security at US airports

[Grumpy John]

Not sure what the authorities do at Gatwick. When we landed in February we were asked what flight were had got off, told the customs officer who just waved us on.

I do not have a problem with waiting at immigration in the US if it makes the country I like to visit every year that much safer.

 

[DisneySurfGirl]

A couple of years ago we flew to Orlando with a stop over at Cincinatti. There was only two hours between the flights so I thought we'd have enough time to check our bags through, get through immigration and have a quick coffee before getting on the next plane. Well after queuing for and hour and 45 mins (with my Dad shouting "What ride is this queue for then?!"... embarrassing...), then having to wait for all 4 of us to have our photos and fingerprints done, it was left to me, the fastest member of the family, to run to the boarding gate to get them to wait for us!

Now it's direct flights to Sanford everytime. They used to be £70 more expensive flying direct but now the prices have come down it's not too bad.

 

[Hockeychic]

I have never heard of this is it only for internation flights or domestic as well. We flew in last Sept and never had to do this???

 

[patdavies]

It was implemented in October last year for all US visitors; prior to then, it was only for those travelling on a visa rather than VWP

 

[kristieuk]

Just to confirm what others have said, they take your fingerprints and your photo every time you enter - we have been through immigration at Tampa, JFK and Atlanta since November, and they definitely know from your fingerprints when and where the last time you entered the US was.

In terms of delay, the airports all seem to be a lot more organised on this these days. In fact, I have found that the busier the airport in terms of international flights, the better orgnaised they are - in JFK and Atlanta, we waited no longer than 5 minutes. In Tampa, it can be more like an hour.

The moral of the story is to be prepared for it, but if you can, book the seats closest to the front of the plane as you can. Provided they disembark from the front, you should be closer to front of 300+ people. Plus make sure you have completed the Visa Waiver form (green) and the immigration form (white) correctly. Otherwise a mean immigration man will take great pleasure in sending you to the back of the queue.