Airport woes!!!

[Brinatello]

You knew I was going to say something sooner or later huh, Ivey?    But, I gotta vent, gotta tell ya, I had one of the worst experiences ever at the airport during my Michigan/Youmacon trip.  It was when leaving Detroit on Monday morning, November 6.  My flight was at 6:30 a.m. and Ivey and her mom (a.k.a. Super Mom!) got me to the airport by 4:30.  The Southwest Baggage/Check-In doesn't open until 5, but you can still get in the line before it starts filling up.  I got my luggage checked just fine and I was going to bring on the plane my TMNT backpack (the one I got all those autographs on from Anime Vegas '05) and my satchel.  After checking in, I took my bag to the luggage screening section and left it there.  Everything was fine until I got up to the security section and remembered something important:  My bottle of body spray was in my backpack!

That's right!  An 8-ounce bottle of Night Blooming Jasmine body spray from Bath and Body Works was still inside my backpack!  Big oops!  I thought, "Oh, no, they won't let me through with that!"  Since some schmuck screwed it up for everyone, NO liquid bottles, gels, lotions of any kind can go with you on the plane.  I was too far ahead to turn around and wondered if they would notice.  I continued through the security up to where they run the X-rays on your items.  I went through the metal detector and heard the lady go, "Wait, I need to search this bag" and she pulled my TMNT backpack aside.  I knew EXACTLY what she was going to pull out.  I watched her pull out some of my convention souvenirs and dump them on the table.  It feels like such an invasion of privacy, I couldn't stand it.  Sure enough, she lifted my body spray and said I could not take it on the plane!  I could either discard it or check the backpack.  I was NOT going to throw away a nearly brand-new bottle of that stuff!  For one thing, the fragrance is discontinued and two, it cost $10!!!  I said no, I would return to Baggage/Check-In instead.  I went to take my bottle and she pulled away, saying she had to walk with me out of security while holding the bottle at arm's length.  Can you believe that?!?!  Yeesh!  

I first went to the luggage screening area to see if my bag was still around for me to put the bottle away.  They let me look around on the conveyer belt, but it had already passed through to the other side.  I had a choice to check either my TMNT backpack or my satchel.  I was running out of time and the more important stuff was already in my satchel.  Wallet, camera, film, my boarding pass, etc. were all in there.  The lady at the luggage screening told me to just walk up to the Southwest counter and check-in my backpack.  I shouldn't have to wait in line again.  When I did that, the lady at the counter (who helped me the first time) told me I had to get in the line.  I told her the lady at the luggage screening said I didn't have to, only to have her repeat her sentence with an added, "You have to wait just like everyone else!"  I went through the line and was helped by another lady (thank God!) and told her the situation about my bottle of spray.  She put the proper tags on my backpack and sent it on the conveyer belt.  I didn't want my precious TMNT bag to leave my sight, but I was running out of time.  Before I left, I mentioned how the lady at the luggage screening said I didn't have to wait in line if I had already gone through it before.  The lady said that section has nothing to do with Southwest and she shouldn't have said anything of the sort to me!

I returned to security and made sure I moved to another line, far away from the people who I dealt with before!  I got through and stopped to hit the restroom before going to Gate A9.  Once I got there, I sat down first in line and waited till it was time to board.  Southwest does three sections of boarding: A, B, or C.  For some reason, I always got B on this trip.  Everyone in A started to board and I opened my satchel to get my boarding pass out.....  IT'S NOT IN THERE!!!  I searched all over in both zipper parts and it wasn't there!!  I had to leave the line when A all went through and B was starting to board.  In a panic, I ran back to the bathroom, knowing that was the last place I might have left it.  The stall I was in before was in use and a lady saw me staring at the closed door with a look of panic.  She goes, "Did you lose something?"  I mumble with a whine, "Yeah, my boarding pass!"  She goes, "Oh, just go to the counter and ask for a new one.  They'll ask for your first name and last and maybe your picture I.D."  At 6:25, I ran back to Gate A9 and told a lady I lost my boarding pass.  She asked for my first name and last and printed up a new one.  I guess at that point past security, I would have had a boarding pass to begin with!  I was the last to board and made it to Phoenix, AZ just fine.

