Just received an email from the US Government reminding me my passport will expire NEXT YEAR (2027) in May! WOW - this mirrors best practices of a business - efficient consumer notification and revenue seeking enterprise with recommended convenient and easy renewal. With the reminder that some countries (like the Netherlands) require a passport to be valid for six month past the travel date to that country (meaning I would not be able enter the Netherlands November of this year). That brings back the memory of my Accenture trip to Amsterdam July 1997. Here is the long version of the story:
It was July 12, 1997 and I was a “seasoned” Partner with Andersen Consulting approaching the eighth year since my admission to the Partnership (Aug. 1989). One of the rites of passage of this “seasoned” Partner was to be invited to the Partner’s sabbatical educational “wellbeing” forum (Chautauqua style) in Amsterdam. A week to relax, listen to lectures on world affairs, economics, fine arts, and philosophy. I decided to combine this respite afterwards with a week of vacation with the family (Mom, Dad, Susan, and Jenna) in a cruise down the Rhine.
I had dutifully checked that all family members had valid passports and properly noted that since Susan’s and my passport would be expiring Sept. 28, 1997, we should renew it once we got back from this overseas visit.
And so the story begins. Saturday evening July 12, 1997, I approached the Cincinnati Airport Delta check-in counter. As a Platinum Medallion Frequent Flyer, “veteran” and first-class traveler, I sauntered up to the special check-in counter as if expecting to be known on a first name basis while producing my travel credentials.
The gate agent, a smartly uniformed young male, began the clicking at his terminal computer to input my passport information, print a boarding pass and luggage tags.
“Sir, did you know that your passport will expire in September?”, he politely inquired. Confidently I answered, “Sure, and once I get back, I will be renewing it, thank you for the reminder”.
“I’m sorry sir, I can’t let you board this flight” he responded. “The Netherlands will not permit entry for those with passports with expirations within six months”.
Now I was confused, Andersen Consulting used one of the largest travel agencies in the world to book flights. I asked the agent, “Why would my flight reservation have been valid”?
“Sir, I don’t know the answer to that, all I can tell you are the rules of entry that Delta must comply with.”
“That doesn’t make sense - my reservation shows that I will be returning to the USA July 23 well before my passport expiration date.”
“I’m sorry sir there is nothing I can do.”
Here is where my self-importance kicked in - I’m a big wig Partner at Andersen Consulting, a first-class traveler and Platinum Frequent Flyer. “Just put me on the flight, I’ll talk to the Netherland’s customs agents to resolve this.”
“I can’t do that sir”. “Why not?”
“Delta will not only be required to immediately fly you back to the states, we will also be fined by the Netherlands government for flying you to the country to begin with”.
By now my blood pressure had risen, my reward for 8 years of partnership (20 years of hard work at Arthur Andersen) would be interrupted along with my family vacation plans. Meanwhile, time was running out for when the flight would board. Back in 1997 (pre 9/11 TSA) it was a red badge of courage to show up to the airport with just moments before the boarding of your flight.
Seeing that I did not have time to escalate this to a higher authority before the flight would leave, I needed an alternate plan.
Endlessly repeating “You’ve got to be kidding me”, I was unwilling to give up my place in line while I frantically thought of alternatives. My mind shot back to the 1963 movie “The Great Escape” with the iconic scene of Steve McQueen’s attempt to jump over a German barbed wire fencing protecting the German border on his motorbike.
“What country in Europe will accept my passport?” I demanded. A few clicks later, he said “Germany will”.
“And what is your next flight to Germany”. “Actually, we have one leaving in 45 minutes to Frankfurt” the agent responded. (those were the good ol’ days when CVG was flying everywhere in the world!)
“Good, book me on that flight, I guarantee I will find a way to get into Amsterdam!!”. Even if riding a bicycle or walking by foot through the countryside farmland, I would find a way in. The USA postal motto rang through my head! “Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat …..
With nine hours of flight time and first class airphone capability, I had time to construct various strategies and plans to enter the Netherlands.
Time was the critical variable, so cost was no object. The goal was to attend the Partner’s Cocktail Reception Sunday evening at 7pm.
