Border Control At The Tunnel: Why Are They So Miserable? (1 Viewer)

Allanm

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Came back from Brittany and arrived at the French side of the Tunnel.
Cheery greeting from the check in girl, apologising for the self check in not working.
Through pet passport control, all smiles and chatty. Also noticed new high razor wire topped fences next to the compound. Chatted with lots of happy dog owners.
Drove through French border control, security checks carried out by a cheery border guard, all smiles.
Drove towards the shopping area, met by a cheery employee waving us on and telling us we had 15 minutes to visit the shops if we wished.
Got to the lane check in, another cheery employee asking if the gas was off, bit of a laugh and joke and waved us through to lane 6.
On the train, guard ushered into a carriage, all smiles, "handbrake on and first gear please"

If that had been our experience of the crossing, we would be very pleased to be using Eurotunnel and felt welcome to be travelling to the UK.

Problem was, the happy atmosphere was tempered by the most miserable, belligerent UK Border Control person we have ever had the misfortune to meet.

Of course, I greeted hime with a cheery "Good Morning" ( remember how everybody else was so happy to see us?)
Met with a stoney silence and a hand thrust out for passports. "Where have you been?"
I held back with "France" and said Brittany.
"How long for?"
3 weeks
Passports thrust back and dismissed.

Why do they have to be so miserable? He has a well paid job in a nice environment. This isn't the first time either, they are usually miserable, but not as bad as this one. He was probably the one Scott Mills was talking about last week when he flew in from Vietnam.

They could all do with Customer Service training and a kick up the backside. If this is how they treat UK passport holders, I hate to think how they treat foreigners.....
If they ever advertise for Mystery Travellers to test out Border Control, I'm applying..........

Allan
 
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9526

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We've had a mixture over the years and as Alan stated, some won't even reply to a cheery "good morning".

Takes all sorts I suppose, we tend to have a giggle at the miserable ones. Imagine living with some of them, I bet the evenings fly by!!!
 
Nov 3, 2013
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Hi.
You are still carrying this burden,the security man has probably forgotten who has just past through a moment ago,so won't remember you......... Stress ? Some people are rude,others not,why worry,it takes all sorts to make a world,draw a line,breath in,move on.
Tea Bag.

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old-mo

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Why do they have to be so miserable? He has a well paid job in a nice environment. This isn't the first time either, they are usually miserable,

Cos the French think..... Goodbye Immigrants.. :france:

And the English think....... Oh no.... more bloody immigrants... :blush: ::bigsmile:
 
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Think we met his cousin the last time we flew into Auckland NZ, us cheery morning and big smiles, him glum no smile and more or less "this is New Zealand and your welcome to it" very nearly had a word with the Supervisor but what the heck we were on holiday and he wasn't. Good customer relations cost nothing but make a very big different to the customer. :)

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Puddleduck

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No one ever knows what's happing in some ones life he may have recently suffered a bereavement things happening with his family suffering depression not every ones life is good every day we all have our off days
bill

You are correct Bill..... however when working "face to face" one of the things drilled into us was "leave your own problems at the locker room door, pick them up on your way home". If you couldn't do that you didn't last long.
 
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GWAYGWAY

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They have to travel over every day from Folkestone and get pi==ed off.
I worked with a girl who had dual US/UK nationality and used her US passport to go to the USA and when they get there there is a big sign up in arrivals with WELCOME HOME unlike the grilling we get there. This bloke is just adding to the joy of returning home.

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Dec 27, 2014
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Pour soul.
Has good job, sitting in nice booth... Bored shitless and he only has another 20 years to go.... Isn't it great.
JOB = "just over broke" for a lot of those type of jobs.... but they aren't fit for anything else !
He's entitled to be miserable ! ... poor soul :whistle:
 

Bertie Bassett

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OP you've not been to the States then. In forty years and many, many trips including some in uniform I have never ever received any form of smile or acknowledgement at US border control. It's because they is very, very important!(y)
 
Dec 27, 2014
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You know what they say....................Give a man a clip board..........:D
These buggers have stamps to filthy up your passport too!(n)
Yep... Too right.
Flew an aeroplane from Germany and was clearing customs in a small regional airport in England and was informed when I landed to report right away to customs. It was 6:45 pm and the officer proceeded to throw the book at me for not having the correct paperwork. Now, I fly all over Europe, I know exactly what I need and he began harping on that his shift finished at 7pm...... Now I was in no hurry, I had the hotel booked.... But it still took me until 9pm to "find my paperwork" while this jumped up little prick was going mental about having to be there.
My paperwork was in perfect order but boy I enjoyed keeping the arrogant little prick standing around for 2 hours and took great pleasure telling him that wen I was done.
Lesson:
Only mess with someone who gives a f¥{k !
 
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Allanm

Allanm

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OP you've not been to the States then. In forty years and many, many trips including some in uniform I have never ever received any form of smile or acknowledgement at US border control. It's because they is very, very important!(y)
I have, many times and was always impressed with the happy ones as well as the drole ones. Even the Germans were pleasant!
Haven't been to Aus though, but watched it on the TV and they seem happy.
Yes, of course, he could have had a recent bereavement, just got some bad news, or whatever to spoil his day, but it seems every border control employee has just had bad news the minute before we go through.
The French ones in Folkestone always seem happy, so it can't be the travelling....
Allan

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Madwife

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Went to International Confederation of Midwives Conference in Vancouver, Canada in 1991 and very drool immigration officer asked "what will happen to any woman about to give birth in UK as all you midwives (about 360 of us on plane) are over here?! Replied that there were over 30,000 midwives still in UK!

Another time in Atlanta was asked about equipment in my bag - obstetric forceps - and had to reassure him that we were teaching on a course! We were more concerned that they would pick on us because of our surnames than what we had in our bags! Post 9/11 Abdullah was not a favoured name! Coupled with my Irish name and passport we thought we would be locked up! Luckily we were waved through eventually!

Kath
 

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