Can I have my country back now?

[davidlevine]

Sitting in the gate at PDX. We're not checking any luggage, for a change, so we did the web check-in thing last night. When we got to the gate, with our boarding passes we'd printed at home, we discovered we had each other's boarding passes.

The smiling guy at the "security" checkpoint had checked our IDs and our boarding passes... and failed to notice that the boarding pass and the ID were in completely separate names (different gender, too). No, we did not pass through the checkpoint together. At the very least he should have spotted the first one. This has happened before, though the last time it was Kate with her own boarding pass for a different flight (i.e. one leaving from a different airport).

I am so tired of pointless, intrusive "security" procedures that inconvenience everyone and cost millions of tax dollars without increasing security one iota. Kate says she's ready to throw up.

ETA: Just noticed I also carried my little Swiss Army knife onto the plane. It was on my key ring, which went through the X-ray along with my wallet and the rest of the stuff from my pockets.

Comments

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

Yes, but it makes some people (like my elderly relatives) feel better because they are "doing something about security".

BARF!

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

scary! have a good trip, in any case...probably won't run into you at any airports this week.

[nwl.livejournal.com]

I fail to see why you're upset. If the guy had stopped you and held you for questioning for hours because you had mixed up the passes, would you be glowingly happy about it? Doubt it. The I.D. matched you, which is what they look for. It doesn't sound as if you had any problems, but you're distressed that you were not hassled.

Hopefully you will be sufficiently harassed to make you happy next time you fly.

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

I expect it's the bigger picture which is the problem. Potentially intrusive, expensive. time-wasting 'security theatre' which achieves nothing except drawing attention away from real issues whilst artificially inflating the egos of politicians.

[kmckiernan.livejournal.com]

I agree. The resource costs are extremely high with very little return or reduction of risk. While you do have to start somewhere, if the process is providing little value you need to re-assess. And we humans are notoriously error prone. All you need to do is watch a little Derren Brown's Mind Control to fully appreciate how faulty we can be. A little distraction, a little sleight of hand, and look out!