Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Erie's Airport Security

On my recent trip to Orlando I was surprised that an Erie security agent looked through every suitcase. He changed latex gloves between each one and took everything out. Good, I thought, it makes me feel safer. My husband walked right through security without a hitch. Then comes me. I'm not sure if it was the numbers game or if they single people out with pop bellies (I may be hiding something there) but I got targeted. I was treated like a criminal. I was informed I would be patted in just about all places. They gave me an option to go to a more private place but I declined not knowing my belly would get exposed. The woman agent wanded me, then patted me in all places. She asked me to lift my shirt high enough to expose my pants waist. Then she instructed me to roll down my pants waist which, of course, exposes your abdomen, which is not something I do in public even though it seems to be the new style with today's youth. My thought was that I should of taken the privacy option, a bit worried how far this was going to go. She told me to spread my legs apart and raised the wand between my legs. She said, "wider". I felt like I was doing the splits. She waved that wand up my crotch. I feel lucky I wasn't wearing a skirt. Then she told me to sit down and then wanded my shoes. I guess she wasn't satisfied and asked for a "kit" from another agent. She swabbed my shoes for explosives residue and we waited for the results. Then I was excused but they wanted to put my backpack through a second time. Well, that was embarrassing. But worth it for security's sake. What is troubling is on the return flight home from Orlando, I didn't see anyone getting the once over at the Orlando airport. I didn't see shoes being taken off, or anyone pulled aside. So what gives? We all just put our bags through the X ray machine and walked through the metal detectors like the good old days.

2 comments:

Jenson said...

Two Christmas's ago I flew from Erie to Detroit to Tri-Cities (TN) and at Erie, I had to do a private screening where I had to lift up my shirt and show them my nipple rings. NO other airport did this. I'm happy with a thorough search but little dinkie erie was the most detailed screening.

Jenson

Anonymous said...

What idiot thought it was a good idea to name the airport after Tom Ridge?

That's gotta pump up the paranoia and sense of self-importance of the gung-ho local TAS.

What a farce.