I do my best to avoid flying wherever possible.
I got a great one for you; true story.
In 2008, flying back here to Prague from Seattle (via Paris), I exited the plane, looked for the sign for “baggage claim”, and duly toodled off to the right. Got my suitcase, then proceeded to what I thought was Customs/Passport Control.
Only one problem; instead, I proceeded straight to the main exit. No Customs, no Passport Control, nothing.
I’m a permanent resident here, so no biggie. But to say that was disconcerting, especially at an international airport, is an understatement.
Don’t know if it’s still that way.
I remember a few months after 9/11 I was in the secured area of SeaTac eating at TGIF (or Chile’s or something like that) and they gave me a metal steak knife. I actually got on the air at KVI about that one.
I was at O’hare a few years ago waiting for my wife to come out of the restroom after we got off the plane. I was waiting near the “do not cross” area but there was no line painted on the floor or anything. So I set down my computer next to the wall and wait.
Meanwhile I’m curious about the odd structure in the ceiling so I wander about 20’ from my computer (always keeping my eye on it since it is my company comtuter) and check it out. Then I start back to my computer and alarms go off all over the place. Some lady behind me tells me to stop and I say, “hey, let me get my computer first”. She yells again and I stop. Then I say, I’m just getting my computer and I went ahead and got it as she yelled again.
It could have turned out pretty bad I suppose but fortunately she was one of the lazy ones.
At ohare my daughter in law got a parking ticket without actually coming to a complete stop. :-)
I really hate Chicago in general. :-|
Are they supposed to stamp your visa or passport before you leave the airport, or just look at it?
Customs very often works on the honor system. Was there a form to fill out on the plane?