Airport Security

[cybergentleman]

thief

you stole my line! i was going to post that. arg!

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Who me?

 

[avedwards]

The only weapon I could imagine you being able to hide inside a hat is a garrot wire, but that could be hidden anywhere from shoelaces to belts and I doubt the X-ray would pick that up anyway as it would just look like an ordinery wire, similar to the reed in a sweatband. Personally I think they go too far as you could attack people with your bare hands if you really wanted to but they don't tell you to leave your hands behind.

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Personally I think they go too far as you could attack people with your bare hands if you really wanted to but they don't tell you to leave your hands behind.

Mrs Venus after passing through airport security:

 

[Rider]

I love my hats as well as the next person. Admittedly, airport screening is an inconvenience, and I never know quite what to do with my hat in an airplane cabin. As for me, I put mine crown down in the gray tray and hope for the best.

But, shall we not lose our perspective? Two planes into the WTC. One into the Pentagon. A fourth down in Pennsylvania with real American heros aboard. Thousands of lives lost. If necessary to keep this from ever happening again, I don't care if TSA strip searches me at every gate and runs my fedora through a shredder. As much as I may adore it, it's only a hat.

Let's never forget.

 

[Jauntyone]

I went through airport security in France last April to come back to the States on vacation; they were strict but polite. American security were impolite and dis-organized. The 9-11 attacks don't excuse unprofessional behaviour on the part of airport security.

 

[Woodfluter]

Oddjob!!!
Good one Ephraim!

I agree about not losing perspective, but Jauntyone is right - this isn't about preventing terrorist attacks, we all agree on that, but on (a) what makes sense and (b) professional behavior.

As I said before, I've seen definite improvement in TSA training and courtesy at Atlanta, Houston, a few other airports I can't recall right now, and at SLC they've always been very nice. Years before I've seen some horrible messes at Atlanta, BWI etc.

My favorite was here at Atlanta, right after the shoe bomber, and some of us hadn't been listening to radio or TV so didn't know about changed policy.

TSA guy shouted "Shoes!" at me.
I say "er, yes?"
"Shoes!!!!"
"Yes, I'm wearing shoes..."
"SHOES!!!"
"Um, do you want me to take them off...or what?"
"SHOES!!! SHOES!!!"
"Should I put them on the conveyor?"
"SHOES SHOES SHOES!!! "
Finally I guessed what he wanted. Then he proceeded to shout the same word at others behind me. That appeared to constitute his entire vocabulary. He wouldn't have been so grouchy if he could have explained anything.

When traveling abroad several times in the '80s, I was treated with great courtesy and professionalism by security and customs folks in other countries; only to come home and see everyone snarled at by US customs and security employees that clearly hated their work. I felt embarrassed for my country. Totally unnecessary. We're better than that and it doesn't represent us well.

- Bill

 

[Kreissaege]

On the subject of common sense when looking at the regulations and at reality, one can still carry matches on a plane:
http://crime.about.com/library/blflammable.htm
".... - One book of safety (non-strike anywhere) matches are permitted as carry-on items, ...."
Considering the fact, that the shoe bomber tried to ignite his explosives with matches, this strikes me as odd.
But, hey, the tobacco industry probably doesnt want to loose too much sales and so this loophole was created against all common sense.
But, forgive me for saying so from an european perspective, here we do believe that Americans in general are quite off the rocker when any kind of "safety" is concerned, and on the other hand they also like to go out of one´s way to ensure profits to be made, even at the risk of behaving like hypocrits.

 

[leo]

...I never know quite what to do with my hat in an airplane cabin...

I've had success clipping the brim against the seat pocket with a wooden clothespin, except in commuter jets where there is no leg room.

Bill

 

[cybergentleman]

what to do

as someone who travels alognside hat wearing religious folk, i can say this:

1) you bring your ha tbox and stash that with hat in the overhead,
2) or you just pop our hat into the over head and rest it atop your carry on.

granted a black hat may be less likely to show dirt.

 

[handlebar bart]

I love my hats as well as the next person. Admittedly, airport screening is an inconvenience, and I never know quite what to do with my hat in an airplane cabin. As for me, I put mine crown down in the gray tray and hope for the best.

But, shall we not lose our perspective? Two planes into the WTC. One into the Pentagon. A fourth down in Pennsylvania with real American heros aboard. Thousands of lives lost. If necessary to keep this from ever happening again, I don't care if TSA strip searches me at every gate and runs my fedora through a shredder. As much as I may adore it, it's only a hat.

Let's never forget.

Worth a repeat. I would rather they err on the side of caution. It seems to be human nature to become complacent so if they go overboard then there is less chance of someone slipping through the cracks and killing thousands more. They can run my hat through an x-ray machine and will get no complaint from me.

 

[CRH]

On the subject of common sense ...

Thanks, Kreissaege. I needed a good Smackdown today lol.

 

[Aerol]

matchless friends

On the subject of common sense when looking at the regulations and at reality, one can still carry matches on a plane:
http://crime.about.com/library/blflammable.htm
".... - One book of safety (non-strike anywhere) matches are permitted as carry-on items, ...."
Considering the fact, that the shoe bomber tried to ignite his explosives with matches, this strikes me as odd.
But, hey, the tobacco industry probably doesnt want to loose too much sales and so this loophole was created against all common sense.
But, forgive me for saying so from an european perspective, here we do believe that Americans in general are quite off the rocker when any kind of "safety" is concerned, and on the other hand they also like to go out of one´s way to ensure profits to be made, even at the risk of behaving like hypocrits.

Well, actually the TSA did ban matches and lighters. However, this policy changed so we would be in synch with the rest of the world, that permitted them.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_multi_image_with_table_0099.shtm

I understand your feelings, but the facts just don't support your conclusions.