Calle

I heard a caller to an NPR talkshow say that she had seen slipshod and inadequate "tightening" of security in a couple of southeastern airports (ATL among them) during her travels this week.

People without tickets were going into the gate areas. People were told "no knives, nail-clippers,etc." but there was no follow-through -- one person just walked away after telling a passenger to get rid of a knife without verifying that it was gone. And very few pieces of luggage were checked. It seemed like "business as usual" to her.

My husband is traveling to Europe tomorrow (arghhh), and while at the airport taking care of some other ticketing yesterday, he was told by an agent that "well, we say 2 hrs., but it's really only taking a little over an hour, so . . ."

This does not make sense nor reassure me.

I'm wondering: What has been other people's experience this week?

dan woodlief

Haven't flown recently, but I have heard the same on the radio and Web from others who have flown. I am sure it varies by airport, but I was expecting high security at all for some reason. I hope they don't go back to business as usual. Personally, I am hoping they search every single bag on my trip to London. I figure if my airport only has one flight to Europe now, it should have the tightest security at the airport. Right?

Tar Heel

I heard the same and was dismayed. But Dan, we are talking about American's flight from RDU-Gatwick, right? I saw on one of the local TV stations that everyone's suitcase was effectively emptied out as part of security for that particular flight. Still . . . .

Joanne

The business about "well, we say it takes two hours, but it's really only an hour . . ." has been true about international travel for a long time, in my experience. Get there early, just to be sure!

LC

I flew back to the US from Frankfurt on Sunday, and while there were increased security checkpoints, manned by staff with metal detectors who searched our bags as well as armed guards, I still thought there were gaping holes in the security. For example, they examined our boarding passes before allowing us through to the gate area, but in that area there are numerous shops with employees that could have snatched a boarding pass and made it onto a flight. In addition, although my carry-on bag was searched twice, they gave it at most a perfunctory glance, and did not even ask to see some of the closed compartments. I realized later I still had a nail clipper in one of these compartments - I'd forgotten to take it out, but it was not noticed and I was not asked to remove it. I feel that in the interest to keep the line of passengers moving, airport personnel are unable to conduct more extensive searches. I would be more than willing to put up with the increased inconvenience. I overheard a bunch of elderly American travelers complaining about how long the lines for each security checkpoint were so long, but everyone else seemed to be tolerant of it and understanding of the new measures.

dan woodlief

Yes, Tar Heel. Nice to know about the luggage at least. I want to fly to Europe, and two things worry me about it now. (1) Will I get there? (I think the odds are so much in my favor that this is not too much of an issue) and (2) Will I feel that security did such a poor job that I can't feel comfortable about it during the entire long flight? Maybe this won't be enough to make the necessary changes happen. Sad if true. Maybe we as travelers should all write to the airlines and say, "Hey, I am a frequent air traveler, but I do not feel safe getting on your planes until you do something." If the airlines and airports suffer, something will be done. The government is only going to bail them out once.

Calle

I appreciate the comments but I'm obviuosly not much reassured.

It's one set of worries to get my husband to Gatwick/Heathrow/Amsterdam/Berlin and another set to get him back a week later. Guess I'm equally worried about his being in a big US plane full of fuel on this side of the Atlantic and being in a series of places in Europe (which could be the next target) and then trying to get home if something drastic happens in the interim.

Not very original worries, but the whole security thing worries me because it seems to demonstrate, publicly for the world to see, carelessness we can't afford.

dan woodlief

I agree. I think in light of the situation, I would be more reassured if all bags are inspected, identification is checked at the desk and at the gate, and there was significant police and/or military presence (to show some force). I am personally worried more about flying from O'Hare back to RDU (driving is always an option), but I am trying to reassure myself by saying that the odds are still very very low and would they really try to pull something like this off at night.

GatorGirl

I left from Hartsfield (Atlanta) friday morning. Waited 45 minutes in line to get boarding pass. Checked in one bag. My purse was not searched at the security check point before getting out to the terminal. Driver's license and boarding pass were closely inspected though. To me it wasn't any different from when I had flown out of Atlanta the Friday before the attack, except half the stores and restaruants were closed and the place inside the terminal was pretty much deserted. On the way home Sunday, saw a couple of SWAT team members on the train back to the baggage claims area but that was it. I flew into Jacksonville, FL and they had much tighter security (including police patrolling with dogs) than Hartsfield. Definitely inadequate at Hartsfield........tell your husband to be careful, nothing much seems to have changed in Atlanta