[Previous] 3 door gameshow (math) | Home | [Next] I

Airport Security

so i'm in the security line at airport. this guy was repeatedly announcing to the whole line that you can't have liquids or gels except in tiny containers in ziplock bags. i have some shampoo but i don't have a bag so i go up to ask where to get one. he ignores me, i say "excuse me" a few times, and finally he turns to me, so i ask. he says i interrupted his conversation with the line and now he won't tell me where bags are.

so i just put my shampoo through without a bag, and they don't notice it. they do notice my bottle of water. it's just so strange to ban water that it slipped my mind (i'm no chemist. maybe it's a justified security measure. but it is strange to live in a world where water is a security issue). i asked if they could pour it out and give me the bottle back, but the guy just walked off without a word. i waited a while and fortunately he came back with my bottle. he put it through the scanner, empty. i guess you can never be too careful with clear plastic bottles. he didn't say anything so i asked if i could go now, and i could.

for the flight back i brought a ziplock bag. unfortunately that meant they noticed my shampoo, and then threw it away for being too large (6 oz bottle not 3.4 oz.). it was only half full.

Elliot Temple on July 10, 2007

Messages

Want to discuss this? Join my forum.

(Due to multi-year, sustained harassment from David Deutsch and his fans, commenting here requires an account. Accounts are not publicly available. Discussion info.)