Avoid non-essential flights to the US

jackieblack

callum9999 wrote: »

If you think that then fair enough but we'll have to agree to disagree. In my view, America has enough "pulling power" that the small proportion of people who do check things like immigration lines will overlook it.

America has had a global reputation for awful, and occasionally invasive, airport security for as long as I can remember yet people still go. A long line won't put people off!

I agree
We had the longest wait for immigration we've ever had at IAD in March, but once you're in it's over. An extra hour in a 15 day trip isn't enough to stop us!

NFH

Another issue to bear in mind is missed connecting flights as a result of these excessive delays. Even if you start and end your journey outside the US, you have to pass through US immigration if you change flights at a US airport.

The US is unique in requiring international connecting passengers to pass through immigration. Normally this happens only where the connecting country shares an immigration zone with the start or end country, e.g. Schengen area, UK/Ireland and Russia/Belarus.

Dogger69

NFH wrote: »

I think many people will look to book another destination if they know there is a very strong chance of being delayed for three hours, which is a significant amount of time.

You can experience the same delays at LHR at peak periods, yet their passenger numbers continue to rise.

NFH

Dogger69 wrote: »

You can experience the same delays at LHR at peak periods, yet their passenger numbers continue to rise.

True, but the impact of these delays upon the economy and bad image for the country has been recognised and the problem is being addressed (albeit somewhat intermittently). The US hasn't quite grasped the negative impact upon its economy yet.

jackieblack

NFH wrote: »

The US hasn't quite grasped the negative impact upon its economy yet.

Because it is unlikely to be hugely significant.

Dogger69

NFH wrote: »

True, but the impact of these delays upon the economy and bad image for the country has been recognised and the problem is being addressed (albeit somewhat intermittently). The US hasn't quite grasped the negative impact upon its economy yet.

You seem to massively overestimate how much people care about standing in a queue. I cannot recall the LHR problems being cited by Sir Mervyn as contributing to the recession!

NFH

Dogger69 wrote: »

You seem to massively overestimate how much people care about standing in a queue. I cannot recall the LHR problems being cited by Sir Mervyn as contributing to the recession!

Not true. See what Boris Johnson had to say about it a year ago. Many politicians have warned of the impact on international trade as well as the UK's image abroad. See this FT article for example.

torbrex

NFH wrote: »

True, but the impact of these delays upon the economy and bad image for the country has been recognised and the problem is being addressed (albeit somewhat intermittently). The US hasn't quite grasped the negative impact upon its economy yet.

What are people going to do, turn round and go home again?
Either way, they still have to stand in line to get through immigration.

People are not going to stop going there just because they have to stand in line for a couple of hours, you have obviously never seen the lines at Disneyworld.

callum9999

NFH wrote: »

Not true. See what Boris Johnson had to say about it a year ago. Many politicians have warned of the impact on international trade as well as the UK's image abroad. See this FT article for example.

Since when did Boris become the font of all knowledge? I take it you therefore support a massive new airport out in the middle of the Thames estuary then?

I don't doubt it did dent our image abroad, for a day. Then everyone forgot about it (not that many would have heard about it anyway).

American airports have had far worse publicity than long lines for over a decade now (TSA strip searches etc.) - and of course we are now being forced to fund their tourism campaigns - yet virtually no-one cares enough to change their mind about visiting. In fact, I'd go as far as to say "avoiding non-essential flights" to America because of it is utterly ridiculous - something that is only advised by sensible people when there is some sort of risk to your safety.

cubegame

Presumably this isn't true if Simon Calder wrote it. He's the travel equivalent of Martyn Lewis!