Flying With Fish The Blog for Those Who Fly & Those Who Want to Fly Smarter

Regardless of how you feel about the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) they agency serves a defined purpose, that of securing transportation security in the United States, primarily in airports. Working along side the TSA in airports are police officers, who are supposed to enforce the laws within the airports, ensuring airport security regulations are properly adhered to. While some police officers may disagree with TSA policy and procedure, their job is to follow the law. When a police officer blatantly disregards security procedure in a rigid environment such as an airport, and in the process drags a Federal Agent into the situation, what happens next is exactly what shouldn’t happen, creating a situation going on today at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport.

So, what is exactly occurring and what caused it?

Let’s go back to the 4th of April … A United States Department of Education Special Agent, a Federal law enforcement agent carrying a Glock.40 caliber handgun, arrives at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal C and the West Checkpoint to meet Secretary of Education. The Special Agent, having been through airport security previously is familiar with the protocols for passing from the “land side” to the “sterile” with their weapon and seeks out a Police Officer to escort them past security.   The Special Agent meets with their New York-Jersey Port Authority Police (PAPD) escort to pass through security, however rather than following the protocols set in place by not only the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) but also the PAPD itself, the PAPD Officer removed a sign blocking a closed walk through metal detector and brought the Special Agent through.  The Special Agent with the PAPD Officer was undocumented to either agency at the time of the incident, and as all of this was captured on security cameras, this person appeared to be a civilian identified as carrying a gun bypassing security.

Strict policies are in place to document when a firearm is brought into the sterile area of the airport. Furthermore,  properly documenting an armed law enforcement officer entering the sterile area should take less than a minute.

Once on the “sterile” side of security a TSA Transportation Security Manager approached the officer and asked them to follow proper procedures. Rather than simply complying with the Transportation Security Manager’s request, the officer responded with “Who the f%$k are you?“   This unwarranted response prompted a call to the PAPD Captain to discuss the incident, smooth things over and move on.

This could have been the end of it, the PAPD and TSA must work hand in hand, side-by-side, day in and day out at multiple airports in New York and New Jersey, however the Captain chose to ignore the TSA and refuse to return phone calls.

The PAPD’s  lack of response to the TSA caused the agency to follow established protocols in dealing with such a significant security violation and issued a Letter of Investigation. As a result the PAPD Officer could face a fine of up to US$24,000. The Department of Education Special Agent is not under investigation, they properly followed their PAPD escort and violated no rules pertaining to them.

So … here is where the pissing match begins … as of today Port Authority Police Officers have begun targeting Department of Homeland Security vehicles and issuing tickets to the drivers in response to the Letter of Investigation at the airports they oversee in New York City.  In addition to issuing moving violation tickets to those driving DHS vehicles, the PAPD has begun citing TSA Transportation Security Officers smoking on the curbs at JFK Airport.

TSA Supervisors have reported some subordinates are being intimated by the PAPD Officers and are fearful for reporting to work due to harassment by the PAPD.

Now two agencies charged with providing the highest level of aviation security at some of the busiest airports in the United States, and the World, are engaged in a pissing match that ultimately impacts the integrity of security commercial airline flights.

Once the Port Authority Police Officer created a security breach situation, he had the immediate opportunity to correct it and moved on. Chest thumping and creating a territorial pissing match that diverts the attention of police officers and distracts transportation security officers is good for no one.

Commercial aviation security is a serious business; it should not be treated in the same manner as a drunken intra-fraternity house grudge match.

Like my Grandma always said, “Cutting corner now to save a minute now can cost you five minutes later on.” Not a bad thing to keep in mind if you’re the cop who didn’t follow the rules and now faces a potential $24,000 fine.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

As a regular weekly co-host of the #TNI (Travelers Night In) Travel Chat it would be easy for me to shamelessly promote that this chat happens every Thursday at 3:30pm EST and runs for 90 minutes … oh wait I just did … but this blog post isn’t about the #TNI chat.

This post is about a new weekly travel chat that debuted last Friday, amid a crowded field of travel chats, but this one stands out. Why does this one stand out? Simple, because of the two hosts who brought it to life, Chris McGinnis and Johnny Jet.

