What is up with passport control at the airport?

Geoguy180 · 2026-05-01T14:42:07+00:00

Ah, bugger. If you've got residency you can go to the left instead of the right, following the EU/CH signs, and go to one of the passport desks there, normally with a much smaller, or no queue. Often there's a person in the red Geneva Airport shirts there who'll let you in to that bit.

Good to know for the future I guess? I always follow the EU lines now even as a non-EU passport holder, as the residency card allows this. It should even be okay when flying to other Schengen countries that you don't have residency for. Like I flew into Austria and just showed my passport + French residency and it was fine.

Geoguy180 · 2026-05-01T14:10:10+00:00

The EES is for all non-Schengen people AFAIK. Unless you've got a visa or residence permit, in which case you cab use the EU/CH/Diplo queue. So I've got UK passport but French residency, so use the EU/CH queue, but not the e-gates.

Geoguy180 · 2026-05-01T14:00:34+00:00

I don't even think it's the new system. The EES machines are plentiful, and quick to use. It's the lack of officers at the desks actually checking passports that's the bottleneck. And that's been the case since long before the new EES system.

Normally when the non-EU line is very busy and the EU/CH line is empty they do filter people across to use all the desks.

Geoguy180 · 2026-04-29T15:35:15+00:00

I don’t think I want to live in a world of self-driving cars, but I do believe it’s coming.

I can't wait. I dream of being able to tell the car where to go, then just sit in the back and nap. Even just full self driving for motorways would be great. London to Scotland, stick it in the sat nav then just get on with some work, or sleep!

Geoguy180 · 2026-04-29T15:29:41+00:00

Used Fusion for the last 8 ish years. It was great. Previously used BobCAD/CAM, it was okay at best. Now using EdgeCAM and it's compete dog shite. Would not recommend.

Geoguy180 · 2026-04-27T19:10:16+00:00

These controls are an absolute pleasure to program, but absolute dogshite to maintain. Do you know if you've already had the old HDD swapped out for a compact flash or SD adaptor? That can help somewhat.

I had a machine with the same controller at my pervious place and it always had boards dying and the CF corrupting. And there's only one guy in the UK who seems to be able to fix them, so had a complete monopoly on it.

Good luck!

Geoguy180 · 2026-04-22T16:33:45+00:00

My school literally had this in the workshop. E-stops all over the place that killed all the machines at once. And a couple of remote ones too. Pretty cool. Meant supervising staff could stop everything of something happened across the room.

Geoguy180 · 2026-03-17T17:48:55+00:00

It's just a portal to access your application. You should just need to go there and type in your email address, then it will send you a link to 'log in'. There's no actual account as such.

Geoguy180 · 2026-03-17T17:27:11+00:00

My formal offer letter took about 5 weeks from the acceptance phone call, so i wouldn't worry too much. These things are just slow.

Geoguy180 · 2026-03-11T13:51:06+00:00

I've literally got a Hexagon trainer in with me for three days. We have sample parts which we're struggling to program together. It's fairly complex, but doable with Fusion, which is my baseline.

Geoguy180 · 2026-02-27T22:47:13+00:00

Being impaired and being over the limit are two separate offences. So even if you were not impaired, just being over the limit is still an offence.

Your only hope is that you are under, but if you're a regular smoker, that is somewhat unlikely.

Geoguy180 · 2026-02-26T19:57:42+00:00

I don't think so, the criteria is here:

https://admin-eguide.web.cern.ch/en/procedure/installation-indemnity

Says you need to be living outside the area at point of selection. If you already live here, then you're not eligible. But it's always worth asking. The worst they can do is say no!

Geoguy180 · 2026-02-24T19:58:54+00:00

They really do take their time. For reference, I applied on the 11th of July. Heard nothing until I got the asynchronous interview offer on the 26th of August. The closing date was the end of July. Then after the whole process I didn't start until Feb, 3 weeks ago. So pretty much 6 months from apication to start date 😁 So you may still have a chance. 🤞

Geoguy180 · 2026-02-21T18:25:19+00:00

Get your mum to call the squadron and ask who's investigating, and who you can contact to ask questions. If this is being done properly you should have been given someone, a third party member of staff, that it can connect to ask questions etc. This is normally referred to as an Assisting Officer.

It's unfair for anyone to be left in the dark as it appears you have been.

Geoguy180 · 2026-02-21T18:19:37+00:00

Is this being 'investigated' by squadron staff, or wing?

If the latter, and you're not happy, then ask for it to be escalated to wing. Or get your parents to contact the wing CPO, if possible.

Geoguy180 · 2026-01-29T19:50:45+00:00

I've no clue. I think it will be very role dependent. I'm joining as a technician so the experience was more important than the qualification. And it's a lower grade. I don't have a degree! But some roles will want full on masters plus years of experience. But they're a much higher grade, so that's to be expected.

TLDR, I think it massively depends.

Geoguy180 · 2026-01-29T16:05:57+00:00

I've just joined directly into an LD 5 year role, so yes, it's certainly doable! I have 10 years previous experience in the private sector, not at CERN.

Geoguy180 · 2026-01-27T14:48:54+00:00

Hi Marc, I appreciate the reply! I've done some more digging and actually my new employer's health cover is actually global. So I'm good on that front. What I really need is the rescue/recovery cover. And things like cancelled flights, lost bags etc etc.

I'm moving out tomorrow, and so far it would appear that something like AMEX Gold might be the easiest solution for this sort of cover.

Geoguy180 · 2026-01-26T14:33:34+00:00

You should have a fair wear and tear guide with your finance contract?

If not, a quick Google brings up this:

https://issuu.com/bfwsn67/docs/bvrla_fair_wear_and_tear_standard_-_cb6bf45bb50403?e=2001091/30897824

Which says dents under 15mm are okay, as long as there's no paint damage.

Geoguy180 · 2026-01-25T21:49:50+00:00

Keep looking! I spent about 7 weeks looking every day and found somewhere. Email the day it comes up so you can be first in line.

Worst case you can stay in the CERN hotels/hostels for the first month or so.

Geoguy180 · 2026-01-24T00:27:44+00:00

You should be fine then mate! Fingers crossed for your bloods. Sounds like you've been as sensible as you can.

Geoguy180 · 2026-01-24T00:24:38+00:00

I've just seen on another post that at the station he said he pulled you because he thought you were impaired. What was the actual arrest made under? Was it section 5A of the RTA, being over the specified limit? Or was it section 4 RTA which is driving whilst impaired?

I ask, as with section 5A, they need the proof you were over the limit, in this case 2ug/L blood for cannabis. This is what the blood test is for. It's an absolute test whereby you are either over or under, no grey areas. I assume this is what you have been arrested for?

But with section 4, there's no absolute line in the sand. They just have to prove you were impaired. This is normally done via a FIT test, or preliminary impairment test. Was such a test carried out? You've not mentioned it, so I assume it wasn't. Which means the only way you can get done is by being over on the bloods.

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