Viking Air

[CDNPolar]

12 hours ago, Deb922 said:

 Rude TSA agents.

 

Please don't take offence to what I will say here as I am not attacking you.... 

 

I agree with you that often security screening agents can be rude, but if you actually stood back and watched the abuse that these folks take on a typical shift, you would perhaps understand why they come across as rude.

 

Confidence and direct instructions are also often misinterpreted as rude.

 

These folks must be direct, loud, and confident in their instructions for the masses to hear them and comply.

 

We know that we have to go through security and that it is part of flying.  We tend to be as nice and polite to these folks as possible and just let what seems rude from them slide off.  It is not worth getting upset about because none of this is directed at you personally.

[AveSaloon]

16 minutes ago, island lady said:

Though in a much shorter line.  😉 

 

Nope.  GE gets you the same pre-check.  It does have a shorter line at IMMIGRATION, but the comment was about TSA, which does not do immigration procedures.

[island lady]

2 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Please don't take offence to what I will say here as I am not attacking you.... 

 

I agree with you that often security screening agents can be rude, but if you actually stood back and watched the abuse that these folks take on a typical shift, you would perhaps understand why they come across as rude.

 

Confidence and direct instructions are also often misinterpreted as rude.

 

These folks must be direct, loud, and confident in their instructions for the masses to hear them and comply.

 

We know that we have to go through security and that it is part of flying.  We tend to be as nice and polite to these folks as possible and just let what seems rude from them slide off.  It is not worth getting upset about because none of this is directed at you personally.

 

Totally agree...and perfectly stated.  Thank you!  🙂 

[Mike07]

3 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

 

I agree with you that often security screening agents can be rude, but if you actually stood back and watched the abuse that these folks take on a typical shift, you would perhaps understand why they come across as rude.

 

 

 

 

Completely agree. It's a federal job. It's an in to DHS and maybe do something else and have a leg-up on an internal vacancy, but I try to just be an obedient sheep with these people. The traveling public doesn't like TSA, and that doesn't foster a good interaction when so many people go into the interaction with negative feelings.

 

 

[island lady]

1 minute ago, AveSaloon said:

 

Nope.  GE gets you the same pre-check.  It does have a shorter line at IMMIGRATION, but the comment was about TSA, which does not do immigration procedures.

 

Since our Global Entry includes TSA precheck, those lines here in Orlando are way...way shorter than the general population lines heading into security check.  I am most happy to get into those shorter lines...no matter what the outcome is after that.  

 

Some days there the general population lines to get into security are across the hallway and all the way down to the food courts.  It's terrible...and I would not want to be traveling today or tomorrow.  😮 

[sharkster77]

45 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Confidence and direct instructions are also often misinterpreted as rude.

 

Amen @CDNPolar, I want direct instructions!   Everytime I fly, it seems things change---shoes on/off, belt on/off, electronics out of bag/stay in bag, etc., etc.  Requirements also vary country to country.

 

Just tell me directly what you want me to do and I will gladly do it, to get through the security check as quickly and smoothly as possible!!!

[rnrcruzin]

On 5/25/2024 at 12:28 AM, wendyp247 said:

I did check alternate flights and there’s an up charge of $1200+ to change flights.   I’ll never make the connection in Miami with only 1:45 minutes, since I need to go through customs. 
What is the Viking Plus Air ? 

Get Global Entry. when we returned from New Zealand we had to clear Customs in Houston. GE had us in and out in less than 10 minutes.

[CDR2001]

We had GE entering JFK. For some reason the kiosks were not working, so we had our own line to the far left of general population. However, the agent alternated calling people up to the entry booth from 3 lines and we ended up switching to a regular line for quicker service. When GE works it’s great, but no guarantees sadly. It is worth it for the usually included TSA pre check. We have another story about that not working for us! 

[Deb922]

@CDNPolar while I certainly agree with you. And I’m ok with direct, I have a kid who lives in Philly 😉

 

I definitely agree that TSA agent have a job to do. I’m not that picky. 
 

Unfortunately the TSA at ORD was on another level. And I fly through Philly on occasion. It wasn’t direct, it wasn’t informative. It may have been a bad day. Screaming at flyers because they weren’t fast enough. Screaming because they didn’t put the bins in the correct place. It was over the top. 
 

It was the nudge my husband needed to get global entry. I’ve had precheck for a while, now we both do. He will see how things are on the other side 😉
 

 

[formernuke]

With Global Entry we got through security in SFO upon return from Bergen two weeks ago in literally 30 seconds. Almost as fast as we could walk. HIghly recommend GE (with included TSA precheck for domestic) to 5 year cost is trivial. 

