My experience on a normal traveling day for me is having my bags packed the prior night and I set my alarm. Before my alarm goes off I am already getting up and dress and heading to the airport. What is in store for me today at the airport? I always like to arrive early to the airport so if any surprises occur I am prepared and I will not be later.
Sometimes I use different airline companies, it really depends on which direction I am heading. I am heading to Washington, DC this time. My husband drops me off at the curb. Seconds to say good-bye. I check my bags in at the curbside service. I am using US Airways and the airline customer service gentleman says $15 for your bag, please.
So I pay the $15 and head to the gate. Really $15 for a bag that I need to bring with me to DC and since I have purchased the ticket why would I need to pay extra? If I bring the small bag on board it would take me more time, so I figured less time through the gate is best and I check my bag with him.
I make sure I have slip on shoes, my laptop easy to access and nothing in my purse that is liquid base, id in my hand with my ticket. I try not to hold up the line, I really wish everyone were as thoughtful as me! So I am standing in line waiting and I am the next to go through the metal detector. They check my id and stamp my ticket and I begun to take off my shoes, jacket, take out my laptop (oh make sure it is in a different bin), holding my ticket in my mouth so I do not loose it at this point.
You must push all items onto the belt before you continue. At this point I am thinking that this is smooth! I get all my items close to the belt and then the person in front of me keeps going off through the metal detector. First it was a watch, then change in the pocket and then something else.
Finally instead of holding up the line anymore they use the metal detector wand to find where the item they are looking for. Ok finally find it and then he moves on. So finally 5 minutes later I am heading through. They walk me through and my bag is questionable? They ask me to step aside.
But remember I need to put my shoes on, jacket on and put my laptop away to continue to have my carry on bag checked. They look through it, wipe some king of rag around put the rag in this machine to see if my bag has chemicals.
I am all for an efficient way of security screening but I really like to use a passenger friendly system when I fly. Ok another 5 minutes I am good to go. Prior to the September 11 attacks, security was a breeze to come and go on the airlines. Are the TSA dollars working for you? I think we need to concentrate on having more security check points so that the lines at the airport are not heavy and the TSA security can look more carefully at each bag, laptop or person to help identify any problems that may occur. Unfortunately sometimes they will send a fake package through that the screeners miss. So what will happen next time? Are we providing the correct security checks?
The question that needs to be asked next time we remove our shoes in a security check point and are being screened: who will protect the passengers from a constant and exaggerating security procedure that offers little real additional safety?
by Kimberly Hubbard