Took CO-6 NRT-IAH on Saturday. Was delighted to be first in line to board with my Plat status. Just as I was gearing up to gallop on board and stow my things, am grabbed by a masked and gloved Japanese security person who makes me take off my shoes, frisks me, empties pockets, and paws through all my carry ons. Meanwhile a ton of people have boarded behind me. I lost my overhead space.

At NRT they make disembarking passengers pass through security, then this. A little too much, and we can't even blame the hapless TSA !

So a word of warning for all you NRT-outbound passengers. Try to line yourself up as #3 or greater in the boarding line to avoid a delay.