Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Alligators on a Plane

Did everyone get that memo about 7 years ago that airplane travel wasn't going to be the same anymore? I was young so my memory maybe be a little off, (which rarely happens and I don't think is the case here) but I thought we came up with these new rules that you aren't allowed to fly with things like knives, box cutters or chain saws in your carry on. Crazy, right? Then, on top of that we can no longer pack liquids in our carry on. No one really understands what harm a Diet Coke can do, but we comply because we know someone out there can make a bomb out of tooth paste.
I fly about 4 times a year. I assume that this is a little more than average, but I guess I was under the impression that people are up to date with TSA regulations. Apparently I was wrong.
In South Florida's 3 major airports there were 51,000 prohibited items last year alone. They have confiscated 14,000 items this year already. People try to hide these items in the most ridiculous way. They have x-ray machines- they can see through your stuff. One lady even attempted to hide a snake in her shirt. That's an impressive attempt. Some of the more interesting items discovered would have to be 2 bloody alligator heads that were stuffed into check baggage, and 2 frozen alligator heads in a bag. Last year a security officer at Palm Beach International Airport found several human heads in a cooler. Turns out they were being transported by a research team who has a permit, but still...
Last year, at these same 3 airports, they found 902 guns leading to 84 arrests, over 28,000 knives, and many other items such as ice picks, meat cleavers, power drills and walking canes that convert into swords.
There is never a time when I am at the airport waiting to go through security and someone doesn't get mad that they have to throw away their toothpaste or their full bottle of Mountain Dew. Come on guys, put your chain saws and mouth wash somewhere else.

1 comment:

  1. GREAT POST! they take it way too far tho. we took a cheap ass flight to Fl once, w 3 connection get checked w/ the hardcore search all 4 times on the way down I WAS PISSED!

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