Originally Posted by
igloocoder
Deck of playing cards. Box had to be opened and the cards flipped through. No swabbing though.
Laptop lock/security cable. Resulted in laptop bag being xrayed 2 times and then looked through until I was told "That cable things is confusing to see on the machine."
Was told that I had a lighter in my bag and next time to remove it. I told them I don't smoke that I'd just flown through 3 airports that day and hadn't let the bag out of my sight. To prove that there wasn't a lighter I told them to tear it apart and see that they were wrong. Excuse given when no lighter materialized: "It must have been the power brick for your laptop."
Because the average 48-cubic-inch power brick for a laptop looks SO much like the average 2-cubic-inch lighter...
And they're both okay to carry-on ANYWAYS. Freakin' MORONS.
Any food item that they try to confiscate should be opened and spit into before being thrown away. Seriously. Look 'em dead in the eye as you do it, too.
When so many screeners make comments like "Yum!" or "That's my favorite brand!" or the like as they're stealing your food, making them think seriously about just how badly they want it is no longer a childish thing to do. If it's medically-necessary and within their published acceptable guidelines, then put up a heck of fight first, of course - and get their names and file complaints with everyone you can.