Thank you. Common sense rules in aviation as much as anywhere else. Is it me or does it seem particularly bad now that people quote 'rules' at you more than ever now? Rules that have been made up to suit themselves......'you can't drive down there Sir' (why?). 'You have to do it this way' (why?). 'You must/must not use your arm rest' (really?). 'Nail clippers! You must be a terrorist!' (Oh yeah?) Maybe it's just especially bad in British aviation at the moment, but everywhere you look there are semi-literate, totally ignorant jobsworths who have the power to screw you around on a whim because they are not meant to be questioned (and they know it!). Retirement gets closer! The idiots spent 20 minutes going through everything in my carry-on last month.....a laptop, laptop accessories (adaptor, modem lead, modem), digital camera (& charger), movie camera (& bag, charger, leads, spare tapes, mini tripod, battery, computer cables).......and.......they got me.......a jewellers screwdriver and a mini penknife (1 inch long)! So this dork tells me off ("you can't carry THAT!") and confiscates them. IF I wanted to get nasty, I wouldn't have bothered with those- a broken wine bottle is much better! But you smile at them and say 'hot dickety you sure got me there!'
(Sorry- been a long day)