On 03 Aug 2003 21:51:14 -0500
Johnie Stafford <jms@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >>> On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 03:16:34 +0100, Kennedy McEwen
> ><rkm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> said:
>
> km> Every time I go through Heathrow now and read the sign about
> how km> many knives they seized last year I wonder how many had
> our km> company logo on them!
>
> After Christmas last year I was flying out of the airport in
> Toledo, Ohio and they were getting a head start on the new search
> rules that went into effect on Jan. 1. I was a little preterbed
> that the guy completely unpacked my suitcase at the inspection
> counter, until the very end when he said, "OK, is there anything
> else you've got that needs to go into checked baggage?"
Somehow that always happens to me when in an US airport. Never had it
happen to me anywhere else in the world. I am not sure exactly what
it is going to accomplish, I thought that X-raying was enough?
> It was then
> that I remembered my Swiss Army pocket knife that I've had for
> years. Since I got almost strip searched at the gate inspection,
Hey, me too. I got the pleasure in Washington Dulles that I, upon
ARRIVAL, was strip-searched (litterally, not just "pratically"), then
running to catch my connection flight, upon clearing security there
was selected for another strip-search (again, litterally). Somehow
that time the security staff thought it important to open every
single film canister and swap (about 50) for explosives, even after
it went through x-ray. Which took a while, btw. Finally, at the gate,
being the last to arrive for the flight, I and my carry-ons were
carefully searched too....meanwhile, they rolled away the jetway :(
Somehoe, a 2 1/2h connection in Dulles is just not long enough.
> I
> would have lost it there. Hopefully, things will be a little more
> relaxed when I travel to Detroit this week.
>
Don'c count on it. Things seems to have gone from bad to worse,
really, is my experience :(
It's not all bad, though, as the following story will illustrate...
I flew out of Copenhagen Airport about a month after the world went
on paranoia level red. As usual, I carried my swiss army knife in my
carry-on....where, for some reason or other, I also had a pair of
surgical tweezers (don't ask, I'm honestly not sure why). Not
thinking anything of it, I came to security where I was asked to
remove those items. I thought them lost, but no.....
...the security staff found a small cardboard box (marked "security
checked luggage") and gave me to fill out with name and address.
Meanwhile, they somehow produced a luggage reciept for the bag.
Tweezers and knife in the box, checked luggage reciept in hand, and
sent someone down a flight of stairs to the Scandinavian Airlines
checkin counter with the box, which went as checked luggage. I
thought that the tiny box would get lost or squeezed (and the
contents lost, considering it was a box of about 10x15x4cm3) en
route, but no......
....upon arriving in Charles de Gaulle airport, I addressed myself at
the Scandinavian Airlines luggage counter, where a surprisingly
pleasant (we're talking intl. airport here -- people skills are
normally in short supply) woman said "Mr. Clausen, we have special
goods for you, please wait here". Two minutes later, an airline
employee came with my little cardboard box in hand, completely
intact. He even wore white gloves (although I do think that was a
coincidence).
So while I do, in general not trust airline companies with valueable
stuff (I would never check any OM gear, for example -- hah, I got the
obligatory OM comment in), they do occationally make things right.
Since then, I have dutifully ensured that the most sharp thing I
carry in my carry-on is the 85/2 and its friends :)
--thomas
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|