[Skoidat69]

When I used to fly around the world when I still worked on ships, the most unnerving experience was in Angola.. They would help themselves to anything in your carry on.. You didn't want to end up in an Angolan jail. You would catch a beating if you were lucky or a disease. Once time I flew to Scotland from Korea for a course while in the shipyard. I bought some candy and stuff for my kids. After I flew back to Korea to finish my hitch, I won the round the world lottery with our travel agents. I flew from Korea home via Paris. The baggage tossers opened at the chocolate candies and repacked my bag.. i ducking hate the TSA types but has remind myself that ending up on a lost would cost me a lot more than the joy of telling them off..

I have resemblance to the guy in Portland that stripped nude at the checkpoint if you add a few dozen tattoos so it was fun to freak out some friends with a email about my troubles at the airport pictures..

[evil-G-nius]

I have been randomly checked before but no big deal. Now I don't have to worry about it anymore. I have Global Entry, TSA Pre & Clear. I don't wait in security lines and I don't get checked unless my bag flags for something. I literally go through security, no matter the line size, in less than 2 minutes

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by evil-G-nius

I have been randomly checked before but no big deal. Now I don't have to worry about it anymore. I have Global Entry, TSA Pre & Clear. I don't wait in security lines and I don't get checked unless my bag flags for something. I literally go through security, no matter the line size, in less than 2 minutes

I have the TSA Pre but not global entry. Correct me if I'm wrong the Global Entry only speeds up the process at immigration not security right?

All I know is I have stood in lines 20 minutes long getting through security in LAX in the past. I would arrive on a domestic flight then walk to the international terminal and up to security. There was no short line that I could find. Maybe SFO is better organized.

[ToddBlack88]

For 5 years, every time I went through the US travelling, I was “Randomly selected” for extra scrutiny. Even on cruise ship entry in Florida.

About half that time, my bags were already opened in the room upon my arrival. About a quarter the time, I was told to sit and my wife and son were questioned about me.

Then, it all stopped. It’s been about 4 yrs with no questions.

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by evil-G-nius

I have been randomly checked before but no big deal. Now I don't have to worry about it anymore. I have Global Entry, TSA Pre & Clear. I don't wait in security lines and I don't get checked unless my bag flags for something. I literally go through security, no matter the line size, in less than 2 minutes

Same here, BUT it depends on the airport. Some are very fast, some aren't, especially the really small airports. Have you ever been to one where they don't even have a separate line for TSA or Pre-check? The person at the front gives you a card (forgot what color) to indicate you can be expedited.

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by ToddBlack88

For 5 years, every time I went through the US travelling, I was “Randomly selected” for extra scrutiny. Even on cruise ship entry in Florida.

About half that time, my bags were already opened in the room upon my arrival. About a quarter the time, I was told to sit and my wife and son were questioned about me.

Then, it all stopped. It’s been about 4 yrs with no questions.

You retired from your life of being a drug kingpin?

[The J-Man]

My wife was detained at the gate and questioned for 40 minutes once on a San Francisco to Istanbul flight. She is white, blonde hair, blue eyes, and we were flying first class. They were concerned that she was going to Turkey so that that she could sneak across the border into Syria and join ISIS. They couldn't have cared less about me. Same thing happened coming home when we boarded our flight in Amsterdam. She was detained and questioned about whether she had been in Syria. WTF?

[evil-G-nius]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

I have the TSA Pre but not global entry. Correct me if I'm wrong the Global Entry only speeds up the process at immigration not security right?

All I know is I have stood in lines 20 minutes long getting through security in LAX in the past. I would arrive on a domestic flight then walk to the international terminal and up to security. There was no short line that I could find. Maybe SFO is better organized.

Yes on the Global Entry. I just mentioned it because it lessens the chance of getting rando searched re-entering. I have yet to stand in line at any airport that has Pre & or CLEAR. Newark is supposed to be getting it I think...that was the last airport I went to that didn't have it though there lines moved fairly quick

Originally Posted by TiMSport

Same here, BUT it depends on the airport. Some are very fast, some aren't, especially the really small airports. Have you ever been to one where they don't even have a separate line for TSA or Pre-check? The person at the front gives you a card (forgot what color) to indicate you can be expedited.

