US wants to set up preclearance in Dominican airports

Conchman

Conchman

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as per DR1 news.

DHS Announces Intent to Expand Preclearance to 10 New Airports | Homeland Security

It works pretty well in The Bahamas, and it makes travel to Miami much more convenient because you can skip the immigration nightmares at that airport.

They have to make it efficient at pre-clearance, because people have planes to catch, so its typically much faster than going through immigration at a US airport, especially Miami.
 
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Riva_31

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That will make easier the life for the turist that come to Punta Cana from USA. So when they leave the country at the end of their vacations will arrive faster than before at home, Dominicans almost do not travel using Punta Cana.
 
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greydread

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They've had pre-clearance in Aruba for years and it made travel to and from AUA a breeze. Hopefully once it's in place at PUJ the other Dominican airports will be up for inclusion.
 
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windeguy

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They might as well. Recent results are that 95% of testing of the TSA screening process fails. Countless millions spent and the system does not work while causing inconvenience. And all the while the TSA grows and grows into another bloated government agency.
 
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DRob

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I've been through preclearance in Toronto, and it works wonders. No immigration lines to pass through in the states.
 
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rubio_higuey

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A lengthy discussion about it here, Next US Preclearance Airport — Civil Aviation Forum | Airliners.net back from Nov 2014 and the most recent one here http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/6411850/. They must get DR permission first and DR must pay for all costs of operations. I see it a tough sell.

It will NOT benefit the Rainieri (who are private operators of the Punta Cana airport and who would need to pay for the airport adjustments/new construction), it would benefit only the airlines operating flights to the USA - so I guess they would need to pay for the construction which I see difficult. Additionally, all operating costs are paid for by the host country, which in this case it's the DR government/airport operator - which I do not see happening.

In AUH, they set it up to give certain advantage to Etihad, and it's a competitive issue (vs Emirates and Qatar Airways). All paid for by the Abu Dhabi Emir and a matter of "ego". Again I do not see this happening in DR as there is no competitive advantage to it.

Also, airports must have a sterile area after pre-clearance, which I see difficult in PUJ especially with the open tarmac departures.

On a side note to the press release - London Heathrow ... ROTFLMAO ... lol... where would they construct it? USA departures are spread all over multiple terminals, even BA/AA JV's depart from multiple terminals to NA destinations.
 
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jd426

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windeguy said:
They might as well. Recent results are that 95% of testing of the TSA screening process fails. Countless millions spent and the system does not work while causing inconvenience. And all the while the TSA grows and grows into another bloated government agency.
Click to expand...


Cosign, word for word..
The TSA we suspected all along was USELESS.. and now they continue to prove it. They are no better than the screeners we had before they ever existed.
They are the POSTER children of a Useless Govt Agency which gets bigger and bigger..
. How do we possibly explain this, and why do we allow it , esp since we are paying for it.
 
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william webster

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should we start the Global Entry discussion again.....??

Straight through NYC, EWR..... Ramp to curb in EWR in less than 20 minutes.... carry-on.
Never a soul in line at the Global Entry kiosk.

$100 for 5 yrs...... if you can pass screening
 
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SKY

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jd426 said:
Cosign, word for word..
The TSA we suspected all along was USELESS.. and now they continue to prove it. They are no better than the screeners we had before they ever existed.
They are the POSTER children of a Useless Govt Agency which gets bigger and bigger..
. How do we possibly explain this, and why do we allow it , esp since we are paying for it.
Click to expand...

You allow it because you have NO choice. "Big Brother" has arrived..............
 
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jd426

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SKY said:
You allow it because you have NO choice. "Big Brother" has arrived..............
Click to expand...

I used to think that, and not to go off topic, but I now think about it totally differently..
If you follow the Money, it points in a different direction.
Think about what items They confiscate , things that they can then SELL to you right after you get screened..
that makes no sense, except if you think about the $$ the Lucrative businesses inside the secure area make.. and the Nepotism of TSA Jobs & the nice Pensions.
.. it has nothing to do with Big Brother, imo.. Its a complete Charade , through and through.
 
