those arriving at MCO

[Guest]

Originally Posted by mac2623

It never ceases to amaze me the extent that the US authorites go to ensure security. We must have an electronic passport, complete documentation on line, scanned & searched before you get on the plane, finger and eye scanned when you get off! I've been in the military for many years and have yet to experience this level of security. I'm in not doubt that they would have us all tagged to check on our whereabouts whilst on holiday if they could get away with it? We are just on holiday!

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Hi.. Is it true I need an electronic passport (with the chip in) to fly to USA now? I am flying to Orlando and Newark in September...have completed my ESTA etc but i dont have a chip in my passport. It runs out in 2015. Will i still be ok to fly with it? Sorry if its a silly question..Would appreciate any help with this.
Thanks

[Gaz]

Originally Posted by blueangel07

Hi.. Is it true I need an electronic passport (with the chip in) to fly to USA now? I am flying to Orlando and Newark in September...have completed my ESTA etc but i dont have a chip in my passport. It runs out in 2015. Will i still be ok to fly with it? Sorry if its a silly question..Would appreciate any help with this.
Thanks

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No, so long as its a machine readable, i.e. you have a load of >>>>> oon the photo page

[Gaz]

Originally Posted by mac2623

It never ceases to amaze me the extent that the US authorites go to ensure security. We must have an electronic passport, complete documentation on line, scanned & searched before you get on the plane, finger and eye scanned when you get off! I've been in the military for many years and have yet to experience this level of security. I'm in not doubt that they would have us all tagged to check on our whereabouts whilst on holiday if they could get away with it? We are just on holiday!

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Even in the military and travel to the USA under business you are still subjected to this check, the only thing excused it the visa waiver as your under a NATO travel order. Plus, certain areas i have worked in needed a high specific security, but i guess it depends on your job or where you work.

I for one would stand in a 4 hour queue give my inside leg measurements, walk through an xray machine and stip naked and run around the baggage carosel (but i wouldnt recemmoend it to spectators ) if it means me and my family are safe, i dont care which country does it. Bring it on Big Brother, less crime, less immigration problems, and a safer country.

[Guest]

I could understand the safety issue if they did it BEFORE you got on the plane...

but really just looks like "big brother" once you are there...

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Gaz

No, so long as its a machine readable, i.e. you have a load of >>>>> oon the photo page

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Ahh ok thanks for that. My passport is machine readable just as you said.

[Gaz]

Originally Posted by tttessa

I could understand the safety issue if they did it BEFORE you got on the plane...

but really just looks like "big brother" once you are there...

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They do in a way, ESTA and API. Plus travelling to the USA your subjected to extra security measures. like additional searches etc.

Mind you last time i went to Boston, i thought there was going to be a riot at the boarding area in Heathrow. There must have been 100 or 150 people in the queue, the staff were hand picking those for additional searching. I was chosen as was the guy behind me. He loudly asked the member of staff "Why is it in the 30 minutes we have been waiting, you have chosen about 50 people randomly, but everyone you chose was white, yet the area is full of mixed races but you only searched white people? Its obvious as all the staff are middle eastern you waving them through, and not searching any of them yet discriminating white people. How many white people have tried to blow up a plane in the last 15 years?" Although I did actually observe this slight discrimination, I was not willing to voice this observation as I was travelling with work and could have caused an embarrassment. But several others also voiced this to the staff at the same time, including others of middle eastern origins, even after being waved though they said it was not correct to only choose white Europeans. Many asked, "Why are you not searching everyone?"

(my trip was in the new year so only a few days after the Christmas Day plane bomb attempt)

Strangely, the staff did not choose to pull those aside who had spoken out and call the police, or security. The guy who started it all and was stood next to me had his bag packed quickly and rushed along to to board the plane, which to me and others (discussed at the bar on the plane) around actually supported the claims he, and others had made. Very strange.

I do agree though, random security screening IMO doesn't work, it should be all or nothing, and to be honest, their search was only going through the motions, i had a camera bag and laptop bag which they didn't want to look in, even after i offered, they declined. Yet other searches i have had asked me to turn on electronic items to check they are not being used as a Trojan horse.

I will always say, search, me, search my kids, make me wait for 4 hours, so long as you can, 100%, ensure my safety against others actions.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Gaz

I was chosen as was the guy behind me. He loudly asked the member of staff "Why is it in the 30 minutes we have been waiting, you have chosen about 50 people randomly, but everyone you chose was white, yet the area is full of mixed races but you only searched white people? Its obvious as all the staff are middle eastern you waving them through, and not searching any of them yet discriminating white people. How many white people have tried to blow up a plane in the last 15 years?" Although I did actually observe this slight discrimination, I was not willing to voice this observation as I was travelling with work and could have caused an embarrassment. But several others also voiced this to the staff at the same time, including others of middle eastern origins, even after being waved though they said it was not correct to only choose white Europeans. Many asked, "Why are you not searching everyone?"

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Makes a farce of the whole system. You know things have gone too far when political correctness over rides security.

[Guest]

We had this coming home from San Diego, we were almost the last on the plane due to my son (3 at the time) becoming tired and irritated so we thought the least time sat on the plane the better, anyway, we watched them pick random people for searching, about 1 in every 30, we stepped us just as my son was kicking off again, crying his heart out, screaming (yes he was the kid from hell that day!) and they decided we would be a good bet for the additional search! We had to unpack our bags, switch cameras on etc all with a screaming nightmare of a kid, to say we were a tad unhappy was an understatement!

[Heather1957]

Originally Posted by spendleb

We had this coming home from San Diego, we were almost the last on the plane due to my son (3 at the time) becoming tired and irritated so we thought the least time sat on the plane the better, anyway, we watched them pick random people for searching, about 1 in every 30, we stepped us just as my son was kicking off again, crying his heart out, screaming (yes he was the kid from hell that day!) and they decided we would be a good bet for the additional search! We had to unpack our bags, switch cameras on etc all with a screaming nightmare of a kid, to say we were a tad unhappy was an understatement!

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I'm glad they did this (sorry) it shows that it's ANYONE and EVERYONE randomly searched.

[Andre]

Originally Posted by Gaz

and to be honest, their search was only going through the motions, i had a camera bag and laptop bag which they didn't want to look in, even after i offered, they declined.

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I've noticed that too. My main camera bag tends to have lots of stuff in it, in various compartments, and yet they seem mostly happy to just look at the camera on the top and pretty-much wave me through. If I did want to get anything else through the screening, it wouldn't be too hard to do so.

However on another occasion, travelling with a rather short layover in Zurich en route to Italy, I was carrying just my small HD camcorder over my shoulder while walking between the two gates (but needing to come out and then back in through security) and they decided to take me to a secure booth and swab the camcorder for traces of chemicals. Go figure.

Andre