So experiences traveling from Toronto to Tampa Florida. Security was a cinch. Lined up but it was quick. US Customs....gong show. They had to shut down the security check as there were too many people in the Customs line up. At least 1 hour + to clear Customs. I got lucky. This security person comes up to me in the line and asks "are you travelling by yourself?". Yes.. "come with me". I get to this doorway and she states to me...follow this wall, turn left at the end and go to the first officer. So I walk along the wall, turn left and see the "crew" line for Customs. Ah?? But she told me to go there. So I get to the Customs officer, and does she have a chip on her shoulder!! "Why are you here?" "Ah, I was told to come here by a security officer" Well that, (she points to the line I came from) is your line, you go back there. Many more sentences than that, but that's "Cole's notes".
So, I turn around and go back to the original line. The security officer meets me 1/2 way back the wall, asks, what's going on? So I tell her..."follow me". She gets a supervisor and I get through.
US Customs need to get their act together. It's 7am on a Friday morning. They have 4 officers set aside for airline crew. I get it, they need to get through, but the 4 officers aren't doing anything. There is a person directing the end of the huge line up to which customs line you go to. There is no reason why the air crew custom officers can't take joe blow average when there are NO air crew people in any line. That's what this security officer could see.
Also it's pays to dress a notch above the rest. I was wearing a skort, polo/golf shirt and running shoes, and carrying a purse and carry on. I didn't look "rich", but well dressed for summer. Not that yoga pants or tights are a bad thing for travel, but, I'm sure this security person would not have approached me if I hadn't been dressed the way I was.
So, a couple of other things...West Jet gave a couple of people at least 1/2 hour before they started to pull their luggage off the plane. For whatever reason, they hadn't cleared customs before we were to depart. So I give WJ cou-dos, for trying to help. The crew stated that if they found their luggage before they boarded then they weren't coming. Well they found their luggage.
Once we landed, the crew informed us that it would take at least 1/2 hour before our luggage would show up. I had rented a car, so I needed to see where that was for pick up. Also on the plane were 3 other team mates that needed to get to Sarasota. So I up graded the car to a larger one to carry everyone. My team mates gave my gas money which I will put towards that extra cost.
We'll see what happens on the way back!!
Competition starts Tuesday!!