If you have ever flown to the States before you will know what the endless queues are like in immigration. I understand completely why but when you have sat in a aircraft for 7 plus hours and then have to stand in a queue for another 1 or more, it can be frustrating. Having recently just come back from Milan via Amsterdam, I do have to say that the Dutch have this queue system down to a T! Not like this though then you are entering the United States.
Following President Trump’s decision to ban laptops, quite naturally, because there was evidence that Isis fighters could hide bombs there, it has recently been reported that five global airlines will now begin a variety of new enhanced security checks from filling in a form to actually being questioned by staff. These airlines at the moment are Air France, Cathy Pacific, Emirates, Egypt Air, and Lufthansa. Royal Jordanian have said they will probably go down this route too from mid January.
What will these security checks be though? It seems they are different (at the moment) for everyone of these airlines. Air France said it will begin new security interviews next week at Paris Orly Airport and a week later, at Charles de Gaulle Airport. This will be in the form of a questionnaire handed to 100% of passengers.
Emirates said in a statement it would begin doing ‘pre-screening interviews’ at its check-in counters for passengers flying out of Dubai and at boarding gates for transit and transfer fliers. It urged those flying through Dubai International Airport, to allow extra time to check into flights and board.
Cathay Pacific has said on its website that it had suspended self-drop baggage services and that passengers heading to the U.S. ‘will be subject to a short security interview’ when checking their luggage. Those without bags would have a similar interview at their gates.
Egypt Air have said they will have more detailed searches of passengers and luggage and will also conduct interviews. Lufthansa has really said the same as all above.
At the moment this is not going to affect us if we fly out of this country, but who knows for the future. It also leads us to the “dreaded” connection times at airports. Might be a case of leaving more then the usual allocated times – who knows!
Your thoughts as always, are welcome.
Till next time x