Airport Security - new approach experienced
Jun 9, 1999, 11:46 pm
#16
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 238
Yes, I, too, was one of those who complained that my shoulder carry-on was too heavy. That is why I bought a roll-around bag. 
If you're interested, I used the weight to rehab an arm for the hour or so while driving around from appointment to appointment. I got the occassional "look" driving down the interstate, but now my arm is much better so I don't carry around the "dead weight" anymore...
If you're interested, I used the weight to rehab an arm for the hour or so while driving around from appointment to appointment. I got the occassional "look" driving down the interstate, but now my arm is much better so I don't carry around the "dead weight" anymore...
Jun 16, 1999, 6:53 pm
#17
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Ormond Beach, FL USA
Programs: Delta Flying Colonel, Lifetime Silver Medallion, Million Miler
Posts: 621
Have had the dusting twice this year at DFW AA and DCA. Interesting technology. I am aware of some of the behind the scenes methods employed to keep explosives off airliners and this is one of the overt acts. Good for them. Never felt safer than flying El Al into Israel and getting the bag search plus body search. Bad news is they kept kicking me out of the femalee only line.
Jun 17, 1999, 12:18 am
#18
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Programs: AAdvantage EXP/1mm/Admirals,United Silver+Club (life),Marriott Titanium,Hilton & Accor Gold
Posts: 5,061
Watch out in Milwaukee! I think Gen. Mitchell Field has the tightest security of US airports. Every time I go through MKE, my laptop is booted up, wiped, and attache searched.
Jun 17, 1999, 8:41 am
#19
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,607
Working for the private security industry sometimes has perks. To wit:
According to a couple of private security regulators I spoke with in New Orleans a couple weeks ago, there is both a profiling AND a random element to the residue check.
Random: At LEAST every 10th person will be checked.
Profile: If you are carrying a laptop, cell phone or other equipment with micro-circuit boards in your carry-on, your chances will increase. If you are carrying more than one of these types of devices, you are almost guaranteed to be wiped. There were other profiling aspects that they refused to go into (they hinted it had to do with apprearance, by which I don't know if they meant clothing or skin color...).
My anecdotal experience confirms this. When I have laptop and cellphone, I have been checked 100% of time. When I have neither, I have been checked about 10-20% of the time...
According to a couple of private security regulators I spoke with in New Orleans a couple weeks ago, there is both a profiling AND a random element to the residue check.
Random: At LEAST every 10th person will be checked.
Profile: If you are carrying a laptop, cell phone or other equipment with micro-circuit boards in your carry-on, your chances will increase. If you are carrying more than one of these types of devices, you are almost guaranteed to be wiped. There were other profiling aspects that they refused to go into (they hinted it had to do with apprearance, by which I don't know if they meant clothing or skin color...).
My anecdotal experience confirms this. When I have laptop and cellphone, I have been checked 100% of time. When I have neither, I have been checked about 10-20% of the time...
Jun 17, 1999, 1:44 pm
#20
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: May 1999
Posts: 46,817
Ditto, Matt Wald. Interestingly I've carried a Swiss Army knife in my pocket when traveling for many years and it never causes any problem. Often the security folks say to put it in my carry on bag but never seem to mind when I "absentmindedly" ut it right back in my pocket!