Johnny’s media appearances are really too much to even begin to list, although he was the host of Travel Channel’s Hot Spots 2012 and can frequently be found appearing on major television network shows. Chris’ media appearances, like Johnny’s, are endless and include being the BBC’s Business Travel columnist as well as appearing as a regular travel expert on Good Morning America and CNN’s On-The-Go travel segment.

In short, when it comes to engaging travel experts you really can’t go any further up the food chain than these two.

Following the debut of the #TravelSkills chat last Friday at 12:00pm EST, I asked the two why they decided to start a Twitter chat in the crowded space. The two participate in other Twitter chats, have extremely busy schedules and trying to coordinate a chat at a regular time can be complicated. The answer for the two, who have known each other since the 90s, when Chris mentored Johnny on travel journalism, was simple, ” After speaking on a couple of panels together and receiving so much positive feedback we talked about taking “our show” on the road or at least to Twitter. “

Given the response to the first #TravelSkills chat this past Friday it seems the chat is already a hit with the significant loyal following both hosts bring to the table. The initial chat drove a whopping 5,000,000 timeline deliveries and brought the chat to a trending level of #2 in the United States on Twitter … not bad for the first shot out of the gate. Many established chats would kill for that kind of response.

So, if you’re looking for a great travel chat … aside from the #TNI Travel Chat on Thursdays at 3:30pm EST … set your Twitter schedule to follow the #TravelSkills chat every Friday at 12:00pm EST. You won’t be sorry.

Be sure to follow Johnny at @JohnnyJet and Chris at @CJMcGinnis, their tweets are among the best anywhere when it comes to travel.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

Last week headlines regarding an Android App’s ability to hack an airliners’ in-flight systems computer once again invoked fear among travelers, however the reality is those fears exist in a virtual world scenario, not a real world scenario.

Hugo Teso, an IT security consultant with Germany’s n.runs AG, presented what appears to be some terrifying findings on the 10^th of April at the Hack In The Box conference in Amsterdam. Mr. Teso detailed that he discovered and bypassed two vulnerable security flaws in the systems that deal with the communication between an aircraft and air traffic controllers. Using an Android mobile phone application Mr. Teso was able to hack the sin-flight computer system of a virtual airliner.   The system Mr. Teso hacked is in fact a real in-flight computer systems that perfectly replicates the systems used by pilots and are used for flight training simulation by airlines around the world.

The information that Mr. Teso however did not address in his doomsday Hack In The Box presentation of mobile phones hacking in-flight systems and crashing aircraft are this … the systems he hacked, while ‘real’ for flight simulator training are not the actual systems installed on aircraft.   Simulator software mimics the real world allowing pilots to train under many scenarios and constantly stay up to date, but these systems do not come with multiple security redundancies, nor are they connected to ‘the system’ in the same way the software would be in service on a real flying aircraft.  In short, the software Mr. Teso hacked is not certified to work with fight hardware systems by any aviation authority in the world.

A factor Mr. Teso also failed to address, as he used his Android phone application to wreak havoc on the flight software, is this … the ability for a pilot to switch to manual, override the system, and fly the aircraft without using the flight computer inputs.   Should an aircraft’s flight system put the aircraft in a dive towards the center of the city a pilot at the controls would be able to stop all of that, bring the aircraft level and continue flying safely and normally doing what they were trained to do as a pilot.

Finding vulnerabilities in aircraft flight systems is important, but there are many factors in place to seek out command errors, both on board the aircraft and in the air traffic control towers that would prevent a mobile phone, or outside system, from hacking into an in-flight computer and bringing down the plane.

You may hit some rough air and spill your drink as you fly from place to place, but that will be the work of Mother Nature, not the work of a hacker taking over your flight.

No sit back, relax, take out your phone (in Airplane Mode) if your flight has wifi, and enjoy your trip.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

On the 25th of April the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will once again allow certain types of knives, and other prohibited items, to fly once again as carry-on items, which I detailed on the 6th of March in Sharpen Your Knives, Polish Your Golf Clubs & Fly!

Since the TSA’s announcement there has been a hue and cry from flight attendants and others that small knives in the cabin process a real threat to aviation security, and could lead to another 9/11/01 type event. On the surface their fear are logical, but in the dynamic shifts in public mentality, changes in on board security and changes in threats, another 9/11/01 terrorist attack carried out using knives is not likely … although other risks present themselves.

