Elvira

Just got back from a trip to Blighty and, yet again, found 'Notice of Baggage Inspection' notes from those friendly TSA guys in both my bags.

This has happened to me on all my recent trips.

Am I being singled out for some reason (what could it be?), have I been unlucky, or is this happening to everyone?

Not that I've got anything to hide (and nothing has gone missing), but I'd be interested in other people's experiences.

Silverdragon102

On both my visits in the last 12 months I also had my luggage searched even on the internal flights

Manc

pretty much everyone.

NC Penguin

I wouldn't be too concerned. I've had my luggage checked a couple of times over a period year on internal and external flights. Like you, I've got nothing to hide.

Now, if something of yours is missing after one of these checks, I'd like to know how the TSA handles the complaint.





NC Penguin

clydegirl

Mine got searched when I came back in february.It had a big HEAVY label on it.I was in the middle of the transit queue and the guy came up and took my case.When i got home found the inspection note.The case was full of chocolate,biscuits, tea bags you know the usual stuff.

fatbrit

2 out of the last 4 trips it's happened to me-- one internal, one to Evropa. Wife also had nail scissors confiscated from hand luggage last year -- she was not best pleased. Think they're just looking for sumat to nick most of the time.

Afraid I really have no confidence that they are making the flight safer as that would require intelligence. Yesterday flipping burgers, today defending the nation. A sad waste of money and other people's valuable time IMHO.

Manc

if they looked for terrorists instead of weapons it would be easier, but then again, that's racially profiling.

seems to have worked for El Al for donkeys years mind.

fatbrit

They just seem to have absolutely no idea why they are there andwhat they are doing. Bit like most other US civil servants, really!

AdobePinon

All the time, every time. I was thinking of packing the notice myself before I leave next time to save TSA the time and effort.

anotherlimey

I've had the TSA notice once out of the last 3 times I've flown.

Aren't they confiscating lighters now too, even though you can still buy them airside?

The screening process has always been floored; it would be a much better idea to sedate everyone in the terminal, carry them onto the plane and wake them up when they get to their destination.

Ash UK/US

Yeap it happens just about everytime I fly... trip before last it was all 4 bags on my last trip it was just 1. Nothing missing and to be honest it didn't like they had even moved anything. Maybe they just open the bags and through in one of those cards to make it look good.

Anyone else read this?

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...80/1006/NEWS01

it only took an hour to find him

Ash

Englishmum

Every lunchtime when I'm at Newark airport the EL-AL check-in desk opens up. I've never seen so many airline staff at check-in with any other airline, ever.

They pull all of the passengers aside before they join the queue to check-in and it seems almost like they're being interrogated on why they've chosen to fly with EL-AL - yes, even the Hassidic Jews with their long white stockings and curled sideburns (they usually have big hatboxes with them LOL!).

It's definitely the way to go in airline security....trouble is, EL-AL has nowhere as large a fleet as most airlines have with their tight schedules so they don't have such a tight-turnaround time....and understandably they're prepared to pay for the high cost of their extra (highly trained) security staff.

I can remember the case about 15 or so years ago where a young pregnant Irishwoman was flying to Tel-Aviv with her Arab boyfriend. However, he cried off at the last minute, saying he had to attend to business and insisted that she carry on with her flight and he would catch up with her a day or so later. The very astute security guard at Heathrow carefully inspected her portable radio/cassette player. It was packed with Semtex (which is hard to spot...probably even more so all those years ago). It would have detonated at 30,000 feet. The boyfriend was caught and to the best of my knowledge is still serving time in a UK prison (but I guess he will probably be out soon if he isn't already). The poor girlfriend was a simple country girl and returned to Ireland to have her baby....I don't know if she kept the child or had it adopted. Does anyone else remember this?

Aha....found the story here....and other reports about airline security:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2097352.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/2096992.stm

anotherlimey

I would have been a bit young to remember that, but my father was in the airline security industry so I did hear about it. Here's a link to a page which [briefly] mentions the incident:

http://www.israelinsider.com/channel...s/sec_0108.htm

Dimsie

One of 4 bags was opened and retained last October when we came over permanently. That bag contained a metal urn with my late partner's ashes inside - they probably thought it was a bomb! They had obviously looked at it and even possibly opened it - I could imagine what my late partner would have had to say - and it is not repeatable here! LOL! However, I went over recently and my one bag was untouched, as far as I can tell.

tony126

Something to watch out for when I go next month.