Airport Security - WOW

My aunt just came from Italy yesterday. She came because her son took a bad fall last week, he's bedridden for many months to come. Anyway, my aunt has been here NUMEROUS times over the past 30 years, staying for as much as 6 months at a time. Well last nite she and several other 'tourists' were pulled to the side, grilled and questions for 4 hours, and she has to head back to Italy in 3 weeks! She was all shaken up from what happened, shes 71years old ! I feel really bad for her, but in a way, im happy that our airports are tightening up security...
Im still in shock and wondering WHY the 3 week time limit ?? and she would have had to do a u-turn right back to Italy, if it werent for her son's accident. So they took her word for it, which is great, but isnt that strange too ?? Anyone's relatives go through airport problems recently ???

I just hope that they 'pick on' the right people when it comes down to it, and not on those with no bad itentions whatsoever ...

We were so looking forward to spending some time with her too...

wow...4 hours..

was it TSA??? what airport??

My FI is a TSA employee and I don't know what he can tell me but maybe he can give some info that i can tell you

who was it that pulled her aside and asked her all those questions??? TSA are the people who do all the baggage checks and the screenings? was it them??

What terminal was this?? When did she come in?

FM me all the details and I'll ask FI if he knows anything about this.

On her plane ticket did she have just a one way ticket, or was her ticket for round trip but the round trip was 6 months from the date of arrival??

I need all the details

She bought an 'open ticket' which I've also done many times, with no return date, so that she can decide at a later date, when she was ready to head back home.

I dont know all the details. I'll see what I can find out. I was told the story by my mom...

Thanks !

I think (but will get the official word from FI) with everything that is going on in the world security is putting return dates on open tickets.

Definaltly let me know and I'll definatly talk to FI and see what i can find out for you

I feel for your aunt! I had an equally disturbing, but opposite experience. Last month I travelled to Florida for a wedding and both at Laguardia and the Florida airport I was allowed to pass through numerous checkpoints with a drivers' license that had one name and a plane ticket that had another. (I hadn't received my new driver's license yet with my married name). Noone noticed or asked to see my interim license!! Scary!!

THat is horrible, sorry that happened

I'm sorry your aunt had such a horrible expereince. It must have been so unnerving to be interrogated like that.

But I am glad security is finally getting into place. I went away last year with my sister and they gave her my boarding pass by mistake but then they said to just give it to me after she pointed to me form across the room. At the same airport, I saw someone get on the plane with a photocopy of their birth certificate

Sorry about what happened to your aunt...

I have a friend that works for the TSA and he was just telling me a story of people that have to get on a plane right away are suspicious...

I know that she had a reason...but he said there was a guy who had to get to Chicago...they arrested him and found out he was part of Al-Qaida

Anna: sorry I didnt get back to you yesterday. I have spoken with FI.

Since your aunt had an open ticket that raised a lot of red flags causing her to be questioned for 4 hours.

Our country is on Orange alert and she is coming in from out of the country. I am sure they did a background check on her as well and checked our her story to make sure she is legit (hence the 4 hours)

Since her ticket was open the TSA and federal gov't issued a return date for her. This is all for our countries safety.

If she was to be here longer (2 months, 4 months, etc..) she would need a temporary visa.

This had nothing to do of who she is, it was just her ticket was an open ticket and with the country on this high alert and a nation facing war, the federal governtment and homeland security is putting a return date for all open tickets

Thanks for the info chippa and yabbo

Im sure it was done for the country's safety and i'm all for that.

ITaly's airport security is worse than this, and has always been for as along as I can remember. they have security walking around with dogs and mascettis at all times. Once I asked a lady/security there to tell me where the train station was and she put a gun to my head !!!
Sware to God !! and she said in Italian 'young lady step AWAY from me' I almost collapsed from the fear and shock !! (this is going back ten years ago!)
Another time before that, I was videotaping my brother and sis at the airport and the security guys, pointed the mascetti at me and said for me to stop videotaping immediately !!!! and me with my New York attitude, kinda said 'hahh, youre cute' and waved and videotaped him. just as my brother snatched the videocamera from me

Edited to add, about 16 years ago (1987) my brother was searched, because here was this long haired guy with a guitar case from New York. They searched his luggage, guitar case, and everything!
All they would have found (but didnt!) was my mothers sausauges and oil and cheese !