A positive thing happened in the end.  I was getting hungry and had a little time before my next transfer flight to San Diego.  I walked around the airport and found a food place called Asian Grill.  They had sushi rolls and I ordered an 8-piece California Rolls!  Yesh!  I ate rolls at 9:30 in the morning!  I had only been craving them the whole time in Michigan!  They were the good kind too with real crab meat in the middle.

To make a long story short (too late!), I got to San Diego on time and with no trouble.  So, there ya go!  I had to vent!  Just HAD to!  

[Leonardo]

Sorry it was a rough trip going home, Brinatello!!!
But at least you had a great time in Michigan!

That's the sad part about airline travel, I agree! A few jerks (most polite term I dare use on these boards) have wrecked it for everyone, but the risks are just too high. I travel by air at least 2-3 times a year, and I always feel bad for all of the workers there, because most of them realize the travellers are crabby to begin with, and not happy about all the restrictions. So they hear it all day long, and most of them would rather not have to deal with all of it either.
And it's such effort to get yourself set up for air travel, at least you weren't trying to travel with costume stuff! That's when it's really crazy, as I can attest to. I sooo understand the lack of fun when they go through all your stuff. My stuff for various conventions has almost always ended up with a careful search where they pull out everything from the bag, because the stuff tends to be unusual looking to the screeners. Then you get the unbounded joy of trying to pack it all back in with people backing up around you.
So nowadays, you have to plan sooo very carefully before you get to the airport...and if you do forget something like body spray?
ugh
You did have a really bad time of it.

May your rant have helped you release the stress, and may you remember the good things from your trip!

[Terri]

 After writing my story on this subject 3 times and having it lost (wireless cut out), i'll just say this.  I'm sure there have been bad experiences all around when it comes to the new rule at the airport.  I did too when my best friend few back home after a visit...just a pushy guard acting like a cop.  I put him in his place pretty darned quick.

[Brinatello]

Sorry it was a rough trip going home, Brinatello!!!
But at least you had a great time in Michigan!

That's the sad part about airline travel, I agree! A few jerks (most polite term I dare use on these boards) have wrecked it for everyone, but the risks are just too high. I travel by air at least 2-3 times a year, and I always feel bad for all of the workers there, because most of them realize the travellers are crabby to begin with, and not happy about all the restrictions. So they hear it all day long, and most of them would rather not have to deal with all of it either.
And it's such effort to get yourself set up for air travel, at least you weren't trying to travel with costume stuff! That's when it's really crazy, as I can attest to. I sooo understand the lack of fun when they go through all your stuff. My stuff for various conventions has almost always ended up with a careful search where they pull out everything from the bag, because the stuff tends to be unusual looking to the screeners. Then you get the unbounded joy of trying to pack it all back in with people backing up around you.
So nowadays, you have to plan sooo very carefully before you get to the airport...and if you do forget something like body spray?
ugh
You did have a really bad time of it.

May your rant have helped you release the stress, and may you remember the good things from your trip!

Thanks!  Funny enough, when I got back into the security line after checking my TMNT backpack, the lady in front of me had a small container of Oil of Olay gel in her purse.  She pulled it out and showed it to the guy holding up the Ziplock bags full of the items that could not go on the plane.  He saw it and said she had to get a Ziplock bag from the gift store, or throw it away.  She looked hesitant and he went, "It's your call ma'am."  I watched her continue to hold it and walk through the line.  I kept going the other direction and I'm pretty sure she threw it out.  I don't know how expensive those small containers are, but it must of not had much value to her.

But, yeah, security at the airport probably isn't one of the greatest jobs in the world, in fact I'm sure they have to go through tests on papers as high as the ceiling and then do major training on all sorts of things...self defense comes to mind.  Which reminds me, at the beginning of my trip, I was waiting with Mom and Christine to check in my luggage at the San Diego airport.  Right outside the automatic doors near the drop-off curb side, some guy started trouble with a girl and a whole bunch of security guards jumped and pinned him to the ground!  One of the guards had his gun out and pointed downward right at him while two or three police cars with their lights flashing came up to the curb.  Mom turned to me and goes, "Do you still want to get on that plane?  We can leave now if you want!"  Heh, she'll use any excuse to make me not go somewhere!

