Wednesday, February 15, 2006
USofA and Taiwan
I hate to say it, I really do, but it was obvious the first time we returned to USofA soil. We touched down in Anchorage, got off the plane to process immigration and customs, and the grouches appeared. The first was a security drone about 5 by 5 by 5 feet - tall, wide and thick. All she could do was yell, "US passport holders over there" and do the two handed point. There were several older Asians of whom you could tell were completely befuddled by what was going on. Like a plane full of Asians from Taiwan wouldn't understand English - go figure. Like a Asian hub airport would have people who didn't understand English.
When I finally got to New York's JFK airport, it was more of the same. However, I will be the first to admit that the Custom's guys were really nice about the whole thing - polite and smiling - I thought I'd warped back to Taiwan for a minute. However a walk outside the secure area fixed that. First there was a horde of gypsy-taxi drivers offering rides like a pusher would sell you drugs and in the background a PA system telling you not to accept them. A quick sandwich in a snack shop would set you back $8 and a soda almost $3. Skipping that, I hit the vending machine which ripped me off for change so that was $3 for a bottle of iced tea. Luckily I had a couple of breakfast bars in my bag.
I had a long wait for the next flight, so settled down with a book. Every hour or so, I'd get up, walk a bit or take the elevator down and visit the bathroom - nice place that. Finally it was time for the ticket counter to open. They had the signs up for eticket logins and when I went to follow them, got my head chewed off by some admin drone telling me they weren't open and for me to remove myself from the area and go away -- waving off yonder someplace. Ultra-grouch number 2.
Finally some others show up and open the area. I figure out the e-ticket sign-in process and sign in. Only to be told to get back in line to be checked-in. OK, I'm not a frequent-flyer, more of a barely-flyer, but why force an electronic check-in to save time when you have to get right back in line? I wait for several people to go in front of me before I muscle my way into the counter (it's the USofA right?) and ask what's going on. The clerk asked if I e-signed in and I show her my e-boarding pass. When she asked why I didn't tell the e-check-in machine I had luggage I told her I did. She double-checked and told me, "Oh yeah, it often doesn't print that out." So I wait while she reprints out the e-baggage tag that my e-check-in machine neglected to print out for my e-boarding pass. Then I find out it going to cost me $25 extra because while I'm allowed 100 pounds (I think) each bag is only allowed 50 pounds and mine was 60. She asks if I have change for a $20, since they don't. And naturally my first credit card doesn't work. The second one does, but then she has to ask the next attendant what the codes are and of course he has to look them up in a paper notebook. What an e-pain in the ass back in the USofA. And so finally I can check in my bag and head for my airplane, where by the way, the crew looks all of 16 years old - sigh...
