Airport Security

[Hondo]

I have a "thing" about placing my hat into airport security or x-ray machine.
I wanted to take my hat along to a recent trip to London
Excuse me if there was a post or thread; I just couldn't find it,
One time I took a flight; had no problem taking hat off and having it examined but...placing a 2 or 400 hundred dollar hat in dirty plastic tray to go through x-ray, I refuse to do again, maybe next time place a couple of handkerchiefs down on bottom and top but geez can't we get some sanity and common sense by just handling it, look it cover, just as you would a baseball style cap? I think it varies from airport to airport how they handle this.
I would have enjoyed taking my hat to London but didn't want to hassle with security.

 

[Inusuit]

Would they let you...

put your hat in a clean transparent plastic bag? The bag could also be used to protect your hat while on the plane.

 

[cybergentleman]

i seond that

just flew out of newark, NJ airport a few weeks ago, put my hat in a plastic department store bag, then put that in the tray- no problems.
keep it simple.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Sounds like the bag is a good solution, and easy to manage. As for the methods of security; I'd prefer the x-ray to human examinations for two reasons;

1. The human eye can miss things that the machine won't. I would feel safer knowing that a better knowledge of hats won't allow anyone to get sneaky.

2. I've seen how non-hat lovers handle hats when they just want to check them out, let alone search them. Give me a dirty plastic tray any day!

 

[M6Classic]

Do you really want some poor, under-paid employee of the TSA man-handling your hat, perhaps peeking under the lining or inverting the leather? I think it is far preferable to send my hats through radiology. As to putting my hats into the plastic trays...well, I certainly place my hats in far less sanitary places through the course of a day, but it seems that you could find some piece of interleaf to protect your lid from secondary contact with the rabble's filth.

Buzz

 

[suitedcboy]

I'm always hatted for air travel and I have only been asked to put in through Xray one time. I believe it was in Toronto. I am not even asked to remove it for inspection but at most half the time.

 

[cybergentleman]

differences

security not only varies among airports but among airlines too. studying abroad, I fly a few times per yr, and can say that at the newark airport for example the continetal airlines security was far more draconian than el-al. yet i'll trust israeli security over stupid american techniques anyd-ay.

why oh why do we still need to take off our shoes, belts etc.

just wait until some one swallows c-4 explosive and gets caught, cavity searches are going to be common place lol

 

[Carlisle Blues]

This is covered as well in the following thread...

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=42692&highlight=traveling+akubra

 

[daizawaguy]

Keep it on your head and take it off to show the person as you walk through the X ray machine, or is that not an option?... Worked for me on my recent Japan-Thailand trip.

 

[funneman]

I give the tops of my shoes a quick run down the backs of my pants legs, remove my shoes, place them heels/soles down in the tray and place my hat on top of them.

 

[Tomasso]

Keep it on your head

That's what I do. [huh]

 

[Mike K.]

Keep it on your head and take it off to show the person as you walk through the X ray machine, or is that not an option?... Worked for me on my recent Japan-Thailand trip.

Keep in mind that many hats, especially Akubras, have a wire in the reeded sweatband that sets off the metal detectors so one cannot simply carry them through security.

Carrying a clear plastic hat bag is a very simple and effective solution.

 

[jimmy the lid]

I do one of two things. If it's going to be a long trip and I really don't want to worry about my hat during the flight, I put it in a hat can for the trip. Goes right through security and into the overhead bin -- no worries.

For shorter trips, or when I don't want to be bothered with the additional carry-on, I simply remove the jacket/coat I am wearing, place half of it in the little gray bin, place my hat in the bin, then fold the rest of the jacket coat over the top of the hat. Goes through, no problem -- and not dirty rubber thingies touching my hat. Sure, they touch the jacket, but they would anyway!

Cheers,
JtL

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Keep it on your head and take it off to show the person as you walk through the X ray machine, or is that not an option?... Worked for me on my recent Japan-Thailand trip.

I tried that last week on a trip from Brisbane to Sydney - but was ordered to remove my hat (Akubra Bogart) and run it through the xray. So, I put in in a tray - on it's crown of course - and the attendant grabbed it and stuck it on its brim! Philistine!! By the time it had travelled through the machine it had been tossed out of the tray and was tumbling free on the conveyor belt.

The plastic bag would have solved all that.

 

[jimmy the lid]

put your hat in a clean transparent plastic bag? The bag could also be used to protect your hat while on the plane.

The only problem with this is that you really need something a bit more substantial between the hat and those rubber flaps. That's why I find that a jacket or coat does the trick.

Cheers,
JtL

 

[cybergentleman]

philistine?

philistine? i think you mean a**hole.

i dont know why these security ppl have to be so mean about their job, seriously, if you were a terrorist, how does treating your stuff like crap thwart your evil plans?


"hey no, stop that, my dynamite is in that hat!"

my laptop doesn't get much respect from these thugs either...

I tried that last week on a trip from Brisbane to Sydney - but was ordered to remove my hat (Akubra Bogart) and run it through the xray. So, I put in in a tray - on it's crown of course - and the attendant grabbed it and stuck it on its brim! Philistine!! By the time it had travelled through the machine it had been tossed out of the tray and was tumbling free on the conveyor belt.

The plastic bag would have solved all that.

 

[Woodfluter]

I think "Philistine" is a lovely term, so much more imaginative and precise. Not that I would wish to disparage them; and I certainly hope they are allowed to return one day to their homeland of Philistia.

Now here's what baffles me and others I think: what could you hide inside a 5-1/2 or 6 ounce hat that could damage an airplane, or use to threaten aircrews?

But lately my carry-on has passed through security with flutes inside x-ray opaque cases, and nobody asking to search it. Plus suspicious heavy brass whistles that must look like gun barrels. This is just plain strange.

- Bill

 

[cybergentleman]

pesto

i saw a woman be held up bc her tuppperware of pesto was outlawed. there she was bare footed w/o her belt and bag and the guard is bugging her saying she has to throw her pesto away, this was a small plastic container maybe 5 inches by 5 inches by 2 inches. she said fine ill eat it, they said no if you do you have to go to the end of the line and go thru all this again. (it took 30 mins bc of the line mind you)

similarly on my last flight i was told to throw away my water bottle, i offered to drink it and he said not allowed.

what the F!

yet a few yards ahead of me was a kid with a liter bottle nearly full. lost my perfectly good deer park water jerks.:rage:

 

[Woodfluter]

Maybe some airports are different. In the ones I've flown to/from lately the security folks seem to be getting better at their work, are more courteous and better trained than in the past. On the whole. Not that it isn't frustrating.

But much of this stuff you described appears to make little or no sense.

If you forbid liquids because you're afraid they might actually be chemical components of a bomb, you should just ask the person to drink a swallow or two, then carry it on. That will settle all questions. Don't see how you'd disguise bomb components as pasta...that would make an interesting story plot however - plastique tortellini. But not really practical.

There isn't anything in a hat that you could hurt someone with. Except perhaps by making them feel bad that they didn't have one like it!

- Bill

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Nothing dangerous in a hat, eh??!!

There isn't anything in a hat that you could hurt someone with.
- Bill

Didn't you ever see Oddjob in James Bond??!!