If  you have flown recently you know the process of getting screened at the airport. It's a evil necessity, unfortunately.  What it does is take extra time and subjects everyone to a search and sometimes a full body scan prior to boarding the aircraft.

Nobody likes it, but it is designed to make your flight a save one in an unsafe world. But does it make you safer?

Just this week, two incidents occurred which would make one wonder. Both happened in New York.  On was Monday in LaGuardia Airport where a terminal was evacuated after an x-ray machine in a security line caught on fire.  Perhaps a Victoria's Secret model went through it and it over heated. The other incident was much more careless.  Apparently, a T.S.A. agent didn't notice that the metal detector he was using was unplugged.  his negligence resulted in the recall of two planes that had left the gate and were heading towards the runway when they had to return and all of the passengers had to be re-screened.  Eight of ten flights were delayed as a result of this failure by this agent.

Having gone through the screening process many times, it's not unusual for the screening machine to sound its alarm several times per every 20 or so people. How could this guy not notice the machine not sounding off after several hundred people went through it?  How do you expect the public to feel confident that the T.S.A. is doing a good job after that?

The last time I was stopped was in St. Louis when I failed to remember to leave my cologne at home.  The bottle I had in my carry on bag was too large and violated the rules.  They said I could leave the bottle behind and proceed or I had to check my bag in. Since the cologne almost cost more than my flight I elected to check in my bag. I had already passed through the x-ray screening machine for me but my bag didn't. In doing so the T.S.A. agent walked me over to the check in area and then walked me back to the screening area.  I then had to remove my shoes (again) and go through the machine a second time.  This woman never left my sight yet I still had to go through the process.

At that point I wished I could have flown out of Quincy, which I attempted to do but couldn't get a return flight connection.  At Quincy Regional Airport, the screening process is thorough but there are no lines and if I had my cologne with me there, I simply could have walked back out to my car and left it there and checked in again in 2 minutes time.  Can't do that in St. Louis.

So the next time I fly, it's Cape Air to St. Louis with my screening done here in Quincy.  No hassles and no re screening at Lambert Field either. My recommendation?   Fly from Quincy!

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