Homeland security luggae check

[misguidedangel]

I was going to post this a few weeks back, but didn't. I'm doing it now. I have to wonder, how many of you out there have had your suitcases checked by homeland security at the airport?

I have had them checked three times, each cruise they find a reason to poke through one of my suitcases as if it is suspicious. Usualy the one they search is the one with the booze, vanilla, or bottles of hot sauce/jerk seasoning. Not only do they make a mess, but they can't seem to repack the said bottled items the way they found them--wrapped around a shirt or something to cushion it!!!!

I know the search is for security reasons, but can they not remember how I had it pack in the first place and pack it the same way instead of just throwing it back in with the chance it'll break open and ruin all my clothes--which almost happened with a bottle of vanilla (and 1/2 of the clothes I brought were brand new!!!!).

Any other homeland security nightmares..

[richstacy]

I sympathize, but repacking it 'right' is not their concern. Airplanes blowing up is their concern. Sad but true. More power to 'em

[DougR.]

I think you answered the question as to why they checked:

Originally Posted by misguidedangel

I was going to post this a few weeks back, but didn't. I'm doing it now. I have to wonder, how many of you out there have had your suitcases checked by homeland security at the airport?

I have had them checked three times, each cruise they find a reason to poke through one of my suitcases as if it is suspicious. Usualy the one they search is the one with the booze, vanilla, or bottles of hot sauce/jerk seasoning. Not only do they make a mess, but they can't seem to repack the said bottled items the way they found them--wrapped around a shirt or something to cushion it!!!!

I know the search is for security reasons, but can they not remember how I had it pack in the first place and pack it the same way instead of just throwing it back in with the chance it'll break open and ruin all my clothes--which almost happened with a bottle of vanilla (and 1/2 of the clothes I brought were brand new!!!!).

Any other homeland security nightmares..

I also agree with RichStacy that it is not their job to repack neatly.

[thecruisequeen]

Did not have that issue YET.

[katlady]

Normally I drive to the port. For the first time in April I will be flying. I got the TSA locks, we will see what happens.

[justgr8fl2cruise]

This is why I booked my next cruise out of a local port. That way I don't have to fly at all. I'm so looking forward to avoiding the airport, not to mention the airfaires!!

Oh yeah, I get to take a larger suitcase too!!!! whoo hooooo

[richstacy]

justgrt, In 1996 we lived in San Jose and took an Alaska cruise from SFO to SFO. No flight. It was great. The TA arranged for us to be picked up at our doorstep and delivered to the Dock on the Embarcadero. What a blessing to avoid the airport hassle!

[katlady]

Originally Posted by justgr8fl2cruise

This is why I booked my next cruise out of a local port. That way I don't have to fly at all. I'm so looking forward to avoiding the airport, not to mention the airfaires!!

Oh yeah, I get to take a larger suitcase too!!!! whoo hooooo

I know Princess cruises out of San Francisco (SFO) is that your port or are you going to Southern California? Say hey to Clint for me.

[justgr8fl2cruise]

Going out of SF on the Star Princess.

I think we'll have my son drop us off at the port. We're in Hollister (45 minutes south of San Jose) so it's only 1.5 hrs away.

Providing that is that I can make it 9 months until we cruise!!!

chompin' at the bit here!

[richstacy]

I know Hollister. Used to work 3 days a month in Monterey, so I'd go by there all the time oon the 101. We miss the California weather, the friendliness of the people, and (I am a serious here) the courtesy of the drivers. California drivers know how to yield and merge! In th Denver area it's a blood sport

[katlady]

Originally Posted by justgr8fl2cruise

Going out of SF on the Star Princess.

I think we'll have my son drop us off at the port. We're in Hollister (45 minutes south of San Jose) so it's only 1.5 hrs away.

Providing that is that I can make it 9 months until we cruise!!!

chompin' at the bit here!

The Ren faire is out there and you are near Gilroy for the Garlic Festival. Garlic ice cream yum. I cruised out of SFO it's fun going under the golden gate. providing you can see the golden gate. Pop over to Boudins and get one of those famous sourdough bread bowl with the Clam Chowder for me. yummy!!!! See how I associate everything with food.

[rinker250]

Originally Posted by richstacy

I sympathize, but repacking it 'right' is not their concern. Airplanes blowing up is their concern. Sad but true. More power to 'em

Ya gotta remember, liquid volumes are a concern. There are many innocuous liquids that can detonate just due to time lapse since mixing.

I gaurantee that a bottle with a broken seal will be opened and probably tossed.

