From: annie (dlvdisc@geekbabe.com)
Date: Wed Mar 31 2004 - 09:09:49 CST
> Hi girls.... my first time flying with my female things.... I'd love
> some suggestions on three particular items for checked
> baggage....
I fly regularly for business, and for pleasure. I'll give you my
opinions, which in summary is that most inspections these days, while
more thorough than before, are less intrusive than they were in the
weeks/months following 9-11.
For checked luggage all major airports have some kind of a screening
station near the airline check-in desks. Some of these are a conveyor
x-ray thing, some are a desk with a hand-operated gizmo.
Very seldom anymore do I find that they actually open the bag and
rummage thru the contents.
I did, however, arrive at my hotel one time recently and found a
"inspected by no. 12" note in one of my bags, so I know it does
occasionally happen.
Inspection occurs right before, during, or immediately after check-in at
the airline desk. In some airports, the inspection occurs in the queue
in front of the airline desk, in others they have you take your luggage
to the inspection station after check-in, in others they carry your
luggage to the inspection station while you are checking in. In some
others you go to the x-ray station before going to the check-in desk.
Remember, these people are there to prevent people from taking various
kinds of nasty stuff on board. They really don't care what's in the
bags, as long as they are not prohibited items.
Either right after 9-11 or recently, I'm unaware of any majorly
embarrassing incidents. "Hey, these belong to you, Mac?"
>silicone breastforms....
Let me find and repost a note from one of our people regarding an amusing
anecdote on this. :)
Commercial forms should not raise any red flags. When 9-11 happened, for
a while I was suggesting that people not carry the "boob goo" type forms
on planes, since they may not be obvious what they are, and unknown
items containing a gooey substance could raise red flags.
>costume jewelry....
These are radiopaque and most screeners see this all the time. No
problem. Again, mentioned in the note I'll repost shortly.
>aerosol cans....
They tell me (the ubiquitous "they") that any pressurized or flammable
liquids are a no-no in general, but that there is an exception for small
amounts of personal toiletry items.
>if they are flags (or reason for 5 finger Harry ) for security to open
>checked baggage
Obvious red flags are one-way tickets, paying cash for a ticket, walking
up to the desk cold without a reservation, etc.
> I don't believe you can bring an aerosol can onboard with you
I would check things like this. Phone the airline if there's any reason
you think you need to carry that on.
Inspection of carry-on bags is very quick, and at most airports I don't
think the people on the x-ray really know which bag belongs to whom.
They run the bags (and shoes and belts and coats) thru the machine while
the bodies walk thru the magnetometer.
There are still some random checks while boarding. I saw one person get
pulled aside for this just a couple weeks ago.
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