Oz couldn't take it 2973

On Mon, 30 May 2005 10:09:32 +0800, Dave Baker

This happens regularly in US airports. You are not supposed to lock your bags. This is so that the backroom guys at baggage handling can inspect your luggage if they want to. I regulary do (lock) for the very reason that I don't want someone slipping drugs into my luggage. So I lie as does everyone else. It gets through. However. if your bag is padlocked, as in locking the zipper for a sofskinned bag, the security guy will ask you to remove the padlock. If you start to argue, ie give reasons why you want to leave it on, the argument is terminated promptly with that bolt cutter solution. If you protest some more you get hauled to another room. I never stuck around long enough to see if that guy ever got out.

The security people are so freaked out and stressed out, but mostly frsutratingly bored out of their minds, at US airport. Making you flip is their only fun on the job left. You really want to avoid any disagreement with them at any point of contact. Osama must be chuckling in his cave.

By the way, pbuttengers at US airports are routinely asked to remove their shoes when pbutting through the boarding gate check-in. The

My solution in getting through security quickly is to wear a T-shirt, if possible short pants, pants with few pockets and no bulges that can be considered as having something suspicious. No belt, slip-on shoes or slippers. My coins are in a coin bag. With a single grab get-up is great for the long hours in a plane. At my age no one wants to look at me including customs. That's the whole idea.