Question about reentry

I get the X when the machine has problems reading my finger prints. I'm sure there are multiple different things that could invoke the X. But I still go through the GE line, but occasionally get sent to the "special processing" room.

And it is only the person with the X that has to go through the additional screening, officially.

Every time my husband or I have gotten a big X, it was due to the fingerprints not being able to be read. Bit it only rook another five minutes max at JFK or BOS to clear through.

After I had trouble with my fingerprints at JFK, I was advised by someone here to make sure I am well hydrated when getting off theplane. It worked last time (Miami airport).

Our experience is that it is a fingerprint problem but you should be able to tell that since the window prompts are indicating if a good fingerprint read is happening. And there is the possibility that you accidentally gave a wrong answer to one of the questions. And don't understand why your luggage was x-rayed after you picked it up and were exiting customs. That doesn't make any sense. You are only x-rayed when entering secured zones.

Someone posted that they had trouble with dry skin. Try putting a little lotion on your hands just before the scanner.

We finally caved in and got Global Entry (about $100 pp and lasts 5 yrs). My husband always got the X. And I agree here in Atlanta they typically have very few people working. Husband was told they he probably has a problem with passport (chip?) but he is not up for renewal yet so that did not seem like the solution (to get new pp). Our worst experience was last fall arriving from Ireland. We were among the first people to de-plane but were about the very last to clear customs. When we got to luggage claim our luggage was the only luggage left and it was sitting out on the floor. Will put GE to the test when we fly back from Rome in October.

The customs agent had a difficult time getting my fingerprints when I enrolled, and I had experienced the same thing when getting a security clearance (which was also done by DHS, so you would think they could use the same info and fingerprints, but no.) Anyway, the agent told me to use some hand lotion after the plane lands and that would improve the print recognition at the kiosk. I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but will do so in August.

Thanks everyone I'll keep the lotion idea in mind. It made no sense to me, I think all of our questions were the same answers. It shouldn't have been the chip in our passport eithert, it was new and the first time we were using them but who knows. I love Atlanta's international terminal except for the walk and those lines. Hopefully next year's trip will be shorter lines and no red pc's 😁

Every time my husband or I have gotten a big X, it was due to the
fingerprints not being able to be read. Bit it only rook another five
minutes max at JFK or BOS to clear through.

Its happened to me once. I have to remove the rings from my right hand so my fingers can be closer together and i have to force my pinky finger a little to get it to lay flat. Don't remember the X being red though? Pretty sure it was black......

I used to work at a facility which required you to use your fingerprints to get in/out of certain areas. Mine almost never worked (major issue) and the only work around we could figure out was to rub my hand several times on my shirt, pants, etc., because my fingers were cold.

I too had difficulty with fingerprints not scanning at a kiosk in PHL. A flight attendant at a nearby kiosk saw and suggested rubbing my fingertips over my forehead. And, guess what?, success the next time I used Global Entry.

I don't think that's an X-ray machine in customs. I think it's scanning for food and animal products and vegetable matter.