How Well Do You Think Your Country is Handling Airline Security?

It was three days after I got back from my Canadian vacation when the UK terror plot was foiled. Talk about good timing. Ever since I came home, I pondered on how well Pearson Airport in Toronto handled bag and body searches compared to the U.S.

In the U.S., I had to go through a metal detector and there were some searches (the one where the guy asks you to spread your legs apart and extend your arms) with a smaller metal detector. Plus, I didn't have to open my bag for someone to search for some hazmats.

In Canada, everybody had to do the two metal detector searches and the bag searches.

Clearly, Canada is up to par on security compared to the U.S. How do you rate your airline security measures in your traveling experience?

I dont know yet, but I will on next Thurstday. Of course you will be informed, hehehe.:D

I think security varies from airport to airport. It's not necessarily that Canda has better airport security than the US. Each airport is different.

Nick I Agree, i have been to Canada a few time once before and twice after 9-11, twice was by car. and i didnt see any difference from then till now, very easy, especially driving back, they ask you the same bunch of questions and you are off.

i just flew to Argentina last month and basically i think the worst i had to do was take off my shoes, and that was only on the way there. coming back basically the only thing they cared about was that we paid the airline tax(yup 18.00 per person U.S. & my girlfriend informs me they only do this in Argentina) other than that i could have brought back almost anything i wanted to

im glad i took my vacation already because flying now is going to be a nightmare

Smarra[gold]dona wrote: coming back basically the only thing they cared about was that we paid the airline tax(yup 18.00 per person U.S. & my girlfriend informs me they only do this in Argentina)

If memory serves me correctly, I had to pay some such silly fee in the airport in Bangladesh too. Memory doesn't often serve me correctly, though.

I anticipate (and hope) that this no carry-ons rule will be temporary and not become the norm. Making air travel more inconvenient will not fix the problem, and apparently there are enough holes elsewhere in the system to make such measures pointless.

I just know that I plan to board planes just as often as I have been. I refuse to let some idiotic holy war scare me out of my travel plans.

Also, re: Jews in NYC... I grew up there and had many Jewish friends. I don't think of them as any different from you or me so I don't really feel one way or the other towards them as a group. I never understood why they've been scapegoated so much throughout history. Yeah some Jews are assholes, but so are some Muslims and Christians.

However, I do think our country's unwavering allegiance to Israel has been and continues to be a lot more trouble than it's worth.

Spotnick wrote: We have that tax in Montreal as well... and I think London has it as well because it's included in the fees.

In Montreal before you had to pay it before boarding (I almost missed my plane once, a 3000$ ticket almost lost for 18$ of tax! it was for work ;) ), now it's included in the price of the ticket when you buy it.

i flew out of montreal in september and paid no such fee? like you said it must be included in the tickey price in argentina , you check in then they send you to a separate window to pay, then when you go to board they check to see if you paid the tax.

Apparently one cannot even carry books on board British flights to the US now. That's one long ass sit without some pleasant distraction.

just got back from england, and the british security is about 5x times better than american security. I got body check 3 times in the uk and they were actually quite intense. In the states, one pretty half-assed body check and they ask me to take off my sneakers. Those screeners couldn't give two shits.

EDIT: flew in just before the madness started.

Spotnick wrote:

Mr disco 99 wrote: I anticipate (and hope) that this no carry-ons rule will be temporary and not become the norm. Making air travel more inconvenient will not fix the problem, and apparently there are enough holes elsewhere in the system to make such measures pointless.

I sure hope so. I just can't think how boring a flight would be without my iPod...

But when we were at the Kennedy Space Center, they told us there some security found a 2-shots gun inside a cell phone not too long ago, and they raised the security because of that.

The world is going mad.

I have a feeling the cell phone rule will stay. It would be easy to have luggage in the belly of the plane, then detonate it by calling it by cell phone.

I also think the liquid rule will stay as well. It not only keeps the threat of liquid based bombs to minimum, it also forces you to pay for more drinks on the plane.

All in all, it doesn't bother me that the airlines are doing it, they are only trying to protect us and themselves as well.

JHC

jonathan wrote: just got back from england, and the british security is about 5x times better than american security. I got body check 3 times in the uk and they were actually quite intense. In the states, one pretty half-assed body check and they ask me to take off my sneakers. Those screeners couldn't give two shits.

EDIT: flew in just before the madness started.

I felt the exact opposite when I went to London last summer. Security at Ohare was intense while it was pretty lax at Heathrow.

68Pontiac wrote:

All in all, it doesn't bother me that the airlines are doing it, they are only trying to protect us and themselves as well.

Some measures I'm OK with. There is a point when it's too much, though, and it's different depending on who you are. For example I don't mind having to finish my drink before I get on the plane. But I'm not OK with giving up my carry-on luggage as I don't trust baggage handlers... especially with my laptop.

I'm sure the usual response of additional checks will bother most people when they catch someone walking onto a plane with an explosive device up his anus.

Curtailing the amount of carry-on luggage would be one positive thing about all this nonsence.