First, lets look at one such odd change in the TSA carry on restrictions on the 25th of April. As of the 25th of April the TSA will allow passengers to travel with up to two golf clubs in the cabin as a carry on item. Why will the TSA only allow two golf clubs? Because the agency believe that any quantity greater than two golf clubs could constitute a threat to aviation security. Statistically nearly all airline travelers have two arms and two hands, some have no arms or only one hand … but the statistical rate of humans with the polymelia, or extra limbs, is almost non-existent and the chances of one of these people with polymelia being a terrorist is equivalent to zero. The TSA’s view that two golf clubs or less in the cabin per passenger leads to this question, how would the TSA limiting the number of carry on golf clubs to two reduce the likelihood of these items being used as a weapon in-flight?

A traveler flying to Myrtle Beach with their golf clubs is likely to leave all of their clubs in a single shipping case as checked baggage, rather than remove only two clubs as their carry on item. A single drunk passenger with a single putter on board a flight can inflict real damage. Is it likely? No, for a variety of reasons, most which are related to the size of a cabin inhibiting a person from taking a good full swing, but still the instances of in-flight golf club related attacks prior to their ban as a carry on item is essentially non-existent.

Now, back to knives … a non-locking blade of 2.36 inches on a knife with a non-molded grip can inflict damage, but not much as one might think. A knife like these is more likely to be the weapon of convenience for an intoxicated passenger rather than a person who has planned to inflict damage on a flight. The number of times these knives were used to attack a flight attendant prior to their 2001 ban is so low the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) could not provide any examples of such an attack.

If we are going to get into what is a real threat, that is more likely to be used in a calculated attack, it won’t be something that people will see coming, the weapon will be one that will never be detected by security. The list of known possible threats is almost endless, but a few stand out as simple and more likely than others.

Let’s go through three viable security threats that have been discussed with experts within the Department of Homeland Security, its sub-agencies the Transportation Security Administration, as well as a veteran of New York City’s Department of Corrections. None of these people wished to be named due to their current positions and our conversations not being cleared by their media relations departments.

1) Metal Retractable Ball Point Pen – Death by pen shows up in murder mysteries, however with some very basic training on human anatomy a metal pen, such as the common Parker Jotter stainless steal retractable ball point pen, can be used to quietly and swiftly puncture a person’s jugular. After inflicting the injury the attacker can quickly slip away, from say the galley, and wait for the panic to ensue before moving on to their greater terrorist threat. The use of a pen, depending on the angle of attack would leave a minimal blood splatter on the attacker, reducing the chances of them being spotted immediately afterwards, so they may inflict further damage in a single person or coordinated attack on board an aircraft.

2) A Sharpened Bank Card – The Edge of Glory knife sharpener, As Seen On TV, promises that with just a few quick swipes a common bank card can have a blade sharp enough to cut your most delicate fruits. This item has been tested by personnel at the TSA’s Transportation Security Laboratory and not only will it sharpen your bank card to cut your most delicate fruits, it can also slash a person’s neck with some ease, if they have had some practice in holding the card and determining their angle of attack. A standard bank card has a longer blade than the knives the TSA will allow on board as of the 25th of April, it is easier to handle and can potentially be a more durable blade. Holding a sharpened bank card in your hand, positioning one corner against you palm, at the base of your thumb and another corner inside the top knuckle of your index finger can be far more damaging than a simple small pocket knife with a slim non-locking blade.

3) Molded Plastic Suitcase Inserts – Inside many roll-aboard suitcases is a zipper in the back, allowing access to the collapsable handle. In this area on some suitcases is also access to rigid molded stays that give a suitcase its shape. These stays are flexible, but durable. Sharpening these molded stays can create a weapon of variable lengths, depending on a person’s desired usage. From longer sword, not very effective on an aircraft, to smaller knives, these suitcase inserts are perfectly hidden at all times and will never catch a second look from any person monitoring the carry on baggage x-ray scanner. A sharpened suitcase stay with a little bit of tape for a grip can do the same job as a longer metal knife with a locking blade and molded grip, the type of knife the TSA will not be allowing as a carry on item due to their greater risk of posing a threat to those on board a flight.

