10 Biggest Bonehead moves at Airport Security

With a lot of folks traveling this time of year I thought I would post this.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ts/071218/10394678.html?.v=2&.pf=family-home

That had me laughing out loud.  Although some of those rules only apply to U.S. airports.  When we arrived at CDG on our way to the UK for the first time last year they looked at us like we were nuts when we took our laptop out of its bag and took our shoes off.  They told us politely but firmly (as only the French do) that it was completely unnecessary. 

That had me laughing out loud.  Although some of those rules only apply to U.S. airports.  When we arrived at CDG on our way to the UK for the first time last year they looked at us like we were nuts when we took our laptop out of its bag and took our shoes off.  They told us politely but firmly (as only the French do) that it was completely unnecessary. 

Oh Im actually surprised you didn't have to at least take your shoes off. I know all airports have their own policies. When I flew out of Birmingham I had to nearly strip down. When I flew from Dublin I didn't even have to take my shoes off and it actually irritated me because I purposely wore ugly mules instead of my boots like I normally would wear simply because I figured I would have to take my shoes off.
I think I've always had to remove my laptop at ever airport I've flown out of.

That's interesting.  Birmingham seems to have very flexible rules.  They took my tiny sunscreen bottle, but let me keep my giant bottle of lotion - both of which I had forgotten were in my carry-on. 

Security at Gatwick Airport could do with a review. A few years ago, my brother and I swapped passports, just to see what would happen. We look nothing alike, as my brother has longish red hair and freckles and I have dark brown hair and no freckles. They just glanced at my brothers passport, and nodded me through, which in actual fact is quite scary. I know the majority of people look nothing like their passport photos, but makes you wonder...   

Security at Gatwick Airport could do with a review. A few years ago, my brother and I swapped passports, just to see what would happen. We look nothing alike, as my brother has longish red hair and freckles and I have dark brown hair and no freckles. They just glanced at my brothers passport, and nodded me through, which in actual fact is quite scary. I know the majority of people look nothing like their passport photos, but makes you wonder...   

I can't believe you did that!!    In this day and age you can get in huge trouble for making a joke in the presence of an IO that could even remotely be construed as a security threat!  I even have seen signs up at airports warning people not to do it.  What you did seems as foolish as that.  But then I am extremely sensitive and aware of those things while going through passport control and security so maybe I'm a bit paranoid.

I can't believe you did that!!    In this day and age you can get in huge trouble for making a joke in the presence of an IO that could even remotely be construed as a security threat!  I even have seen signs up at airports warning people not to do it.  What you did seems as foolish as that.  But then I am extremely sensitive and aware of those things while going through passport control and security so maybe I'm a bit paranoid.

I know! Very scary! When I go through security I'm all goofy and focussed way before I'm even close to the checkpoint I have my coat/shoes off, laptop out, liquids in a ziploc and passport and boarding passes usually clenched in my teeth. I was stopped only one time and that was by the Chicago security Nazi's. I was wearing a wrap around top that had a small metal buckle which never occurred to me when I was getting dressed that morning. So I was pulled aside and put in this little fishbowl area as I waited for a female agent to pat me down. As I waited and waited I was totally paranoid about someone nicking my stuff as it was just sitting at the end of the counter. My purse, my laptop and my carry on. I said to another agent while still waiting "You know I've been here waiting for a few minutes already and I'm a bit worried someone's gonna walk off with my stuff" I was told "Well that's why you're behind a glass wall so you can watch your stuff!" (big jerk!) So the woman comes to pat me down like I'm one of America's Most Wanted and she was scolding me for wearing the top with the buckle "Don't you know you're not supposed to wear stuff like this when you fly!" 

