Hacker News Reader

Comment by brailsafe | Hacker News Reader

It looks incredible and I'll take the first chance I get to go check it out, but the cynic in me bets that the international arrivals/layover/security check area is still just as dull and depressing as any other in the states. 2 people barely churning through a line of 150 stressed travellers that need to get to their next gate in 45 mins. I'd consider paying a fair bit more if I have it next time to not transit through if I can avoid it, always feels like hell. But that is admittedly very cynical and I'm sorry.

View on HN

> I'd consider paying a fair bit more if I have it next time to not transit through if I can avoid it, always feels like hell. But that is admittedly very cynical and I'm sorry.

Surprised no one has pointed this out to you: Get Global Entry (it also comes with TSA Pre). You'll get to go in the fast TSA lines (no taking belt/shoes off). And international arrivals is a breeze. In fact, since I've got it, I've not had to wait in line even once at the immigration.

To give you an idea, I flew into Seattle this year. Went into the Global Entry area. Straight to a kiosk (no line at all). The kiosk took my picture, and figured out who I was and that was it. No customs declaration even (which was weird, what if I do have something to declare?).

So: No line. Kiosk takes a picture. Never took my passport out to show to anyone. Good to go.

In the old days, you'd have the kiosk scan your passport. And it'd ask if you're bringing in over $800 in goods (just yes/no - no need to itemize). But still, no line.

I don't know what they charge now, but it was $100 and lasts 5 years.

If you live close to the Canadian/Mexican border, consider getting NEXUS, which gives you the fast lane when driving to these countries. It's only $50, and it includes Global Entry and TSA Pre. Fantastic deal. The down side is the interview locations are only near the border.

Great suggestions, and ya I was aware of NEXUS but just haven't got around to it

I can't speak to international arrivals (though I can to the rest of the airport, it's gorgeous), but while PDX is international it only has 5 direct international flights other than Canada. Hardly going to be the focus of the airport.

I suppose with such a large investment though, they'd want to plan for that possibly changing eventually, no? I'd be flying from/to Canada anyway, but if it was a viable and better option compared to others like SF, they'd get my business instead, not that there's much business to give

At 2.5M people, Portland, Oregon metro probably cannot support many international routes (except Vancouver). And it has very few businesses that would necessitate international business travel.

Maybe a flight to Japan, London, mainland Europe, and Mexico.

PDX is probably the last remaining major west coast airport that isn't going to be physically constrained, if anybody wants to start a new hub.

There is a Delta direct to Amsterdam just because of Nike and Adidas.

100% agree, the international arrivals area is dreary and depressing. And slow. Get off the plane, go directly to a shuttle bus, drive around a while, then go in and wait in what was clearly never really intended to be an arrivals area.

I gather than there are so few international arrivals that it will likely never be upgraded, but I sure would love to see the fancy face scanning electronic passport reader kiosks like other places have. And in a place that is reachable in the main terminal, without the shuttle bus experience.

It's a miracle that Portland has direct international service at all. They probably had to bodge on the customs area after the place was built to pick up that route to Vancouver. Also good to keep in mind that a lot of older airports seem kludged together because they were. Fifty years ago passengers were screened at the gate. Then they invented central screening. Then they invented TSA and stopped letting non-passengers into the terminals.

Vancouver has preclearance no?

I don't know what it was like in the 60's though.

I'm very happy they have a direct route to LHR. I wish BA was more pleasant to fly, but at least they're using 787s for the route.

> they invented TSA and stopped letting non-passengers into the terminals

I'd like them to uninvent that. I so fondly remember when family could take you to the gate, and meet you when you came home. Now that planes have impenetrable doors, I don't think we need to keep up the absurd level of "security"

I really wish we could get rid of the TSA, but I don't think it'll ever happen. It's not about security, the whole thing is a jobs program (and always was IMO).

I think studies have shown that the TSA sucks at threat detection, but is a significant factor in threat aversion in the first place.

It sucks but in the current world we live in, the alternative is travel bans placed against many countries a fraction of whose citizens have a propensity for terrorism. That would include a bunch of American allies and even the US, incidentally.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com