4) Syringe & Poison – Less likely, but a threat that has emerged in certain research, and has been mentioned by a number of experts. Medical syringes with medically labeled vials cannot be tested by airport security to determine the contents of the liquid in the vials. A syringe with poison is simple, walk up to someone, stick him or her and walk away. A small needle with a toxic cocktail would feel like a pinch, like a person backed into a screw or something else. These syringes create no bleeding as a knife or pen would and could allow multiple attacks in a very short period of time to go undetected by either a single attacker or a multitude of attackers.

Weapons aside, why is another 9/11/01 style attack using knives not likely? Two reasons. The first being the mentality of travelers. Prior to 9/11/01 if a plane was hijacked, it flew somewhere and more often than not the passengers were set free. Commercial aircraft had not been used as weapon of mass destruction. Following the 9/11/01 attacks passengers have repeatedly become active in counter-attacking, isolating and restraining threats on board commercial flights. Passengers have tackled and subdued drunks with weapons, mentally ill people who became violent and even thrown themselves on a terrorist with explosives seeking to take down a plane.

In the post 9/11/01 in-flight environment if a threat presented itself using a knife, a golf club, or anything else, it is highly likely that person, or those people, would be overtaken fairly quickly, aggressively and while injuries may occur to passengers involved on-board the fight, the aircraft would land safely.

In addition to a change in passenger mindset is the securing of the cockpit door. The cockpit door for commercial aircraft are now locked and secured. Pilots do not exit the cockpit unless they need to use the lavatory, or during a crew change on long flights. When a pilot exits the cockpit, flight attendants secure the cockpit area. Storming the flight deck and trying to break through the door, which is reinforced, would prove fruitless without significant tools to remove the door.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) already allows passengers to fly with the items as carry-on that the TSA is reintroducing into the cabin environment. When the TSA announced it would allow knitting needles, tweezers, four books of matches and small scissors in 2005 there was fear that these items could be used as weapons in-flight. To date no old lady on her way to Miami Beach has attacked anyone with her knitting needles and no chain smoker has attempted to self immolate themselves during a long delay with their matches.

Let’s all be realistic, threats exists. If someone is seeking to do harm on a flight or cause major damage to aviation security, they can find a way. The key in maintaining safety and security of commercial aviation is being observant, being trained and when possible being proactive.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

It might seem odd that someone who make a good portion of their living working with social media within the travel industry would have last checked in with Foursquare on the 23rd of August 2010 at their local train station. Foursquare is an excellent social media channel for travel … but as people seem to keep following my dormant account, I seem to keep answering the same question. The question is obviously “why aren’t you checking in on Foursquare?”

FourSquare and I had an on-again-off-again relationship. I initially saw a lot of potential for Foursquare in the travel industry, but personally badges do not drive me. Badges and titles are pointless, I am pretty good at discussing where I am without leaving a trail of check-in breadcrumbs. At some point I had to begin checking in during certain client projects, such as working with Bombardier Aerospace at the Farnborough International Airshow. After the Airshow I got in the habit of using Foursquare and used it more regularly, however my last few check-ins were removed and I ceased using it as a channel for myself. Let me explain why …

… I had joked for quite a while that Foursquare was the perfect stalker tool. While I did not encounter a stalker, I did encounter an unwanted visitor. One night, while at the Vagabond Inn next to San Francisco International Airport, there was a knock on my door. When I opened the door I encountered a person with a roll-aboard bag and a backpack asking me to help them deal with an airline and rescheduling their flight that evening.

I was stumped and asked the person why they were at my door. The answer I received was one that instantly caused me to turn off the location services of all my social media channels. This person was searching for help rescheduling flights on Twitter and happened on my Tweets to people that evening, they then found my Foursquare check-in from a hotel next to the airport. Rather than send me a Tweet, an email or even look up my (very easy to find) phone number for help, they hopped on a hotel shuttle and ended up at my door. I still have no idea how they got my room number, but the idea of someone showing up at my door rather than sending me a Tweet bothered me. I was bothered not only for my own safety, but that I have three kids. We don’t live in a cave, nor are we in witness protection, but the idea of someone showing up where I am and hunting me down to help them deal with an airline issue that could have been resolved at the counter or by tweeting an expert for assistance freaked me out … a lot.

