[conservcalgal]

Just wanted to report a positive experience. I was worried when my son, his 8th grade class and all of the adult chaperones were leaving from Reagan airport earlier this month. My 14 yr old seems to always get taken to secondary that we all expect it and find it amusing (he usually forgets to take out his CD player). This time the nice bag inspection man politely went through his bag, saw nothing, complemented him on his excellent choice of cologne and shook his hand. We spoke politely to him and he did in kind. We had a similar polite experience in San Diego earlier this year.

[1Old Pro]

1) Who's fault is it that this guy "long ago forgot" about his lighter? I suppose he'd also want our sympathy if he "forgot" that his hand-gun was in his bag.

2) Who's fault is it that he left his bag unattended. Anyone who has ever stepped foot on an airplane knows that the first question asked is "Have you left your bag out of your sight and/or unattended"?

3) Let me also add that it's not the brightest thing in the world to verbally confront, abuse, or make statements that are not likely to ingratiate people in authority. It's generally best not to question police or screeners by asking a question that can be translated into this statement: "How many guys that look like me have [fill in blank] you stupid ars"?

4) If this guy didn't make MULTIPLE mistakes he would have gone thru screening in practically seconds.....which doesn't seem overly bothersome to me.

Sorry, I have no sympathy for this guy, based on his own story. He's a crybaby media type who thinks that he's soooo important that anywone who doesn't give him Red carpet treatment will get written up in his column. I'm unimpressed.

[HardStarboard]

This guy flunked 21st Century Travel 101.

[SGCOS]

You should've seen how po'd the screeners were when I tried to go through security with my full 2-gallon gas can.

Those guys can't take a joke for $hit!

[tuna_battle_slight_return]

"As we walk, this portly agent who never smiles reaches in to snatch the ticket jacket from my now notorious bag. He opens the cover. It is empty. "So just where is your ticket, Mr. Masterson?" he scowls accusingly. By now, I’m feeling like the uniformed Gestapo with their German shepherd have set Mr. Peacefully Traveling American up like a domino. I am definitely being made to look like a terrorist or some other kind of criminal. "My ticket was in there when I came through the gate twice before," I say, my heart now somewhere near my tonsils. "I don’t know where it is. This is crazy. It has to be somewhere in my bag."

The author of this article is essentially pissed that no one finds him relevant. Next!

[OrioleFan]

I had the same experience in Syracuse. Everything I had was spread out for all to see. Result: if I get done with my business trip early, I don't go to the airport early any more. If you are checking in when no one else is, the humiliation factor goes way up.

[TLBSHOW]

DON'T FLY OR FLY NAKED...

[Mulder]

In the year before 9/11, I flew about 20,000 miles.

Since then, I haven't flown any. It simply isn't worth the hassle nor the risk of being arrested for saying the wrong thing, or accidentally forgetting about leaving the wrong thing in my luggage. Nor is it worth the humilation of watching other Americans treated like criminals.

I'm not going to fly anymore unless my Rights as an American are recognized by what passes as airport "security". This includes the Right to not be treated like a turd worlder, not unreasonably searched, and the Right to fly armed.

Until they recognize these Rights, I'll simply drive to my destination.

[Jhoffa_]

"Let this be a lesson to you, Mr. Masterson," he says. "Someone can put something into your luggage just as easily as they can take something out."

I would roll laughing if Mr. Masterson had then broken the agents jaw and said: "Let this be a lesson not to steal from people.. moron."

[ladyinred]

It is a terrible shame, but unfortunately, we were viciously attacked with airliners who have no sense of security on Sept 11th 2001. If they had been forced to comply with the findings of the investigation of the so called Gore committee instead of being able to give payoffs to the DNC perhaps this wouldn't have happened.

[PatrioticAmerican]

"searching for any way to justify their existence"

Give a guy with authority all the power of the sheeple and you have the makings of a bully.

I bet the executive status meetings go something like this.

"We've stopped 12,242 attempted assaults on the airlines and our fellow citizen passengers. We've confiscated 84,763 prohibited items, including fingernail clippers, lighters, and finger nail files. We have stopped 107,892 possible bombing attempts from unaccompanied luggage.

We are overworked and understaffed. We will need 14,779 new agents this year alone to keep up with the threats posed to our national security, what, with the level of prohibited items and actions encountered so far.

We also suggest an airline national color for threats: We request Purple."


"