Immigration Horror Story:

[dddave]

I had to make a business trip from BKK to Guadalajara, Mexico last week: TG direct to LAX, then a 0100 Volaris flight; LAX to GDL, landing at 0630 (local).

Arrived on time, bused to Immigration, a hall about the size of a small supermarket. I disembarked the bus directly into a crowd of people. The Immigration area was jam packed with about 800 to 1000 people, now backed-up outside. There was ABSOLUTELY NO CROWD CONTROL; officers were standing aside, doing nothing. There were no lines, no delineation of areas for foreigners and locals, no attempt whatsoever to maintain order except to break up several fights that broke out. People were pressing and there was uncontrolled line cutting. we were packed so tightly together that for the first time in my life, I was truly frightened in a crowd as a stampede could have occurred at any time and there was no escape as people who arrived after we did were now pressing in. There were only TWO agents stamping foreigners in...Two!!!

It took me one hour just to get into the building; FOUR hours to clear: an unbelievable experience, like something out of a movie or refugee camp.

What was so enraging was that there were officials there who did absolutely nothing to get the situation under any kind of control. Several women fainted in my area and had to be passed: person to person back out the door.

When I finally cleared customs and met my colleague, a local resident, he was unsurprised. "Happens all the time." he said.

The experience sure made Suvannabhumi look good; hell... it even made LAX seem good.

[moe666]

never had it that bad there but have had some good waits when 3 or 4 747s land and wait until the 380 comes in what a joke. It will only get worse as the repukians cut more spending immigration arrival will not see any more money.

At least your luggage was there when you finally got thru

Edited June 30, 2011 by moe666

[PattayaParent]

I thought it was LAX that you were describing, sounds just like what I went through of a flight from Hawaii 11 years ago.

[Jingthing]

That is a horror story! Surprising too as the one time I flew into Guadalajara was totally unmemorable.

[Familyonthemove]

That sounds really bad .... but Washington Dulles can come close on the time needed to clear immigration/security/customs, but at least there's some controls over lines and not many fights.

[ericthai]

I thought it was LAX that you were describing, sounds just like what I went through of a flight from Hawaii 11 years ago.

I hate LAX, i avoid it at all costs, dont care if I have to pay more, hate the place. Hope I never have to go to LA for business.

[Somtamnication]

Guadalajara must have changed since the 90s. I only remember going through fast enough, but then getting caught with the red or green light button to see if you get searched by Customs.

[dddave]

Guadalajara must have changed since the 90s. I only remember going through fast enough, but then getting caught with the red or green light button to see if you get searched by Customs.

Ahhh!; so that's what that button is all about,...I wondered: thank you. I should have mentioned that I have passed thru GDL a number of times without the problems encountered on this particular visit.

[WebBangkok]

I have never had any problems with Bangkok airports, both have been great to me so far.I do have a problem with Australian Customs though, those bastards.....

[mikebell]

I thought it was LAX that you were describing, sounds just like what I went through of a flight from Hawaii 11 years ago.

I hate LAX, i avoid it at all costs, dont care if I have to pay more, hate the place. Hope I never have to go to LA for business.

Here, here. Went on a trip of a lifetime to Las Vegas via LAX. What a shambles. Unable to make our onward flight. Spent a pointless night in a hotel. Will NEVER return to America again. My Thai wife has a ten year US visa and will only use it ONCE.

[qualtrough]

Heads up to anyone flying into LAX, be prepared for spending 2-3 hours to clear customs and immigration. That's what it has taken the last three trips. Rude officials, inadequate number of officers, the whole shebang. I once had to spend an extra hour while customs officers tried to determine if the package of instant noodles I brought in were a prohibited item. They told me I was lucky I didn't get fined $500. Of course it was not prohibited, I was just lucky those idiots figured that out before fining me. Avoid it like the plague if you can. Fills me with shame as an American that that is the fist glimpse many foreigners get of the USA.