I sent this person on their way, without helping them. I checked out of the hotel shortly there after, not tweeting a thing and sat in the airport all night waitng for my morning flight … having never used Foursquare again.

Does this happen often? I have no idea, but once was enough for me.

So, if you feel like following me on Foursquare, don’t, I never check in. If you have questions or need help, just find me on Twitter at @flyingwithfish or drop me an email, there is a link right here on the blog.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

Most television ads are barely noticed, they are white noise in the background, but sometimes an ad takes hold and does its job in making connection. For me, this evening one such television advertisement took hold bringing together two things I pay attention to … the Pillsbury Doughboy and Airport Security.

While readers of Flying With Fish will find the obvious connection to airport security, most people do not know my kitchen has an odd collection of Pillsbury Doughboy items and that I often bake cakes (not as often as my kids would like). GEICO’s ad featuring both the Pillsbury Doughboy is perfectly executed for anyone who has encountered a pat down by security at the airport.

So, since we all need a giggle once in a while, here it is, the ad that has had me giggling like the Pillsbury Doughboy all night.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

Earlier this week, on the 3rd of April, I wrote about JetBlue’s Wings for Autism program at Boston Logan Airport being held today, the 6th of April.  As the father of a child with autism, as well as a frequent flyer, I can honestly say I have long since been worried about flying with my youngest child.   Now, as I sit on an Amtrak Train headed back home from Boston with Bubba, and his brother Max, following attending the Wings for Autism Program at Boston’s Logan Airport I can’t say I am still not concerned about flying with Bubba, but both he and I are both better prepared.

Wings for Autism, originally started by JetBlue in cooperation with Boston’s Logan Airport and the Charles River Center, has now spread to include Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).     The whole experience this morning at Logan Airport’s Terminal E was just wonderful. Virtually all the staff in the terminal area, from the security check point, to the boarding gates and on the aircraft were trained to handle the little autistic travelers who they would be encountering all morning.

From the start of the program it was clear that those who volunteered for the program were fantastically suited for their job. During the check in process this morning Bubba was becoming overwhelmed when out of no where a United Airlines gate agent came over to talk to him, as he stared at her blankly she peaked her head up and motioned to a JetBlue gate agent who came over and got Bubba to engage, walking him through the process of waiting in line and checking in.

Check in was painless, I expected chaos in the TSA screening checkpoint, but everything was going perfectly. Aside from a minor situation that was quickly rectified, TSA Transportation Security Officers (TSO) were doing their best to explain everything to everyone.  Watching a TSO kneel down to speak with a number of children and explain the process as often as they needed to for the children to understand what has to happen, assuring them that their stuffed animal, train, pillow, would be waiting for them on the other side of the metal detector, was a great experience … one I wish happened every day at every airport.

Yes, I understand that the Wings for Autism program is not a real world travel environment, but it is pretty darn close and is designed to put children with autism, and other special needs, at ease so they can travel more calmly and known what to expect.

Past the security screening area, in the gate area, children were met by gate agents, ramp agents, flight attendants and pilots from JetBlue, United and Delta, as well as Massachusetts State Troopers assigned to Logan Airport and Massport Firefighters. As children had questions, balked, or in many cases simply made gestures,  these volunteers were there in an instant to greet them and make sure everything went as smooth as possible for them. When kids were moving with the flow the volunteers were there to keep going, cheered them on and kept the information flowing.   The flow of constant information to the kids depended on each individual volunteer, but the fact that it was constant ensured the children were not only engaging in the experience but digesting the information being presented to them.

This morning Bubba had the opportunity to participate in the on-board experience with both United Airlines and JetBlue, as well as interact with Delta Air Lines‘ ground staff. Each airline cabin crew had a different approach and experience … much like flying them in the real world … but each airline’s cabin crew could not have been more gracious, informative and kind. Flight crews shut the doors and went through a ‘whole flight,’ roughly 30 minutes with one airline and 45 minute with the other.

As airline cabin crews walked the participants through the process of flying they sat with each child, and each family for as long as they needed to ensuring children knew how to use the seat belt, letting kids feel the yellow oxygen mask on their face (that they will likely never see in a real world flight). Tours of the cockpit and meeting the pilots were a given, but interestingly both airline cabin crews walked kids through the lavatories showing them how they worked.

