i just got home from a vacation tripwith my family.I arrived at the airport at 530 am,departure 845 am. cheched in at the counter,then i was asked to take my bags to a line to have my bags x rayd ,after putting the bags in line(on a cart) my wife reads a note on the x-ray machine that says film will be damaged if it goes trough this machine,my wife tries to retrieve the film ,the nice lady says NO,i spoke to a supervisor and was able to retrieve the film. Al the bags cleared the x ray except one,and the only thing in it besides clothes was an alarm clock.went to the Admirals club at concourse E (before security)an hour later left for our gate (concourse D) ,we used concourse E security checpoint and the attendant asked why we were using that concourse ,i explained i was at the admirals club and would use the passageway to concourse D,she asked "what do they have at the adnmirals club"? I believe she was making sure that we were at tha admirals club(why would i lie about something like that?)
Finally were getting in the plane,but no so fast.gave the gate agent my boarding passes and passports,we were asked to go to go and have our hand bags inspected again,took my shoes off the y checked our passports again to make sure that we were the same people that 2 minutes back had just checked with the gate agent.
Being a US citizen(living overseas) and totally in favor of better security,I can only say that I will go somewhere else on vacation next year,maybe the pacific coast of Costa Rica,Paris or maybe Cape Town but not the US.This is bordering on paranoia.
I would like to know if a pax with half an empty coke can goes to the flight attendant and askes her to open the cockpit or he will cut her throat,what do you think she will do????
Its obvious that no one is going to get on board with a gun now,but who says the gun wont be placed in the cabin by catering or ground personnel,or even being put on at a foreign station(were security isnt as tight) and being retrived on the next domestic portion of the flight.these are just a few thoughts after experiencing the hassle myselfI am happy that I fly corporate aircraft for a job and dont have to put up with most of this crap