Does Your Luggage Get Pawed Through?

[Thunderbolt]

My hate off also to all of those who provide security while we travel. I dislike check points but value them for what they provide me...safety.

I always thank the officers when they converse with me about bagage contents or if they are doing a closer inspection of my stuff. I quickly comply with their requests and give them what they need to pass me through. I make no complaints and try to empthize with them

The stress for me comes from having to reorganize and repack while trying to keep the line moving.

It is a small price to pay to keep the battlefield out of Civilian transportation and away from those who are mostly defenseless.

[Lightsluvr]

In a recent flight, the TSA inspector freaked out when they found a container of Dr. Scholl's Foot Powder is a squeeze container. Apparently I hadn't closed the top tightly, so when the inspector squeezed the bottle, it blew foot powder all over him and his "associate". I maintained my best poker face and moved on down the line...

There was no card in that bag, but lots of residual foot powder...

 

LL

[Hollyhawk]

Any type of magnifying mirror glass, is subject to search because it, or they, have they have similar properties to one of the more popular explosives. This is one more reason to cruise Hal; magnifying mirrors with light no less!

[Charliesmom]

They do random checks all of the time.

 

All of this discussion is a good reason to NEVER have anything valuable in your checked luggage. Carry that stuff with you.

 

Roberta

[oystergrower]

Although I don't mind the security checks at the airport there are occasions when they make me wonder - hmmmmm. The funniest one was when I had a whistle (given to me by a friend to carry at night if walking alone) in my tote bag. They moved it back and forth a couple of times in the x-ray machine and then pulled it and me to the side while they looked in the bag. They could not figure out what it was until they had it in their hands. At least I'll now be able to carry my tiny thread snippers without having them taken away. It's tough trying to cut thread using one of those tiny 2" scissors that come in those sewing kits from hotels. Just remember to put your items that aren't allowed in carry ons in your main suitcase and keep your valuables and medicines in the carry on.

[Eve]

Greetings, All~

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. I recently located the extra large zip lock bags at my Wal*Mart. I'll be using them when I cruise in March. I, too, applaude the safety measures and thank everyone for the suggestions to stay in compliance while keeping my stuff from being pawed over.

 

Happy Sails!

[jenn_saxon]

TSA seems to be really strict about getting off the cruise ship, but I've never really seen guards and dogs when getting on the ship the first day (atleast not out of the Florida ports) Do they not care too much about what you bring on the ship? Why is that?

[Randyk47]

Maybe I'm wrong but as far as I know TSA has nothing to do with checking baggage on or off a cruise ship. I think it's the port authority or cruise line on the way out and no check except for Customs on the way in. ?????

[sail7seas]

TSA seems to be really strict about getting off the cruise ship, but I've never really seen guards and dogs when getting on the ship the first day (atleast not out of the Florida ports) Do they not care too much about what you bring on the ship? Why is that?

 

They care what we bring onto the ships. I think that every suitcase is x-rayed before it is loaded onto the ship.

[serendipity1499]

Maybe I'm wrong but as far as I know TSA has nothing to do with checking baggage on or off a cruise ship. I think it's the port authority or cruise line on the way out and no check except for Customs on the way in. ?????

 

Randy you are absolutely correct...Cruise Lines &/or The Port Authority X-ray all bags going onto a ship...Customs checks all baggage incoming into the USA & TSA only checks luggage at our airports..Betty

[Nasmas]

The TSA has nothing to do with security at cruise terminals, but I've only had them go thru my luggage twice and both times it was following a cruise in Ft. Lauderdale. And, regardless of whether its in plastic ziplocks or not, if they want to pilfer thru it, they will. I always use ziplocks and mine have been opened and left open and things not put back in. I dont' know what they thought they'd find. But, I wonder if they do target people coming back from cruises? Maybe its just Ft Lauderdale

[Navy_Chief]

I make it easy on them. I pack all the "Electronic gizmos" in one small checked bag which they promply search through 99% of the time and leave my clothing and other articles be. :D Plastc baggies is another good idea for the clothing. Hadn't considered that. :rolleyes:

[Aussie Gal]

We were expecting our luggage to have been opened and inspected whilst we were flying to and from South America from home via the U.S. in January/February.

 

We were pleasantly surprised that they did not open any of our 3 bags. We always use the ziplock plastic bags in our cases so if they did happen to inspect them it would be easy for them to go through our belongings.

 

Our customs at our airports have been using the beagles as sniffer dogs for years. In fact they are now exporting trained dogs to the U.S. and other countries.

 

Jennie

[lka1012]

but it is from my dogs trying to see what I brought them, not TSA or anyone else.

[trubey]

I wrote this before a few years ago, but it's still in my mind:

 

When we finished a cruise in Piraeus (Athens) a few years ago, we were leaving the arrival terminal rolling our bags with us: Suddenly, in one of the exit portals, a bright yellow light flashed on, and two young men -- dressed poorly, unshaven -- I had thought they were just loitering, lounging around shilling for taxi drivers or something -- jumped up and ran up to me. "Come this way, sir. Right now sir!!! This way please!!!

 

I was a bit shocked until I realized they were security. They asked me if I had drugs in my luggage: "Sure, I'm a cardiac patient and I have tons of stuff."

 

They let me go back in the queue with a brusque apology. When we got home I did a bit of research on this type of security: it seems there are now machines available which will sense an incredibly small amount of certain chemicals -- 4 parts/million in 10 cc of an air sample -- and return results in 10 seconds or less!

 

These guys made the TSA look like kindergarteners.

 

I never lock my luggage, pack nothing of value -- not even a deck of playing cards -- and don't care who goes through it.

 

Lane

[dmeyer]

I have not been following this thread, but it's title reminded me of what happened last time I tried to board a HAL ship in Miami. I always travel with cigars and keep them in a small humidor as well as two leather pocket containers containing four cigars each. All this is kept in my larger bag. As the bag was going through the machine, I noticed some excitement by security. They stopped the machine and examined the image. Then they pulled the bag out and told me to go to a nearby table. Two uniformed and armed security men went with me. Later, I noticed one more was out of sight behind me. They opened the bag and went directly to the portion that had my leather cigar containers. With obvious relieve they pulled both out and laughed. One of them said, "I told you it was cigars and not dynamite."
BTW, I just want to make it clear that I always smoke my cigars on the exposed decks or in a smoking room, if available.