Has anyone else noticed that airport security guards have stopped asking whether you've packed your bags yourself and they've been with you at all times?
Yes, I know that line of questioning was dumb, slowed down the line and never caught any terrorists, but one would think they would keep it if only to calm paranoid right-wingers who freak out at the first sighting of olive skin.
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rj3 | 1:14 PM |
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Actually, eliminating the dumb questions was one of the first things Tom Ridge did when named head of Homeland Security post-9/11.
The oh-so-enlightened Europeans (or at least the Brits, Irish and French), on the other hand, were still asking them as of my March '03 and New Year's '04 trips across the pond.
To be fair to the paranoid right-winger, the behavior of the "Syrian Wayne Newton's" warmup band seemed to be quite unusual for an airline flight in these times.
You might look for "root causes" here. Some people find it more difficult to forget 9/11/2001 than you seem to. Remember, even paranoids can have real enemies.
There are some people for whom I'm not sure if 9/11 was a terrorist attack or a universal justification for their beliefs/prejudices. Besides, would a group of hijackers be so conspicuous, social and jovial, let alone wear matching track suits, if they really wanted to slip in undetected with bomb components?
Oh, and as to the first comment: I don't know whether the change went into effect for all airlines or at all airports, since I remember being asked those questions on a DCA-EWR flight in early 2002 and on a IAD-LHR flight in March, but not on the return.
They still ask it up hear in Canukistan. I even had to undue my belt buckle on my way back to Toronto this week from Moncton NB, so the security lady could scan my crotch. I guess it was bigger than average. ;-)
By the way, getting to an from the airport by public transit in Toronto is now remarkably convenient. The "airport rocket" makes the trip to the nearest subway station every 20 minutes. Takes about an hour to get downtown to Union Station from where you can take a train to the suburbs or the rest of Ontario. For $2.25 that aint bad at all.
Unfortunately, there is no public transit between Moncton and it’s airport. This is all the more unfortunate as Moncton as become to transportation hub of the Maritimes.
