Does anyone who has travelled to Europe since 9/11 have any information or opinion on what airlines, US or foreign, are most conscientious about security?

Security at check in and on the flight lines is the responsibility of individual airport administrations. <BR> <BR>I flew back from Munich on September 20 and the German border patrol had clamped a tight lid on things. I was thoroughly searched, both me and my luggage. <BR> <BR>In the USA, the same old fool's paradise. You are safer in Europe than in the USA in my opinion. <BR>

I waited almost an hr to go through security at JFK; in Rome we went right through. I saw more bags being searched in JFK than Rome too. It's pretty much a crap shoot although I agree in general Europe airports are safer.

I noted in an earlier post that a friend of mine sailed through security at LAX with a Swiss army knife in his briefcase (he had forgotten to take it out), but when he got to Milan to transfer, all sorts of buzzers went off. Furthermore, a news item about a week ago described a man actually boarding a Southwest plane with a gun in his briefcase, again an item he forgot to remove. He told the flight attendant who turned it over to the pilot. I think in general, European airports are safer.

When I flew from Brussels to Malaga (Spain) & back last week I was told that security at check in would be very thorough. Furthermore no knives, scissors, nail files would be allowed in the carry-on luggage. Well, I haven't seen any difference in treatment and when I came back home I saw that I forgot to put away my long and sharp nail file. Security hasn't noticed it in my handbag either! <BR>The only difference I noticed was the plastic knives in the airport restaurant. <BR>Don't know if security for intercontinental flights is any different.

I flew to Rome from Newark through Alitalia. Secutiry in Newark was great. <BR> <BR>On the way bay, I left Florence from Peretola airport and I didn't notice any security at all. I kept setting off the metal detector, and I remembered that security at Newark discovered it was my shoes and had them X-rayed. I mentioned this at Peretola and started to take off my shoes, but they just took my word for it and waved me through. Granted, it's a small airport that only does charter flights, but I was checked all the way through to Newark.

At Gatwick in London, two weeks ago, I sent a large amount of film in a large lead-lined bag through the x-ray machine unchallenged, and it was never checked. In Rome, last Friday, the area of the Delta and American desks was roped off, and we had to show our passports and tickets to an armed officer to go through. An upper floor looking out over the desk area contained several heavily (and I mean heavily) armed officers with their guns pointing down at us. Before being allowed to check our larger luggage, it was hand-searched. Then just before boarding, our carry-on luggage was hand-searched, including a quick look at the lead-lined bag which had again made it through a machine unchallenged. On the return flight from Rome, unlike the flight to London, there was a special announcement to remain in our seats and not hang around in the aisles, such as at the bathrooms. I think the flight attendants are pretty nervous about having people standing around them. Who can blame them?