ESTA Panic!

[Tonish]

I have just copied this from BA's website:

What do I do once I’ve applied for an ESTA?

•You will be given a reference number confirming your application, which you should keep for your own reference.
•You will not be asked to provide this to us, it is automatically verified when you check in.


In light of the above, it is unreasonable to expect a passenger to keep a copy. The reference number may be useful, however, and I've just added it to my list of things to bring for the next trip.

[lafifille]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Sniff

Originally posted by lafifille


I guess it's possible that the DHS system was down at the time of check-in (it has happened a few times recently) and therefore the check-in agent just wanted to make sure.

Well, they wanted to see it at check-in in Bordeaux, then the next day in London (LHR) and then asked for it again on landing in PHX, where a BA agent was going through the queue at immigration asking that people had passports and ESTA in hand... I saw no evident trouble while we were waiting, everybody went through Immigration normally. It was just very... weird. I wasn't impressed by the BA agent "threat" not to let us fly if we couldn't produce proof of ESTA and her "I don't care what the website says, I need to see it" attitude. Obviously she was out of line, I'm sure a supervisor would have set things straight. But then they asked it again in LHR, and in PHX. Would you have to talk to a supervisor 3 times? [msnscared][msnmad]

[Sniff]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by lafifille
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Sniff

Originally posted by lafifille


I guess it's possible that the DHS system was down at the time of check-in (it has happened a few times recently) and therefore the check-in agent just wanted to make sure.

Well, they wanted to see it at check-in in Bordeaux, then the next day in London (LHR) and then asked for it again on landing in PHX, where a BA agent was going through the queue at immigration asking that people had passports and ESTA in hand... I saw no evident trouble while we were waiting, everybody went through Immigration normally. It was just very... weird. I wasn't impressed by the BA agent "threat" not to let us fly if we couldn't produce proof of ESTA and her "I don't care what the website says, I need to see it" attitude. Obviously she was out of line, I'm sure a supervisor would have set things straight. But then they asked it again in LHR, and in PHX. Would you have to talk to a supervisor 3 times? [msnscared][msnmad]
[/quote]
Absolutely. This is similar to the insistence by some check in agents that you must have 6 months validity remaining on your passport in order to travel to the USA. It is just incorrect.

BA do not control the rules for US Immigration. They are within their rights to specify additional requirements for passengers on their aircraft, but these need to be made clear at the time of booking, especially where they contradict the requirements of the US Government. And as Tonish pointed out, BA's website specifically states they won't ask for it.

It's interesting they asked to see it in PHX. Are you sure that it was a BA agent going through the immigration queue checking documents? I'm not even sure that's legal. I've seen many people with CBP badges on pre-checking that people have the right documentation in order to speed up the process at the desk, but never an airline agent.

[lafifille]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Sniff
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by lafifille

Originally posted by Sniff

[i]

Absolutely. This is similar to the insistence by some check in agents that you must have 6 months validity remaining on your passport in order to travel to the USA. It is just incorrect.

BA do not control the rules for US Immigration. They are within their rights to specify additional requirements for passengers on their aircraft, but these need to be made clear at the time of booking, especially where they contradict the requirements of the US Government. And as Tonish pointed out, BA's website specifically states they won't ask for it.

It's interesting they asked to see it in PHX. Are you sure that it was a BA agent going through the immigration queue checking documents? I'm not even sure that's legal. I've seen many people with CBP badges on pre-checking that people have the right documentation in order to speed up the process at the desk, but never an airline agent.

Exactly what I told the BA counter agents: the BA website says I don't need to print it. There I got the "I don't care what the website says blah blah"... I didn't press the point, since I had printed the ESTA, and there was a line building behind us, but I was very tempted to argue.

There were the usual immigration/airport people working the lines at PHX to make sure things went smoothly, but the lady who went up the queue asking for everybody to have their passports AND Esta out was BA. I remember wondering what the heck she could do about it then, and what the point was, specially considering that the immigration officer we met 5 mns later couldn't care less [msnwink]...

[Sniff]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by lafifille
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Sniff
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by lafifille

Originally posted by Sniff

[i]

Absolutely. This is similar to the insistence by some check in agents that you must have 6 months validity remaining on your passport in order to travel to the USA. It is just incorrect.

BA do not control the rules for US Immigration. They are within their rights to specify additional requirements for passengers on their aircraft, but these need to be made clear at the time of booking, especially where they contradict the requirements of the US Government. And as Tonish pointed out, BA's website specifically states they won't ask for it.

It's interesting they asked to see it in PHX. Are you sure that it was a BA agent going through the immigration queue checking documents? I'm not even sure that's legal. I've seen many people with CBP badges on pre-checking that people have the right documentation in order to speed up the process at the desk, but never an airline agent.

Exactly what I told the BA counter agents: the BA website says I don't need to print it. There I got the "I don't care what the website says blah blah"... I didn't press the point, since I had printed the ESTA, and there was a line building behind us, but I was very tempted to argue.

There were the usual immigration/airport people working the lines at PHX to make sure things went smoothly, but the lady who went up the queue asking for everybody to have their passports AND Esta out was BA. I remember wondering what the heck she could do about it then, and what the point was, specially considering that the immigration officer we met 5 mns later couldn't care less [msnwink]...
[/quote]
...even more so considering that most likely many of the passengers in the line were not even BA passengers!

It's annoying when people in service industry roles know so little about service. It's stuff like this that makes people so confused about things like ESTA [msnsad]

[CERICROWLEY]

I have just arrived in New York awaiting my connecting flight to Orlando.

I have my esta from just about two years ago when it was voluntary. I was asked at checkin at bristol if I had filled an esta online only. They did not want to see it. Got to Immigration and no mention of the green visa waiver. although another flight from Europe had green forms all filled out, not sure if this is still the case for some european countries.

Just did the finger print and photo and away we go.

[stuart]

We've pencilled our ESTA number on the last page of our passports - just in case[msnwink]

[peterB]

Stuart, a word of advice, do not temper with your passport in any way. This may get you into trouble. Erase it before you leave just in case you meet a strict customs officer.

[vickk17]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by CERICROWLEY
I have just arrived in New York awaiting my connecting flight to Orlando.

I have my esta from just about two years ago when it was voluntary. I was asked at checkin at bristol if I had filled an esta online only. They did not want to see it. Got to Immigration and no mention of the green visa waiver. although another flight from Europe had green forms all filled out, not sure if this is still the case for some european countries.

Just did the finger print and photo and away we go.
[/quote]

Thats good news, we fly to Miami next sat and our connection is in New York.

[vickk17]

passed through new york yesterday and green forms not needed. They are however still on display and available for other nationals. people dont listen though and many stood in the immigration lines filling these in only to be told that they had wasted their time when they got to the officer