Somewhere in my meanderings around the web I came across horror stories of security checks at Madrid airport..... passengers had to unpack their CHECKED bags and put the empty bags thru a scanner... then repack.
If that happened to me, I would be there for two weeks!! (We travel with well filled 24"ers).

I've been to the Barajas Airport in Madrid many times and have never witnessed nor heard what you just described.

Not in Madrid, but in Venice - I've had to open the bag I would be checking so that security could rifle through it a bit, but not actually *empty* my luggage.

Thanks for your reassuring replies. The reports I read DID sound unimaginable... despite all the real abuses we hear about.

I was through the Madrid airport in May and saw no sign of such extraordinary measures.

If you would be in the security check for two weeks you need to quit packing the entire house and let the rest of us get through security more quickly. You don't need all that _ _ _ _.

I went thru Barajas security three weeks ago and it was a breeze - no shoes off, no rifling thru the checked bag (a 30-inch upright!). It was definitely a lot less of a hassle than at Detroit Metro, my airport of origination.

We have been thru twice and it was a breeze each time.

Au contraire, dear "wemr". 22" is too small for the many Brooks Brs. button downs El Husband insists on taking. (At least he's not like a friend's husband who has about 10 strands of hair and packs three hair brushes). Plus we will be coming off a cruise.. more clothes that I normally wouldn't drag around. But, at least, on the way home I wouldn't be fussy and would just squish everything in fast so the security guys could move on to you. -