[island lady]

1 hour ago, formernuke said:

With Global Entry we got through security in SFO upon return from Bergen two weeks ago in literally 30 seconds. Almost as fast as we could walk. HIghly recommend GE (with included TSA precheck for domestic) to 5 year cost is trivial. 

 

Definitely.  And the renewal is super fast and painless.  🙂 

[AveSaloon]

7 hours ago, island lady said:

Definitely.  And the renewal is super fast and painless.  🙂 

 

Please stop the generalizations.  Just as the initial approval process can vary from short to over a year, so with renewals.  Many people wait months for their renewals, and to tell folks that it is "super fast" is a disservice.  Further more, it isn't necessarily "painless".  You need to list all the countries you have visited in the last five years, with details.  In my case, that was over 50 countries, so not a "painless" process.

 

 

[CDNPolar]

19 hours ago, sharkster77 said:

Amen @CDNPolar, I want direct instructions!   Everytime I fly, it seems things change---shoes on/off, belt on/off, electronics out of bag/stay in bag, etc., etc.  Requirements also vary country to country.

 

Just tell me directly what you want me to do and I will gladly do it, to get through the security check as quickly and smoothly as possible!!!

 

Exactly... we can at some airports out of Canada with TSA Pre leave the small liquids in the bag, but when you transit through the EU, and specifically LHR which is a main one for us, they have to be in the Heathrow plastic bag and you can only have one....blah, blah, blah...

I find Heathrow there is a lot of "advance" yelling so that we are prepared once we arrive at the actual screening area.  You are back and forth through stanchions seemingly forever before you reach the actual screening and a few people along the way yelling the requirements.

 

We saw a group of young American boys (early 20's) all detained for physical search in Heathrow when the yelling was clear that you had to remove your liquids.  There defence was that in the USA they did not have to because of TSA Pre and they did not want to here either.  Does not cut it, and it pays to listen and do as you are told.  I heard as a final comment that the physical screening would detain the lot of them for at least 20 minutes because it was backed up with others not removing their liquids.

 

Yes, there are many different rules in different airports and countries!

[island lady]

8 hours ago, AveSaloon said:

 

Please stop the generalizations.  Just as the initial approval process can vary from short to over a year, so with renewals.  Many people wait months for their renewals, and to tell folks that it is "super fast" is a disservice.  Further more, it isn't necessarily "painless".  You need to list all the countries you have visited in the last five years, with details.  In my case, that was over 50 countries, so not a "painless" process.

 

 

 

Ok...whatever.  The quick and painless was the experience of my sister just last month and several of my cruising friends this last year.  I don't have any information of having it elsewise, like you did.  And just because it was difficult and time consuming for you...does that make it so with everyone else also?  

 

My glass is half full...   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 27 by island lady

[sharkster77]

4 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Exactly... we can at some airports out of Canada with TSA Pre leave the small liquids in the bag, but when you transit through the EU, and specifically LHR which is a main one for us, they have to be in the Heathrow plastic bag and you can only have one....blah, blah, blah...

I find Heathrow there is a lot of "advance" yelling so that we are prepared once we arrive at the actual screening area.  You are back and forth through stanchions seemingly forever before you reach the actual screening and a few people along the way yelling the requirements.

 

We saw a group of young American boys (early 20's) all detained for physical search in Heathrow when the yelling was clear that you had to remove your liquids.  There defence was that in the USA they did not have to because of TSA Pre and they did not want to here either.  Does not cut it, and it pays to listen and do as you are told.  I heard as a final comment that the physical screening would detain the lot of them for at least 20 minutes because it was backed up with others not removing their liquids.

 

Yes, there are many different rules in different airports and countries!

Their country, their rules 

 

There is a case in the news where an American left ammo in his luggage and is being detained in a Caribbean country.  Some US press is portraying this as excessive.  Personally I feel no sympathy for this guy,  and go back to "their country,  their rules".

[Mike07]

Am I the only one with security concerns about Global Entry since non-American governments participate and future governments like the Kingdom are in the process of being rolled into the program?

[CDNPolar]

1 hour ago, Mike07 said:

Am I the only one with security concerns about Global Entry since non-American governments participate and future governments like the Kingdom are in the process of being rolled into the program?

 

 

I think that we have to assume that our data is globally accessible by most governments - just my thoughts and opinion.

 

[island lady]

1 hour ago, CDNPolar said:

 

 

I think that we have to assume that our data is globally accessible by most governments - just my thoughts and opinion.

 

 

 

LOL...good one!  Bad sadly so true!!  😮