Today's travel fun

[WickerBill]

IND-MSP-SLC.

Guess who was also in MSP when I was there? One Barack Obama and his Big Blue Airplane.

Boarded the 757 for SLC, got situated, almost completely full flight. Bags stowed, buckled up, cabin door shut.... Announcement: everyone must deplane for a secondary security check. Everyone gets off, plane is inspected, we get back on and are now 45-50 minutes late. It happens; at least the plane wasn't broken.

Board again, same seats, same type of order ("little extra time" people, Very Important People and fatigues, Important People, and zones). Boarding a 757 takes a good 35 minutes, mind. Bags stowed, buckled up, cabin door shut..... Announcement: the airport has been shut down in preparation for the departure of Air Force One. Planes cannot move, pushers cannot get into position, absolutely nothing moves but AF1. Today, I learned "in preparation for" means "this could be a while". Twenty five minutes later, new announcement: those of you on the right side of the aircraft can see Air Force One trundle by. Finally, his eminence departs, gets to 10,000 feet, and things are allowed to start moving again at MSP. Well, there was no pusher close to us for some reason, so by the time we got our push, announcement: we are 19th in line for departure folks. We ended up over two hours late because of a presidential photo op at a light rail system tour.

Yes, yes, then we took off and I experienced the miracle of human flight and played on the internet while sitting on a chair in the sky. But I'm glad I didn't have a connection in Salt Lake City.

[TravelGal]

You KNOW I had to read this, and make a comment. I'm glad the POTUS vortex was north of me. I NO problem changing in Charlotte. :p Anyway, what I meant to say was that a friend of mine used to be in charge of this silliness at LAX. Back in the days of the Western White House. I heard all the same stories then. NOTHING moves but the big blue bird.

[Opposite Lock]

the POTUS vortex

:laugh:

The humor in that phrase may have saved me from typing something which probably would have landed me in trouble.

[Gnam]

I know the Secret Service doesn't want to lose another one, but they need to take it down a few notches.
It's Minneapolis, not Kandahar.

I heard they practically shut down Philadelphia during a visit last year.
People had to Thunder Gun it all over town.

http://s18.postimg.org/esfnvewzd/T0_AB3.jpg

[opinionated ow]

I find it completely extraordinary. I was flying into Adelaide Airport a few months back and one of our major politicians (I think the Prime Minister himself) was around and it made bugger all difference to traffic flows or anything. When the Queen of England flies (she's head of state of 29 countries) they don't do anything fancy. Why do they make such a rigmarole of POTUS' visits?

[chop456]

I find it completely extraordinary. I was flying into Adelaide Airport a few months back and one of our major politicians (I think the Prime Minister himself) was around and it made bugger all difference to traffic flows or anything. When the Queen of England flies (she's head of state of 29 countries) they don't do anything fancy. Why do they make such a rigmarole of POTUS' visits?

Because we're not an island. Nobody cares about islands, nor their dumb, islandy leadership.

[Andrew Longman]

FWIW I flew through Minneapolis last year on my way to Saskatoon the same time Obama was arriving and had no issues.

OTOH forget about moving anywhere in Manhattan when the POTUS is in town. :rolleyes:

Yes the Secret Service needs to take it down a notch.

[chop456]

All our lockers were searched in high school because Geraldine Ferraro was making a campaign appearance there. Spring '84, I guess. Nobody tried to blow anything up, but I'm guessing lots of parachute pants were confiscated.

[Elmo T]

AF1 to Philly means not only the airport issues, but closure of I-95 during the motorcade in and out of city. Not just an escort mind you, they typically close the road for that time.

I had the opportunity to work some presidential visits during campaign stops. We are talking a 30-min speech and some hand shaking. The amount of pre-visit prep is amazing. Days full of meetings and site visits. And the amount of behind-the-scenes security is unbelievable. The motorcade itself has so many components - but our focus was with the Hammer Team.

As for the Pres visiting that island? Remember this?

U.S. Secret Service plans to protect President Obama found in a gutter (http://www.examiner.com/article/u-s-secret-service-plans-to-protect-president-obama-found-a-gutter)


An Australian reporter discovered a minute-by-minute schedule of President Obama's 30 hour visit to Australia this week lying in a gutter. President Obama's visit, which primarily focused on securing the region was touted as a success. The President had a busy schedule, as described in the top secret itenerary "Overall Program and Orders of Arrangements."

