And those poor dears who search my carryon and rummage through my toiletry kit, item by item, pausing for an ever so brief milli second when they come to the couple of condoms tucked away beside the shave cream and skin lotion. [They've obviously never gotten a Virgin Upper Class amenity kit!] Good thing its been 20 years since I carried them in my wallet! So much for privacy of the person. Even the police don't have the power to conduct these types of body and personal item searches in the pursuit of criminals.

Where are the civil rights lawyers in America when we really need them?

Last week in OKC, after I had run my purse through the X-ray machine, a security agent went through my purse in my presence and removed many items which he left on the counter in front of me while he walked away with my purse to run it through the X-ray machine a second time--after which he handed it (my purse) back to me.

The next morning when I checked my cash, I discovered that a $50.00 bill was missing. The only time my purse had been out of my sight was during this security check. I called UA Customer Service to report this incident, but since I didn't know the agent's name they said there wasn't much they could do.

Since then I have refused to let anyone separate me from my purse for any reason. The agents now get very upset with me for not being obsequious and responding immediately when they demand that I leave my belongings on the belt and walk away with them for additional screening, but I remain firm--if they want to wand me or check me again, I insist that a National Guardperson stand in front of me holding my purse and bag while they screen me rather than leaving my possesions on the belt out of my sight. The very second I question their actions they immediately start yelling for help, but when help arrives, they are always unable, individually or collectively, to come up with any logical reason that I should separate myself from my belongings while either my belongings or I are subjected to further search.

Go Punki!

Since my cellphone was stolen at a checkpoint this summer, I have been very careful. It was stolen by a security worker.

They post signs saying they are "not responsible" but that can't be, as you are often giving up custody of your stuff.

It's a mess if something is stolen or missing, so I think you have an excellent policy, though certainly not a popular one http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

When I refused to move to a faraway area to be wanded while my bag sat on the belt (Boston, December 2), A Boston cop told me I would have to either do it or leave the airport. No negotiation permitted. I did it, but I was -- and still am -- very unhappy about it. I complained to Delta, which agreed with me!!!!

Bruce

Bruce, what did the person from DL tell you to do in the future if this type of situation happens again?

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[This message has been edited by Rssrsvp (edited 12-23-2001).]

She (a Redcoat) promised that "it won't happen again." Well, not to me, anyway. I don't plan to be in Boston again for a long time. That place is nuts!

Bruce

I am willing to put up with a lot in the name of REAL security, but I will not allow valuables to be out of my sight. Not that I carry much that is, now that I am retired.

I use an old sailor's trick and keep my paper money on my person with enough readily at hand to buy a sandwich and coffee.

I have thinned out my wallet to the absolute limit. My '2 pieces of identification' and an insurance card.

Funny, that bum who boarded in Paris didn't need 2 pieces of ID!

I strongly recommend TravelSmith and Magellan travel jackets, shirts and pants for self stowage of non matalic items.

I think ladies should stand their ground and refuse to be separated from their hand bags.

Stop the madness and give us real security!

Texana

When going through a check point, I put all of my paper money in my buttoned up pockets and all of the remainder on the conveyor belt. definitely not in a computer case, One of the first things to be stolen. Xray machines will not hurt magnetic strips but the wand may.
Some people are more magnetic machine senstive than others. I am luckly not one of them. I have gone thro machines with a pocketful of coins.

At my home airport starting the trip I am on now I had emptied my rollaboard of all (so I believed) dangerous grooming items. I did not have my computer with me at this time either. The bag was selected for further examination. Apparantly they saw something round and big. I had no idea what they were looking for. The carefully packed contents of my bag were deposited in a pile which ran into a pile of someone elses stuff next to me. The bag was run through again. Still the mysterious round object. I reach to the bag to empty the remaining stuff and am told "Don't even go there. If you do I will call the National Guard and you will be escorted out and will not make your flight" The rest of the contents emptied and the bag was run through a third time. Still the round object. A plastic tined wine opener that had made muster every other time since 9-11 was stolen from me out of the pile. Repacking my bag I finally made the flight.

A previous time my bag was on the roller behind me about 20 feeet away, the computer out of the bag out in the open, my wallet opened and emptied on a table in the opposite direction along with my keys. Was again told if I tried to get my computer so I could keep an eye on it alongside my wallet I would be visited by the National Guard. The sign says they are not responsible for stolen items. They won't let me be responsible for watching my own items either.

If the hassle factor really contributed to safety I would not object quite as much but this seems to be all window dressing.

I would be the first one to get in line to outlaw lawsuits in America, BUT.

What we need now are a handful of lawsuits against the airlines/airports/govt for lost items due to handling in the so called security process. This craziness has got to stop.

how about a few sexual harassment lawsuits from a few women who walk away from security feeling dirty? that would get beter press than if i sue over my missing palm pilot...