Hello all -- I've been absent from the forum a couple of weeks as I've been doing some climbing in the Alps (including a successful ascent of Mt. Blanc!). I had a particularly unusual and ridiculous security story on the way there, although it does not involve airlines per se.

As you may know, the Eurostar has always used airline style security for its passengers, and along with the airlines, began requiring liquids to be in 100ml bottles in 1 litre bags. On my way to Paris, Eurostar security confiscated my half drunk bottle of Evian water -- but let me through carrying my ice axe with a 10 cm serrated alloy point. I guess ice axes aren't on their official list of prohibited items (thankfully)