I don’t usually read my Lufthansa Miles & More newsletter but I happen to this month. This one particularly caught my attention.

As of 4th October, the USA is changing its entry regulations. The airlines will then be obliged to already transmit the first U.S. address of passengers to the U.S. authorities at take-off. The U.S. authorities are currently communicating with the airlines how to implement these new regulations.

Lufthansa is trying to make entry easier for the passengers taking into account the legal obligations imposed by the U.S. authorities. In order to continue to guarantee passengers a simple entry into the USA, Lufthansa will directly gather the required data electronically during the check-in.

Electronic registration will start as of 22nd November and will make it possible to enter the data of transfer passengers already into the system at the airport. Until the 22nd November, the current practice will continue to apply. The long-term aim as of the second quarter of 2006, is to collect the required data largely when making the reservation via the Lufthansa web side, the Call Centres or the Lufthansa ticket counters at the airports.

It’s bad enough that you have to re-check in your luggage when you are coming from an inbound international flight to the US and is making a connection (either domestic or international). I mean it was annoying when I went to Mexico and we had to change in Philadelphia and Charlotte. First off, they make you complete those I-9XX and the customs forms. I mean, WHAT FOR? We were not staying in the US? We were only changing planes! These forms actually require you to put an address where you will be staying in the US but in our case, we left it blank and when we went through immigration, the officer asked us why I didn’t put an address in there. I told her that I was only in transit. And then she started all the malarky of asking me why I was going to Mexico, etc. Oh c’mon! When you’ve just got off a flight more than 10 hours, the last thing you wish to be is to be questioned with something they are not even responsible for!

Anyway, before I get carried away here…so, with this new ruling, what is going to happen for those who will only be in transit in the US like we were? Hmm?

Aahh…more border paranoia…why can’t they just focus on their internal problems like the victims of the Katrina and Rita hurricanes for the moment instead of making it difficult for the rest of us who just wants to get there and back.

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