Posted on 10/03/2009 8:09:52 AM PDT by Clint Williams
An anonymous reader writes
"Yesterday, Chicago lost its bid for the 2016 Olympics (which went to Rio de Janiero instead), and it's looking very likely that US border procedures were one of the main factors which knocked Chicago out of the race: 'Among the toughest questions posed to the Chicago bid team this week in Copenhagen was one that raised the issue of what kind of welcome foreigners would get from airport officials when they arrived in this country to attend the Games. Syed Shahid Ali, an I.O.C. member from Pakistan, in the question-and-answer session following Chicago's official presentation, pointed out that entering the United States can be "a rather harrowing experience." ... The exchange underscores what tourism officials here have been saying for years about the sometimes rigorous entry process for foreigners, which they see as a deterrent to tourism.'"
I've had that happen internationally a few times... Last time was flying out form Guangzhou to LA. I asked why (in Mandarin - I speak a bit) and was told it was US policy that any liquids over 100mL (3.3 ounces) cannot go. I said US policy was only for carry-ons; that threw them for a loop!
Apparently we're telling most countries to not allow anyone more than three 3.3 ounce (100 mL) bottles in their luggage, not making it clear it's only carry-on luggage. So planes bound for the US often have even checked luggage torn apart.
What's even more insane - I cannot take my 1.5" long pocket knife with me, but up in business class, when I had my steak dinner, they provided a nice and sharp steak knife with a 5" blade, and of course everyone in business class got a 3" serrated blade on their all-metal dinner knives.
Much safer knowing that my 1.5" pocket knife isn't on me, but the NWA/Delta-supplied metal steak and dinner knives are!
I’m with you on SEA and also I like DFW and PDX; avoid LAX if at all possible, especially if coming from Asia! I just got back from China, and we arrived at 8:10 AM (very favorable jet stream), about 40 minutes ahead of schedule. We sat ON THE PLANE until 9 AM when the immigration officers started their shifts.
And we weren’t the only plane WAITING for their 9 AM start time. Insanity - 1500 people (four flights) held up because 8 officers don’t clock-in until 9 AM... We were cued into the lines at 9:05 AM as the officers sauntered to their booths, spent a few minutes getting things set up “just right”, then started processing.
Good thing I wisely switched my 10:30 AM flight to SEA to an 11:35 AM flight instead; by the time I got through immigration and customs it was 10:20 AM.
If immigration was open when we arrived, it would have been no problem; as it is, LAX is about the worst place I’ve come through in terms of immigration/customs.
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT! I've got a business partner who is Chinese; she had applied for - and been denied - US visas multiple times in the past, severely hampering her ability to do business with the US (she actually IMPORTS US products to China). Speaks great English, has plenty of wealth, strong family connections (reasons to return to China).
For her first visa attempt with our business, I told her we need to present the paperwork in the EXACT ORDER in which it was asked for by the Embassy. Put every sheet in the exact order they list, even though they state you do not need to worry about order.
Sailed right through, got her visa. Not because the information on the application had changed, just because we made it "easy" for the visa examiner to thumb through and check the papers were there.
My partner said the examiner spent about 30 seconds looking over all 9 pages of documents, asked 3 questions in the span of 1 minute, then stamped "approved". In other words, the reason she had been denied in the past wasn't because of a problem with her answers or status - it was some dumb visa examiner being too lazy to look at forms that may be out of some pre-set order that is not required.
Compared to what it's been like to get visas anywhere else for me (or for her), it's insanely difficult. Heck, for most countries where I need a visa and an invitation letter, I just write one to myself and include it! Invite myself as a company owner to visit the foreign country to do business, never had a problem with it, ever.
My significant other is Brazilian, and the quasi-Soviet process for her family to get a visa to visit causes considerable headaches for all involved. It doesn’t help, however, that Brazilians seem to have a habit of “overstaying” their visa once they arrive.
My significant other is Brazilian, and the quasi-Soviet process for her family to get a visa to visit causes considerable headaches for all involved. It doesn’t help, however, that Brazilians seem to have a habit of “overstaying” their visa once they arrive.
No, we lost because the IOC didn’t want to give the bid to Chicago due to the high crime rate and because the OBamas both made extremely arrogant pleas to the IOC. Bozo dropped the dime on himself and that is it in a nutshell.
So they chose Rio? ROTFLMAO!
Agreed - US Immigration at LAX is rude, stupid, and obnoxious to non-citizens and permanent residents. Singapore has the nicest people and best process I've experienced.
why did he decline our hospitality? Many reasons I’m sure but I can’t help but think that the The Centennial Olympic Park bombing is probably still fresh in everyone’s mind (2 dead, 111 injured) and, let’s face it Chicago is a sh!th&*e just like Atlanta.
Did Rio have a video out lately that showed a gang beating a kid to death using 2x4s? I didn’t think so. Rio may have a high crime rate but they don’t compare to Chicago on the stage of world perception. Plus my whole comment also included the clueless BS that Bozo and MO came up with on their speeches. They came across as the arrogant a**hats that they really are. That coupled with the beating video pretty much assured they were going to lose out. Bozo is not well liked in Europe, he has dissed to many people there, plus they can see what an empty suit he really is.
Oh, and BTW, have you donated to FR yet for this quarterly FReepathon? If not, do so.
I think the routine practice of beating the brains out of scholarly people had more to do with it.
Agreed.
When I was in my early teens ('70s), my family did quite a bit of air travel. I often asked to visit the cockpit on longer flights - generally no problem. About half a dozen times I was even allowed in the cockpit during starts/landings. That's kinda cool when you're 13 or so.
Somehow I think kids these days won't be allowed that experience...
(I also got to ride a bicycle without wearing a helmet...:-))
In other words it’s Bush’s fault.
I agree with IHA.
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