Millions of weapons found through airport screening

[Mr. Anderson]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TRAVEL/08/28/airport.hidden.weapons/index.html

Its really amazing at all the weapons people still try and get through the xray machine.

But what I really want to know is why people are trying to get box cutters through and 49,331 of them!?!

D

[Ambrose Chapel]

do they need to start arresting people to make their point? how idiotic are these people not to understand that ANY KINDS OF WEAPONS AREN'T ALLOWED?!?

sorry for yelling, but this is just ridiculous.

[caveman_uk]

I have to keep reminding myself when I pack to put my Swiss army knife in my hold luggage not in my pocket (where I used to put it).

Before you ask, it's handy...for making sandwiches, cutting cheese and for getting stones out of horses hooves.

[wdlove]

For the majority people just don't realize what items are contraband at the airport. They just innocently forget what they have. There has definitely been an increase in confiscated items during the summer travel season! Traverlers need to be aware and conscious of what they are packing!

[Roger1]

Originally posted by wdlove
For the majority people just don't realize what items are contraband at the airport. They just innocently forget what they have. There has definitely been an increase in confiscated items during the summer travel season! Traverlers need to be aware and conscious of what they are packing!

I sure as heck don't. I would've never thought nail clippers or curling irons are weapons. :rolleyes:

[railthinner]

Just a thought:

What if they started implemting heavy fines for people caught with weapons, even innocently (like grandmas scissors) and put the money collected into a security fund that went toward supplementing the security budget (not to become part of the budget) and could go towards salaries, epuipment......etc. A lot more people would be more cautious about what they pack and stop wasting time and resources. It's like with seatbelt laws -- the risk of death or injury doesn't persuade people to wear a seatbelt, but the risk of a ticket does. A $1000 fine for trying to smuggle a gun? How about prison time. There's no excuse for that.

[agreenster]

I recently came home from vacation to Grand Cayman, where Tortuga Rum is brewed and sold like crazy. Well, I thought it was funny at the airport when everyone and their mother was buying up the tax/duty free liquor and getting on the plane with it. (it was sold in the terminal, so we had already gone thru the checks)

Well, it occured to me that each and every tourist getting on the plane had a lethal weapon. One smack with the bottle (which were freakin huge) would send anyone reeling. Not to mention if they broke the bottle first and had sharp glass edges. But let someone on with fingernail clippers? No way. Snap that 1 inch file off first.

Point is, unfortunately no matter how tight the security, there's always a way...

[WinterMute]

It's getting a bit silly in the UK, we have real problems traveling with the weapons we use for aikido, it's not the dangerous wooden bokken or jo staff that get the attention its the ceremonial steel stuff, they really don't like any of it, but as long as we abide by the hold rules and don't try to carry-on its OK.

Trouble is that some of the ceremonial blades are original and worth a bloody fortune, the insurance is invalid if they aren't locked up or on your hip.

[crazytom]

Some things do get a bit silly. My 7 year old neice had her pair of safety scissors confiscated...let me say that again SAFETY SCISSORS --- the kind that don't cut flesh. I'm just waiting for the day that pens and pencils are confiscated, they're more dangerous than your standard nail clippers...they could puncture much deeper and are more easily weilded.

All I can say is: Zero tolerance sucks and is the most horrific idea ever to be put in place (especially in schools!)

[Vlade]

My mom brought 2 scissors on the plane once, they only stole one of them, one got through. I am disappointed in the airports for letting it through, and I can't believe my mom tried that.