Air America breaking news: "USA to fingerprint ALL visitors !!!"

"Chad Irby" schreef in bericht
om...
In article ,
AJC wrote:

On Sat, 03 Apr 2004 13:57:38 GMT, Chad Irby wrote:

...and even with that, it's still going to be faster than most customs
checks in 99% of the countries in the world.

You don't get out very much do you?

I'm sure *you* don't, if you think US Customs and Immigration is bad,
compared to most places. Try any of the African nations, for example.
Or Russia.


You claimed that US customs ( I believe you mean immigration) is faster than
"99% of the countries in the world". I have been to 75 countries and the US
is amongst the 10 countries with the longest/slowest lines for immigration
and customs. Yes, Russia is bad too and so are some of the African nations
(although Egypt and Ethiopia were incredibly quick when I visited last
year), but the US is almost always slow.

Sjoerd

In article ,
"Sjoerd" wrote:

You claimed that US customs ( I believe you mean immigration) is faster than
"99% of the countries in the world". I have been to 75 countries and the US
is amongst the 10 countries with the longest/slowest lines for immigration
and customs.

Is this because the process for each person is long, or because of the
relative number of people coming in at a time?

When you're flying in on a hundred-seat airliner and there's four guys
working the desk, you're going to get through faster than if you're on
one of four 747-400s landing in the same hour...

--
cirby at cfl.rr.com

Remember: Objects in rearview mirror may be hallucinations.
Slam on brakes accordingly.

Chad Irby wrote:
In article ,
"Sjoerd" wrote:


You claimed that US customs ( I believe you mean immigration) is faster than
"99% of the countries in the world". I have been to 75 countries and the US
is amongst the 10 countries with the longest/slowest lines for immigration
and customs.


Is this because the process for each person is long, or because of the
relative number of people coming in at a time?

The number of people coming and the number of people working for
Immigration. But, if we double the time it takes to process each person
by requiring the photo and fingerprints, can you imagine the results,
unless we hire twice as many Immigration people? What actually occurs
with the photo and fingerprints? I doubt Immigration waits for a
fingerprint or image search for know "evil-doers".

In article ,
mtravelkay wrote:

Chad Irby wrote:

Is this because the process for each person is long, or because of the
relative number of people coming in at a time?

The number of people coming and the number of people working for
Immigration. But, if we double the time it takes to process each person
by requiring the photo and fingerprints, can you imagine the results,
unless we hire twice as many Immigration people?

And what makes you think taking someone's photo and having them put
their hands on an optical scanner will double the time? If it takes
more than a few seconds, someone's screwing up.

What actually occurs
with the photo and fingerprints? I doubt Immigration waits for a
fingerprint or image search for know "evil-doers".

It sure will help if we're looking for one or another person who came in
on a particular flight, without letting them know we're looking
specifically for them...

--
cirby at cfl.rr.com

Remember: Objects in rearview mirror may be hallucinations.
Slam on brakes accordingly.

On Sat, 03 Apr 2004 21:42:57 GMT, Chad Irby wrote:

In article ,
"Sjoerd" wrote:

You claimed that US customs ( I believe you mean immigration) is faster than
"99% of the countries in the world". I have been to 75 countries and the US
is amongst the 10 countries with the longest/slowest lines for immigration
and customs.

Is this because the process for each person is long, or because of the
relative number of people coming in at a time?

When you're flying in on a hundred-seat airliner and there's four guys
working the desk, you're going to get through faster than if you're on
one of four 747-400s landing in the same hour...

Yet There are many airports in the world who handle considerably more
international arrivals than US airports, even the busiest US airport
doesn't approach Heathrow for example.

Jim.

Chad Irby wrote:

When you're flying in on a hundred-seat airliner and there's four guys
working the desk, you're going to get through faster than if you're on
one of four 747-400s landing in the same hour...



You actually touch on a good point ... the BICE (Bureau of Immigration
and Customs Enforcement) is way, way understaffed, so is Customs. Plus,
they have to crosstrain to help relieve each other!

I read the USA Today's travel section (love Ben Mutzbaugh's Today
in the Sky news compendium) regularly, the TSA has been hit with
manpower cutbacks. Thus long domestic lines just to get on a plane.

gld