[Darlin']

loddy, EVERYONE who sets foot on an El Al aircraft is searched and interogated to some degree. Preliminary security screening begin as soon as a reservation is made on El Al, passenger names are checked for any known ties, and are categorized into 3 risk groups, low, medium, high. There is no such thing as an exception, elderly, disabled, young, etc. Israelis know all to well that people are not always what they seem to be. Moreover, it isn't the enfeebled grannie they're necessarily concerned about, its her caregivers or someone in line behind her who slipped something into her purse or jacket pocket, unbeknownst to her. Women traveling alone are especially scrutinized. Their staff makes no excuses, or apologies about it, if you fly on their airline, you will follow their rules. Check in at El Al counter no later than 2 1/2 hrs prior to flight time if flying in coach or economy class, an hr and 15 minutes if flying in business or first class. However, for some flights out of or into Los Angeles the check in time is 3 hrs. And, as surprising as this may be, their pilots are not armed. At least the last time I looked into that issue they weren't.

[Conservababe]

Touche'. And you have answered many of my questions. Thank you.

[Lakeshark]

I can't say I'm that disturbed by the methods our screeners use. Linda has been searched more than her share, but she learned to take her shoes off first, and that seems to have helped. From what I understand, it's numerical, and that has worked the last I looked. Also, I have noticed they search most middle Eastern types, in spite of them saying they don't.

I'll pass on a few liberties in order to not get blown up any day.........some people are naive enough to think this isn't a real war against real people that want to blow up everything we have......like the late great Michael Moore theory that Bush made this up to consolidate power.

[lodwick]

This sounds bogus. Do you have a credible source?

Thanks.