Us Customs short staffed

[Eagle-Beach Boy]

From Amigoe .com/english
US customs short-staffed at Aruban airport
27 Okt, 2009, 08:49 (GMT -04:00)

ORANJESTAD — “There is a shortage of personnel with the customs of the United States at the airport of Aruba. We have informed Homeland Security, and we are waiting for a solution”, spokesman Hendrik Croes of Aruba Airport Authority (AAA) informed the Amigoe today.
This understaffing with the American Pre-clearance regards the budget of Homeland Security in the United States, according to Croes. The organization is supposedly short of cash. “The staff has therefore been cut down and that also affects the American customs on Aruba. This will lead to longer queues and busier times at the terminal for a longer period”, said Croes.
Even though this will have consequences for the activity on the airport, the spokesman said that AAA could not do anything about it. “The solution is not up to us, but in the hands of the American government. We will have to wait and see if additional personnel will arrive.” Nevertheless, Croes states that he is not concerned that the US customs post is at risk, although eventually it should be removed entirely.

[JohnJT]

On the first Saturday of October, it took us 2 hours 25 minutes from curb to gate on the way out of Aruba.
Most of it was NOT US Customs agents. The inspector told us they were expecting 2,700 people (as compared to 700 on the slowest week day).
The line to the Aruba booth wound out and around the construction area. Then it went down the front of the departure building. It took about 1 hour 45 minutes from the check-in line to get to the duty-free shop area.
With bad back and bad knees, it was again a very trying experience!

[Eagle-Beach Boy]

Originally Posted by Eagle-Beach Boy

From Amigoe .com/english
” Nevertheless, Croes states that he is not concerned that the US customs post is at risk, although eventually it should be removed entirely.

Think what it will be like then. Immigration in the States.

[TomR]

Originally Posted by Eagle-Beach Boy

Think what it will be like then. Immigration in the States.

I am not sure if Croes is saying that the US customs post will be removed entirely or that the risk to the US customs post will be removed entirely. I always thought that the US customs post was something that Aruba wanted very badly as it sets Aruba apart from other Caribbean islands. I don't think Aruba would want to see the post disappear.
Tom

[barbiesara2003]

We remember way back when going through Customs and Immigration at Kennedy as they didn't even have it at Newark and what a nightmare that was. Let's hope our government can keep this custom going in Aruba so we never have to return to the old days.

[arubabob]

Originally Posted by barbiesara2003

We remember way back when going through Customs and Immigration at Kennedy as they didn't even have it at Newark and what a nightmare that was. Let's hope our government can keep this custom going in Aruba so we never have to return to the old days.

We had to go through it in Miami. What a joke. Walk(or run)halfway around the airport inside glassed in barriers, pick out your luggage, go through customs, put your luggage back on a belt and then try to get to your gate on time which is usually half way around the airport again. Dont want to do that anymore.

[dwippies]

and san juan was just as bad. same deal as miami. we hated it.

Originally Posted by arubabob

We had to go through it in Miami. What a joke. Walk(or run)halfway around the airport inside glassed in barriers, pick out your luggage, go through customs, put your luggage back on a belt and then try to get to your gate on time which is usually half way around the airport again. Dont want to do that anymore.

[JohnJT]

Before we moved to Florida and before the US had a customs station in Aruba, we passed the hurdles for years at JFK in NYC. Aside from the hassle of passing customs in NYC, sometimes we had to race across the airport for a connecting flight on a "puddle-jumper" to upstate New York.

Two of the last three years, the hassle has been in Aruba where the lines were unbearably long...and we started to wonder if we could make the flight time. I guess I don't understand...we're always coming home on the first Saturday of October...why was it less than 50 minutes in 2008 and more than 2 hours in the surrounding years (closer to 3 hours in 2007). I may need to request a wheelchair in 2010.

[Elaine S]

Originally Posted by JohnJT

Before we moved to Florida and before the US had a customs station in Aruba, we passed the hurdles for years at JFK in NYC. Aside from the hassle of passing customs in NYC, sometimes we had to race across the airport for a connecting flight on a "puddle-jumper" to upstate New York.

Two of the last three years, the hassle has been in Aruba where the lines were unbearably long...and we started to wonder if we could make the flight time. I guess I don't understand...we're always coming home on the first Saturday of October...why was it less than 50 minutes in 2008 and more than 2 hours in the surrounding years (closer to 3 hours in 2007). I may need to request a wheelchair in 2010.

John, let me know how you make out, and I may have to follow suit!!


Last February I had 2 HUGE suitcases, a carryon and my laptop. By the time I dropped everything off, picked everything up again, and then dropped it back off, all's I wanted was an oxygen tank!! This coming February I'm taking a lot less sandals!

[seashelldiver]

Let me shed some light on this topic:

As a former U.S. Immigration Inspector who worked at the Queen Beatrix Airport in Aruba, the short staffing comes down to this. Aruban timeshares run from Sat to Sat or Sun to Sun. ALL Inspectors work every weekend, there is no way around it due to the huge numbers of tourists coming and going on those 2 days. Here's the dilemma for the U.S. Gov't. The U.S. Inspectors not only collect their paycheck, but their housing (rents) utilities, cars and children's tuition (typically at the International School of Aruba) is paid for by the U.S. Go'vt (U.S. Taxpayers) it becomes very cost ineffective to have too many inspectors on the island for basically 2 days of work.....they are career conditional status which means the inspectors are guaranteed a min. 40 work week......that's hard to do when 85% of the inspections are done in 2 days (Sat or Sun) each week.....Monday-Friday you only need half the staff......so it is a complicated balance of budget and need......it's not as simple or cost effective to bring more inspectors to the island for coverage on only 2 days......Unfortunately the timeshares run Sat to Sat or Sun to Sun....hence why every year I fly in and out of Aruba on Tues or Weds (the cheapest airfares run on those days anyways

[Eagle-Beach Boy]

SeaShellDiver: Good explanation.