‘People are getting paid to do this’. Airport security checks.

 

FOXTROTS

 

 

Fox – sly.  Trots – left-leaning (Trotsky) plus its more insalubrious meaning. 

Foxtrots – leading the industry in a dance.

 

 

2008 September 10

‘People are getting paid to do this’. Airport security checks.

Many now have their own stories on the oddities of security checks – either through their own experience or through those of fellow travellers.

 

These are mine:

 

[] France. Confiscated an empty plastic bottle. The security authorities refused to let this pass – because it is forbidden to take liquids on board. Note the facts – empty bottle…restriction on liquids.

 

[] Italy. Confiscated a boomerang. Okay, I suppose it is a weapon to someone with the right skills. But as I have said before, I could probably do more damage by hitting someone on the head with my portable computer.

 

[] Singapore. Confiscated a 3cm miniature spanner on a key ring. Admittedly it was real and not a souvenir. Were the authorities worried that it could be used to dismantle the aircraft in flight?

 

[] Thailand. Confiscated a second bottle, empty; the first was under the limit. Not quite sure why.

 

[] UK. Confiscated a retractable-toothpick. My argument – that if I tried to stab someone with the tiny blade (after all, this was for cleaning teeth), it would retract – did not impress.

 

 

The Fox