The TSA was established in the wake of 9/11, so most of these stories date back less than 6 years. But wasn't air security ramped up beginning in the 70s, in the wake of the first hijackings? I'll bet everyone has stories of security idiocies that predate the TSA follies. Here's mine:

Back in another life, probably around 1980, I flew from Boston to Kalamazoo with an early music ensemble to perform for a conference on medieval studies. The group's director played a dozen or so instruments, wooden flute-type things that pulled apart into two or three pieces. As there were no cases available for these things, she stored each part stuffed in an old sock and knotted, and the lot went into a gun case fitted with foam.

Leaving BOS was entirely uneventful, but in AZO, a *very* small airport, an over-zealous security official demanded that she untie and empty each sock so he could inspect the contents. I don't remember who actually opened the socks, but she insisted that he replace the contents of the case as he found them, according to the rules. Words were exchanged, but he ended up replacing all 30 instrument parts into 30 socks and tying 30 knots as the rest of us watched, struggling not to point and jeer. Can't be too careful with recorder-toting musicians -- NOT!

When I was a kid in the mid-1970s they confiscated my toy guns in MIA, I think. One was fluorescent green. I was upset about the plastic six-shooter but it turned up in the mail in Europe a year later. This was in the "fly this plane to Havana" days.

Things were annoying for a while after TWA 800 until they figured out that the military shot it down or whatever. But no shoe nonsense and carnival barking antics. They had laptop nonsense and you even had to open them on the on the belt at some airports.

Even in 1999-2000 there were some ancient security screeners who didn't get the message and insisted on this at Elmira airport.

On the 1992 "Seinfeld" episode "The Trip", the airport security guard went through George's bag and questioned him about a bottle of moisturizer.

Isn't that a line from a Paul Young song? "How loooong..... has this been going on?" Or am I out to lunch?

Back in the 80's, flight crew bypassed security. Thanks for the memories.

Not Paul Young - it was Paul Carrack and Ace.

Yes, that's it. It turns out to be a 1975 tune, I always thought it was more around the time of the Thompson Twins and Paul Young. But I date myself.

It's from a 1927 musical called Funny Face, written for Fred and Adele Astaire--had to look it up, I'm not THAT old. It's still a cabaret standard. You can hear a short clip on the jukebox at http://www.gershwin.com/

Ummm...maybe you've got the wires crossed...they all were a long time ago.

"or whatever":
TWA 800...747-131...crashed into ocean near Long Island on July 17, 1996. NTSB concluded that fumes inside the center wing tank ignited, causing the explosion (spark created by a faulty wire). 230 dead / 0 survivors.

747 terrorist bombing:
Pan Am 103...747-121...crashed in vicinity of Lockerbie Scotland from detonation of plastic explosives on December 21, 1988 (a group claimed responsibility as retaliation for Airbus downing). 259 dead / 0 survivors.

Airbus shot down by US Navy:
IR655...A300-B2...shot down in Persian Gulf by US guided missile cruiser on July, 3, 1988. Claimed mistaken as Iranian fighter jet attacking the ship. 290 dead / 0 survivors.

747 shot down by Soviet military:
KE007...747-200...shot down in Soviet airspace by Soviet Air Force aircraft on September 1, 1983 (perhaps mistaken for a USAF recon plane). 269 dead / 0 survivors.

You can thank the PSA employee who went postal for that changing, I believe.

David Burke is no longer alive.

I know that it is painful for government types and boosters but there is a finite chance that the US military shot down TWA 800; that was my reference. Rememver Pierre Salinger and all that..........

Lockerbie appeared to tighten security ex Europe. I also recall my carry-on being hand inspected meticulously in 1985-6 in Europe for a US bound flight due to the recent hijackings, etc, but things always were relatively relaxed ex USA in that period.

There is also a finite chance I will be elected President in 2008.

Do note that I am pretty vocal in opposition both to the TSA and DHS and the current administration as a whole. I'm not a government type/booster by any means.

Same name, different tune. The one stuck in my brain right now is the 1975 tune, which has different lyrics and melody.

Do you really believe that such a thing could be covered up for so long? I certainly don't.

Bruce