skofarrell

Everyone leaving Cancun was getting the full pat down Saturday (1/2/2010). Not at the security area (where it might have made sense), but at the gate. Security area was the usual, nice, non-US experience; keep shoes on, xray bag and walk through the metal detector.

The gates on the other hand were chaos: three or four uniformed security people showed up with card tables about 30 min before boarding. As people lined up to board, everyone was patted down and all carryons were visibly inspected. No exceptions. From 3 year olds to grandma and grandpa.

The only improvement was on the plane, there wasn't a mad crush of people in the aisle, just 2-4 people every 3 min or so.

I'd estimate 75% or more of the flights were leaving late. Ours was about an hour late.

Total idiocy.

DevilDog438

Ah, good...that takes Mexico off of the list of potential anniversary vacation sites for this year.

GUWonder

I have at least half a dozen flights out of Mexico this month, and I am not looking forward to this.

It's disappointing to me that so many foreign governments allow the TSA to dictate things even beyond the US borders.

doober

But the TSA insists that these changes to security procedures are "sustainable." They certainly won't be sustainable if flights are running late, if people miss connections or if airlines have to rearrange their schedules to allow for significant delays.

coachrowsey

+ another.

YVR Cockroach

The Mexican president is of the GWB ilk. They were doing jetway bag searches for flights to destinations other than the U.S. already in Nov./Dec. last year.

AirlineBrat53

Please explain to me why the gate searches are necessary? Does this imply that the security procedures at the checkpoints are flawed and have to be repeated because they aren't done correctly? What goods could be acquired between the checkpoint and the gate that would be prohibited?

Another wonderful example of ostrich wrangling by the DHS.

l etoile

Yes. I had a flight from MEX to LAX in November. They had about 10 agents thoroughly screening every single piece of hand-carry luggage before one could board the plane. This clearly had nothing to do with something that happened a month later.

I've had Hong King search every piece of hand carry a year ago. And I've almost always had this at BKK.

Some of this has absolutely nothing to do with the events of Dec. 25, 2009.

l etoile

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that the US has for sometime now dictated these procedures at certain non-US airports for flights to the US. They apparently think their other screening methods aren't to DHS standards.

YVR Cockroach

In my experience, the Mexican security agents seemed t0 be specifically searching for tequila or beer not bought at duty free.

GUWonder

That's accurate, but for the historical norm being that the US government drives "security" measures for US-bound aircraft operated by US carriers somewhat differently than it has for US-bound aircraft operated by non-US carriers. The US government has more direct influence with US-bound flights operated by US carriers than the US government has with US-bound flights operated by foreign carriers. Traditionally we demand more of our own carriers than of foreign carriers in terms of what screening is done outside of the US and instead have pushed foreign governments to sign up for our "security" stupidity too and apply it to their own carriers and others departing their countries.

GUWonder

Thinking is an anathema to DHS/TSA. Gate-area pat-downs and hand-searching of bags do not detect explosives yet it's because of the "underwear bomber" explosives that the public are being told that gate-area pat-downs and manual searching of bags and even strip searches are necessary to "greatly" increase our "security posture".

l etoile

They were going through individual items in my baggie, making sure all toiletries were under the limits. There was absolutely zero impression they were looking for alcohol, as they unzipped the flattest of compartments that could in no way hold bottles of anything. They went through all my clothes ...it was one of the most thorough checks I've seen outside of Bogota.

Fornebufox

What's wrong with alcohol not bought at duty-free? Just means more tax revenue for Mexico!

YVR Cockroach

Maybe you were headed for the U.S. but my destination were EZE and YYZ. The agent only made a cursory glance at my camera bag but specifically asked if I had any liquids and gave (or asked about) beer and tequila as a specific example.