I travel with job related odds and ends that are not familiar to most folks. Invariably, there will be airline tape across the package to let me know they looked.

[davidb08]

I can see why you think its a hassle but it's in the interst of everyone's safety

[misguidedangel]

On the flip side, we went through security check points and my hair brush made them go through my bag. They thought it looked like a bottle of lotion. I made a point of taking my brushes out of my bag when ever we went through security....

Now, my mother was frisked/checked three out of four times we had to go through security. Apparently, she was the suspicious one on out party--a 67-year-old grandmother!!!!!! Maybe it was the grey hair?

[mehawk]

That might be why my garment bag arrived at my doorstep some 14 hours after I arrived home last time I flew. They could not repack my bag.

[rinker250]

Originally Posted by misguidedangel

On the flip side, we went through security check points and my hair brush made them go through my bag. They thought it looked like a bottle of lotion. I made a point of taking my brushes out of my bag when ever we went through security....

Now, my mother was frisked/checked three out of four times we had to go through security. Apparently, she was the suspicious one on out party--a 67-year-old grandmother!!!!!! Maybe it was the grey hair?

Maybe she's hot!!!?

[paul1815]

Originally Posted by richstacy

I sympathize, but repacking it 'right' is not their concern. Airplanes blowing up is their concern. Sad but true. More power to 'em

Here is why we do all this:

A man is born
Healthy lungs calling for mom
Suckling for nourishment
Safely tucked and loved

A baby plays
Sand in his fingers and mouth
Clinging to skirts so shy
Exploring from beneath

A toddler has friends
Playing and wrestling each other
Heat of the desert on them
Palm branches for shade

A child to market
With mom to buy some food
Bullet holes and bombs
Are part of the scene

A lad to school
Learning arabic and history
Allah the center of each hour
Jihad is a known truth

A young man grows
Holding a gun and shooting
Targets for now he aims
Part of his schooling

A man takes a wife
Shiny silk from head to toe
Beauty within her aches
For safety and love

A fighter in battle
Angry with the world and infidels
Behind a mask he kills
Back home to eat lunch

A warrior in charge
Victorious battles are lifes goal
Prayers to Allah for strength
No peace is possible

A terrorist now takes
A school full of innocent lives
To kill them and to die
Brings praise to the family

A widow has a baby
In silent tears she bares it
The family is very proud.....

Another man is born

[richstacy]

Ah yes, the "religion of peace."

[DayvidB]

I can take the hassle at security, why because as already said above there is a bigger picture to look at here.

In the UK the liquid thing has really taken off, if you are carrying what looks like babies milk in a babies bottle and you even have the baby to go with it…. the security guys will ask you to drink part or some it in front of them,,,nice one.

No liquids in hand luggage unless they can check or prove them, including what could be in a toothpaste tube.

Me, I’m fine with all that. As this is all for a reason or a cause that we did not start as people, it is a reality we face, caused by others and some of the 'as yet unknown’ lengths that they will go to in their cause...why?

Simple, to get at you and me and our society and their bottom line is to kill us by any means or gap that they can find in our security when we work or travel..... You and me can only put up with the inconvenience or discomfort of the security checks, but I don’t see it as either. I see it as personal protection from others wanting to do me harm.

So remember why it is happening, ,this is being done to allow us to live and go about our business when in the air, and not for the personal gratification of the security guys still on the ground. They are trying to protect our lives, so more power to them.

Posted as a security guy, who knows people do not always understand why security does what it does

[mehawk]

DayvidB said;

In the UK the liquid thing has really taken off, if you are carrying what looks like babies milk in a babies bottle and you even have the baby to go with it…. the security guys will ask you to drink part or some it in front of them,,,nice one.


I laughed at this one. I gather that the security is challenging the carrier of the liquid to drink the liquid to prove it is harmless? Ahhhh.. excuse me if I am thinking incorrectly here but... if that person is going to cause a massive mishap in the airplane, which would also end his own mortality, then it wouldn't mean anything to him to drink of the concoction, now would it.

[Inis46]

...and I would love to see the guy drink the baby's bottle with the pre-pumped breast milk in it....

[katlady]

It's still an win win for security becasue he drinks then drops dead. The only hassle left is the paperwork and the body in the way of the other flight passengers.

[DayvidB]

Mehawk, you drink anything that is potentially a recipe for explosive when going through security. Then there is a very good chance you will balk and throw up the content. That’s a very good sign for the security guys.