In one instance a family tried to exit the aircraft after the “flight experience” had begun and a flight attendant stopped them. The flight attendant explained that the door had been shut for a full flight experience, and that the Wings for Autism program was not a quick tour of the plane but the opportunity to address any issues that may arise in a controlled environment with trained professionals.   The flight attendant escorted the family back to a row of seats and spent a considerable amount of time discussing the child’s behaviour and going back and forth with the parents to figure out what could be done to help calm the child and keep them in their seat until the door was opened again.

My older son Max spent much of his time on the planes talking to his younger brother Bubba, who has autism, explaining how the seat reclined, discussing the in-flight wifi so Bubba could watch YouTube painting and cooking shows and demonstrating how to use the seat back TVs.   When JetBlue served snacks Bubba settled in, turned on Sponge Bob and seemed to enjoy what was going on.

I cannot fully express how much I appreciate the airline and airport staff volunteering their time, and airlines volunteering their aircraft, to make the Wings for Autism Program happen.   The volunteers offered far more than I could have possibly expected in assisting children with autism understand the process of airline travel, and working with parents to find solutions in aiding them bring their children on flights.

There will be issues that need to be addressed when we take Bubba on a real flight, but I feel better now having walked him through the whole process.

If you have a child with autism check for a Wings for Autism Program at an airport in your area. This program is expanding to new airports in the coming year.   Boston’s Logan Airport will hold the program again this fall.

Below are a few Instagram photos of Bubba taking in the whole Wings for Autism Program at Boston’s Logan Airport.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

Bubba waits patiently for the Jetblue‘s staff to open the Wings for Autism counter at Boston’s Logan Airport.

Bubba checks out everyone around him as he waits for his TSA screening at Boston’s Logan Airport during Wings for Autism

Bubba boards a United Airlines Airbus 319 to learn about flying at Boston’s Logan Airport during Wings for Autism

Bubba checks out the cockpit of a United Airlines A319 at Boston’s Logan Airport during Wings for Autism

Bubba watches Massport Firefighters walk on by at Boston’s Logan Airport, in front of a Delta A319 during Wings for Autism

Max shows Bubba how I use Jetblue‘s In-Flight Entertainment at Boston’s Logan Airport during Wings for Autism

Bubba takes in the full travel experience as Jetblue serves snacks during Wings for Autism at Boston’s Logan Airport

Bubba waits to deplane Jetblue‘s A320 following his Wings for Autism “flight” at Boston’s Logan Airport

Max & Bubba enjoy a snack with a view at Boston’s Logan Airport following the Wings for Autism program

The United & Jetblue planes Bubba checked out during Boston Logan Airport Wings for Autism Program. THANKS!

There are many oddities in international travel, often occurring with Immigrations and Customs.  Today I ran across  Sexism at the border: A personal account by Clay Nikiforuk, which annoyed me to no end. Whether or not all the details of her story are accurate, the issues in the story bother me. The story is not one for those who easily pass moral judgment, for me, I honed in on the questions of a non-illegal moral nature the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that have no bearding on entry into the United States and false statements from the US CBP Officer to the traveler

So today I decided to dig into my archives, all the way back to May 26^th 2008, where I wrote about one of the oddest encounters I’ve had with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  So … here we go, Do You Have A Visa To Work Here? Ummm … I Live Here (Humour From Real Life)

Yesterday afternoon, after arriving back home at New York’s JFK International Airport (JFK), from Beijing (PEK), I deplaned the Air China (CA) flight I had taken home and headed down to the Immigrations Passport Control area. When it was my turn I approached the US Immigrations Officer and handed her my United States issued Passport and “landing card,” and what happened next had me stunned.

Before I go further with the unusual events of yesterday’s return to the United States, after only being away for 70 hours, I’d like to state this. I have the utmost respect for those who work in the Immigrations, Customs and Border Protection services of not only the United States but also other nations around the world. They have a difficult job of determining who should and should not be allowed into their respective countries.

In my career as a news photographer, I had spent more than 3 years documenting ‘homeland security,’ both domestically and abroad. I have witnessed some unusual situations, watched some funny moments, and seen agents go to extraordinary lengths to catch criminals entering the United States. I also know I have some very odd travel patterns and am accustomed to extra questioning at times. I take it in stride … but the questioning I received yesterday was bizarre.

