Off the Cuff / My Other Journal

Airport Screening

I was away about four days where I didn't (couldn't) go online. I missed WDC more than I missed home. Well, I'm back now, and although it looks like we'll hit the road again in a few days, I'm going to find a way to peek in. At least, I am going to take along my oldie laptop, which seems to resent me.

Since the subject is hitting the road or the airways, I thought I'd write a tip or two for those who may be planning to board a flight. The last time we had flown was just a couple of days before the London police unearthed the liquid bomb threats.

After that, I knew new items were added that one couldn't take to the plane in a carry-on. Also, there is a given list for items that are allowed or not allowed. Yet, a few things are left out that one does not know until one is at an airport at the screeners' counter.

These new measures are not very clearly told, and I didn't see them online when I checked days before we boarded the plane. Obviously, neither did many of the other passengers.

What the passengers are not told online or beforehand are: per each passenger with a carry-on luggage, only one quart size plastic bag of toiletries is allowed. Some people had several plastic bags full of toiletries, thinking as long as each item was under three ounces, it was allowed. Not so. Just one quart size plastic bag of toiletries per passenger.

What some passengers did in front of me was that ones who didn't carry toiletries took the toiletries from those and let them go through as if they were their own. The joke was on the old question they used to ask us along the lines of: "Did you pack your own bag?"

My toiletries (with their meager amount) were in the checked-in luggage, but I had two or three inhalers for asthma that I need to carry in my purse. Since all medications are allowed, I left them in a plastic bag inside my purse when I put the purse in the tray on the screeners' counter.

This led to an extensive search. What they wanted people to do was to put all those plastic bags--out of the purses and carry-on bags--on the trays together with belts, shoes, jackets, money, jewelry, and what-have-you.

I had to chuckle, because two days after our initial flight and after the screeners dressed and undressed everyone with many items scattered around, we read this in the papers: Newark Airport Screeners Fail Security Test October 27th, 2006. If I remember correctly, they let 20 or 22 plastic bombs get through.

Since we had learned our lesson, our return flight was eventless, except for people who hadn't yet mastered the new rules.

Being an optimist, I still think TSA is doing the best job it can do. Maybe we can't be safe 100%. Maybe if someone means to hurt us, he'll find a way. Maybe the money we spend is too much or not enough. Still, it is good to know people are doing this job in a caring way, and the officials are caring and very polite.

I just think, the rules should be written clearly enough. Many passengers didn't know they shouldn't leave those items (medications and toiletries) in the purses and carry-ons and that only one plastic bag per passenger was allowed. As a result, more detailed searches on many people were needed, and also, among the passengers some wheeling dealing took place, which delayed many flights.