[Tifosi24]

I had to leave work early yesterday, so I missed out on the excitement even though it was six blocks from my office, plus the President wasn't likely to take my route home. I sometimes wonder why we need a 747 for AF1 domestically. In the Twin Cities, if you operated a smaller airplane there are several other small airports that could be used, including one right next to where he gave his speech. I know you would still have the issue with ground stops, but operations at the main airport wouldn't have to come to a complete stop.

[Napoleon]

Back when Dubya was president he held a private fundraiser at a home down the street from me and when I got off from work I initially couldn't even get down my own street to go home, then when I did it turns out the secret service or the police had dragged my trash can away from the curb and half way down the drive (it was trash day) and flipped it sideways so it was open and facing the street so you could see nothing was in it (I wonder what they would have done to it if the trash had not been picked up when they arrived).

A few years before that Dubya was having another fundraiser 5-10 miles from my house and I happen to take the day off and was working in the back yard and at some point I hear a chopper and I know it is not one of the air ambulances that fly over my house on the way to a hospital 1 1/2 miles from me and pretty soon just barely over tree top level comes Marine One, or whatever they call it. I felt like I could have thrown my rake up into the blades. If I was 1/2 block away from where I was I could not have seen it. So it disappears and the sound recedes with maybe 5-10 second of silence, then I hear another one coming and same thing, right over me at tree top level (I told this story to an acquaintance who was a Blackhawk pilot in the Army at one time and he said when he was at West Point Clinton visited and they were running 5 choppers as decoys that day).

[JoeBob]

If it makes you feel any better, his speech was given in a depot that cost $250,000,000 to remodel, has been open almost 2 years, but still hasn't had its railroad tracks connected. And the display light rail car derailed on its way back to the Minneapolis garages.

Hope you enjoyed your stay in our fair cities! Next time, hit me up and I'll buy you a beer.

[Kiwifan]

And I thought this was about Air New Zealand's new safety video which is causing delight and angst down here. ;)

Won't link it because "some" "may" find it a bit NSFW but you can google it, Safety in paradise. I'm picking the blokes will sit up and pay attention. :D

[JoeBob]

Delta's new safety video is kinda cute, I'm sure WB is already sick of it, however.
eduNjwNvcH4

[WickerBill]

but I'm guessing lots of parachute pants were confiscated.

That made me laugh.

Have only seen the delta announcement once, but thoroughly enjoyed it. Kareem!

[Tifosi24]

If it makes you feel any better, his speech was given in a depot that cost $250,000,000 to remodel, has been open almost 2 years, but still hasn't had its railroad tracks connected. And the display light rail car derailed on its way back to the Minneapolis garages.

Hope you enjoyed your stay in our fair cities! Next time, hit me up and I'll buy you a beer.

The tracks are connected (drive past it everyday), Amtrak just hasn't moved service from the Midway Station yet. The overall rail plan would be better off if Wisconsin were rational a couple years ago.

[Andrew Longman]

The tracks are connected (drive past it everyday), Amtrak just hasn't moved service from the Midway Station yet. The overall rail plan would be better off if Wisconsin were rational a couple years ago.

Yup. My journalist brother follows this stuff

[Gnam]

ibtl. :D

[RaceGrrl]

Because we're not an island. Nobody cares about islands, nor their dumb, islandy leadership.

This made me :laugh::laugh::laugh:

Thanks for the morning giggle....

[JoeBob]

The tracks are connected (drive past it everyday), Amtrak just hasn't moved service from the Midway Station yet. The overall rail plan would be better off if Wisconsin were rational a couple years ago.

When did they finally finish the track work? I was in the building not long ago, and they still weren't connected.

What's crazy is that Amtrak is still going to do the daily servicing of the Empire Builder at the Midway station.

One of these days, we'll have to meet at Christo's, and talk about how great the building would be if Wisconsin wasn't run by crazy people. It's a lot of building for some busses and 2 trains/day.

[Kiwifan]

US Travel agents field the oddest questions
http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/68536938/US-Travel-agents-field-the-oddest-questions

Had any of these Gal? 😛😘

[TravelGal]

Yawn. I found these rather plain. They didn't even include the people who demand to drive to Hawaii. Yes, I've had that happen more than once.