The Great Escape/ Steve McQueen motorbike option was my backup plan. Plan A would be to determine the train schedule from Frankfurt Germany to Amsterdam Netherlands. With the founding of the European Union (November 1993), I presumed the travel rules and attention to passport detail might be lax on rail travel from one European Country to the next.
The $100 cost of a one-way train ticket was not important, however the train added four to six hours to my estimated time of arrival depending on the number of local stops. That left less than 3 hours of contingency time to make the Partner’s Reception.
The heightened adrenaline flowing through my body combined with the airphone calls to the travel agency prevented any sleep on the Delta flight to Frankfurt. The flight landed Sunday morning at 9am and wearily, I passed through customs and navigated my way to the Euro-rail ticket office. What a waste of High School and College time learning ancient Latin – when now I needed some rudimentary speaking ability to navigate the local German rail system. I strategically decided not to book a nonstop rail to Amsterdam expecting the same passport checks that Delta Airlines had performed. A route with local stops would advance my position closer to the border in case my backup plan was required – entry by car, motorbike, bicycle, or walking.
Once on the train, I had another six hours to practice what I would say to any local conductor or authority that might question my passport credentials. I had no clue how European trains might transfer passengers or check credentials at border crossings. Planning alternate routes and scenarios was challenging with no cell phones or GPS mapping capability. It was three hours to the Netherland’s border so again no sleep since this risky action was creating stress. Now I know how criminals feel during a heist.
Each time a new local conductor would check my ticket, my stress level would rapidly rise - would he ask for my passport?
We hit the border and the Netherland’s conductor appeared asking for my passport. Sweat was pouring down my sideburns and my body temperature was clearly heightened.
My passport was filled with travel stamps – October 1987 France; November 1987 Liechtenstein, November 1993 Gatwick, April 1997 Gatwick, Canadian Work Visa November 1996; The conductor slowly (oh so slowly) flipped through the pages. He carefully opened the three-fold Canadian Work Visa puzzled by its presence. He asked if I spoke Dutch or German. I shook my head saying, “I only speak English”. Probably, too busy to take on this situation – he punched my ticket and moved on.
My entry into the Netherlands was complete. I arrived at the Partner’s Reception promptly at 7pm. No barbed wire capture for this Steve McQueen veteran traveler. That trip and vacation was my personal “Great Escape!”
Postscript: Without 22 hours of sleep, I was in a daze sipping on my Merlot wine at the Partner’s Reception after successfully checking in and freshening up. I introduced myself to an Arthur Andersen Chicago Audit Partner and described my Steve McQueen journey to him. He pulled out his passport. “That’s funny - my passport expires in September too and I had no problem flying out of O’hare on United”.
Addendum: Equally stressful was attempting to get Susan into the country four days later. When I learned of the Delta/Netherland restriction, I was fully aware Susan’s passport expired in the same month as mine (we both applied the same time for passports for our trip to Switzerland in 1987).
On Monday 7/14/1997, I called the Andersen Consulting office asking how long an expedited passport renewal would take since Susan was scheduled to fly to Amsterdam on Thursday 7/17/1997. Alas – even with Federal Express and expedited surcharges it was a risk that it could be completed by Thursday. I decided it was not worth the chance.
Since Susan was traveling with my parents and Jenna, changing all flights and the cruise dates would be cost prohibitive. A plan B was necessary – and not one as complicated as my itinerary. I was willing to bet if she could get past the Delta agent that Susan, with my elderly parents and a six-year-old child, Susan could talk her way into the country upon landing in Amsterdam. But how to get her on the flight?
I assumed that the gate agent might have both a different check-in system and less knowledge than the front airport lobby. I told Mom and Dad to check all the luggage (including Susan’s) at the airport lobby. Proceed with Susan to the gate and have Susan check in at the gate for her boarding pass.
Amazingly that got Susan on the plane. Once landed in Amsterdam there was still a risk. Luck again was on our side as the border entry process went smoothly. Susan, Jenna, and my parents arrived without a hitch on Saturday July 18, 1997 and a joyful family vacation cruise from Amsterdam down the Rhine was experienced returning safely to the USA July 23, 1997.
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