Airport fun

[kerrisan]

I admit, watching security take apart and search my boyfriend's crutches everytime we go to the airport is annoying, but I'm glad they take those measures. And sure, security takes a while, but you should get to the airport a couple of hours before your flight leaves anyway.

[NightAngel]

When I pick up/ drop off my son at the airport I have to go airside. Most people have to wait out at the gate. Lucky me.

Anyhoo~ I have to remove my shoes and anything in my pockets, etc. and put it all through the x- ray. This last time I completely forgot I had a lighter but you'd better believe security found it and took it from me.

I have undergone pat downs, the wand, etc. Once I even got pulled aside and swept with the wand because I was wearing an underwire bra.

And I'm just a Mom picking up a kid. I'm happy that they do this- it makes flying safer for my loved ones.

I salute these people for being so complete in their tasks.
Good job airport security!

[XCashier]

The Allentown, Pennsylvania airport has big signs just as you go into the check-through area that say, though I don't remember the exact wording, Don't even THINK about joking about explosives in your baggage, you WILL face jail time. (Why anyone would think those jokes were funny is beyond me.)

I saw the same sign at the Eugene, OR airport. I thought the sign was a good idea. Anybody stupid enough to joke about that crap after 9/11 deserves a shakedown!

[Primer]

What's going to be fun, is that we're planning on being in the July 4th Civil War reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburg in '07. There is no way that after being on a cannon line for two days that we will NOT show up positive for explosives residue, no matter how hard we scrub. I guess about the best we can do is show our United States Field Artillery Association membership cards with our ID, and hope for the best.

[kerrisan]

Primer, good luck with that. I know it's a ways away but keep us updated on how that works out!

[Crosshair]

OK, you are right Ree, in typical fashion I only remember the real stupid ones. Most where reasonable in enforcing the sometimes anal rules. Though there is a good number of them who seem to think that they are Harry Callahan of the airport..

[werewolffan98]

I saw the same sign at the Eugene, OR airport. I thought the sign was a good idea. Anybody stupid enough to joke about that crap after 9/11 deserves a shakedown!

I saw a sign that said the same thing at the Honolulu,HI airport, and i think the sign is a good idea too.

[JustaCashier]

Up here at Sea-Tac Int'l, they had signs as far back as the '70's, when metal detectors were first put in use, stating that making any joke about high jacking, even saying "Hi Jack" as if addressing a guy named Jack, would be considered a threat, and would be taken seriously.

Mike

[Tanasi]

Try traveling with a gun(s). Before 9/11 it was difficult now it's very difficult. However I've found that a lot of agents don't deal with firearms everyday and therefore don't know their company's own rules. Knowing that I arrive at least 2 hours early with the guns disassembled, you also have to pack them in airline approved cases, have your ammo seperate from the firearms (no more than 11 pounds), and it also helpful to have a copy of the airlines rules and regulations for flying with firearms. One thing I do is after the agent has put the firearms tag in the case I have a small roll of packing tape and run it around the case several times to make the case less likely to be opened by whom-ever besides me.
Crosshair don't wear the shoes you're cannonading in, buy a pair of cheap tennies wear them to Gettysburg, put them in a ziplock bag and don't touch them again until you're going home. At least that's what I do. I've flown into Cleveland and Detroit for the national shoots at Camp Perry, OH and so far Detriot has been the best. San Antonio was OK but those folks were real uptight, I was taken aside and questioned about why I had two shotguns and what were all those other tubes for. If you know someone you can trust at your destination I would suggest you ship your stuff to that person beforehand, that eliminates a lot of questions.

[66biscuits]

Thanks everyone for your support, I'm sorry it was so long, theres a lot to read thru. It's all true honestly!
Crosshair, I agree, there is rampant inconsistancy with security, but is mostly between airports that you see a difference. From my city you will not get a pointy hairpin into the cabin, but some of the places you can fly to from here I'd be surprised if they knew how to work the metal detector! The main problem I have is that people uphold an expectation to be let off for anything they've gotten away with before. If it's illegal, I will stop you here, simple as that. Tanasi, you are right, as a traveller with a fire-arm you will frequently get an agent who simply doesn't know what to do with you. Taking your own copy of the carriage conditions is very smart. Mostly we are trying to avoid the situation wherea firearm gets onto the baggage carousel for anyone to pick up
Primer, you're right, you will test positive for explosives. We get miners who use serious stuff at work travel fairly often, so as with them, if you have any simple way of demonstrating why it's on you, it should suffice.
Keep em coming, it's been cathartic for me

[Rapscallion]

Primer, good luck with that. I know it's a ways away but keep us updated on how that works out!

Guanatanamo has Internet acces now?

Wow!

Rapscallion

[LostMyMind]

Also never carry a novelty bomb clock. Before 9/11, you could buy novelty bomb clocks. My dad being the cheapie he is, made his own (which surprisingly is much better than the ones you could buy at the time). He gave them out to friends, co-workers, and family (I still have mine in my closet).

(Before 9/11) Well, one dude wasn't thinking and took his to his family. (in a south america country, can't remember which one). Well he got it past the first airport, but when he landed there. Fun was to be had. Surprise, surprise, custom folks didn't like that.

(After 9/11) One business owner (who employed my dad) got tired of it, he tossed it in the trash bin outside. Bomb squad was called and everything. They still don't know that idiot threw it "intact" into the trash.

Not the first time, my dad's fake bomb clock got the local police involved. It's not exactly SC tales, but if the king of the forums says I can tell the stories. I will.

[Cia]

Hell I seem to get the wand everytime I go through the Rapid airport. Last time it was beep, hairpin, beep, rubberband, beep, bra hooks, beep, underwire, beep, jean rivet, beep, zipper, beep, etc.

[protege]

Some of you might remember that I flew to Albany, NY the week after 9/11. Let's just say that it was interesting....

First off, because of carbomb fears, not only was the road in front of Pittsburgh International closed, but so was the parking garage across the street. Quite a few people were pissed about having to park "so far away." If I remember correctly, the lots at the *old* airport were even *further* away, so quit whining

Second, seeing large groups of armed guards, K-9 units, plus the military vehicles, was pretty scary. In other words, tensions were pretty high because of what happened the previous week. They were in no mood to take shit from anyone.

Third...the check-in lines were pretty freaking long. Even though I got there around 4am (7:00 flight), I still had to wait about 2 hours in line.

With all that, and the previous week's events, many planes leaving Pittsburgh were nearly empty. In fact, I had the entire back of the plane to myself. Coming back was a different story--so many flights had been canceled, that the remaining ones were packed. I was so rattled because of everything, that I didn't get to sleep on the plane at all. No sleep either way

After that, I refuse to fly. I'll either drive or take the train.

[MadMike]

Up here at Sea-Tac Int'l, they had signs as far back as the '70's, when metal detectors were first put in use, stating that making any joke about high jacking, even saying "Hi Jack" as if addressing a guy named Jack, would be considered a threat, and would be taken seriously.

Even before 9/11, I saw signs in the airport warning people not to joke around about bombs and such. My wife and I had taken a cruise for our honeymoon, and got back only three days before 9/11. How scary is that?

If we can ever afford to go again, we'd like to, but my wife says she's going to have to get nice and drunk before she gets on a plane again.