Here's a true life story from a friend of mine.
I had a lady traveling to New York with a connection in Chicago. I get a phone call from her and she said the layover was too tiring for her and she wanted to stay overnight in Chicago. I said, “Where are you now? She said, “Oh I'm on the plane.” I said, “You mean in O’Hare airport or on the plane?” She said, "On the plane. We are waiting to take off.” I said, “Well you have to have the flight attendant ask the pilot.” "Oh ok," she said. Then I said, “If they return to the gate and you need a hotel call me back.”

If that's too subtle, here's another true story:
Client calls from the airport in a panic: "I think the shuttle driver dropped me off at the wrong place."
Agent: "Why's that?"
Client: "I don't see any airplanes."
Agent: "The airplanes are behind the check in counter."
Client, as the TSA announcement is heard in the background: "I'm telling you I'm not at the airport. I'm at the place where they sell you tickets. I already have my tickets. I need to be where the planes are."
Agent: "Find a security guard and ask them where the TSA checkpoint is and go there."

[Kiwifan]

Ash had a client come back to say she didn't see ANY ABC stores in Waikiki. :shakehead: Our transit driver said "ABC = Any Blo.dy Corner. :D

[TravelGal]

Ash had a client come back to say she didn't see ANY ABC stores in Waikiki. :shakehead: Our transit driver said "ABC = Any Blo.dy Corner. :D

OOh. I forgot there is a well spring of Kiwi humoUr possible. Here's another from this side of the pond. Caller: I'd like to buy a round trip ticket." Agent: "Where would you like to go?" Caller, sounding annoyed, "Back HERE, of course." Folks, you can't make this stuff up.

[Kiwifan]

When I catch up with Ash he tell me of similar tales. I shake my head. Then again I saw people eating fruit while they were waiting to clear customs after we landed. I think they were surprised they got growled at. Sigh.

[TravelGal]

I thought I'd put there here instead of Tales of Interest. It's gonna be LOTS of fun in 2016. :tony:


HOMELAND SECURITY ISSUES NEW ID REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW YORKERS—AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS—HEADING TO THE AIRPORT
by Daniel McCarthy / September 09, 2015

If your customers are from New York, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, or American Samoa, head’s up. Travelers from those locations soon will be out of luck if they try to travel using a driver’s license as ID.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, driver’s licenses from the four states and Samoa do not comply with the minimum standards of the federal Real ID system.
The system was created by an act of Congress following recommendations from the 9/11 Commission that the Federal Government should “set standards of the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses.” DHS will begin enforcing its final phase, allowing only travelers from compliant states to use their driver’s licenses as ID for domestic air travel, in 2016. New York and Minnesota had obtained a federal extension for implementing the Real ID system, but it will expire on Jan. 19.
The Act requires that all state IDs issued after Dec. 1, 1964, comply with the REAL ID system, under which the issuing state’s DMV records must include social security numbers, photographs, and home addresses of drivers.
While New York does offer enhanced licenses, which the state believes makes it compliant with the law, it does not require that its residents get one. According to a story in today’s Newsday in New York, 11.5 million driver licenses are active in the state, and only 800,000—just 6.9%—are enhanced.
New Hampshire has a separate problem with the Act, as state law there does not require the DMV to store social security numbers. Meanwhile, New Hampshire law doesn’t require a photograph to be stored at the DMV or a home address be printed on the license, two things that the Real ID law requires.
In Louisiana, though the state’s House voted to adopt federal REAL ID regulations, Gov. Bobby Jindal vetoed legislation in June, 2014, citing issues with state versus federal rights as the reason. The same problem came up when Minnesota tried to pass laws requiring REAL IDs last April.
Beside the extra cost of obtaining an enhanced license, there are also privacy concerns over the Real ID requirements. Douglas Kidd, the executive director of the National Association of Airline Passengers, told Newsday that while his organization understands the need for extra security “whether the Real ID and the additional personal data associated with it actually provides any real security remains to be seen.”
Debates notwithstanding—and especially with the wait for passports already getting longer—travel agents can help their customers by reminding them that citizens from these four states who were born after Dec. 1, 1964, will no longer be able to board a domestic flight or cruise without a passport. And the sooner they get on line, the better.

[gerhard911]

It must be a real treat to work in the travel industry :saywhat:

If I can't drive there, I don't go there.

[devilmaster]

Hey, because people in Washington couldn't accept the fact that in 2001 the US had pourous borders and so the 9/11 terrorists "must!" have crossed the border from Canada (hint hint, they didn't), we are all subjected to crazy ass regulations.

