Do I look like a terrorist? I am a mature woman. Old enough to be retired. Or is it my luggage that looks suspicious? If it is the latter, I will purchase whatever it takes to avoid "the card".
Every time I open my checked luggage in my hotel room I find a card that is approximately 4" x 8" in Spanish on one side and English on the other. The card declares in bold red letters, "NOTICE OF BAGGAGE INSPECTION" right below "Transportation Security Administration" and the seal of this agency.
It then goes on to explain that to "protect me and my fellow passengers" some bags are selected for physical inspection for prohibited items and the contents are then returned to the bag. Huh? Did it not go through screening? Do they not trust the accuracy of the screening devices?
This card further explains that if the TSA is unable to unlock your bag, they will be "forced to break the locks" and they are not liable for "damage to your locks resulting from this necessary security precaution".
How do I feel about this? Were it only once I would not even give it another thought. But it happens 90% of the time I travel. My most recent incident was from San Diego to Washington D.C. last month. Perhaps the nation's capital is a little more nervous.
I have been rather compliant and silent about the TSA and my opinion of them, not wanting to raise their ire and get on a "list" of troublemakers. My experiences are mixed. Numerous times when going through security at the airport I have felt unnecessarily hassled. More than once I was made to take everything out of my carry on luggage! Only when I have been steered through first class security line has the process been easy. Sometimes I do not even have to go through the body scanner. So, do they think terrorists will not purchase first class tickets? It makes about as much sense as removing shoes.
There are times I have gone through unknowingly with a small Swiss Army knife. Another time TSA confiscated my duty free purchased alcohol (Anguilla rum). When I challenged them I was told to go to the downstairs office to take it up with a supervisor, knowing full well I would not, given I was already about to miss my connection. Naively, I thought that if I was continuing my travels with the same airline they would delay the plane a few minutes for those of us arriving on one of their own late planes. I did miss the connection and the airline had to put me up for the night.
I think one of my worst experiences was traveling back into the States the day following the "underpants bomber" (Dec 26, 2009). I was leaving St. Maarten and it was clear to the observer the TSA did not have a clue what they were supposed to do. After going through security we were held well beyond boarding time. Then we were lined up males in one line and women in another. For the women we had female agents and the men male agents. My crazy thought was, what a great job for a gay man or lesbian! You get to fondle someone that could be interesting!
It was an appalling experience. Just in front of me they made an elderly woman in a wheelchair take her shoes off and stand while they checked the pad on which she sat in her wheelchair. That was only one of the absurd things I observed.
First class passengers had been lined up first and then placed on a bus to wait until all passengers had been cleared. Finally, we were transported to the plane where there was another brief screening that consisted of showing identification. Obviously we were late in taking off. That meant a very close if not impossible connection after clearing customs in Pittsburg. That is where my rum was confiscated.
Some countries such as Turkey require you to go through a scanner before even entering the airport. My favorite airport is Vienna. There is no security, just well trained dogs roaming about the terminal. My brother, an expert in the explosives industry, tells me he can fool the TSA but never a dog. Furthermore he has witnessed demonstrations proving the extreme ability of trained dogs to sniff out explosives.
Give me a dog and forget the TSA! OK, that means fewer jobs for some of the less talented individuals in our society, but there would be employment for those who are dog handlers and trainers.
Another related topic is the loss of valuable items from checked luggage. It has happened to me, but that is another post.
Every time I open my checked luggage in my hotel room I find a card that is approximately 4" x 8" in Spanish on one side and English on the other. The card declares in bold red letters, "NOTICE OF BAGGAGE INSPECTION" right below "Transportation Security Administration" and the seal of this agency.
It then goes on to explain that to "protect me and my fellow passengers" some bags are selected for physical inspection for prohibited items and the contents are then returned to the bag. Huh? Did it not go through screening? Do they not trust the accuracy of the screening devices?
This card further explains that if the TSA is unable to unlock your bag, they will be "forced to break the locks" and they are not liable for "damage to your locks resulting from this necessary security precaution".
How do I feel about this? Were it only once I would not even give it another thought. But it happens 90% of the time I travel. My most recent incident was from San Diego to Washington D.C. last month. Perhaps the nation's capital is a little more nervous.
I have been rather compliant and silent about the TSA and my opinion of them, not wanting to raise their ire and get on a "list" of troublemakers. My experiences are mixed. Numerous times when going through security at the airport I have felt unnecessarily hassled. More than once I was made to take everything out of my carry on luggage! Only when I have been steered through first class security line has the process been easy. Sometimes I do not even have to go through the body scanner. So, do they think terrorists will not purchase first class tickets? It makes about as much sense as removing shoes.
There are times I have gone through unknowingly with a small Swiss Army knife. Another time TSA confiscated my duty free purchased alcohol (Anguilla rum). When I challenged them I was told to go to the downstairs office to take it up with a supervisor, knowing full well I would not, given I was already about to miss my connection. Naively, I thought that if I was continuing my travels with the same airline they would delay the plane a few minutes for those of us arriving on one of their own late planes. I did miss the connection and the airline had to put me up for the night.
I think one of my worst experiences was traveling back into the States the day following the "underpants bomber" (Dec 26, 2009). I was leaving St. Maarten and it was clear to the observer the TSA did not have a clue what they were supposed to do. After going through security we were held well beyond boarding time. Then we were lined up males in one line and women in another. For the women we had female agents and the men male agents. My crazy thought was, what a great job for a gay man or lesbian! You get to fondle someone that could be interesting!
It was an appalling experience. Just in front of me they made an elderly woman in a wheelchair take her shoes off and stand while they checked the pad on which she sat in her wheelchair. That was only one of the absurd things I observed.
First class passengers had been lined up first and then placed on a bus to wait until all passengers had been cleared. Finally, we were transported to the plane where there was another brief screening that consisted of showing identification. Obviously we were late in taking off. That meant a very close if not impossible connection after clearing customs in Pittsburg. That is where my rum was confiscated.
Some countries such as Turkey require you to go through a scanner before even entering the airport. My favorite airport is Vienna. There is no security, just well trained dogs roaming about the terminal. My brother, an expert in the explosives industry, tells me he can fool the TSA but never a dog. Furthermore he has witnessed demonstrations proving the extreme ability of trained dogs to sniff out explosives.
Give me a dog and forget the TSA! OK, that means fewer jobs for some of the less talented individuals in our society, but there would be employment for those who are dog handlers and trainers.
Another related topic is the loss of valuable items from checked luggage. It has happened to me, but that is another post.
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