Airport Security

[carter]

When I regularly flew 50-75,000 miles annually, I packed very carefully. Last week, I flew to VA with my son and daughter. Here's some interesting information.
We flew to VA from DFW and, at DFW, they confiscated my 11 year old daughter's shampoo, hair conditioner, Deep Woods Off, Cocoa Butter, and toothpaste. My son and I didn't lose our toothpaste both of which were the same size and packaging as her's. I'm amazed that an 11 year old girl was, apparently, more threatening than two men aged 19 and 59.
On our return flight from Richmond, VA, a lighter, a roll of packing tape with cutter, and the same two toothpaste containers all passed inspection. The lighter was in plain view in a tub as it went thru the scanner. The packing tape was in a camera bag from which the TSA agent had us remove the camera. I didn't even realize we had the lighter and tape until we got home.
Obviously, the TSA was more vigilant at DFW than at RIC. I wonder if anyone else has noticed this sort of inconsistency when travelling.

 

[Doh!]

Back when they were only randomly making people take their shoes off, Security picked an elderly woman in line directly in front of me and had her step to the side. Oh, and she was walking with the aid of a cane.

Naturally, I went through Security with no interruption.

Hmm... between the two of us, I wonder who posed the bigger threat...?

 

[Ecuador Jim]

Don't get me started...

I fly over 100,000 miles a year, and have noticed the exact type of inconsistencies you mention. A couple of years ago, I had left a lock-back knife in my carry-on, and successfully passed through Seattle, Denver and Phoenix without incident. I was finally flagged at La Guardia. The TSA agent must have measured that knife about 10 times, called her supervisor over at least three times, then finished with a lecture about how much trouble I could have been in. Ultimately, all I had to do was mail the knife home and come back through security.

Same for the liquids/semi solids/electronic devices. The definitions seem to change from location to location. Some places and people have an intense attention to detail mindset, while others seem quite lax.

You probably recall that because of the limited degree of decision-making capability these folks have, it's best to try to stay under the radar. I'm reminded of something somebody once said, "Don't confuse me with facts, I've already made up my mind!"

 

[LocktownDog]

Every time my father flies, he gets pulled out of line and taken to a separate room for questioning. They search him and his belongings and ask him a set of a half dozen questions. All because his name has been flagged as a potential terrorist threat.

He's a 60 yr old named Tony Smith. Go figure. The guy served in Army intelligence for a year in Vietnam and then 30+ years as a firefighter in New Jersey. He was also the man in charge of the makeshift morgue at Ground Zero, setting it up merely 2 hours after the horrible event and staying there for a week trying to match body parts as they came in to him.

Yet he's a potential terrorist. Somebody's got their priorities screwed up.

Richard

 

[ShortClara]

I went through a period of about two years when I was pulled aside EVERY time I flew, without fail. I just figure they go thru periods of profiling - choose all the "terrorist" looking people and a bunch of short chicks and old men so they don't look racist

 

[carter]

Originally posted by Locktown Dog
Every time my father flies, he gets pulled out of line and taken to a separate room for questioning. They search him and his belongings and ask him a set of a half dozen questions. All because his name has been flagged as a potential terrorist threat.

He's a 60 yr old named Tony Smith. Go figure. The guy served in Army intelligence for a year in Vietnam and then 30+ years as a firefighter in New Jersey. He was also the man in charge of the makeshift morgue at Ground Zero, setting it up merely 2 hours after the horrible event and staying there for a week trying to match body parts as they came in to him.

Yet he's a potential terrorist. Somebody's got their priorities screwed up.

Richard, I couldn't agree with you more. It seems to me that there should be a better way. Did anyone ever hear of a registry for people who should be considered less threatening? It sounds to me like his father would be at or near the head of the list.
Does anyone on the FL have any insight into this?
I once flew a bunch of one-way legs on a trip around the U.S. I was pulled aside on each leg. One-way must be a hot button for the TSA.

 

[Tommy Fedora]

Flying out of San Francisco last year we created a buzz at the gate when the inspector discovered the cell phone charger my son, 21 at the time, had packed in his carry-on bag. Supervisors were called in, people stared and commented and everything came to a stand still until the potential danger was correctly identified and dismissed as not a threat, thank goodness.
Of course, I had just passed through before him with the same item in my bag but the threat went undiscovered.

 

[PA Dancer]

lol I'm so glad that I don't enjoy traveling (flying). I wouldn't be able to go anywhere without my own comforts of home.

 

[Feng_Li]

Real security measures would offend some people's sensibilities, so the politicos settle for looking aggressive in an attempt to make people feel safe.

"Osama, brother, we have no chance. I was watching the airport yesterday and they were even searching the little girls and taking their shampoo away. The Great Satan is serious about this. We will never make it onto the plane!"

 

[Diamondback]

This is why I intend to eighty-six commercial for private-air as soon as I can afford it. (Plus the fringe bennie of, many places, not having to "check" my defensive tools for the flight...)

 

[dhermann1]

My wife and I were going thru a normal airport check in Buffalo in 2002. She opened one of her bags and a spider jumped out, causing my wife to jump about ten feet in the air and yelp, which almost gave the poor woman doing the inspecting a heart attack. It took about ten minutes for sanity to be reestablished. For a moment there I was envisioning being surrounded by a SWAT team. Crazy times we live in. I was 4 blocks from the World Trade Center when it came down. I walked home in that blanket of dust over the Brooklyn Bridge. So I just take all these things in stride.

