Our flight was from the UK which apparently means you must again go through passport control (unlike if you were arriving from a Schengen country). We stood in line for 90 minutes before we reached the sign that told us another 90 minutes to go. Bathrooms were nearby, so we went in shifts. No food or water. Locals told us it's always like this and best if you can to clear immigration in another Schengen country before flying into Lisbon.
Posted by
Charleston & Birmingham
4318 posts
We had no wait in Lisbon-because our BA flight was 2 hours late and we got there at midnight!
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
2745 posts
Sounds like Atlanta this past December!
Posted by
Washington, Nc, US
167 posts
I would imagine that experience in Lisboa was much more polite and professional than in Atlanta.
Despite some wait time in Lisboa, the agents are courteous and kind.
I also flew into Atlanta in December and I will NEVER enter that airport again. I have flown into and out of just about every east coast airport and never been treated even remotely badly as in Atlanta. No TSA precheck, and the screaming at people in line was constant and loud. You could hear the TSA screaming from the moment you left the immigration checkpoint. Been patted down in other airports but never groped intimately like Atlanta. Was told that I needed to smile or I would taken aside for more checks!
Rude, hostile and unprofessional in every way.
Posted by
Paris
9565 posts
Three hours?!!?! Wow Alan that's rough!!!! Glad you were traveling with some folks so you could at least take turns holding the line and going to the bathroom!!!
Posted by
Portland, Maine
2916 posts
I have flown into and out of just about every east coast airport and never been treated even remotely badly as in Atlanta.
You mean it's worse than Philadelphia? That would take some doing.
As to the 3 hour wait time in Lisbon, does anyone know what the cause is? I wouldn't think Lisbon would be such a central hub for foreign travel.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23267 posts
Got to be careful with generalized statements on this type of subject. Maybe, maybe not. We have been through Rome four times - 3 times - 20, 30 mins max, One time - 2.5 hours for immigration. Immigration is always a dice roll including returning to the US. Four hours once in Chicago because all the computers died.
Posted by
OP
Folsom
2707 posts
This is not a generalization. I was told by a native that the government will not hire enough passport control officers. The EU passport holders side has as many agents as the non-EU side and they sit there with nothing to do as most EU passports are electronic and there are machines. These agents with nothing to do will not take folks from the other queue. As you wait the first sign tells you 90 minutes from this spot. But, it took us 90 minutes to get to that spot!
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
2745 posts
Immigration in Atlanta is manned by people who think that their job is to chat with each other and generally abuse US Citizens. (The lines for visitors actually run better LOL!) I live here and have done it enough and dealt with them enough that I know it's not "generalization".
I have Global Entry just to cut down on their act, but when I travel with my mother we have to do the line from you know where while the agents see one person, get up, go chat with someone else, go get coffee, come back, check one more passport, get up, go chat, etc....
Then when they get to you it's "I see you went to Russia two years ago, why?" And "why do you travel so much don't you like it here" ....