We've been traveling with one-quart bags and leaving our scissors at home since we got word items like these were banned from air travel.
And until today, we thought everyone else was, too.
But according to chatters on Flyertalk, some passengers see government regulations as mere recommendations.
The scary part? Items like screwdrivers, knives and giant bottles of hair gel are going undetected in airport security lines. How do we know? Just listen to this:
As my bags went down the belt, I remembered I had my full-sized toiletries in the roll-aboard so I told the TSA guy that it would probably get pulled because of it. I get to the other side and everything came thru without anyone saying anything, so off I went. But wait -- that's not the end of the story. When I opened my bag at the hotel in DC, not only did I pull out all my full-sized toiletries, but I also had a box cutter in the bag.
And in a case of great irony, one traveler had this experience to share:
A couple of weeks ago flying out of TPA, the screener takes my carryon off the belt to check it. Misses 3 Bic lighters, a pocket knife, a laser pointer that looks like a .30-06 shell and CONFISCATES MY DING DONG DEODORANT.
If this doesn't make you feel safer, we're not sure what will.
Online travel forums are filled with gems, if you have the time to dig for them. Luckily we do the dirrty work for you in our somewhat regular Forum Ferreting feature.
There's nothing like a good game of wifi cruising to brighten up a hard day on the road. Of course, if you're scrambling to get online and can't find a connection (outside of your hotel's ridiculously priced service), that's a whole different story. When we say wifi cruising, we mean the casual practice of scrolling through your radar to see what the kids are naming their networks these days. As Flyertalkers know, naming your network is a bold statement, one that can say a lot about you. In a thread called "What's the funniest wifi network name you've found?," they're listing the best of the best encountered on their travels and at home:
Deliver beer to room 306 -SpaceBass (user)
Watchin Porno In Here! -kanebear
Stay out or I'll break your neck. -Kurwah (We run into threats like this all the time with protected networks.)
abuse my ex's wifi -Single Malt (Great idea.)
...and there are more, including a lot that reference porn and/or beer. Have you found any that can beat the listings on Flyertalk? And will someone bring that guy in room 306 some beer already?
Online travel forums are filled with gems, if you have the time to dig for them. Luckily we do the dirrty work for you in our somewhat regular Forum Ferreting feature.
Anyone who's flown JetBlue knows that in addition to standard tail numbers, their planes have precious names like "Hopelessly Devoted to Blue" painted up front. Some who have flown JetBlue, however, know a whole lot more about these names than the rest of us, and it only makes sense that you can find them on Flyertalk.
JetBlue superfan, jetBlueNYFL, has been leading a game over on the boards, urging posters to list the names of the planes they've flown in. From this, we've learned that Canyon Blue is the plane that made a much-publicized emergency landing at LAX a year ago. They're also trashtalking some broad named All Because of Blue. Says JetBlueFA:
has anybody else flown on N635JB "All Because Of Blue"? The plane was delivered in April '06 and I already hate that plane! I flew it today on the MCO-JFK run and what a P.O.S she already is
These poor, helpless aircrafts need a Lorax or something to speak for them! Head on over for more plane names than you ever wanted to know, plus information on tracking down flights of your own.
Liquids are not allowed, liquids-are-okay-in-a-quart-bag, toothpaste will be confiscated--on September 26th Flyertalker MKEbound decided enough was enough. Instead of continuing to post about how the TSA was imposing unreasonable rules on passengers while ignoring bigger threats, MKEbound (a Wisconsin man) went somewhere between crazed vigilante and Martin Luther by writing "Kip Hawley is an Idiot" on a plastic bag containing toiletries, and proceeded to pass through security, where he was ultimately detained.
MKEbound details the situation on Flyertalk:
I was detained for about 25 minutes today after passing though the TSA checkpoint at MKE terminal E.
He grabbed the baggie as it came out of the X-ray and asked if it was mine. After responding yes, he pointed at my comment and demanded to know "What is this supposed to mean?" "It could me a lot of things, it happens to be an opinion on mine." "You can't write things like this" he said, "You mean my First Amendment right to freedom of speech doesn't apply here?" "Out there (pointing pass the id checkers) not while in here (pointing down) was his response."
At this point I chuckled, just looking at him wondering if he just realized how foolish that comment was, but I think my laugh pushed him over the edge as he got really angry at this point. A Milwaukee County Sheriffs deputy was summoned - I would have left at this point, but he had my quart bag with my toothpaste and hair gel.
So is this guy a hero or a goat? Let us know your thoughts.
2 Comments - Add Yours
by jnaw
MKEbound details the situation on Flyertalk:
