Even the Brits think we've marched too far toward a nonsensical police state? Please say it isn't so!"The chairman of British Airways says the United States is making excessive demands about screening airline passengers, including insisting on measures it does not require on U.S. domestic flights."
Worst one I've had was at O'Hare, when I had (gasp) a 4-ounce bottle of contact solution (it was just after the new requirements, and I was unaware the change had already occurred). They gave me such a hassle about it, probably because I insisted on taking it as a carry-on (I always carry on all luggage on a plane, no matter how far I'm going or how long I'll be there--I don't trust any carrier not to lose it). Funny thing is, the Prague airport didn't bat an eye at a 4-oz. bottle of saline, but after I went through U.S. customs and went back through security at O'Hare, I was pulled aside to security while they tested the solution. Finally they let me go and get on my flight home. It's amazing that had I had some nefarious substance in that bottle, I would have had half the United States to do something with it, but they were only concerned with my 45-minute puddle-jump flight from ORD to SGF!I laughed out loud when I first saw that - the most invasive, rude, and excessive bag inspection I've ever had was at LHR (London Heathrow)...
It was certainly noticeable. Four years later, I still remember well just how inept they revealed themselves to be. I may only know the first thing about police work, but the one thing I do know is that if you want to catch a criminal, you do not announce when, where, and how you will be attempting to catch him. He won't show up. Never once has this security charade actually caught a criminal--if it had done so anywhere, the event would have been touted all over the news as an immense success for the TSA. Instead, what worked with the Nigerian man was good police work--intercept his plans and watch him closely until he just begins to commit the act, then arrest him before he can carry it out. Perfect. That sort of thing will keep us safe; what the TSA are doing will simply keep me and my money off planes.Since the half of it is to make a good show about we are doing something about it in the US, they of course need to make it a good noticeable show rather than something that is effective, efficient and relatively painless.
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