OK it is for our own safety and I understand that and now that I know what is what, I can arrange my future packing not to include electronic devices or suspicious items. I am sure I can live without my laptop (give some bread to internet cafes abroad!), go back to using a disposable camera for my holiday snapshots, use payphones and buy my toiletries locally.
However, now that I am abroad with my laptop, digital camera, mobile phone etc.... what do I do?
Pack them in my suitcase? Not good as suitcases get battered so badly, I doubt my laptop would survive. Besides, it weighs a ton (well, not literally but close to depending on how tired you are...) and it wouldn't leave much space for anything else to go in.
Also not so long ago, BA planes were being targetted by a gang who identified items of value during X-ray checks and notified their members abroad about the location of luggage and items of value in them so they could break into the luggage whilst still in the hold of the aircraft and rob them. Then the owners could cry as much as they wanted about their lost property. The airlines do not take responsibility for theft from luggage.
(Does anyone remember that expose on TV? )
Would you be worried now that your stuff may not be safe? Would you insure it separately or just keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best?
And OK say you get your personal laptop stolen or mobile phone and it does not contain much top secret stuff (other than your double life as a normal citizen and an SH citizen... plus some explicit pics of your exploits perhaps). But what happens if the laptop belongs to your company and it contains important contracts, deals, company policy docs, etc. How do you safeguard those?
Are we entering a new era where nothing will be taken for granted any more? What do you think the changes will be in the way we do things?
Eager to hear your opinions.
You might be allowed to take hand baggage in the cabin when you come back - unless you are in the US.
I've just had a look at the BA web site and it says:
"With immediate effect, the following arrangements apply to all passengers starting their journey at a UK or United States of America airport and to those transferring between flights at a UK airport."
And at the end of the item it says:
"Customers travelling to the UK from overseas airports may be subject to local airport restrictions and therefore customers should plan to travel with the very minimum of hand luggage."
This suggests to me that the restrictions are not global, but depend on the territory you are travelling from.
Enjoy your time away.
Good idea about the external memory stick. I am not very technologically minded so was dreading having to transfer my daughter's pics (my most precious possession in memory terms) on a CD/DVD which never ever manages to record properly - arghh! I assume it will be as simple as putting pics on my memory stick for my camera and taking them off?
Unfortunately Greeks take security very seriously and are following BA's line to the letter. What I can't understand is if I am going to be searched, X-rayed, probed... why is there a problem if I keep a sanitary pad in my pocket along with my keys, wallet and passport? Why do I have to show them that I am having that time of the month???? Am I missing something?
Yes, but once you've been through all the security checks, it does not make sense not to be allowed to put things in your pockets.
Just had another thought: so far we were allowed (depending on airline, route and class of travel) about 23 kgs hold baggage and another 10 kgs hand baggage plus another 5-6 if you had an infant travelling with you. A total of 39 kgs in my case. However, if no hand baggage is allowed, will the airlines increase the maximum permissible luggage weight? Because if it remains just 23 kgs, where the heck do I put the remainder 16 kgs?? And what about the baby's favourite toy? She'll cry all the way to London (a long 4 hour flight and 5 mins plus maybe an hour on the ground ... 5 hours 5 mins in total).
As for the thought of tasting her baby food in public, I can' t think anything more disgusting/humiliating.
Hey, maybe lactating women won't be allowed on board soon... because they may be terrorists who had surgery to place pockets of explosive liquid in their breasts and then express them in the toilet and blow up a plane. OK I am being extremely silly now but it is just an indication of WHERE DOES THE PARANOIA STOP?
Interesting link. According to the report, purchases in the departure area will be allowed on board, so one could actually buy a laptop or mobile phone or perfume...
Now let us assume the terrorists are so well organised they have produced bomb materials and packaged them in perfume boxes identical to the real thing with the seals and all... say there is a tiny mark that only people on the know would recognise so the terrorist sympathiser seller would give the specific perfume to a customer after the exchange of a code word... that would negate all the security, wouldn't it?
What I am trying to say is that if you really want to do bad, you won't stop thinking of ways to achieve your purpose.
Also I have been reading a lot of Jeffrey Archer lately and of course I am affected. Damn! the man is a good writer.
:shock: Geoffery Archer???
:gagged:
No hand luggage - now what?
To me the "now what?" is whatever is required to keep us and all other people as safe as possible.
A small inconvenience is easily put into perspective by turning on the TV and watching the news.
Gem, you had me worried for a moment but the following link has put my mind at ease that I have spelled his name right:
Well I have read a lot of books and his books appeal to me. I don't care what he has been voted, I never go by the ratings lists anyway. I read his books because they are entertaining and make me think and also because somewhere in there is a bit of truth that can't be said through different channels.
I am not judging Jeffrey Archer as a human being (that is up to God to do); I am just judging him as an author - now I have said that I like him and there is no point you or anyone else arguing with me about my personal preferences in authors. OK?
So Jags you are resorting to threats now? Deactivating me? Am I that threatening to you and the SH establishment?
:lol: :lol:
maybe they should've just let them blow the 'planes up hey 
