Without exception, every time i have travelled through LAX i have found the immigration staff to be miserable and rude, they always talk to me as if i'm a criminal (which i'm not), they couldn't even be pleasant to my young children on a recent trip. But when i've been through Chicago O'hare airport, i've found them pleasant. They must put something in the water in LA! Or is it that they're on a "power" trip?
2007-06-16 06:34:27 · 28 answers · asked by 2bitnobody 2 in Travel ➔ United States ➔ Los Angeles
Its true, I find the same thing, they always seem to be very untrusting and suspicious of you when you enter the US, I've had that problem in many US port of entries treating me like I had no business to leave the country, and I am doing something illegal, and I am a citizen. But to all honesty, though I dont like it, I think its part of their job to act rude like that, they are basically checking to see how you react to the situation, the people who actually have something to hide will probably react alot differently then someone who doesnt, and I believe thats the purpose of acting rude.
2007-06-16 23:11:21 · answer #1 · answered by kris76 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It MUST be the job..I had the WORST experience when visiting the UK...my husband and I were literally interogated! I was shocked..not like I was going to the middle east or something. We were questioned separately for about 45 minutes each and were asked questions about where we were staying, how long, where we worked, details about our jobs and friends in America, how much money we made, how much money we had on us for the trip, what our purpose for visiting was, and we had to show our return plane tickets before they would let us into the country. My husband worked for a newspaper at the time and they wanted to know the name of the paper, and the circulation of the paper, etc., etc. Like I said...I was in complete shock. Also had a bad experience when entering back into the US via Canada (I am American). The guy was a real jerk, gave us a bad time and accused us of stealing the car we were driving. After making several phone calls to prove we owned the car and getting an actual person on the phone to talk to the guy he decided he no longer needed that info and refused to take the phone and let us through.
2007-06-16 17:55:59 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
It must be power trip + crappy job. The same as the DMV people (the people who give out driver's liscences). The lady I got was so rude it was funny (not an expression there, it WAS funny). But I've had friends who feel that the rudeness of the immigration process is like a hateful discrimination and for that I hope deadly ills befall all those worthless, petty folk who are under the impression that they are god's friggin gift to humanity.
2007-06-16 06:42:12 · answer #3 · answered by Claire 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure it's not an anti-UK sentiment. They're just disgruntled, period.
Typically don't use O'Hare, but I travel overseas all the time. They're rude practically everywhere.
Whether I'm flying into Seattle-Tacoma, SFO, LAX, JFK (New York), Hartsfield (Atlanta), or McCarran (Vegas)...they still give me the third degree and make stupid comments. And I'm an American citizen.
2007-06-16 08:23:55 · answer #4 · answered by SFdude 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm not crazy about the help at LAX either. Frankly, L.A. is not a very friendly, warm, cozy, fellow-well-met kinda place. That's probably because living here is so darned expensive and we all spend too much time in our cars. I think the traffic to and from work makes us all a little cranky all the time.
2007-06-18 22:46:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The worst I have ever been treated was coming back into UK on Channel Tunnel by UK immigration staff! It must be quite a stressful job, having the nations security on you mind - maybe that explains it!
2007-06-16 06:44:43 · answer #6 · answered by Em x 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
They're Americans
They're underpaid civil servants with jobs for life, so they can get away with it.
They're "rent-a-cops" on a power trip.
They are probably taught to be jerks in hopes of provoking someone, they can they can get brownie points, or something.
I've found the old adage, "you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." Just smiling, being as sweet as possible, crack a joke, say "please" and "thank you" even pay them a compliment.
See what happens. You'll either have them eating out of your hand, or be throw in the slammer as "suspicious."
2007-06-16 08:50:25 · answer #7 · answered by chieromancer 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I'm a senior citizen and I have twice in a year passed though JFK. both times the immigration officials have been kind and and polite and done there best to make it as stress free as possible. One official could have been a double for the cop in "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn". My guess is the LA staff have had to deal with too many stroppy ill mannered British holidaymakers.
2007-06-16 07:06:18 · answer #8 · answered by ? 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
It is a sad experience we experience when we encounter American immigration officers especially in at their foreign missions. They behave like they are the big guys in the society and mistreat us.
I am certain it is a brainwashed mentality of people feeling so superior. Sorry for the hard times your kids went through and you witnessing all that
2007-06-16 06:40:30 · answer #9 · answered by enc e 2 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Because it's a crappy job with crappy pay. Who the hel1 wants to sit in a booth for hours everyday watching spoiled brats travelling to places they'll never see themselves? And they probably have to deal with more than their fair share of rudeness. AND, they're on power trips.
But they have no power. What can they really do other than a search of your bags? "Oh no, they rearranged my packing!"
2007-06-16 09:41:00 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