So on with the story…I handed my US Passport and ‘landing card’ to the US Immigrations Officer at the passport control booth and was asked the standard questions of “You were away on business?” I replied, “Yes.” The next question is the obvious questions “What do you do?” I replied that I am a photographer and I had been in Hong Kong photographing a wedding. The Immigrations Officer asked me if I worked in the United States and I said “yes.” The Immigrations Officer then asked if I was connecting to another flight and I informed her that my family was waiting for me outside and I was headed to my see my parents before heading home (not that I had to tell her that, but I was just making polite conversation).

The next question threw me for a loop. As the Immigrations Officers flipped through my passport pages she asked, “Do you have a visa to work here in the US?” I informed the Immigrations Officer that she was looking at my passport that was issued by the United States, that I was born in New York, and that I was a US Citizen, as such I require no papers to work in the United States. The Immigrations Officer looked up and glared at me as if I had significantly angered her with my reply. She flipped through my passport pages again and demanded to know if I had a visa or permit that would allow me to work in the United States. This round of questioning and answering went on for another minute or two.

After a few more back-and-forth words that went nowhere the Immigrations Officer summoned a Supervisor. The Immigrations Supervisor looked confused as to why they were there, once they were informed of the situation, after approaching the Passport Control Booth. The Immigrations Supervisor had my passport in his hand when the Immigrations Officer I had been arguing with stated “He has no visa to work in the United States.” At this time the Immigrations Supervisor looked at the cover of my United States Passport with a confused look on his face, he flipped open my Passport, looked at the photo, looked at my face and simply asked “Where are you coming from?” I responded with Hong Kong via Beijing.” The Immigrations Supervisor then took the stamper, stamped a page in my passport, flipped the passport shut, handed it to me and said “Welcome Home Sir.”

As I walked away from the Passport Control Booth I could see the Immigrations Supervisor closing this lane. Clearly there was a problem with some communications between the Immigrations Officer and the Immigrations Supervisor.

I have no idea what was up with this problem, but I had an easier time entering Beijing twice in under 48hrs and Hong Kong once between my two Beijing entries. You’d think I’d have a harder time entering Hong Kong to work than the United States where I am a citizen.

Normally returning to the United States, as a US Citizen consists of less than 1 minute at the Passport Control Booth. Sometimes there is secondary screening, but if and when that occurs it is usually dealt with in 2 or 3 minutes of questions. I have had some very long secondary screening situations, but in those situations I know why I was stopped…but generally it fairly quick and painless.

I was angry yesterday, but now looking back on what transpired I find the incident funny. Both ‘sad funny’ and ‘ha ha funny’ (also a bit scary any US Immigrations Officers would think any US Citizen would need a visa to work in their home country) and looking back on the who situation I find myself laughing now.

Below is a photo of my US Passport (notice my “Place of Birth” is New York and my “Nationality” is United States of America…and yes, I have removed some information from my passport to prevent identity theft). Below my passport photo is a photo of the Passport Control Booth at Beijing Capital International Airport, where I managed to clear passport control in with relative ease (although a minor language barrier).

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

I am not only an AvGeek and frequent flyer … I am also the father of an autistic child. Autism takes many different forms and makes traveling as a family very challenging.   I wrestle with the very notion of taking my youngest son on a flight, because I can not predict what the experience will be like for him, for me or those sealed in a flying metal tube with us.  His two older siblings have flown to California, Las Vegas, Virginia, but the youngest has yet to experience the joys of airline travel.

As April is National Autism Awareness Month, JetBlue’s team at Boston Logan Airport has a wonderful program for familiarizing autistic children and their families with airline travel.  The airline has established the now annual Wings for Autism program, along with the Charles River Center, Boston Logan Airport and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), to give autistic children and their families the opportunity to experience the airport environment, the TSA screening process and meet the people who make flights happen.

Even the simplest travel with many autistic children can be a stressful anxiety filled outing … and that is just for the parents. Out burst, melt downs, failure to follow instructions, getting undressed and a host of other scenarios play out, but the Wings for Autism program is a situation where they can play out in a safe environment, surrounded by airline and airport staff trained to address these situations and hopefully give children a positive experience where they view the airport and airplane as an environment they want to be in and are comfortable in, reducing the negative situations parents of autistic children face every day.

