Some AS (Alaska) / US border control questions

[ExXB]

Between Christmas and New Years I've booked connecting flights via Seattle from Kelowna, B.C. to Orange County on-line.

They insisted on a 'middle-name' for my wife but she doesn't have one. As a mandatory field you couldn't proceed without one. Couldn't find any help, or suggestions so I simply put in (lower case) 'none'. I'm hoping that this won't cause problems - if anyone has any idea of the TSA rules for 'no middle name' I'd be grateful to hear them.

After booking I was invited to enter passport details (as a transborder flight was involved) I had no problem with my Canajun passport, but when I selected 'other' for my wife's British passport I got a screen saying "Sorry, you can't do this - we're not set up to deal with foreigners, other than Mexicans and Canadians! Please call our Reservations office at 800 I HATE ALASKA (or something like that)! Well I can't dial a US 800 number from Europe (I tried - some work, this one didn't)

I suppose it can wait until December when we are in B.C. but I'd prefer to sort it out sooner - Is there any way to contact AS from Europe, even normal long distance, without being put on hold for an hour or two? I'd prefer a telcall rather than e-mail because of passport details.

My wife, in her old expired passport, has a US Visa valid until October 2010. I'm tempted to tell her to take that with here, because I'm not certain how the visa waiver program works when she's travelling on a separate ticket from YLW to SEA. Or am I worrying too much - She'll just get a green Waiver form from Alaska and the nice CBP people in Seattle will treat her like the queen.

Any thoughts, institutional knowledge would be most appreciated!

[Donkey497]

Haven't been across the pond in the past couple of months, but the green I94 forms should be history by now. The US brought in a pre-clearance procedure that you need to carry out at least 72 hours before travel if you hold an EU passport.

Most of the questions that I'm sure you'll have are answered on the "ESTA" thread in this forum. So long as you go on-line and get your wife's details registered before you fly out you should be OK. Registration lasts for a couple of years so she shouldn't need to take her old one with the near expired visa.

[raffele]

ESTA's don't need to be held 72 hours before departure. This time frame is a guideline to take into account cases that need a bit of investigation. Many people who are still unaware of the new system are sent to the internet cafe at checkin to get their ESTAs. As long as you hold it before you depart it's not an issue.

Have a search for the ESTA forum and then go to the official website to register. It's free so any site that offers an ESTA for money is at best a money grabbing site and at worst a scam.

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/

Be aware though that the I94W forms might still be in use. They were hoping to phase them out sharpish after January but whether they've got their systems sorted so they can do this is not yet known.

[muppetbum]

I94Ws are still in use. At least they are at YYZ. and most of the border guards look confused when you mention ESTA

[Hartington]

Despite appearances this Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air - UK (http://www.alaskaairlines.co.uk/) is NOT a website by Alaska themselves but it IS run by their UK agent (or gives every appearance of that). It shows their phone number, try calling them.

[ExXB]

Thanks for the link, I'll give them a call on Monday.

Thanks as well for the answers on Visa Waiver. Frankly I had forgotten about ESTA. Once my wife has her new passport I'll get her 'authorised'.

The only thing unanswered is the use of 'none' as a middle name where there is ... none.

Perhaps ASUK (pun intended) can answer that one too ...

[ollie_a]

I found this on the official website.

Alaska Airlines / Horizon Air Contact Information (http://www.alaskaair.com/as/www2/help/contacts/contact-info.asp)

Click on section 9, International Contact Information. Worldwide phone numbers appear.

[ExXB]

Thanks,
I overlooked that when I was looking. It's appears to be a W/Europe wide toll-free number and, if all else fails, a normal number in WA (but not toll free)

[Rainboe]

Beware the Visa Waiver program rules. I don't know if this still applies, but the UK Visa Waiver used to only be valid for travel from the UK. If you enter Canada first, you may find you do need a visa from there when entering the US. They can be notoriously inflexible with the rules. We had a Brit crew in LAX who drove down into Tijuana, Mexico. They got out alright, but getting back in.......... Caused a lot of trouble. It's happened with crew in Boston who pop over to Canada, and Seattle crew who drive up to BC.

[Donkey497]

There should be no worries on that UK passport holder entering from Canada on an ESTA, as I've done it myself about nine/ ten weeks ago. Granted, it was only a day trip during my holiday but there was no hassle about it.

Almost forgot, if you need to change any details on your ESTA, you can do them on-line as soon as you get your reference number, which logs any changes on the system almost immediately.