Just get a passport. Accept it. Love it. And remember that even if you have it, with all proper identification in hand, a believeable story, tickets in hand, kids to boot, most border officers still will treat you like a criminal. Just cause. But hey, its all part of the fun :)

[Gnam]

Can we still travel between states without papers?

[dando]

Hey, because people in Washington couldn't accept the fact that in 2001 the US had pourous borders and so the 9/11 terrorists "must!" have crossed the border from Canada (hint hint, they didn't), we are all subjected to crazy ass regulations.

Just get a passport. Accept it. Love it. And remember that even if you have it, with all proper identification in hand, a believeable story, tickets in hand, kids to boot, most border officers still will treat you like a criminal. Just cause. But hey, its all part of the fun :)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOR38552MJA


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0R5DTHcmGU

:gomer:

[devilmaster]

Li34gnzl09A

[Elmo T]

And remember that even if you have it, with all proper identification in hand, a believeable story, tickets in hand, kids to boot, most border officers still will treat you like a criminal. Just cause. But hey, its all part of the fun :)

Having made trips to Montreal twice this year, I was amazed how hard it is for an American to get back into the US after being in Montreal for 3 days. With his wife. And two kids. Driving the family cruiser.

[TKGAngel]

I'd be willing to bet that most of those New Yorkers with EDL's live in border communities. It's also a PITA to get one, as you need to apply in person and practically bring your entire IMPORTANT PAPERS file with you to the DMV.


Just get a passport. Accept it. Love it. And remember that even if you have it, with all proper identification in hand, a believeable story, tickets in hand, kids to boot, most border officers still will treat you like a criminal.

Last time I crossed from Canada into the US in MI, the border patrol agent was very nosy about where we were going, what we were doing and where we were staying. I guess two ladies heading to Frankenmuth to eat chicken and go to the Christmas store are very suspicious.

[cameraman]

Can we still travel between states without papers?

Not by plane with those four driver's licenses.

[dando]

I'd be willing to bet that most of those New Yorkers with EDL's live in border communities. It's also a PITA to get one, as you need to apply in person and practically bring your entire IMPORTANT PAPERS file with you to the DMV.



Last time I crossed from Canada into the US in MI, the border patrol agent was very nosy about where we were going, what we were doing and where we were staying. I guess two ladies heading to Frankenmuth to eat chicken and go to the Christmas store are very suspicious.

They were obviously concerned as to why anyone would want into MI. :gomer:

[devilmaster]

Having made trips to Montreal twice this year, I was amazed how hard it is for an American to get back into the US after being in Montreal for 3 days. With his wife. And two kids. Driving the family cruiser.

I have no proof, but i believe all American border agents have been indoctrinated with one simple sentence. 'Don't you be the one who let's 9/11 happen again!' Even though it didn't happen like that in the first place.....

I used to love going stateside. Great restaurants, bars, events, used to have season tix to nfl. It's not worth it anymore for the most part just because of the hassle. But so much money was wasted in the name of 'border security'.

[WickerBill]

I'm in London right now.

I had two days of sales support (Mon and Tue) before a two-day conference, so I left home on Saturday afternoon to arrive Sunday morning. I have friends from my last job about 50 minutes down the rails in Basingstoke, so I got into my hotel, washed up, grabbed a sandwich, and hit Waterloo for a train down to Basingstoke. All well and good so far.

I meet a friend at the Festival Place mall in Basingstoke, which is right next to the train station. We wander around, I shop a little, we just talk. We're supposed to meet another friend at his house at 6pm, then pick up a third friend and go to dinner at some out of the way country pub.

On the way to friend #2's house, I realize I don't feel terribly well. Seems like it's probably jetlag, so at my next opportunity I down some coffee. We get to #2's house and I am carrying on decent conversation, but I don't feel right, and it isn't getting better. By the time we get to the pub, I'm in full-blown "this is not good" mode. My stomach is absolutely rolling and I cannot focus enough to make conversation. The food comes out. Stomach revolts. Over the period of 90 minutes, I make 15 or so trips to the men's room (thankfully in an isolated building from the pub) to just wretch my guts out. Every time I come back in, the smell of food hits me and I end up running back out. I'm not gently heaving, either - my body is attempting to rid itself of all internal bits between my sternum and my pelvis. I have never, ever, ever been so sick in my life.

