Global Entry / PreCheck at US Airports

by RubaDub 6 Replies latest jw friends

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  RubaDub

  For those who travel, such as attend international conventions (lol, I had to add a JW thing into this thread), do you have the PreCheck thing for the airports? This is the thing where you go in a separate line and don't have to take your shoes off and do all the things that most people do.

  It does cost money, about $85 for 5 years.

  But for those who travel internationally, the Global Entry thing is well worth the money. For only $15 more ($100 total for 5 years) it includes PreCheck within the US and then entry back into the US without the typical long lines at customs.

  Normally, you just walk to the little Kiosks, slide in your passport, put your fingers on the glass for fingerprints, click on the "No" buttons about bringing in illegal items, are you carrying any fruit, did you have sex with a farm animal (just kidding) or some other stupid stuff about farm animals. Just click the "No" to all on the touchscreen, and it prints out your picture and you just hand it to someone on your way out of the airport and that is it.

  Finally, the government has made things even easier (not typical for the government, but give credit where credit is due). My wife and I recently returned from a trip outside of the country. We went to the Global Entry Kiosks. We slid our passports in and all it asked us was do we have anything to declare. We just pressed the "No" button. Then it said look into the camera. It takes a picture of you. Then using facial recognition, it just says "thank you" and prints out your receipt and you hand it to the person as you leave the airport. No lines whatsoever. That is it!

  I'm sure I am not saying anything that people who travel here don't already know but I found it interesting that this time we came back from a trip that they did not even check our fingerprints on the machine.

  It was easy. I actually spent longer peeing in the bathroom after getting off the plane than I did in getting through customs. I am serious.

  Rub a Dub
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  silentbuddha

  My family and I travel to my wife's home in Jamaica 4 to 5times a year. We also take 2 or 3other international flights to see family and friends in Europe and her sister in S. Korea.

  We paid for it because I have s son with autism and standing in long lines does not work well.

  My problem is I am 6'2, black, with locked hair. Although I pay for this priviledge I get pulled out of the line or stopped for a random security check at least 40 percent of the time.

  So although my family gets through faster, my wife is tasked with often waiting ahead of me as I am carted away to be screened and go through the same process.

  However, for the majority of the time I get through it is worth it
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  redvip2000

  Just another way for the government to make money, under the guise making you safe.

  I have travelled with pre-check privileges because I was traveling with someone that has it, but I have never signed up. Don't have to take jacket off, no shoes off, no laptop off, in exchange of a subscription service for all intents and purposes. And BTW, how did they clear me? I was only traveling with someone that has it.

  The whole thing is just a scheme to collect more money from the sheep. No, you are not safe because of it, just like you are not safer because of the "TSA theater" that they put together at the airport. The whole apparatus is set up to catch the average joe who forgot the pocket knife in their carry on, not actual terrorists.

  Any terrorist organization with mediocre planning will be able to place a bomb on a plane.
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  LV101

  It is very convenient on domestic flights in the country, also.
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  DesirousOfChange

  We have had Global Entry for 5 years, which automatically also gives us Pre-Check. Just renewed GE (which was very simple too). LOVE BOTH!! Yes, it's so much more convenient to bypass the long lines. It's worth it to us as we travel internationally multiple times every year. It's especially great if you fly into a large US airport on an international flight (ATL ORD, etc).
  
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  RubaDub

  Just another way for the government to make money, under the guise making you safe ... The whole thing is just a scheme to collect more money from the sheep... Any terrorist organization with mediocre planning will be able to place a bomb on a plane.

  redvip2000 ...

  I see you don't understand the purpose of Global Entry / PreCheck. It is not so much about safety, IMO, but about expediting those who go through fingerprinting and a background checks to get through the lines quicker. I don't see the connection with terrorists.

  If you rarely, if ever fly, then it is not worth it. Think of it like the Disney thing where you pay a little extra for the Fast Pass or Speed Pass things to get you to the front of the line.

  It is the same idea with the Global Entry thing. You just have to fill out an on-line government form, pay your money, and they do a background check. Then you make an appointment to go to the airport, have your picture taken, get fingerprinted and answer a few questions. The airport part takes all of 5 or 10 minutes.That's it.

  Rub a Dub
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  redvip2000

  It is not so much about safety, IMO, but about expediting those who go through fingerprinting and a background checks to get through the lines quicker. I don't see the connection with terrorists.

  You don't huh? Maybe you can read your own sentence again. I guess they check your background and fingerprint you just for the hell of it. No connection to terrorism whatsoever. And why fingerprint and background check anybody, if a member can take along others who have not been vetted?

  In other words, If i go to the regular line, I have to take my shoes off. But if I tag along with someone that has pre-check, shoes stay on, while I haven't been vetted on either side.
  

  It's a scam. Yes i know if you have it, you like it because it saves you some minutes, but it's still a scam. In fact, I'm heard some reports that the TSA actually created that clusterfuck last year at airports where they were huge lines on purpose, as a way to encourage people to upgrade.

  If you go to an airport in Europe, you don't have take your shoes off. hmmm interesting. Is it because they don't care about security? Or is it because they don't need to upsell you on anything?