Back in the U.S.A.

Today I had the exhausting experience of traveling from France to the U.S.A. during a red terrorism alert.

In the past year I have begun getting to U.S. flights from Paris CDG three hours early to avoid getting bumped-- these flights are always overbooked now, and I have been bumped several times when arriving two and a half hours in advance.  So today we arrived three and a half hours early and checked in with remarkably few problems. It was three hours till our flight, so we went to get a bite to eat, then leisurely browsed in the magazine store and headed off to the security point with well over two hours to spare.

"Oh no! That can't be the line!" That was each new person's reaction on seeing exactly where the end of the line for the U.S. flights was. We stood still in line, mostly without moving at all, for more than two hours, as the earlier flights were given priority. Meanwhile, people going to European destinatons from the nearby gates waltzed straight in through a double-manned security gate . While waiting for the rare passengers, the security people at the European checkpoints lounged around lazily in full view of the hundreds and hundreds of people in line for the U.S. flights: old men and women of 80 looking exhausted (there was nowhere to sit and they were not invited to go first), mothers with babies and small children (ever tried to keep a one-year-old amused for two hours while you stand still in line?), and the rest of the human flotsam and jetsam traveling to the United States from France at the height of summer.

When I was a child, flying was glamorous. Flight attendants wore gloves and high heels, and couldn't weigh more than 130 pounds, be older than thirty, or be married. People who were seeing you off could come right onto the plane with you to say goodbye. People used to dress up to fly. How have the mighty fallen!

There were signs all over the airport about the new rules: no liquids on board, not even water, not even if you tasted it; no gels; no ointments; no medicine without a prescription in your name (except insulin); carry-on baggage strongly discouraged. I had reluctantly checked my computer, padlocking the bag; I carefully put my perfume into my checked bag even though I usually carry a little vial in my purse. I was not too happy when the security woman snatched a lip balm, lip pencil and Dior lipstick out of my bag, dropped them into a garbage bag, and said, "Pas de maquillage à bord!"

"No one said anything about lipstick!" I said indignantly. Her eyes swept over me. She was already onto the next passenger. The security people had all been working overtime and looked absolutely exhausted.

The flight from Paris to Washington was okay-- I pulled a blanket over my shoulders, put a sleep mask on, and slept the whole way. The new transatlantic planes mostly have seats now with "ears" in the headrest that you can fold outwards to support your head, so it's much easier to sleep.

In Washington, we waited twenty minutes at immigration and forty-five minutes in the baggage claim areas. Then another hour in a crowd scene waiting to re-check our bags. The entire huge baggage-claim hangar was a wall-to-wall milling mob of tired passengers with luggage carts, all cross because they were going to miss their flights.                   

"I am not a security guard," said a Mexican-American policeman to us when we asked why he was holding us back. "I am a U.S. law enforcement officer with responsilibity for protecting our borders. Our job is to keep our country safe. People are complaining about all these controls. Would they rather be dead? BOOM! Then they'll wish they didn't kick at a little extra waiting!"

Total time on planes today: 8 hours.

Total time standing in line: 4 1/2 hours

Total time door to door: 16 hours

"Who will come to the United States if this continues?" said two Germans standing behind me in Washington. They didn't know I could understand German. "Who will even want to come to this country?"

Comments

[The Bold Soul]

One small bit of good news for your return flight. The TSA just decided to allow lipsticks in carry-on luggage as long as they are solid lipsticks and not lip GLOSS.

A bit of civility restored to an otherwise barbarian situation... no more chapped, naked lips on your flight.

[Ronica]

Thanks for the info, Sedulia. We are a bit nervous for our own flight, and for the dog (9 hours to Chicago is long enough, without adding the hours in line.) I'll leave my lipstick in my checked bags, and make sure to go early.

It is disappointing that things have come to this, but I don't agree that they've necessarily won. Yes, we are forced to be more cautious for our own safety, but I don't see massive amounts of Americans converting to Islam, ending their capitalist ways, or treating this part of the world with more respect--in fact, the opposite is happening. Unless that was the terrorists' intent, (which I don't believe it was), we are not losing. I can't say we're "winning" either, because I don't believe there are any winners in a situation like this. It is really just so very sad.

[LA Frog]

Gosh, what a horrendous experience! It's sad to say, but travel has become a nuisance -- it's not fun anymore. It even made me change jobs so that I wouldn't have to waste my life in airport hassles anymore [and I'm not talking about the systematic oberbooking, yhe plane seats getting more and more uncomfortable, the lack of proper service, etc.]

And did you hear about the ban to bring electronics on board? From now on, all computers, cell phones, ipods, PDAs etc. must go in the boot -- in unlocked luggage of course. Considering the number of personal items that systematically disappear from checked in luggage [for which you have no recourse], I predict a series of computer and data theft.

We want to be secure as much as possible, but how far can it go before it affects commerce?

[The Bold Soul]

I believe LA Frog is incorrect about banning electronics on board. As of right now (5:30 pm Eastern time on Tuesday 8/18) in America electronic devices were NEVER banned as part of the recent security changes, and I read today where even in London you can now begin to carry on your laptop and cell phone (which I'm sure makes business travelers much happier). The rules seem to be changing daily so if you're planning to travel to the U.S. I suggest you check both your airline's website and the Transportation Safety Admin's site at www.tsa.gov to get the latest rulings within 24 hours of your flight.

[Aimee]

I can't believe how bad it's gotten. I can't imagine the lines I'm going to have to face in November when I head to the States to see my family. Seriously, who is going to want to come to the US with security this disorganized. I will remember to leave my make-up, my everything in my checked bag. I can't imagine having to have to check my laptop in my checked bag. *sigh*

[Jennifer]

Thanks for the tips. Often, when heading home to Canada, I have a layover in the States. I'll be sure to find flights going through Toronto and Montreal from now on. What a nuisance flying is...

[schuey]

"When I was a child, flying was glamorous. Flight attendants wore gloves and high heels, and couldn't weigh more than 130 pounds, be older than thirty, or be married."

I remenber flying to Africa on Swiss Air, with all this glamour and distinction... You are so right.

[Nicole]

I flew through Minneapolis and Detroit on my way to Paris on the 11th (I rescheduled my flights on the 10th because everything was moving so slowly). Security actually took less time than normal because people, FOR ONCE, were prepared for the security check and had their pockets empty, shoes off, either no carry on or small carry-ons etc. They took away all liquids at security (although by that time they were already allowing lipstick on board). However, they announced that no liquids bought after security would be allowed on the plane and no one actually checked our bags so we managed to always have water and juice for our baby. From what I saw after spending 2 days in american airports, its not really that big of a deal. Of course, it might be a different story at O'Hare, JFK, Dulles...

[Andreea]

I'm flying to San Francisco on the 1st with a connection of only one hour on CDG :( I guess I'll miss that one.