Here's the thing, there really is NO security
 

We have travelled several times after 9/11 and, inspite of all the fuss and bother, we don't feel any more safe. Just take the last trip for instance, after they insisted on unzipping ALL of our bags, they approached them with rubber gloves, took one look on top, then rezipped them. We have had nail clippers and other trivia confiscated, but, world wide, I don't see any CONSISTENT attempts at security. Once they ask if the could look in a hand item, I said 'sure' and then they hassled my husband about his shoes, completely forgetting about the bag! Until we get some consistency and adequate guidelines about security, it seems to be just added fuss and bother...yes we get plastic knives at the dinner service, for what that is worth. Anyone care to comment on their experiences in this area. Hope Fodors doesn't destroy this thread...I think it is important to the industry to ensure that we all ARE safe.

And your magic answer to assure us perfect safety is. . .???

From now on all passengers must fly naked with no luggage carried on or stowed. Dinner will be one ripe banana each. Oh yes, and there will be no seat cushions to hide boxcutters under and no cleaning staff to hide them.

I have no magic answer...they only thing that would work is CONSISTENCY...like if someone is flying alone, on a once way ticket, no luggage, etc., maybe they should be looked at a little closer, and if they OPEN a bag, then they should look IN it, and if you have a foreign passport, from Syria, Saudi Arabia, etc., or other countries where terrorists have originaged, LOOK a little closer. Don't justt hassle the old folks. Also, a database with fingerprints would assure most people's finger print matches the data base...IF it doesn't, then LOOK a little closer...In other words try to eliminate possible threats and search people who deviate from the norm a little closer. Rather than hassle everyone and make flying such a torture, with all the extra and expensive rigamarole, try to design a system that accurately pinpoints possible threats ahead of time. This is not rocket science. The Isralies have been doing it for years.

Consistency is just what potential hijackers want. They need to know the exact places and types of people the security will target. Not knowing who gets searched for what is the best security you could possibly have.

Good point, xxx, I never thought of that, but it does make sense.

My son flew on a one-way ticket from Austin to Phoenix and he said they really checked him out. He is a college student and a US Marine, but someone had stolen his car over the holidays and he was flying back to go to class. He didn't check any luggage because he was coming back to get a car the next weekend. <BR><BR>I agree with Julie that unless obvious, like the one-way ticket with no luggage, increased security seems more like window dressing, but I prefer not to point out some of the more obvious lapses I have noticed because it drives me crazy when the media does this. Does the media care about our security? They broadcast our vulnerability all over the world.

It is my opinion that security measures are probably more tighter on the US side than on the Europe side.<BR><BR>Coming back from Europe last summer saw nothing more than causal questions about who packed my bags and such.<BR><BR>Hopefully, airport security in the coming months and years will be even tighter, even if these security measures cause some delays.

Didn't at least one of the 9/11 terrorists have a suitcase that got lost? Seems to me that he must have had luggage then so the one way ticket with no luggage logic won't work. <BR><BR>I like the idea of special passports for frequent travelers that would zip you through the lines.<BR><BR>

I don't have any answers either but then security isn't MY business. We don't have to reinvent the wheel here. Other businesses and other countries have been handling tighter security issues for years. All I know is my sister was one of those random check people at two airports while on her way to the Olympics in Salt Lake.They went through ALL her stuff including having her take her shoes off. They confiscated a pair of TWEEZERS from her make-up bag - told her should could mail them home if she had an envelope...they didn't..She didn't..so they threw away her vaery dangerous Red Cross tweezers. My sister is 5'1", 52 yrs old, probably 100 lbs soaking wet and not what you'd call confrontational so she didn't get this treatment because she was mouthing off or anything!<BR>Then last month, I stood behind the "safety" rails to watch my 80yr old mother go thru security. She was OK but the lady ahead of her was being picked over like the last meal for hungry dogs! SHE was 85 or 90 AT LEAST..and IN A WHEELCHAIR!!! they lifted her out and went over the wheelchair, took HER shoes off to examine them, went through all her stuff and confiscated a metal emory board from her purse. I mean really!! And yeah, the lady was being crabby about all this, but she was probably in pain and definitely pissed off about being treated so shabbily!<BR>There's GOT to be a better way. The peolpe in charge just aren't thinking yet...they're still in "reaction" mode...And that's MY two cents!!

sorry but the idea of flying naked will not work, still have cavities to hide things in

To all of you supposed security "experts":<BR>If I wanted to smuggle something dangerous onto a plane, I think an old woman in a wheelchair would be a good choice as the vehicle for smuggling.<BR>Oh, that it was as simple as some of you think it is!<BR>

Julie, terrorists "originate" from every country in the world. Timothy McVeigh, for example.<BR><BR>Just because you don't see many of the security measures that have been taken doesn't mean they don't exist. An awful lot goes on behind the scenes.<BR><BR>The terrorists that did 9/11 are very smart. They did something that no one had conceived of, and when they strike again it will again be in some way we've never dreamed of. So searching little old ladies at the airport is EXACTLY what I want to see. When you only search men traveling by themselves who look Middle Eastern is when you court diaster.

Julie, terrorists "originate" from every country in the world. Timothy McVeigh, for example.<BR><BR>Just because you don't see many of the security measures that have been taken doesn't mean they don't exist. An awful lot goes on behind the scenes.<BR><BR>The terrorists that did 9/11 are very smart. They did something that no one had conceived of, and when they strike again it will again be in some way we've never dreamed of. So searching little old ladies at the airport is EXACTLY what I want to see. When you only search men traveling by themselves who look Middle Eastern is when you court disaster.

Jan, what a bunch of horse hooye! <BR>Jan,<BR>Lemme tell you something. With the lone exception of Mcveigh, most terrorists are middle Eastern.<BR><BR>Whether it is wrong or right, when I see a middle eastern person, I get suspicious!<BR><BR>Guys that look like Sven are not the one throwing bombs paley!

Hi<BR><BR>I've been travelling for many years.<BR>In Europe security works on many different levels? and has done for 25 years -<BR><BR>1) Xray type machines<BR>2) Passenger list analysis (Why is he travelling , again ?)<BR>3) Personal interview (walk across the Egypt / Israel border and see it)<BR>4) Hidden cameras<BR>5) Undercover surveillance ( the man by the Calais wine warehouse talking to UK customs officials on a mobile ?)<BR>6) Govt agencies ( CIA, FBI, etc )including Email and phone intercept<BR>7)Random interception (I was once stopped because "today we stop all yellow cars")<BR>8) Set rules - all single passengers from Jamaica, Everyone from USA on 12 September<BR>9) Everyone on certain flights (London / Dublin today, Belfast / London tomorrow, Belfast / Dublin every 3 days etc) <BR>10) Visual signs - no luggage<BR>11)+ anyone suspicious<BR>12) Anyone who answers yes to a question on the US immigration form ?????????<BR><BR>We should be happy (and a little concerned !) that all this happens without us knowing this.<BR><BR>Peter<BR> <BR><BR><BR>