Are airports returning to pre-911 security models? My bizarre experience in recent air travel

Every year I travel to Europe and then the east coast to visit relatives. Thus last week I had to go through security at San Diego's Lindbergh Field, Berlin's Tegel airport, and New York's LaGuardia airport. This year's trip was the most strange in many years. Why?
Because there was:

--NO naked body scanners in evidence

--NO taking off of shoes or belt

--NO one being pulled aside for secondary harassment

--NO one being groped/patted down

--NO being barked at/bullied about by obnoxious security agents

--NO irritating chemical swabbing of one's person or belongings

I have had to experience all of the above in trips as recently as a year ago. This time, the security check consisted solely of having to walk through a metal detector, and putting my carry-on through the X-Ray machines, just like before 9/11. They didn't even ask me if someone had requested me to carry a package for them. In Berlin they caught me carrying two disposable lighters in my carry-on, one above the limit, but the guy didn't even confiscate it; he just told me not to do it next time. It's like the whole War on Terror has run out of gas. If any of you have flown recently, can you confirm this new, relaxed attitude?

Now if we could just do something about those $8 cans of beer for sale....

/

a reply to: starviego

Two weeks ago I flew and had the exact opposite experience. Didn't do the full body scan but my bag "tested positive for something" and I was pulled for secondary screening and pat down. I'd rather not give the location but it was one of the DC area airports.

originally posted by: starviego
If any of you have flown recently, can you confirm this new, relaxed attitude?
/

yes, I recently came back from Belize from a college fellowship (we were doing underwater chemistry experiments to confirm or deny certain climatologists positions on global warming. The results are in, the reefs are looking HEALTHY - for reefs which have been bleached, mangled, and often the victim of tourists who don't realize that if you touch a staghorn coral formation, it will take 50 years to recover from that event).

Anyways, I came back from Belize through Miami International, and it was LITERALLY so smooth I couldn't believe it. It felt like I didn't even stop walking from the plane to the baggage pick-up. I had a LARGE amount of mangos in a plastic bag, and if I hadn't volunteered them up, could have walked right trough security and they would have never known the less : ). It's surreal how easy it is to get back into the country through Miami.

a reply to: starviego


I too travel domestic and international.

I have always observed that in the international sections of the airports, there is next to no presence of "security" compared to the times I've seen TSA and military personnel walking around in urban camo and AR-15's (or M-16's, I don't know the difference by sight alone).

I have always believed that the entire purpose of TSA "security", is to induce a cowered and subdued mentality upon normal and rightful citizens.


It's not a good thing at all.



-NF

Was it an "instate" trip rather than interstate or international travel?

If it was a smaller airport and you weren't leaving the state, security requirements may not have had to have been so stringent.

originally posted by: babybunnies
Was it an "instate" trip rather than interstate or international travel?

If it was a smaller airport and you weren't leaving the state, security requirements may not have had to have been so stringent.

It seems that smaller airports have more relaxed security. I have flown from Bellingham, Washington to Las Vegas to visit my dad a few times, and the security there was not as intimidating and rough as it is down in Sea Tac.

We traveled over Thanksgiving and the usual TSA stuff was in place (shoes off, security scan, etc). However, on the return flight, I was apparently randomly selected to bypass all that and did not have to take my shoes off or scan, just walk through the metal detector (with my belt ON!) and run my purse through the x-ray. Somebody mentioned having pre-passed "the background check". Maybe they are starting to get low risks people into a database of folks who have already passed a background check? Dunno. It didn't save me any time, since my husband still got stuck going through the full procedure.

As long as you're carrying your cell phone, you're getting scanned and run through the "big computer".

Your threat score must be lower than your Hubby's.

That was the big security measure implemented between MH downings. Cell phones, tablets and laptops must be charged.

It's like having a voluntary RFID implant.

Living in the UK, I've traveled to Spain & Greece many times over the last 10 years and have only really been stopped once or twice.
I've never had my bags checked or had a body search. I've taken my shoes off and been scanned by some kind of wand.

I always find it fascinating when you guys say you're stopped at every turn in airports. i can wiz through very quickly if I have a late night or early morning flight.

We has better technology and thus can less inconvenience you passenger types.

Don't worry, we're still seeking and finding stuff.

www.baltimoresun.com...

***The handgun was the 13th gun confiscated at BWI so far this year. The same number of guns were confiscated at the airport in all of 2013, said Lisa Farbstein, a TSA spokeswoman.
In 2012, there were 19 guns stopped at BWI checkpoints, Farbstein said.***

blog.tsa.gov...