knives, NO...blunt instruments, sure...
ok, first off, give credit where credit is due. I would like to congratulate the airlines from releasing their paranoia just enough to allow liquids on the plane again. Mind you, not enough release to allow more than a few drops, but it is still something. Though now, for some reason, we are now allowed to take lighters on the plane (at least from the Yellowknife airport) but we have to seal it in a clear plastic ziploc baggy. Of course, this is due to recent scientific discoveries that found that lighters can be harmful and used for dasterdly plans of terrorism and destruction when carried open, but once they are placed inside the unpenatrable force of the 'zip lock bag' they become useless. Obviously any terrorist worth their weight in plastique has mastered the art of turning their shoe or laptop into a bomb, but has failed to grasp the simple concept of the zip lock bag.
Though, if that wasnt enough, I was looked at suspiciously (though I am getting used to it since I am scrutinized every single time I go through security in airports) over my keychain which is a simple little piece of metal about the length of your pinky finger, and about as wide, with the logo "COORS" on it. However, the girl that was in front of me handing in her ticket to get on the plane was carrying a rock. Not a pet rock, a small little cute thing with googly eyes that says "I love Palm Springs". Nope, a rock. Big ass chunk of soapstone about a foot long and about 3/4 of a foot thick. This thing had to weigh at least 10 lbs at best, and it wasnt even smooth it had sharp jagged edges. Any sort of rock that you would see on the beach or on a moutain range walking, that is what she had in her hand. She passed through security with it, and I didn't happen to see that exchange, though I saw her when she was showing her boarding pass to the clerk and he wasnt about to let her on, even though she passed through security. He went to double check with security and when he came back, all his comment was "ok, but dont hit our air stewards with it". Yeah, ok, thanks for giving her that stern warning. I mean, I could just see what was going through her mind "oh man, here I was going to bash a couple stewards over the head with it and force my way into the cockpit and beat the pilots to death but since he said I cant, rats, my plan is foiled" I was shocked that he let her on, though I still had to show my photo ID to get on the plane.
One thing I dont like about the way the whole airline business at the airports is being run is that not only is it subject to change per country that you go through. Some countries are so relaxed they dont even look at your bags but just ask 'you got drugs or bombs?' and when you say no they let you on. Whereas some, like the USA, will give your bags a good xray, hand search and then if they find nothing will turn on your and search your shoes, pockets, jackets, and even a few empty cavities if they feel like it. But now it seems that different airports have different standards when it comes to searching. Yellowknife lets you take rocks on the plane but not hockey sticks or bats, Edmonton wont let you take lighters on the plane (though it is amazing how many people are in the smoking area of the Edmonton airport with lighters that can not be brought in or purchased past security), and last time I went through the Cambridge Bay airport they didnt even have an xray machine for the baggage. I guess when it comes to the north the airport people figure anyone leaving the north is so happy to be getting out of that frozen chunk of wasteland that they really dont have any ambitions of hijacking or blowing things up cause they are already going to a much better place. Whereas if you are going to the north, chances are you are so depressed about your destination that suicide by blowing the plane up, or even hijacking it to take you to a better place like Poland perhaps, is a very large possibility.
Though, if you want safety, go through the YK airport security. Not only will they let you take large blunt objects, but they have at least 16 people running two xray machines at all times. I went through Edmonton airport where there were 5 xray machines running and I counted 20 people working the machines. You figure that one out. All I can say is that it truely is a mad mad mad mad world.
Though, if that wasnt enough, I was looked at suspiciously (though I am getting used to it since I am scrutinized every single time I go through security in airports) over my keychain which is a simple little piece of metal about the length of your pinky finger, and about as wide, with the logo "COORS" on it. However, the girl that was in front of me handing in her ticket to get on the plane was carrying a rock. Not a pet rock, a small little cute thing with googly eyes that says "I love Palm Springs". Nope, a rock. Big ass chunk of soapstone about a foot long and about 3/4 of a foot thick. This thing had to weigh at least 10 lbs at best, and it wasnt even smooth it had sharp jagged edges. Any sort of rock that you would see on the beach or on a moutain range walking, that is what she had in her hand. She passed through security with it, and I didn't happen to see that exchange, though I saw her when she was showing her boarding pass to the clerk and he wasnt about to let her on, even though she passed through security. He went to double check with security and when he came back, all his comment was "ok, but dont hit our air stewards with it". Yeah, ok, thanks for giving her that stern warning. I mean, I could just see what was going through her mind "oh man, here I was going to bash a couple stewards over the head with it and force my way into the cockpit and beat the pilots to death but since he said I cant, rats, my plan is foiled" I was shocked that he let her on, though I still had to show my photo ID to get on the plane.
One thing I dont like about the way the whole airline business at the airports is being run is that not only is it subject to change per country that you go through. Some countries are so relaxed they dont even look at your bags but just ask 'you got drugs or bombs?' and when you say no they let you on. Whereas some, like the USA, will give your bags a good xray, hand search and then if they find nothing will turn on your and search your shoes, pockets, jackets, and even a few empty cavities if they feel like it. But now it seems that different airports have different standards when it comes to searching. Yellowknife lets you take rocks on the plane but not hockey sticks or bats, Edmonton wont let you take lighters on the plane (though it is amazing how many people are in the smoking area of the Edmonton airport with lighters that can not be brought in or purchased past security), and last time I went through the Cambridge Bay airport they didnt even have an xray machine for the baggage. I guess when it comes to the north the airport people figure anyone leaving the north is so happy to be getting out of that frozen chunk of wasteland that they really dont have any ambitions of hijacking or blowing things up cause they are already going to a much better place. Whereas if you are going to the north, chances are you are so depressed about your destination that suicide by blowing the plane up, or even hijacking it to take you to a better place like Poland perhaps, is a very large possibility.
Though, if you want safety, go through the YK airport security. Not only will they let you take large blunt objects, but they have at least 16 people running two xray machines at all times. I went through Edmonton airport where there were 5 xray machines running and I counted 20 people working the machines. You figure that one out. All I can say is that it truely is a mad mad mad mad world.
posted by Capt_Canuck at 8:30 PM
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