Conchman

Conchman

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jd426 said:
I used to think that, and not to go off topic, but I now think about it totally differently..
If you follow the Money, it points in a different direction.
Think about what items They confiscate , things that they can then SELL to you right after you get screened..
that makes no sense, except if you think about the $$ the Lucrative businesses inside the secure area make.. and the Nepotism of TSA Jobs & the nice Pensions.
.. it has nothing to do with Big Brother, imo.. Its a complete Charade , through and through.
Click to expand...

I once brought shocks for my car in carry-on, they confiscated them because they said its under 'hydraulic pressure' or something. I wonder how they manage to get all those soda cans onboard and fly safely? I asked for a way to have someone pick up my shocks at the airport because I was obviously leaving the airport. They said flat 'no.' They had no interest in helping me find a way to have someone pick them up, because they have some racket going where they sell all the chit they confiscate. I said 'somebody will be here in 45 minutes' and they said 'we won't know where it is.'
 
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Riva_31

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william webster said:
US and Cdn... maybe Mexicans.

But Cdn and US for sure
Click to expand...

The airport administration is the one who ask for the implementation of this process, then the goverment of the UUSA start conversations with the goverment of the Dominican Republic and if the negotiations ends in good terms them the airport administration has green light to continue with all the procedures to implement it in the airport facilities. Once is aproved all the airports in the Dominican Republic could implement this process.

Cancun asked befor Punta Cana and the negotiations between both goverments couldnt made an agreement so Cancun airport could not implement it.

And yes this is only for flights to to United States.
 
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william webster

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The question I answered was about Global Entry.

Cdns and Americans can use the system entering either country -- I use both.

Cdns have a NEXUS card.... good for all entries on the US/Can border.

No questions, separate lines, auto fill out of customs & Immigration forms.

One trick-
Entering the US, you need not fill out the customs form
Entering Canada, you need to fill the form.

Got a spanking for missing that one at YYZ.
 
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greydread

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Jan 3, 2007
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jd426 said:
I used to think that, and not to go off topic, but I now think about it totally differently..
If you follow the Money, it points in a different direction.
Think about what items They confiscate , things that they can then SELL to you right after you get screened..
that makes no sense, except if you think about the $$ the Lucrative businesses inside the secure area make.. and the Nepotism of TSA Jobs & the nice Pensions.
.. it has nothing to do with Big Brother, imo.. Its a complete Charade , through and through.
Click to expand...

It's "workfare" and their salaries and their pension both suck. Their pension is an over glorified 401K and only management and up make 6 figures. The starting salary is $17K a year for new hires.

TSA Salary and Benefits | TSA Dashboard

When I think of how many flights I made before they even came up with the idea of a TSA it makes me wonder how I survived the days when you could accompany a passenger right up to the gate kiosk without being scanned. Oh the horror!

Flying out of the Domestic Terminal at PUJ was the way flying used to be and ought to be. You buy your ticket at the window, get on the plane amd fly. No X-Ray, no magnetometer, no silly questions and 32 minutes later you're walking out of the terminal in Santo Domingo with a smile on your face.
 
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DRob

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Aug 15, 2007
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william webster said:
should we start the Global Entry discussion again.....??

Straight through NYC, EWR..... Ramp to curb in EWR in less than 20 minutes.... carry-on.
Never a soul in line at the Global Entry kiosk.

$100 for 5 yrs...... if you can pass screening
Click to expand...

Global Entry is ideal - if everyone you're traveling with is in the program. If not, you'll be waiting, one way or the other.

I used GE on my last DR trip this past Memorial Day weekend. Made it through Customs in less than 3 minutes, and leapt ahead of the crew line (the good news). Bags took 45 minutes to come through (the bad news).

IF you are traveling alone (or everyone in your party has a card) AND you don't have any checked luggage, its the best option available for commercial flights.
 
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william webster

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Cdns use it a lot by car..... and yes, all passengers need to be on the program.

We rarely check luggage - either way - so it works like a dream.

I beat my wife (picking me up) to the curb every time , at any airport.... when she comes from the cell phone lot

At EWR, it takes citizens over an hour to clear most days..... visitors can be 2-3 hours in line.

Life saver, that GE........
 
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