True. But some of the smaller airports don't have the same foot traffic so it balances out. Wait times in line are smaller. I went through New Orleans and they did not have either but it was like 5 minutes through no biggie

[The J-Man]

Originally Posted by PINeely

My brother got us stopped when he was little because he was trying to bring his rock garden with him. The guy pulls a sandwich bag full of blue sand out of his carry-on and freaks out. Line shut down immediately and all sorts of chemical tests are done before they determine it was in fact just sand. They took my clothes and shoes and put them in this microwave-looking thing to test for explosives. They also made him throw the sand away which he was more than happy to do by that point.

My fiancée has gotten us stopped multiple times because she carries a wine key in her purse. I've gotten thru with pocket knives before, and I almost always check a firearm. Never had an issue.

I've had the same thing happen with sand in my baggage. Major freak out! Get out the bomb machines, this guy went to a beach!!

[The J-Man]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

I have a medical implant that, through X-ray, looks like I've got a bomb implanted in my body. The wires, the battery, the circuit boards... I always have my medical implant card that I hand the security guys before stepping in and receive no flack.

BUT, flying through Charles de Gaulle, apparently the French translation on my card didn't come across. Now I can read French, speak very little, and understand even less. This is a layover for a business trip with me being the last of the four colleagues that go through security. Two very serious French guys in suits, as far as I can tell, repelled out of the ceiling and scooped me up without even knowing what was happening and no opportunity to flag down the only people I know in the country. Taken to the back office with stern French from the offense, and very, very broken French from the defense.

To this day, I still do not know what happened. Without any implied apology or explanation, I was just ushered back out into the lines of people without any guidance and the suits disappeared. It was as if I dreamed the whole thing. Luckily my layover was a few hours and the airport isn't that large for me to find my colleagues for a much needed drink at 7:00am local time.

Sheesh, darn Frenchies. I'd rather have that happen in France than China, though!

[Fly320s]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

I have the TSA Pre but not global entry. Correct me if I'm wrong the Global Entry only speeds up the process at immigration not security right?

Global Entry also qualifies you for TSA Pre-check. Enter you G.E. info on your flight reservation and you should get pre-check and avoid random/secondary screening.

For those of you who don't want to do Global Entry, there is a free app called Mobile Passport from the US CBP. It is just as fast as Global Entry on arrival and it is free. A bunch of my pilot and flight attendant friends use it.

Finally, the CBP is starting a new program using facial biometrics. I forget the name of the program, but the computers compare the photos on file from your passport, Global Entry, and previous entries into the US, with the passport you present at the entry checkpoint and your face. If everything matches up correctly, you're cleared in. Boston Logan airport uses this technology in the crew line for immigration. I've found it to be faster than using Global Entry and it is free.

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by Fly320s

Global Entry also qualifies you for TSA Pre-check. Enter you G.E. info on your flight reservation and you should get pre-check and avoid random/secondary screening.

For those of you who don't want to do Global Entry, there is a free app called Mobile Passport from the US CBP. It is just as fast as Global Entry on arrival and it is free. A bunch of my pilot and flight attendant friends use it.

Finally, the CBP is starting a new program using facial biometrics. I forget the name of the program, but the computers compare the photos on file from your passport, Global Entry, and previous entries into the US, with the passport you present at the entry checkpoint and your face. If everything matches up correctly, you're cleared in. Boston Logan airport uses this technology in the crew line for immigration. I've found it to be faster than using Global Entry and it is free.

Interesting. I think they've implemented that already at Narita Airport in Japan because the last time I was there I don't remember showing my passport to a live body but going through the line after having a camera image snapped. I want to say I may have experienced the same at London Heathrow but can't remember for sure. I had heard so much flak about Heathrow and it ended up being one of the most painless and quick entries ever. Granted, I was traveling from within Europe (Germany) so that may have been one reason as opposed to a direct flight from the US.