Mystery Liquids and How to Break into Airplanes
January 15, 2007 at 1:05 PM |
2 Comments
Hey kids, it's that time again: another look at how much the TSA sucks! So far this week, the New York Times has not one but two articles about ineffective and useless airport security, and we learned something from both Roger Collis's Q&A and Kathryn Harrison's tale of espionage.
Before we get into liquid ban ephemera, let's talk about how Kathryn broke into a plane at Newark International Airport. Yep, that's right, broke into a commercial airplane. After leaving her wallet on seat 23B, she tries in vain to get Continental employees to let her back on board. She finally manages to get a special pass to get past security, but
By the time I pass through the gantlet of uniformed security personnel busy separating travelers from their toothpaste and emollients, I've lost 30 minutes, more than long enough for a cleaning crew to straighten, vacuum and de-wallet the airplane.
Not content to give up, she opens an unlocked jetway door, sets off an alarm that no one responds to and props the door with her shoe while she searches for her wallet. While she never found the lost billfold, she also didn't arouse any airline ire other than some withering looks. More security fun after the jump!
In another NYT article, Roger Collis explores the ins-and-outs of the liquid ban. Long story short: you'll never be able to figure out what you can take onboard. A reader with her own, volume-marked containers gets them confiscated at Bradley International Airport since they don't have a commercial marking on them. In other places, there was no problem with the private-label bottles. Says Roger:
security agents may have their own interpretation of the rules, and they have the last word. I have been unable to find Transportation Security Administration or European Union rules stating that regulation-size bottles must carry a commercial or drugstore label.
So, in other words, there are rules about what you can carry on, but no one really knows what they are. Great. The airport security forecast for 2007 looks about as good as
2006.
[Photo:
LexnGer]
Related Stories:
· More on Carry-On Rules for Liquids [NYT]
· Once More into the Security Breach [NYT]
by
pbb
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