[Donatello]

Ugh... i hadn't been flying since the liquid ban, but I still can feel your pain when I was daft enough to take my wooden sword on board with me at LAX, when coming home from the San D con.  Remember that?  ;p

Then when I was going to the AnimeNEXT the summer of 2004,I didn't realize my drivers license was expired until they pointed that out.  Because of that, I had to go through the increased security line each time, where I got wanded, had to take my shoes off, and bags checked.  (I gave one guy a laugh when he saw a 'non-threatening' Transformer toy in my purse -- on the same token, I was glad I had no problems taking my Megatron gun back since I had that checked first thing.  Since the first Megatron looks just like a real handgun, he is banned from being in carried on bags, transformed or not)  

At least it sounds like your TMNT bag full of goodies made it back to you in good condition when you got to your destination too.  

[Leonardo]

ooh yes, Donatello going through airport security....
sorry, that is just too funny an image.
Considering all the high tech gear a proper Tello might have, after all!

I had muuuch fun getting my Kenshin cosplay sword to and from San D Con. And my Leo costume suitcase that had I checked at the ticket counter had a search notice it in when I got home. teehee
IF I fly next year, it'll get worse because I'll have Ukitake (Bleach series character) swords, too....
But then I kinda plan on driving next year, because I'll have my new(er) car by then.
I know what I want, I'm now waiting for the right used one to come in to get me a really juicy deal.
Of course, the worst is when someone like Leah Nardo has her luggage stolen....


I wonder what the San Diego airport checker staff must think each year when that percentage of 100,000 plus people that fly, go through their airport on their way home from the Con....
Or any airport near a major convention, for that matter....
They probably post warnings ahead of time: Beware! Geeks Coming Through!!
 

[Brinatello]

Of course, the worst is when someone like Leah Nardo has her luggage stolen....

I know!    That was plain awful, however, I couldn't stop laughing at how she worded it: "My boobs were in my luggage!  They stole my boobs!"  

[Aignatius]

In some places, it's a given to deal with all the hassles. Going to certain countries they will search your luggage pretty thoroughly. Still, I can understand how people forget they have certain things in their luggage...
Brina, I've been wanting to say, I love your avatar.  

[Donatello]

Reminds me of this story I heard from a coworker years ago (before 9/11).  His son was traveling with him, and had a packback full of toys, mostly TMNT figures.  Well, after passing through the metal detector, the bag set off the alarms.  So they searched it to find a good number of Ninja Turtles being the verdict.  They let the kid have his bag of toys back after looking through them all.  

ooh yes, Donatello going through airport security....
sorry, that is just too funny an image.
 

Hee...   I could see it now:

*Security guard pulls out night vision googles from bag, and then a puppet pigeon... and stares dumfoundly after seeing the rest*

Don:  I can explain!  

[Brinatello]

Brina, I've been wanting to say, I love your avatar.  

Hehehe, thanks!  It was damn-near impossible to do anything at the comp when that picture was taken.  I couldn't even use my hand to click on the mouse!  I just sat there and breathed in and out.  It was all I could pretty much do.  

And speaking of that costume, I almost brought it with me to Michigan for Halloween, but I wouldn't know how to explain the turtle body parts if they had to search the bag.     Bringing just the head would have worked because I used Ivey's Raph mask to score some candy.  All I did was roll up my coat collar and wear black gloves.  Big apologies to Dawnatello for taking her character away.  

[Lisardo]

Sorry for your hassles.  That same weekend I know my mom and brother flew down to Houston, TX on a house-hunting trip.  I think my om mentioned something about some liquid she had in her purse that she couldn't take with her.  That kinda sucks that you can't even take bottled water or your hand lotion...I mean, WTF?!  Anyway to save yourselves trouble, always check here for the allowed items to bring on a plane: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm  I will say since that big hassle flying home from San D (yes I remember it too HT), I always check online for little tidbit rules or if I'm unsure still I call the airline directly and ask.  Sofar it's prevented me from these woes.  I haven't yet flown since this new liquid ban though, but I will be soon so hopefully I'll remember by then.