I know! Very scary! When I go through security I'm all goofy and focussed way before I'm even close to the checkpoint I have my coat/shoes off, laptop out, liquids in a ziploc and passport and boarding passes usually clenched in my teeth. I was stopped only one time and that was by the Chicago security Nazi's. I was wearing a wrap around top that had a small metal buckle which never occurred to me when I was getting dressed that morning. So I was pulled aside and put in this little fishbowl area as I waited for a female agent to pat me down. As I waited and waited I was totally paranoid about someone nicking my stuff as it was just sitting at the end of the counter. My purse, my laptop and my carry on. I said to another agent while still waiting "You know I've been here waiting for a few minutes already and I'm a bit worried someone's gonna walk off with my stuff" I was told "Well that's why you're behind a glass wall so you can watch your stuff!" (big jerk!) So the woman comes to pat me down like I'm one of America's Most Wanted and she was scolding me for wearing the top with the buckle "Don't you know you're not supposed to wear stuff like this when you fly!" 

Oh wow how scary and annoying to be scolded like that!

I'm the same way--super focused and organized, playing by all the rules, everything ready--laptop etc, shoes off.

I'm even more worried because I usually fly with my violin which has a whole 'nother set of stuff to worry about, like--will they say it's too big for the overhead and then I have to check it--god forbid!  I now take out the spare strings (could be used to strangle someone) and my electronic tuner (lest they think it's a bomb), any pens or pencils, etc etc and put them in my checked luggage.

I now know that hair clips will set off the metal detector and go clip-less.  I won't go without an underwire bra (that's all I own) though but so far that hasn't set off the metal detector.

Most of the stuff on that list seems to only apply to American airports (naturally, coming from Yahoo). Outside America, I've never had to remove my shoes or laptop, and my belt, underwire bra, etc have never set off the alarms. In fact, I find flying anywhere other than America to be almost relaxing, but going back to visit family every couple of years is just awful and soooo stressful.

If the other airports of the world with equal terror threats against them can cope just fine with me keeping my shoes on, why should I have to take them off in America (with no seats nearby to put them back on, grrrr)? To me it seems like they're doing all these inconveniences to give the illusion of security rather than actually catching anything dangerous.

Rant over! I just visited in August so I've got at least two years full of fun holidays before I'm shackled back to Pennsylvania again...

You know, reading all this I think I'm glad I haven't flown anywhere for the last 11 years.   

On my last flight back to England, I arrived at Omaha airport and thought I was going to have about 3 hours to wait for my booked flight to St. Paul/Minneapolis.  I checked in anyway, and was told there's a plane just getting ready to leave now if I wanted to go on the earlier flight.

That's the fastest I've ever gotten through an airport, literally no more than about 5 minutes from walking in the door to leaving the runway.  Security checks?   None.  The guard just waved me straight through and onto the plane.   

I guess that wouldn't happen today. 

You know, reading all this I think I'm glad I haven't flown anywhere for the last 11 years.   

On my last flight back to England, I arrived at Omaha airport and thought I was going to have about 3 hours to wait for my booked flight to St. Paul/Minneapolis.  I checked in anyway, and was told there's a plane just getting ready to leave now if I wanted to go on the earlier flight.

That's the fastest I've ever gotten through an airport, literally no more than about 5 minutes from walking in the door to leaving the runway.  Security checks?   None.  The guard just waved me straight through and onto the plane.   

I guess that wouldn't happen today. 

Wow!

I fly about once a month or so, and always wear underwire and it has never set off a metal detector, inside or outside the U.S.

And I've had to take out my laptop in every international airport I've flown out of. I've always considered it to be the biggest security pain in the butt cause I carry my 17" monster around with me everywhere and getting it in and out is a huge hassle.

My underwire has set off the metal detectors before on several occasions, when they had it set to a stupidly high sensitivity level.  It was the only thing it could be - I had nothing else on me & the wand only beeped when it was waved around my...

I did trigger the metal detector at Newark once, would have been back around 1992 (I have a metal strip in my jaw).  They must have had it set rather sensitive that day; I've never had it happen anywhere else, including any of the other major airports such as Gatwick, Heathrow, JFK, or O'Hare.

I've always considered it to be the biggest security pain in the butt cause I carry my 17" monster around with me everywhere and getting it in and out is a huge hassle.

 ....lol.

sorry, got on the wine early tonight. I will now be banned.