What would it take to make a cheap plastic razor into a weapon of mass destruction? Hardly anything. But the guards let 4 of them in my carryon go through while confiscating my 1 1/2 inch blunt nose scissors in a hotel sewing kit - Bend, OR.

Then, we watched security shake down an 80 yr old lady in San Jose (big threat there) and leave a middle eastern young male alone. In Portland, a security type actually boarded the plane just before takeoff (Alaska Air) and thoroughly searched (wand, pockets, every inch of his carryon) a poor confused 80 plus year old white male. Please - profile!! These random searches for political correctness are madness.

If you think it's bad now wait until the Feds take over. Can only imagine what Atlanta will be like this weekend. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Hope your reference to this weekend is not tied to Feds taking over. That will take months.

A friend of mind had his tweezers (!) confiscated at Denver, but they let him keep his unopened bottle of wine. Now if I were going to do some damage, a broken bottle would do much better than tweezers. Heck, I could do more damage with my teeth than with my tweezers. As you've all said before me, it makes no sense.

My Gillette Mach 3 has endured two domestic security inspections and two international inspections so far.

As I've said before, this whole situation represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the "security" personnel to push around -- or outright abuse -- the generally more successful population of air travelers. The more successful you look, the more they like abusing you. They could never get away with it in any other context. But cite security and you can do anything!

Bruce

In New Orleans, they refused to let an ordinary fork go through. They then found a nail clipper and refused to let it pass. Even though the http://www.flymsy.com website says that nail clippers are allowed, they wouldn't budge.

Since I had extra time, I checked these in. However, the awl I mistakenly was carrying in the carry on luggage was ok (or overlooked).

They took my favorite comb in BWI this week. I can't believe it! What in the world am I going to do to harm someone with a comb?

It was the first time I carried on since the Sept events... and the last. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Was it a rat tail comb? These people need to get a grip on something besides our everyday personal items.

To date I have had the following items confiscated (one at a time):

fingernail file
small folding scissors
1" safety pin
corkscrews
nail clippers
Hotel provided sewing kit, and
My favorite metal comb

I was not going to give up the comb, which has been on hundreds and hundreds of flights with me over the past 10 years, so I had to go to the 1k check-in and get a cardboard box to put it in so I could check it. When I asked the security agent exactly what she thought a 60 year old 1k lady might do with a comb, the National Guardsman stepped up and said, "We have rules that make it unecessary for us to think". Sure as heck don't want any thinking going on at security. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I thought it was very curious that during a hand search of my bags in Paris, they took away a 1" safety pin but let me carry on my new French corkscrew. I thought it was totally bizarre that after the x-ray and subsequent hand check of our luggage, that we checked in for our flight and then had to go back out into the unsecure area to get to the gate. Go figure!

I agree with the security agent that the FAA regulations are a "floor" and do no limit the ability of particular airports, airlines, or their security agents to ban certain items from passing through security.

I also agree with the searches of the baggage and persons of even elderly passengers. In the 80's we learned that terrorists and drug smugglers would use gullible passengers as dupes for transport of contraband. We need at least some degree of random searching to reduce this risk.

We need some tolerance for the security personnel and to give them their wide discretion. After all, they're out their to save our lives.

Why don't you all just get over it. If you need a sharp, pointed instrument, buy it when you get to your destination. Beards don't need to be trimmed every day, and other needs can be met by most hotels. Lets comply and get on with it. We're making mountaind out of moleholes.

bry99,

When the FAA press release of 10/8 says that tweezers, for example, are a "permitted item," do airports have the right to say that tweezers are NOT a permitted item? In my case, I carried tweezers through the terminal when I arrived in San Diego, then had to check them when I left the next day! People who travel a lot need some consistency from airport to airport.

And do you really believe that the security people are concerned with "saving our lives"? You give them way too much credit.

Bruce

Melody, I hope your comments were tongue-in-cheek.

If not, is it unreasonable for customers to expect consistency in the service we are provided? Is the traveling public unreasonable when they want to bring their own personal grooming items?

We pay for service (don't always get it the way we want it). The government, airlines and airport authorities need to do a better job of providing real and improved security (or figure out how to do so) instead of improving cosmetic security.

melody & bry99--at first I thought that your posts were serious! I can only assume that they must have been sarcasm if you think that confiscating TWEEZERS & NAIL CLIPPERS & searching 80 yr. old ladies is saving our lives!!!! Too funny.