Buenos Aires via USA?

[HDM]

A decision for which I am sending you my deepest apreciation. Now, just a million more, and being able to make ones way through the mobs of people trying to get into the US would be jus a little easier for those of us who kind of like going there.

 

[EMR]

Listen to your selves, this is unreal, the issue always becomes emotional on these topics, the question was about flights, the bottom line is if your girlfriend has a US Visa and can legally travel to the US, there is no problem in transiting and they will not give her any crap. Yes there are customs agents that are asses, some that are cool but it is irrelevant, you cannot transit in the US without a visa so if she has a visa , she can transit and even if the guy is an ass, it is 2 minutes, she is off. I would save the 400 bucks and not worry, if she does not have a visa it is mute. Incredible to me that people speculate on whether or not someone may give her trouble and that is reason enough to spend more money and avoid the US? Insane, I travel all over the world for business and I have had issues in France, Moscow, London, everywhere and many times I do not, it is just the nature of the beast and you never know who you get at immigration and customs. There are jerks all over the world and to speculate is just dumb. If she can legally transit there is no issue. You also have no guarantees you have a better experience anywhere else.

I think it is straight forward

 

[Recoleta Carolina]

The worst customs agents are in Dallas DFW Airport. I am always treated disrespectfully and rudely there (and I'm American, so it's not just limited to foreigners). Other airports seem to have a better team, Atlanta, Miami, JFK, LAX, are all excellent with immigration and customs. That won't help if she doesn't have a visa though. But I personally avoid entering the US in Dallas just because they are total assholes, little people with a little power, and bad attitudes.

I agree. And, even though it is worse for foreigners Americans still face the same type of rudeness. It is quite random. Sometimes you will be greeted by a person who acts "normal." Other times, you get a real jerk. There is no way of predicting in advance. Regardless of airport.

Sometimes I think they just resent people who have the audacity to travel!

 

[tangobob]

I am trying to book a flight to London for my girlfriend (an Argentine) in June and the cheapest i've found so far is with American Airlines. I am slightly hesitant though to book a flight going via America as have heard the customs there are a bunch of power happy arrogant tossers.
Has anyone experienced flying via the states Buenos Aires to London or visa versa? If so how was it?

I thought I would repost the original post. The point here is that the op has not desire to enter The States only pass through. As I have said before, it is not the agents themselves that are the problem, I have transited almost every european country and even some in South America, and never have I had to go through customs or immigration, you just stay flightside. It is just an extra inconvenience when you are travelling that you do not need. The time involved in this combined with then having two long haul flights make the saving s from using this route just not worth it.

I have little doubt that people who wish to enter USA accept immigration as part of the journey, I just do not see why anyone who is in transit should put up with it.

 

[diego7david]

fly to madrid and then to london

 

[John.St]

This is an old thread, but, but, but - I hope you are not telling, that when in transit through a US airport, you go through immigration and customs?

Why would you, after all you are not entering the US as such?

 

[tangobob]

This is an old thread, but, but, but - I hope you are not telling, that when in transit through a US airport, you go through immigration and customs?

Why would you, after all you are not entering the US as such?

That is exactly what you must do, and that was my point. My knowledge of the law is weak, but I am sure this contravenes some Geneva Convention.

 

[dsc]

Yahoo Answers is far from perfect, but this response is pretty good:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081016141227AADpiub

 

[citygirl]

Wow - I had no idea that the US charged a fee and required a visa for transit passengers. That is really awful.

 

[John.St]

That is exactly what you must do, and that was my point. My knowledge of the law is weak, but I am sure this contravenes some Geneva Convention.

To put it rudely: This is very different from first world countries, where you just stay in the transit area.