Monkeys can fly rockets, so why not dogs read? Especially seeing eye dogs. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...um/biggrin.gif

I believe the seeing eye dogs would only be reading braille. Talk about some sore paws.

LOL!



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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Ben Franklin

If there's a problem now with the density of certain items, like chocolate, in checked and carryon bags, will there be a different system for those items in cargo? Imagine all those fruitcakes at Christmas. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

And I thought fruitcakes were already ON the prohibited items list.... surely it must just be an oversight http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

Not to take away from the debate but I have a dilemma. I am going to China in April and my travel documents state in several places in bold print “LOCK ALL LUGGAGE”. So I will check in at SJC and connect in NRT to PEK. Now you tell me do I lock my luggage or not?

Ok, in all seriousness, when you check in at the airport you will most likely see numerous signs requesting that you leave your luggage unlocked.

My personal opinion is to go ahead and lock them. IF your bags are selected for screening, they will simply remove the lock to do what needs to be done. So cheap luggage locks are probably a good way to go.

Another thought.... might not be a bad idea to bring extra locks with you, then if you have to clear customs in Japan, you'd probably have the opportunity to relock them if necessary prior to arriving in PEK.

[This message has been edited by JustanotherScreener (edited 03-02-2003).]

I work with US Air and we have an agreement worked out to lock all overseas and miliatry bags while they wait for the inspection. Call the airport/airlines you are departing from.

I was expecting at least some level of ugliness on the most recent trip SJC-LAX-SJC via WN...

Suprisingly, it was quick, painless, and mostly professional.

Camera/film check was done correctly at one request at both ends,
underwire bras did not set off alarms/secondary screening,
the 'continuous screening' was either being ignored or otherwise minimized as well.

Screening of checked luggage at LAX happened landside, and the screener assigned took you with to the table and asked for lock combinations; after a basic examination and chemical check, he then relocked both bags and put them on the conveyer- very quick, pleasant, and explanatory to my fellow traveler who is inexperienced- even teased her about not touching the bag when they were handling it rather than being officious or angry...

Side Notes:
I had some serious concern about the training/common sense of the secondary screening staff at SJC however, as I was able to observe a chosen random screening:

Male child, estimated 15 months, dressed in tshirt, jeans, sox, diaper, and tennis shoes.
Very quiet and well behaved.
Accompanied by both parents, some bags, and an umbrella stroller.
Neither Mom, Dad, or the baggage was secondary screened, but the stroller was checked carefully separately.

Here's where this fell apart completely:
Child was sat on row of standard airport seats at back of screening area and lady screener of 40-55 years of age proceeded to wand him all over while Mom watched and Dad stayed with stroller check on other side of screening area.

Wand kept beeping at roughly the mid-calf area of child, physical and visual examination revealed nothing but baby-skin...

What is wrong with this picture?

Maybe the METAL BAR running along the seats at EXACTLY that point under the little boy!?!

After well over 10 minutes of this pattern over and over, I had to leave the area and it was still unresolved http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/frown.gif


Also, at LAX T1 they had a single security line on the lower deck (escalators out of order or closed) with one screener checking ID- well, I will assume that was their job.
The check consisted of glancing at my boarding pass and ignoring my closed passport; also ignored proferred DL from passenger behind me and did the 'go-go' gesture towards both of us. No one at the upper level was doing ID checks at any point in any of the lines.

And what's with the need for 10-20 cops as well as the heavily staffed (5 screeners per machine/line) x-ray area?

S

The solution is very very simple.
The BAG is going on the plane. The PASSENGER is going on the plane. The plane is at the gate.
Bring the "problem" bags to the gate and open it in front of the passenger. Set up a table (like they were doing for a while for the "random" checks). When you are done, just carry it down the stairs on the gate and load it on the plane. This takes place early enough so the process is finished 30 minutes before the flight.

Is it a problem that the bag is not in a "secure" area? No, because:
The bag is in the custody of a TSA official at all times.
The passenger area is secure because all of the passengers have been screened. It's not like they can sneak something into the luggage.

Get it through your heads, You haven't solved the problem yet! A "solution" that involves searching my luggage outside of my control is not a valid solution.
I have a feeling that you will be very surprised at how many people don't like the searches that are currently taking place.

How many more thousand or so screeners would you like to hire for this process? People are still arriving 35 minutes before takeoff.

Actually a better solution would be for the TSA to buy equipment that works, put rules in place that male sense and work, and then layoff a WHOLE bunch of TSA folks because these common sense rules and working technology would require less prsonal oversight.

What other country as large as ours has taken on such a massive security operation? Rules will change with time and experience. As far as equipment goes, todays hot$hit computer is out of date next month. What equipment would you suggest. I have not heard of a TSA R&D department for this stuff.