August 2005

Flying back from Holland just a couple of days ago I stumbled upon something that was hilarious, hypocrite, contradicting and stupid all at the same time.
The security measures at airports these days, which have taken a leap from acceptable into the greatly exaggerated, state that you can't take anything with sharp edges into the hand luggage on the airplane anymore. Even nail clippers are supposedly lethal and are taken "into custody" upon entering the X-ray machine at customs.
How big was our surprise (it must be stated that our first positive surprise was that we actually got food on such a short trip, the past couple of years it has usually been so that you only get some kind of refreshment) that our food was served accompanied by sturdy, fairly unbendable iron cuttlery, a knife, a fork and a spoon.
Here I am (hypothetically innocent): just got on the plane, had to give in my pocket knife, my nail clippers, the shaving knife from my toilet bag and my tweezers (never leave home without them!). And I'm served with massive iron cuttlery.
Here I am (hypothetically terrorist): I just got on the plane, nothing in my back pack but a pair of dirty underwear, and laughing in my fist, because the weapons are going to be handed to me (almost literally) on a silver platter.

Yeah, yeah, it's only a knife, you say! What the hell are they going to do with a knife?
I know... but the creative terrorist knows his/her way around.
And by the way... What the hell am I going to do with nail clippers? Or with tweezers, for god's sake?
Explain to me the policy on that! I know they're trying to provide a service to their customers, but common! Can we see things all in the right perspective? Please? If I have to hand over my sharp stuff, let them serve their food with plastic or rubber cuttlery. Or else, let me take my nail clipper and tweezers in my hand luggage.