[dddave]

Heads up to anyone flying into LAX, be prepared for spending 2-3 hours to clear customs and immigration. That's what it has taken the last three trips. Rude officials, inadequate number of officers, the whole shebang. I once had to spend an extra hour while customs officers tried to determine if the package of instant noodles I brought in were a prohibited item. They told me I was lucky I didn't get fined $500. Of course it was not prohibited, I was just lucky those idiots figured that out before fining me. Avoid it like the plague if you can. Fills me with shame as an American that that is the fist glimpse many foreigners get of the USA.

I had a similar experience at LAX. Two days after the recent Tsunammi, I had to fly BKK to LAX via Narita. I had been told that Narita was chaotic and had little food on hand so on an impulse, I bought a ham & cheese sandwich at S-bhumi and packed it into my carry-on.

No problems at Narita and on I went to LAX, oblivious to the sandwich until that cute little Beagle got really excited next to my bag in the customs line. You would have thought I had a kilo of Semtex. Four officers converged on me; removed the contraband with a special device, questioned me extensively about the contents, (Yes sir; it probably does have mayonnaise)and issued dire lists of possible consequences I faced. Finally, after enough X-ray inspections to turn it into a toasted ham & cheese, I was allowed to proceed but not without signing a "confession" and many reminders of what they could have done.

This last trip whilst also going through customes at LAX, the inspector asked me If I had ever had a problem there. I answered "NO." which turned out to be the wrong answere.

"Are you certain Sir? There wasn't an incident with contraband food?"

So now I am Stigmata... the Ham & Cheese (with mayo) will follow me for the rest of my travelling days, notorious sandwich smuggler that I am.

[PattayaParent]

I thought it was LAX that you were describing, sounds just like what I went through of a flight from Hawaii 11 years ago.

I hate LAX, i avoid it at all costs, dont care if I have to pay more, hate the place. Hope I never have to go to LA for business.

Here, here. Went on a trip of a lifetime to Las Vegas via LAX. What a shambles. Unable to make our onward flight. Spent a pointless night in a hotel. Will NEVER return to America again. My Thai wife has a ten year US visa and will only use it ONCE.

The airport itself was OK, a couple of bars to get a beer in, and some seats to have a kip on while waiting for a flight.

It was just the immigration and customs who didn't seem to have a clue what they were doing, and this was 1990, well before the terrorism paranoia.

[surangw]

reminds me of being stuck in the holding area at Ankara airport some years back, everyone packed into a small area, and most were trying to smoke up all their duty free ciggies before getting to the plane.

none of the "officials" seemed to have a clue how to process the passengers in and orderly ( logical) manner

[gk10002000]

Heads up to anyone flying into LAX, be prepared for spending 2-3 hours to clear customs and immigration. That's what it has taken the last three trips. Rude officials, inadequate number of officers, the whole shebang. I once had to spend an extra hour while customs officers tried to determine if the package of instant noodles I brought in were a prohibited item. They told me I was lucky I didn't get fined $500. Of course it was not prohibited, I was just lucky those idiots figured that out before fining me. Avoid it like the plague if you can. Fills me with shame as an American that that is the fist glimpse many foreigners get of the USA.

I just came back through LAX on EVA air. For the second time now we did not park at one of the gates. The plan stopped at a little concrete building out on the far side of the tarmac somewhere. Then we jammed onto busses and drove to the terminal. The passport line wait was not too bad. The big wait was after that. I only had a carry on bag so I naively thought I could easily walk out. NOT! I had to stand at the end of a long line behind all the people with checked baggage and carts. That really pissed me off. I travel light and efficiently but can't move efficiently through the airport. Overall it was 2.5 hours from the time the plane landed until I left the terminal, then had about a 30 minute wait as the shuttle driver didn't think he should actually come to the curb and the pickup spot so "I" missed his first drive around.

BKK has not been an issue with me on my 11 trips. I do miss the Don airport though. That had more character and made one actually feel like they were in Thailand. Suvi just has no appeal.