I’d love to tell you what the Wings for Autism program does for each child but each child with autism is different, with different needs and different experiences … but the fact that that program exists to assist families struggling with the challenging question of “do I book a flight?” is fantastic.

I plan to bring my son to Logan Airport this Saturday to let him learn the airport experience if things go as planned. If you are in the region and have a child with autism consider bringing them as well.

JetBlue’s Wings for Autism program is at Boston Logan Airport this Saturday, April 6th, from 9:00am to  1:00pm. You can get more information and register for the program with the Charles River Center  HERE.  If you need more info, drop JetBlue a Tweet at @JetBlue

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

Normally a late night arrival into an international airport you’re transiting through is straightforward. You arrive; you pass through passport control, find a bench or lounge, and go to sleep.  But as with many things in my life, it appears as if John Cleese is the author of my daily life.

My flight today was scheduled to land at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) at 1:00am; we arrived a few minutes early, a good sign. Landing early as snow is falling is not something most travelers experience often … but this was the good before the bad. Well it wasn’t bad; it was more like a sequence of WTF events that would be fantastic material for a screen comedy.

After deplaning Air France flight 1144 from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle International Airport at SVO I headed up the escalator to the Transfer area to check in for my flight 12 hours later on ward to New York’s JFK.  Upon reaching the transfers area the check in desks were deserted, so I proceeded to passport control, which was dark and locked shut.

Trying to figure out my next move I went downstairs to Immigrations enquiring about being in transit back to the U.S. I was told to pass through passport control at the main immigrations checkpoint, when I informed them I have no visa, as I was in transit for under 24 hours.  After a few quizzical looks I was told to go to the Transfer desk and wait, so back I went and waited, no one ever came.

Eventually I spotted an immigrations officer and explained to him I needed to pass through the transfers checkpoint. The immigrations officer unlocked a passport control booth and opened a lane for me. Upon entering the checkpoint I was waved through. The immigrations officer never checked my passport or onward travel documents; in fact he never took my passport out of my hand.

Now through passport control I was told to wait five minutes for a passenger screening agent. With that, the immigrations officer locked me in an area between passport control and passenger rescreening.  This is not a fun place to wait, you cannot go in any direction, and I was between two security barriers.

After a few moments a security agent came to get me and walk me towards passenger screening. As I began to remove my jacket and belt the security agent motioned for me to leave them on.   I turned towards the x-ray machine, put my bag down and pulled out my bottle of Coke to throw it out, as a 20oz bottle of Coke is not allowed through security, with that the security screener said “Bag, in bag. Goodbye” and she pushed my Coke back into my bag, then unlocked the door to the transfer area and pointed for me to go. As I walked out of security I took a quick look back and realized that the security screener never even turned on the x-ray machine or metal detector.

Now, inside the public passenger terminal area, I walked past a row of passengers comfortably asleep in asleep in the Transit Lounge (look at the photos below, it’ll all make sense) and made my way to Aeroflot’s Blues Lounge in Terminal D.

Now here is where it starts to get quirky and funny …

… upon entry into the Aeroflot lounge I realize I am the only person in the lounge. I sit down, plug my stuff in and settle in.  When I enquired about food, since all the food in the lounge was stale, I was told to walk over to another Aeroflot lounge, the Jazz Lounge, and “quickly take their food and come right back.”   I thought the lounge attendant, who seemed a little creepy, like a hooker looking for a john, was joking. After a few moments I realized she was serious.

After a few moments pondering how hungry I was I headed over to the Jazz Lounge, and as instructed, didn’t check in, I went to the left, walked up the buffet, then picked up two salads, six chocolate éclairs, and scurried back to the lounge where my bag was.

If that wasn’t odd enough, not long after returning with food to the 24/7 lounge, the lounge staff got on the elevator and left … leaving me absolutely alone in the Aeroflot Blues Lounge for roughly half-an-hour. No idea where they went or anything else, they just came back and sat behind the desk.

What an odd night here at SVO.

The photos below are a rough idea of how my night has gone here. This could have gone either way; luckily it is leaving me laughing.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish