What
a flight I had from JFK to London Heathrow! I was extremely tired and fell into
a comatose sleep, ready for an easy overnight flight, when suddenly a woman
screaming at someone interrupted my dreams. I peeked open my eyes to see
someone standing, shrilly yelling and pointing at a man. I slowly realized she
was not even speaking English; it sounded more like Hebrew. I turned to the
Southern man next to me, who was on his way to Cape Town, and we both shrugged
our shoulders. However, the yelling escalated, joined by another woman, and a
man who kept shouting “I was calm!” The lights on the plane came up and I had
to watch a flight attendant detain the man, who had begun physically strangling
this woman. I speculate that all three passengers involved were drunk.
Regardless, two or three men had to take this violent passenger to the back of
the plane and pin him down for the remainder of the flight. Needless to say, I
was so startled that I barely slept for the final four hours of the ride. Upon
landing, all passengers were asked to remain in their seats while about six
police boarded the plane and handcuffed the perpetrator. Further, one of the
women was so drunk that the whole cabin watched as a policewoman helped her up
and led her to the front of the plane with her hair disheveled and eyes half
closed. Naturally, I followed suit of the passenger in front of me and sniped a
picture of the whole ordeal. Yet, I soon realized that the trials of my journey
into England were not over.
Upon
reaching the UK border agency, I was immediately screwed. Sure, I had filled
out my landing card as a visitor, but I had no valid street address that I was
visiting and listed my occupation as “recent graduate.” I knew as I walked up
to the immigration officer that I was screwed. He asked me the length of my
stay and whom I was there for. I proceeded to explain that I was there to visit
friends, mainly staying with a boyfriend. He went on to state, “it’s always a
boy.” However, as he understood that I had recently graduated and previously
studied for a year in London, he asked all these questions about Tom. I
blatantly dug myself into a deeper hole as I answered honestly that I did not
have his street address in London or Newcastle. I seemed even sketchier when I
was unable to hand over his phone number, because I only ever Skype with Tom
from my computer and phone. I told him that Tom would be at arrivals waiting
for me, so the officer handed me a slip of paper. The form read, “you are liable
to be examined/further examined by: me or another Immigration Officer,”
including “I am detaining you” and “I have also detained your passport,
identity card or travel document.” The reasons for detention were described as
“I have further enquiries to make and more questions to ask you.” Everything
had happened so quickly, that I was more focused on making it to the flight
than actually making it across the English border. I wasn’t even able to give
evidence of a return ticket, because it was on the browser in my phone, which
could not be opened without Internet in the immigration area. Just as I was
debating what filthy part of the airport I would be sent to overnight before
having to fly back to the U.S., the immigration officer returned. He so kindly
stated that he would grant me entry, not before reminding me that they had been
unable to page Tom from the airport, I had no UK address (and thus further lack
of evidence of a British sponsor), didn’t have Tom’s mobile number, and had no
evidence of a return flight. He said, “I just don’t understand how this
relationship is going to work” and “I am just going to take your word for it,
but I recommend you leave on the date you’ve told me you’re going to leave, or
it will also reflect poorly on Tom.” Despite having to explain/justify my long
distance relationship to a perfect stranger, I was so grateful that he gave me
the benefit of the doubt, and promised that I will NEVER make that mistake
again. So, after recounting the story of the plane altercation to an inquisitive
baggage claim employee, I made it through the arrivals gate and into London
once again…
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