 

[Atticus Finch]

Hi Folks,

My girlfriend and I were flying to the midwest last month. TSA went through Jackie's purse and found her shampoo and other girl stuff. I guess she was planning to wash her hair sometime during the two-hour flight. Anyhow, Mr. inspector explained to her that all liquids had to be placed in a clear plastic bag before she could board with them. It so happened that Jackie also had a plastic baggie filled with Splenda packs in her purse. The TSA guy emptied the Spenda packs into the bottom of her purse and then put her shampoo and other stuff into the plastic baggie. Then he handed the bag and purse back to her and waived us through.

We all felt much safer for his actions.

Atticus

 

[dostacos]

I was going through the line heading from LAX to Vegas [work honest] and one of the dorks asked the other one if they should check the 4 yr olds rolling bag too, mom was #10. the second dork said nah she was #1 for the next check.

First if mom was willing to kill her daughter by blowing up the plane, wouldn't she be willing to use her daughter's bag to carry the bomb?

Second there were indeed some gentlemen who should have been profiled, and they sat there and counted the peeps and got in line when they knew they were in the middle of the pack

having traveled by El Al where they take security seriously, I find the US efforts to stop terrorists a joke

 

[dostacos]

My wife and I were going thru a normal airport check in Buffalo in 2002. She opened one of her bags and a spider jumped out, causing my wife to jump about ten feet in the air and yelp, which almost gave the poor woman doing the inspecting a heart attack. It took about ten minutes for sanity to be reestablished. For a moment there I was envisioning being surrounded by a SWAT team. Crazy times we live in. I was 4 blocks from the World Trade Center when it came down. I walked home in that blanket of dust over the Brooklyn Bridge. So I just take all these things in stride.

obviously a HIT spider, please send my her name so I can add her to the NO FLY list

 

[carter]

Originally posted by Feng Li
"Osama, brother, we have no chance. I was watching the airport yesterday and they were even searching the little girls and taking their shampoo away. The Great Satan is serious about this. We will never make it onto the plane!"

Originally posted by Atticus Finch
The TSA guy emptied the Spenda packs into the bottom of her purse and then put her shampoo and other stuff into the plastic baggie. Then he handed the bag and purse back to her and waived us through.

We all felt much safer for his actions.

Originally posted by dhermann1
My wife and I were going thru a normal airport check in Buffalo in 2002. She opened one of her bags and a spider jumped out, causing my wife to jump about ten feet in the air and yelp, which almost gave the poor woman doing the inspecting a heart attack. It took about ten minutes for sanity to be reestablished. For a moment there I was envisioning being surrounded by a SWAT team.

lol lol lol lol lol

Not to make light of 9/11 in any way. It's interesting to see how ineffective and/or inconsistent some of these measures appear to be. Someone should make a movie.
As a people, it's good to know that we can still laugh at ourselves.

Carter

 

[Miss Neecerie]

For what its worth...Lighters were recently re-allowed.....so not really a case of one place enforcing a rule the other one didnt....more just that it was never in violation.


And really...they enforce the rules they are given to enforce...they don't assess whether an 11 year who has shampoo bigger then the allotment is more dangerous then men who have toothpaste under the allotment....if its over the allotment, they take it....

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

 

[Foofoogal]

As God is my witness, I could have sworn turkeys could fly! - Arthur C. Carlson

Is this WKRP in Cincinnati? That was hilarious. lol

As of August 4th. the lighter ban has been lifted in the USA.
I fly quite a bit and the whole time I am never worried about terrorists. What I seem to be sitting by is some smart aleck teen who will not turn off his headphones or other equipment until the steward tells him 15 times. :rage:
Why don't they put in big letters that this may mess up the towers communication and the electrical systems or whatever of a plane. I am always thinking to myself. Buddy if this thing crashes because of you and I live and you live I am going to beat the ****&&^& out of you.
I feel the same way when I am pumping gas next to some yoyo talking on his cell phone while pumping his gas also. Nervous nilly.

 

[ShortClara]

I feel the same way when I am pumping gas next to some yoyo talking on his cell phone while pumping his gas also. Nervous nilly.

fftopic: You might be happy to hear that the MythBusters busted this myth - they could not get a cell phone to make a spark no matter what they tried

 

[Thin Man]

I'm a newbie around here and I've got a question for the gents who wear braces. Do the small buckles on braces create any problems going through security?

I'm an experienced traveler and go through the usual motions without thinking about it , i.e. I pull out my laptop, and take off my shoes and belt, etc. before going through the metal detector. Recently I've switched to wearing braces, so now I carry a belt specifically for wearing on the days I fly and specifically for when I go through security. I'd hate to be stopped in security and asked to remove the braces. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Brad Bowers]

I'm a newbie around here and I've got a question for the gents who wear braces. Do the small buckles on braces create any problems going through security?

Depending on the airport, my braces would set off the machine until a really nice TSA agent at the Salt Lake airport told me a trick: hook your thumbs under each brace and pull towards the center of your chest until the metal buckles are together, and then go through the machine. It works!

Before that, I've not had to remove my braces when I did beep. They just pull me aside and run the wand over me.

I refuse to abandon my style for the sake of convenience, so I always wear a suit, tie, and hat when I travel. I get so many compliments and good service from the flight crews who tell me they miss the days when folks used to dress nice to travel.

Brad