[leslie]

just curious - have people who stopped off in/ travelled to nz via the usa found it unduly traumatic?

is there anything the rest of us should know?

[foolsgold99]

Haven't did it as a stopver to NZ, but have been to the us many times since 9/11, mostly into LAX or SFO. I'm always struck by how reasonable the US INS guys are. Many of them are imigrants themselves.

There are a lot of russians working immigration at LAX these days.

I'm thinking about going the long way round via LAX when we move out, mostly for the extra baggage allowance.

[leslie]

us too.

baggage good. also nice to wander the boardwalk and look at all the people. its just amazing - felt like i'd dropped into the set of melrose place. then again, that was pre-botox, so maybe now its more like dropping onto the set of jurassic park?

[markkellaway]

I've also been to the USA quite a few times since 9/11, from East to West. to be honest for international travellers I find very little difference between pre and post 9/11. The main difference being longer security queues because there is more domestic security.

With regards to the LAX stop over in particular there are already a couple of threads on this. Yes it is a bit of a pain that you have to go through immigration at the stopover but in my opinion this is really a non event, it's just another queue then sit aroud and drink coffee for an hour before getting back on the plane. For the extra luggage allowance it is definitely worth flying Air NZ, the lack of in seat video is a much bigger issue than the stop over.

Mark. :P

[sweetpea]

just curious - have people who stopped off in/ travelled to nz via the usa found it unduly traumatic?

I have, but then again, mine has been a 34-year stopover :mrgreen:

[Annierobrigado]

i think you should ask one of our senators (or was it a cabinet secretary?) about his trauma in the us. was asked to remove his shoes (and he never does that for anyone!)

:laugh :laugh :laugh

annie