TLV did what is expected from security and EWR didn't. Flew through Helsinki and Schiphol and the security experience was quite pleasant. At Schiphol a member of the aircrew asked if I was hurrying to the flight to Spain. A quick "no, but thank you anyway," and a smile was quite pleasant.

At Schiphol and Helsinki the thing I noticed the most was how quiet the airport was when they don't have droning messages over the PA system. Nice.

Why can't our security measures be respectful of both people and their belongings when other countries (some with a much higher rate of both foreign and domestic terrorism) manage to pull it off?