People take far too much into the cabin, slowing the whole boarding process at either end of the journey.

Only allow passengers to take on stuff that they need for the journey - that's the way forward.

Would stop all them pricks tapping away on a laptop then giving you filthy looks when you try to have a peep at what they're up to.

I saw a bloke having a wank on a flight to Glasgow once. Do I win £40?

Diamond White wrote: Curtailing the amount of carry-on luggage would be one positive thing about all this nonsence.

People take far too much into the cabin, slowing the whole boarding process at either end of the journey.

Only allow passengers to take on stuff that they need for the journey - that's the way forward.

Would stop all them pricks tapping away on a laptop then giving you filthy looks when you try to have a peep at what they're up to.

I saw a bloke having a wank on a flight to Glasgow once. Do I win £40?

Your comment made me think. Did people always bring this much crap tothe cabin with them before? I remember people bringing on alot less than they do today.

JHC

Diamond White wrote: Curtailing the amount of carry-on luggage would be one positive thing about all this nonsence.

People take far too much into the cabin, slowing the whole boarding process at either end of the journey.

Only allow passengers to take on stuff that they need for the journey - that's the way forward.

Would stop all them pricks tapping away on a laptop then giving you filthy looks when you try to have a peep at what they're up to.

I saw a bloke having a wank on a flight to Glasgow once. Do I win £40?

Every time I've flown they've started boarding plenty of time in advance to get everyone's stuff put away and get underway by the departure time on the ticket.

As for getting out, it's only a few minutes. You're still going to have to wait for people in front to get out even without carry-on luggage. What's your hurry? Use the time to get in touch with whoever's picking you up. That's what I do.

And why does it bother you that I use my laptop to pass the time? And I personally don't mind if you ask what I'm working on, but it's not as if you're entitled to know.

Sorry, I just don't understand your frustration.

68Pontiac wrote: Your comment made me think. Did people always bring this much crap tothe cabin with them before? I remember people bringing on alot less than they do today.

JHC

Don't know if it's a general trend, but I know I stopped checking my luggage when I got tired of it getting lost or damaged. I only check a bag when my pilot case isn't big enough.

If you want your bags handled right, better to do it yourself.

Mr disco 99 wrote:

Sorry, I just don't understand your frustration.

I fly most weekends on a route which is mainly full of salesmen and other business types. Most of them try to fit their whole week’s luggage, laptop and anything else they can think of into the cabin luggage in order to avoid waiting at the carousel at the other end. It frustrates me because, being a small aircraft, luggage is often stored away from their seat and it causes chaos when it’s time to get off as they all scramble to get their bags and be first in line to get off. It’s selfish and unnecessary. I was once on an aircraft that crashed on the tarmac and the knobheads still insisted on pushing around the cabin to get their precious bags.

Spotnick wrote: What pisses me off is that you'll have to leave the electronic devices in your suitcase.

If places are anything like Montreal, anybody can steal luggage without having a problem getting out... so just imagine now that it will be filled with laptops, pda, mp3 players and digital cameras.

:(

I be prepared to bet that, statistically, stuff is safer in the hold than in the cabin. When I worked at the airport we would find all sorts of things that passengers had left behind - really expensive things. The difference is that if you lose something from your checked baggage you can claim the cost from the airline. If you leave it in the cabin you can be sure it's in some cleaner's pocket and won't be seen again.

I am dreading them keeping the no liquid rule in place long term. I know it is for safety, but not being able to take a bottle of water on an eight hour flight will be unpleasant, those little plastic glasses every 2 hours won't keep anyone going.

Why can't they just get you to taste it like they do with the baby milk??

Apparently, Baggage Handlers are now being searched at the end of their shift! This is on account of all the stuff being thrown into luggage from hand luggage at the airport by people STILL not realising they can't take it into the cabin................and I am led to believe that there are some rich pickings flying around the hold.

I am pretty sure some people will arrive at their destination a little less well off than when they left!

Tragically, it's just not possible to prevent people from taking stuff through security. If they're determined enough, there will be a way trough. There's plenty of room inside a human body. Anyone who's been in prison will confirm that quite a large amount of matter can be popped up the nipsy and retrieved at any time during the flight. So what next, a full cavity search at check-in?

The main defence against this kind of crime is Intelligence. Full marks to the Cops for stopping this one. It’s certainly worth a couple of false alarms if 300 lives have been saved on this occasion.

Diamond White wrote:

I saw a bloke having a wank on a flight to Glasgow once. Do I win £40?

Sorry about that..I'm usually more descrete

Diamond White wrote: Curtailing the amount of carry-on luggage would be one positive thing about all this nonsence.

People take far too much into the cabin, slowing the whole boarding process at either end of the journey.

Only allow passengers to take on stuff that they need for the journey - that's the way forward.

Would stop all them pricks tapping away on a laptop then giving you filthy looks when you try to have a peep at what they're up to.

I saw a bloke having a wank on a flight to Glasgow once. Do I win £40?

Was it loaded??