I did!! I knew it was bad from the moment W. suggested to make all airports have the same stupid procedures, etc...
More importantly, I saw it BEFORE 9/11! I was at the SeaTac airport, trying to fly back to Dallas and I had a stress ball - a bead-filled squeeze ball (they were popular back in the late 90’s, and I was trying to give up some bad habits (and that worked...for a little while)). Anyway, I had flown with this thing in my pocket for more than twelve separate flights from various cities (Dallas, L.A., Tampa, Seattle, Chicago, etc...) and NEVER had a problem - ever!
I was rushing to catch an early flight back to Dallas (got off work early, I wanted to get home - paid extra to change flights)! I had already gotten through the check-point, grabbed my coat, pulled this out of the pocket and went to head to my gate when I got stopped by two rent-a-cop, wannabes. They wanted to know what that ball was. I explained it to them. They said they needed to scan it. I explained that they had already scanned it when it was in my coat pocket. They scanned it again. Then they wanted to know what was inside. I said beads or something.
Then they said I couldn’t take it with me, as it might be a bomb or something. I told them that they could keep it, so I can make my flight. They told me that I had to throw it away, in the trash can next to them, then I could go.
After having seen the lack of mental power of these two dweebs, I KNEW giving these type of people ANY kind of “authoriti” was going to be DISASTROUS!! Most of these single-digit IQ idiots truly believe they are saving the WORLD from annihilation!
Besides, my sister-in-law worked for the airport security at DFW, before it was TSA, and she told me the level of stupidity among their ranks. They had bag scanners back then and said that, AT-BEST, they caught less than 10% of hidden items in test bags! She quit because it was such a joke of a job.
I hear you. I do my best to be invisible when flying. :)
I just want to get to where I’m going injury-free.
In Phoenix, I picked up my boarding pass at the ticket counter by showing my ID.
I then went through airport screening where they matched my ID and ticket. I watched this woman hold the two side by side and compare them.
I then boarded the plane, only to find out that my seat was full, I had someone else’s boarding pass. Names and appearances were not even close.
My confidence in their security tanked.