the responsibility of the smurf podium as a layer of security?
Passports are even checked at YYZ, even though one has already entered the US.
Them are the rules, even if they make no sense
#35
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Don't know for sure the exact circumstances of the reason pulled aside but some things to keep in mind:
1. When traveling to Canada, Canadian law requires that all pax passports be rechecked before boarding. Specific to that country.
2. If we don't see DOCs ok on a boarding pass we have to make sure that you are clear to enter that country. Remember that the GA is your exit Immigration officer from the US.
3. We ask to see your passport or have it out so that we and you know that you have it with you. Easier to take a minute of your time when boarding vs sending you on a roundtrip to SYD and back because you misplaced your passport in the US.
4. Not all agents work international flights. We may send you back to get checked as we don't have all the world passports and visa requirements for all countries memorized.
5. If you have a paper boarding pass make sure someone on the boarding pass it states DOCs Ok.
Hope these help to answer some of the questions to why we do what we do at the gate.
1. When traveling to Canada, Canadian law requires that all pax passports be rechecked before boarding. Specific to that country.
2. If we don't see DOCs ok on a boarding pass we have to make sure that you are clear to enter that country. Remember that the GA is your exit Immigration officer from the US.
3. We ask to see your passport or have it out so that we and you know that you have it with you. Easier to take a minute of your time when boarding vs sending you on a roundtrip to SYD and back because you misplaced your passport in the US.
4. Not all agents work international flights. We may send you back to get checked as we don't have all the world passports and visa requirements for all countries memorized.
5. If you have a paper boarding pass make sure someone on the boarding pass it states DOCs Ok.
Hope these help to answer some of the questions to why we do what we do at the gate.
#36
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Difference between domestic, which is what you're talking about, and international. International carries the risk that if the documents aren't correct the airline can be fined and they are responsible for getting the passenger back to his original departure point. Yes, that's about cost.
#37
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I read some saying here that passport check at counter just before boarding is a Canada specific requirement. It is not Canada specific, at-least for the countries I have traveled to. For all my UA (or non UA) flights to Canada, India, Brazil and Germany from the US, all passengers were asked to step up to the counter at boarding area where their documents were re-examined and their boarding pass initialed by the GA. This is regardless of whether their documents were examined at the check-in counter.
So a question to OP is if he/she had his passport rechecked at the boarding area or not? If no then UA did nothing wrong here, but if he had (and his BP was initialed) then this is something to be discussed about.
So a question to OP is if he/she had his passport rechecked at the boarding area or not? If no then UA did nothing wrong here, but if he had (and his BP was initialed) then this is something to be discussed about.
#38
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Difference between domestic, which is what you're talking about, and international. International carries the risk that if the documents aren't correct the airline can be fined and they are responsible for getting the passenger back to his original departure point. Yes, that's about cost.
#39
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#40
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Yeah, they probably had never heard of Finland and were wondering why the passport was embossed with snowflakes and has a running moose when you flip the pages.
#41
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a) passports are checked because its the rule to Canada
b) passports are checked because the airline doesnt want to pay fines/costs of return
c) passports are checked because "places like Japan and Hong Kong never had thousands of citizens die in a terrorist attack, so their security protocols are lax."
#42
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So settle it for us once and for all
a) passports are checked because its the rule to Canada
b) passports are checked because the airline doesnt want to pay fines/costs of return
c) passports are checked because "places like Japan and Hong Kong never had thousands of citizens die in a terrorist attack, so their security protocols are lax."
a) passports are checked because its the rule to Canada
b) passports are checked because the airline doesnt want to pay fines/costs of return
c) passports are checked because "places like Japan and Hong Kong never had thousands of citizens die in a terrorist attack, so their security protocols are lax."
#43
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The passport rule in fact, as proven by a person who actually works UA gates, actually a Canadian requirement (because we love beaurocracy and pointless rules) - and has nothing to do with the "good reasons" that you seem to think exist in the USA.
And at last, many have already told you, that it is all about the costs that may be associated, and nothing to do with "good reasons" or "certain security issues"
Think about it logically, the OP was LEAVING the US. If the OP was a "certain security issue" - should the OP not have been identified as such when ENTERING the USA, or when going thru security?
#44
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You still dont get it - the OP was not even transiting the USA.
The passport rule in fact, as proven by a person who actually works UA gates, actually a Canadian requirement (because we love beaurocracy and pointless rules) - and has nothing to do with the "good reasons" that you seem to think exist in the USA.
And at last, many have already told you, that it is all about the costs that may be associated, and nothing to do with "good reasons" or "certain security issues"
Think about it logically, the OP was LEAVING the US. If the OP was a "certain security issue" - should the OP not have been identified as such when ENTERING the USA, or when going thru security?
The passport rule in fact, as proven by a person who actually works UA gates, actually a Canadian requirement (because we love beaurocracy and pointless rules) - and has nothing to do with the "good reasons" that you seem to think exist in the USA.
And at last, many have already told you, that it is all about the costs that may be associated, and nothing to do with "good reasons" or "certain security issues"
Think about it logically, the OP was LEAVING the US. If the OP was a "certain security issue" - should the OP not have been identified as such when ENTERING the USA, or when going thru security?
#45
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Lol it's not Canada - it's just the way it is....
And OP is not a us citizen and is flying through a third country which may or may not be known on arrival by cbp - so what's your point - UA is protecting themselves by singling out someone who hasn't shown proper documentation to fly to a foreign destination? Or is it more likely they are enforcing proper us policy?
And OP is not a us citizen and is flying through a third country which may or may not be known on arrival by cbp - so what's your point - UA is protecting themselves by singling out someone who hasn't shown proper documentation to fly to a foreign destination? Or is it more likely they are enforcing proper us policy?
*What CBP? The OP was leaving the USA to Asia via Canada. What exactly does CPB have to do with this? You dont think the CBP would have asked on arrival, how long the OP is in the USA for, and where going afterwards? Clearly you havent entered the USA as a foreigner, and have no clue about the pleasantries exchanged with US CBP on arrival
*Singling out??? As explained by other posters, UA is obliged to check documentations, and if BP doesnt say DOCS OK - the GA is obliged to pull that person aside - whether it be one person or twenty people, whether they be american or from the moon
*Again, its not US policy