Confused about security II
So, in my blog on Connecting at Heathrow airport, I wrote about the lip balm, moisturiser and toothpaste I took on a flight to Poland. Well, today with all the same contents in my hand luggage I'm back on AA105 to New York JFK having been through two security checks.
The first was at the airport in Poland, where they were just as thorough as any other airport. The guy in front of me was dumb or inexperienced enough, to take his entire medical needs in his hand luggage. So while they went through his bag we were all able to see he had haemorrhoid cream, some form of psoriasis cream, not to mention potentially bad breath and dry eyes since he had both mouth wash and eye drops.
Strange thing he looked liked a normal early 30’s sort of guy, slightly geeky, but nothing special. Well he’ll be suffering now, or out spending lots of money to buy replacements. His sin? The psoriasis crème was in aluminium dispensing tube, this of course was picked up as the bag went through the scanner. If it had been in a plastic tube, I assume it would have sailed through like my stuff.
I felt less sorry for another Polish guy who was on the next checkpoint and had four cans of beer removed along with what appeared to be a tin of meat dripping or lard. He wouldn’t have been much fun to sit next to on the plane had he been able to consume all this !?!
My second security check was back at Heathrow T3. I took the opportunity of the stop over to see Wendy and my son Olli and go for breakfast/brunch at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel. They dropped me back at T3 with just under an hour before my flight was supposed to leave. Up stairs and into the Fast track security check, shoes off, wallet, watch, Treo650, belt, pouch with laptop power adaptor and said lip balm, tube of moisturiser and jacket into one box, ThinkPad into another and bag on the conveyor belt. Quick pat down, collected my belongings and went straight to the plane.
But this got me thinking even more about the pointless restrictions that are currently imposed on us in taking liquids, gels etc. on to planes. Assuming I’m the sort of nutcase who feels that blowing up a plane in mid-flight killing hundreds or potentially thousands of people justifies, resolves or is vengeance for some act or other, am I really expected to hand in my lethal cocktail of liquids and gels when politely asked to do so?
If not, and if the contraband will get on board anyway, what is the point in forcing all the normal people to dispose of theirs? Sure 99.95% of people are good people, when the business woman was asked on Tuesday if she had anything, she promptly gave up her lipstick safety mechanism, and now probably confused and distressed in London is a perfectly normal, decent Polish guy who can’t sit down, has halitosis and has sore hands. Why? What is the point?
As for me. I’m not a bad person either, and I certainly don’t want to cause any kind of security scare, assuming my delayed flight manages to catch-up some time and I can get from JFK to Lagaurdia on time to check-in for my Tampa flight tonight, I’ll be going through security with my balms and creams just to see how long this charade goes on.