New airport security measures?
August 6th, 2007 by ktula
When i was checking in at the Northwest airlines counter this morning, i saw a note requiring all electronics be taken out of carry-on bags, like the existing requirement on computer laptops. At any moment in my laptop bag, i have an IBM Thinkpad laptop, a Nokia N73 cellphone, a Nintendo DS Lite, 2 flash memory drives, a iPod nano, a Plantronic Bluetooth headset and an assortments of cables for charging/synchronizing my devices. So in order to get through the airport security, i will have to, in theory, remove at least 8 pieces of items from my bag and place them in the plastic container provided, since they can all be classified as electronics.
When i was going through the airport security, i removed the IBM Thinkpad, Nintendo DS Lite, iPod nano and Nokia N73 cellphone from my computer bag. I left everything else in the bag. I went through the metal detector without any problem and so did my computer bag which came out from the other end of the scanner. While i was waiting, i overheard a conversation between a passenger and a TSA personnel and it appeared to me that even the TSA personnel was not sure if a cellphone must be placed in the same container as a computer laptop.
The need to remove electronics, including computer laptop, completely puzzles me. Why is it that i can put computer equipments in my check-in bag without having the need to take them out but not carry-on? If the check-in bags go through a different kind of scanner that does not require any electronic equipment be taken out of the bag, why not install the same type of scanner at all security checkpoints? Since last year, i have not been able to bring any bottled water through the security checkpoints because of the fear of liquid explosive being carried onto the plane. And yet, i have absolutely no problem putting bottled water in my check-in bag. If the equipment for scanning the check-in bags is able to detect liquid explosive, why not implement them at the security checkpoints? Is TSA only concerned about “safety” of air travel but not convenience for the air travelers and efficiency?
This made me come to a conclusion. This is a conspiracy. The ban on carrying liquid in container greater than 3-oz in carry-on bag was enacted in cahoot with the concession stores within the secured area of airports. Before the ban, i would carry at least one half-liter bottle of water on each trip one way. On average, i make about 40 trips a year, which means i carry with me at least 80 bottles of water a year. When purchased in bulk, each half-liter bottled water costs no more than $0.25. So for the 80 bottles of water, it should have cost me no more than $20. However, after the ban, i have been forced to buy bottled water from within the secured area in airports. On average, each half-little bottled water costs $2 (it ranges from $1.49 to $2.50) so now, i am paying at least $160 a year for bottled water to drink during my flights! I would be very interested to find out the bottled water sales at concession stores in all airports after the fluid ban.
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StHalcyon
Says
Whenever I go to a client site, the first thing I do after landing is to go to the nearest grocery store and buy a case of 24 bottles of bottled water for $6 or so. And if I don’t finish it, I’d typically load them up in my 22″ carry-on Swiss Army roller bag. I had to manually change out the wheels to high ABEC rollerblade wheels with solid construction to carry the extra weight. All this was no problem, until of course the liquid ban. My clients have been enjoying free water ever since, every time I leave a client site.
Aug 6th, 2007 at 21:50
Traveler
Says
Hello Ktula,
I usually finish my water before I get in the line and keep the bottle, at the other side you can find a drinking fountain to fill up. I’ve seen some confused people wondering what I’m doing with an empty bottle, they quickly understand what your up to when you head for the fountain. If you cant find a fountain the stores usually fill up the bottles with no questions.
Tired of the new rules,
Traveler.
Dec 20th, 2008 at 19:46