OK, so Im the first to realize that Im not one of these consultants on airport security that get paid to speak about this, but Im just a traveller that has a (relatively) good memory and can notice what I feel is an apparent lack of standards in the levels of scrutiny for security screenings.

Here is my tale:

I did MEX-MIA-EZE on Thursday Nov. 1st. Upon arrival to MIA, I had to do the new thing with reclaiming bags and going through customs, and then exit the secure area to re-check my bag and go to the RCC. Needless to say, I had to go through the MIA security checkpoint (Xray and the now common hand-scanner routine) before being allowed to enter concourse F. Things were well organized, and you were required to remove laptops and place them in the X-ray machine separately, you had to remove all metal objects from your pockets, and then had to go through one or two metal detector arches (depending on whether the first went off or not), and then at the end you got a final screening from a security agent with a hand-held device. On this leg (outbound), the first metal detector went off, so I did the second, and then got the hand-held check. This hand-held scan was very meticulous, and they even screened my boots twice, then asked me to remove the boots to check my socks, and then had me xray the boots. Also, the xray machine check of my large carry-on backpack (containing 3 SLR camera bodies, multiple lenses, and a lead bag holding my unexposed 135mm film) caught the guards eye and they asked to hand check the lead bag. After a solid hand inspection, the bag was xrayed again and then I was cleared to proceed towards the gate area. All in all, the process was quick, efficient and thorough.

Alas, here's what happened on my return leg EZE-MIA-MEX on Monday, November 5th. This time, after arrival in MIA I went through the same checkpoint to the concourse F area. I had the same metal money clip in my pocket that fired off the first metal detector, the same boots I had on the outbound leg, and the same camera bag with all the gear and the lead bag. However, the result of the screening was a 'little different'. My money clip did not fire off the first metal detector, so I was spared the second detector. Then, the hand-held scanner routine was a joke, he only did me super fast in the
front, no turning around, no boot check, no nothing. My camera bag and, more importantly, my lead bag was ignored. The lead bag I carry is a large one, I can fit almost 20 rolls of 135mm film in those little plastic cylinders inside it, so it has the size for me to slip a medium sized semi-automatic pistol in it. Since its the strongest protecting lead bag you can buy (ie. its good for very fast film), the Xray machines cannot penetrate it. You cannot see what is inside. I just got my bag and proceeded to the gate. I was not again checked before I boarded the aircraft.

So... I understand that all these machines have sensitivity levels that you can adjust, and also that its very probable that even the most elaborate safety precautions involve sampling. But.. isnt the lead bag incident something to worry about? Also, how is it possible that the levels/standards for screening at MIA could vary so much in such a short period? (my trip to EZE was only 3 days).

Thoughts...?

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Gaucho100K

[This message has been edited by Gaucho100K (edited 11-07-2001).]