Originally Posted by
aquamarinesteph
Honest question and someone will probably flame me for it, but here's the thing that stands out most to me.
Whenever I travel out of my domestic US airport, there is the periodic announcement that you should report unattended luggage. When we travel abroad, there is the question - have you accepted anything from a stranger?
In this case, while I agree that the luggage in question was no doubt screened correctly before its owner reached the lounge, the message from security has constantly been - report any bag without an owner and DON'T accept things from people you do not know.
So while I agree that the actual threat level was probably low, accepting a suitcase from someone you do not personally know (unless the attendant knew this individual) goes against what us regular tourists are told about good airline security. I would have been concerned as well, given how this is drummed into everyone via frequent announcements at many airports.
You're crossing your own wires here. The 'don't accept items from strangers' (suitcase full of drugs might be the obvious example) instuction to passengers (in the hope they transport them to a third party) isn't the same as an airside lounge employee agreeing to look after a case for a short period - for obvious reasons I hope. The bag in question had an owner - and was never left unattended from what we are told.
Secondly, on your "actual threat level was probably low" conclusion - there is no probably about it. It was no greater than applied to any other piece of luggage airside. I'd even speculate it presented a lower than average threat given some of the other pieces of information we have been provided.