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November 11, 2004
Fly Naked
Security was a breeze at Dulles. Well, the line moved quickly.
Honestly, there's just no dignity in flying anymore. You want to know why airlines are losing money? Just go to a major airport an see the cattle call that airport security is. "We recommend you take off your shoes because we're scanning for thickness," said the TSA drone. What the fuck does that mean? Is there an approved thickness for shoes? Did she mean we're scanning for explosives? Say what you mean, dammit.
So, shoes, jackets, sweatshirts, belts, laptops, keys, phones and everything else gets tossed on the belt. slowly, ever so slowly, it moves past the disinterested x-ray technician. Oooh! She's spotted something. A small keychain Swiss Army knife. These things are dangerous items. Very very dangerous. So much so, the supervisor had to be called over to explain to the fine gentleman what a grave danger to national security it was to bring that along. For crying out loud, you can't cut through duct tape with that thing, much less take over an airliner.
His options were to have it confiscated or to go back out and check it into the hold. Why is there not an option to fill out a card and have the item shipped to you, at your expense if need be? Why is there forfeiture without a trial, without a judicial order? Why are airports special?
Well, mostly it is because what I've heard referred to as "security theater". The visual of trained officials doing something, anything, is apparently what we want. Meanwhile, we're not any more secure, just a lot more harassed. Airlines are sinking into mounds of debt and when they go under, some of the blame surely has to go at the feet of the "security at any cost" crowd.
One woman, who was getting dressed after going through the line, noticed me doing the same and said, "we should come naked to the airport, next time." Not a pretty image.
Posted by Samer at November 11, 2004 07:29 PM
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