And if you don’t balk after drinking it, then there is also a very good chance given the content consumed and required for a mixed liquid bomb, that they are dead or unconscious before the plane even gets a chance to take off. We win 8)

Here is how it works, take X number of liquid objects in individual containers onto the plane in X bottles that on their own appear innocuous and in hand luggage, get them on the plane...then mix them together in the glass the stewardess gave you and when suits you at X thousand feet...boom.

Seem far fetched, who in 2000 would have looked at the reality of 911 and said far fetched?

Think out the box, these guys do

[richstacy]

I agree with David Bowie.

[Paul Motter]

I just found out the TSA has a BLOG where they discuss their work and even welcome all comments. It is amazing to me how many people go in there and criticize them and call them names.

They DO have a job to do for our safety. I am glad to see our folks here are far more reasonable about that than the pople who criticize the TSA on their own blog.

http://www.tsa.gov/blog

[DollyJ]

I was asked to drink from a bottle I had, at Chicago O'Hare, in 2000. No biggie, I wasn't blowing anything up.

I agree, they have a job to do. The less we complain, the more we cooperate, the faster the lines move. It's pretty easy.

[Ron n Jon]

We don't think the original complaint was so much that Homeland Security (HS) was doing their job as much as it was of them doing it right. For example, an Immigration Officer does not review your passport and then throw it on the floor for you to pick it up. There are procedures for everything and protecting the contents of luggage should be one of them.

If HS need to open a suitcase, and believe us we know they do, part of their responsibility is to not destroy personal goods. In resealing one of our bags, they ran the zipper right through the lining of a tuxedo, ruining the garment. There was no need for this. With authority comes responsibility. The more people they turn off from travelling the harder hit the travel industry will be and therego the related jobs. In today's economy where we are all looking for economies, the behaviour of HS in the travel industry may well be self-defeating.

[Paul Motter]

Naturally, there will always be those who are less careful than others. Sorry about your tuxedo. But I have had more problems with airlines people stealing things from my suitcase than I have with the TSA.

I have also seen situations, most over a year ago, where I thought the secutiry could be run better for whatever reason - more people paying attention. But I do believe I have noticed a pretty significant increase in their care lately in terms of getting us through the long lines courteously and as expeditiously as possible.

Its a tough job. How would you like to be on your feet all day long, day after day, your primary job being to say "drink that now or we're going to have to throw it away?"

People say "I think they could give the liquids thing a break, now. In my experience they have. I have noticed that even though I always pack my carryon liquids in a plastic bag as instructed, a couple of times I forgot to take it out for examination. hey didn't stop me and search my bag.

[colorcrazie]

I think that HS is also still working out the best way to handle all the variables that obviously can pop up when dealing with the public. Had friends flying in from LAX. Had Tums, not liquid, but the tablets, in carryon. Security made them open package, then eat several chosen by security.
The last time I flew, my flight home got cancelled. Long story, but I ended up with a one-way ticket home the next day on a different airline. I also travel with a cane with an attached seat, so I ended up searched top to bottom...so to speak. But, I did not complain. As I told them when they discovered nothing, I'd rather go through that than get blown to bits.
I also got searched boarding our last cruise. I was not feeling well, so DH got me a wheelchair. I offered to walk through the metal detector, but once you are in that cruise line owned wheelchair, their fear of lawyers kicks in and they insist upon coddling you. The funny bit was that the check in desk was so high that I couldn't reach anything, DH so not paying attention. When the cruise agent went to hand me back our passpots, etc., he missed and they ended up flying off the desk and bonking me on the head. You would have thought they had shot me, the panic the employees went into. Had to stop laughing long enough to reassure everyone that I was fine, not going to sue and just wanted to board!
Marty

[TravelBugs]

Originally Posted by DayvidB

Mehawk, you drink anything that is potentially a recipe for explosive when going through security. Then there is a very good chance you will balk and throw up the content. That’s a very good sign for the security guys.

And if you don’t balk after drinking it, then there is also a very good chance given the content consumed and required for a mixed liquid bomb, that they are dead or unconscious before the plane even gets a chance to take off. We win 8)

Here is how it works, take X number of liquid objects in individual containers onto the plane in X bottles that on their own appear innocuous and in hand luggage, get them on the plane...then mix them together in the glass the stewardess gave you and when suits you at X thousand feet...boom.

Seem far fetched, who in 2000 would have looked at the reality of 911 and said far fetched?

Think out the box, these guys do

Agree! I think time is fading memories of 911. NEVER FORGET!