The pub owner realizes I haven't touched my food, takes a look at me to ask why and just says "Mate you've gone completely grey" and tells my friends that I should probably go to hospital, but there is NO WAY they can put me back on the train in this condition. They have more conversation while I lightly jog back to the toilet, and when I return they have decided that I will be put up in a bed and breakfast 100 yards up the road. We are in the middle of nowhere, but I am in no position to argue. I pay 35 pounds for what amounts to a 50 year old twin bed and a toilet to vomit into for another... three... hours.

Did I mention I don't drink alcohol? This was not alcohol-related in any way.

I got some sleep, finally. The old lady running the place told me she'd be up to make me breakfast at 6:30, but I begged her not to speak of food much less make any, and she said she'd be up anyway to see me off. At 7:09, desperate to leave and find a way home, she is not awake. Moreover, all of the house's doors lock with a key from the inside and the keys are nowhere to be seen; I am locked in. Do I knock on the walls trying to wake her? No, I decide, I have to find a way to slip out. Eventually I found a partially-working sliding door to the garden in a part of the house I was undoubtedly not supposed to be in, opened it, got out, and walked back to the pub.

It was really only at this point I realized how completely in the middle of nowhere I was. I had no cell signal at all. I couldn't call a taxi, I couldn't call Uber (as if they'd come out there anyway), and I couldn't call or text my friends. There was nobody at the pub, seemingly, and at least 20 minutes went by without a single car passing. Eventually I found a spot near one corner of the pub where I could fire off a text. Friend #1 rescued me, took me to the train station, and headed to Monday morning work.

I rode the entire time in the toilet, feeling like I was on a boat in the Bering Sea, feeling like death, and thinking that dying in a South West train toilet in southern England was not really what I had on my agenda, but it appeared it was going to happen anyway.

Two hours later, other than sore stomach muscles from all of the heaving of nothing, I felt near 100%. I spent 44 pounds in train fare, 35 pounds on the bed and breakfast, and basically did not have much conversation with my friends at all. They went and had a pub dinner and had to endure me excusing myself over and over and over to go vomit.


I'm pretty sure United Airlines poisoned me. More likely is the sandwich at the hotel, but I'd rather blame United.

[Don Quixote]

Damn WB, that's going to be hard to top.

[SteveH]

I'm pretty sure United Airlines poisoned me. More likely is the sandwich at the hotel, but I'd rather blame United.

Terrible story, hope you're all better. Being ill while traveling is makes it all the worse.

Similar happened to me when I went to London 4 years ago. But the doctors think it was norovirus based on the symptoms which were slightly different than yours. ;) It hit me on the tube just as we left Heathrow. The absolute worst and most terrifying two hours of my life, it was morning rush hour, all cars were packed. I actually became sicker as the day progressed but that was in the comfort of not being in a train car. I had been in 4 airports in the 24 hours before arriving in London. I want to blame it on Fudruckers at the Detroit airport but it could have been anywhere.

[Tifosi24]

WB that is quite the ordeal. I got locked in a house in Germany in high school on the day of a field trip for the exchange group. Luckily, my host brother was home or I would have been up a creek. Why do doors lock from the inside? Crazy Euros, haha.

[Gnam]

I'm pretty sure United Airlines poisoned me. More likely is the sandwich at the hotel, but I'd rather blame United.
King George III's revenge.

[nrc]

All that and he still got his picks in. :)

[Dvdb]

He's a man with his priorities in order. Re. picks

[Kiwifan]

Jeez WB, that's horrible! Hope you managed to get something good out of your trip. Take care man.

[pfc_m_drake]

I was in South Korea earlier this year on business during the MERS outbreak. But I made it out alive and unscathed.

My girlfriend's family is from the Philippines. We visited last year and this year. I am always convinced that I am going to end up slightly less well off than WB was in his story, so I make every effort to eat as little as possible while there. And we pay very careful attention to details that you wouldn't normally think about (e.g. when at restaurants, get your drink in a can/bottle because the ice cubes are made using local water, which you definitely don't want to ingest). @WB - sorry to hear about your escapades...that blows.

I used to live and went to college in Buffalo. I had a friend from Greece. His mom was flying into Toronto to visit him, so I told him I'd drive up to pick her up (his car was a POS). We decided to take a friend from Korea and another friend from Taiwan with us. The boarder crossing on the way back went unbelievably smoothly. This was obviously before 9/11. Today I'd probably end up on the side of the road as they disassembled my car for me looking for God knows what.