Speaking Of Airline Security

With the latest idiot who tried to blow himself up and an entire plane full of people there comes new security procedures for certain (99% Muslim) countries, Saudi being one of them. This is on top of the procedures that have already been in place since shortly after 9/11. And not surprisingly many Saudis and those within Saudi are not so happy about being placed on that list that requires extra security checks.

However I question if extra security screening for some is the best reaction to the latest security blunder. Sure I understand it may be what people want to hear but in reality is it something that is needed? Or is this just disregarding the fact that the security measures already in place should have thwarted this mans attempts to blow up a plain full of passengers? Does one really need intrusive full body scans in order to prevent such attacks in the future? Or should the same conditions warrant that someone actually prevent the guy from boarding a single plane to begin with.

Lets take a quick look at this

1. The guys father informed authorities that he was a possible threat to the safety of others. And the father is a stand up guy , a banker, not some loon who wants to get a son in trouble because of some insane family dispute.

2. He had an expired visa in Yemen which means he in the least should have been delayed from leaving.

3. He paid in cash for a one way ticket on a visa to the US this alone should have set the bells a'ringing for any security screening.

4. Young single guy with no checked baggage Mr. Man would have been checked to the 10th degree for such an offense.

5. The ultra extreme best in the business Israeli security company was in charge. The be all and end all to airport security via fox news surely they know and should have pulled the man to the side.

With all of this and I'm sure the other things we the public aren't being told this man should have never boarded the plane without extra screening complete with a pat down. Now if the person giving the pat down was the last woman who felt me over in London my last time going through than every last bone that man had in his body would have been felt. ("it is sort of weird, like a massage in a way that isn't meant to feel good" I told Mr. Man and she didn't smile over my comment). A simple pat down would have caught it along with enough of the flags he set off, not some body scan.

I have severe issues with the body scan and I dread the thought I would have to pass through one in order to board my flight. I think they are way to intrusive to the privacy of a traveller. Now of course I want people to be safe, but I don't think we should all be subject to overly intrusive technology in order to travel. We should at least be able to fly with some self respect and not be exposed to the screening staff of an airport. Of course I have no doubt such machines will never been implemented within the Gulf Arab countries I cringe at the thought that some US airports are already using them.

Not only are these machines intrusive and exposing but they also emit radiation that can't be healthy for a frequent traveller. And shall we say something about the cost which will be passed on to the everyday traveller who has already endured massive price increases around the world. The increased price of traveling along with increased measures of security have set for a decline in traveling to and within the US already. One wonders what would happen with body scans becoming a must.

I'm sure some are wondering "Isn't this the same woman who just posted about not taking her liquids out of her hand baggage all the time". Well yes I don't and why? Because it rarely causes an issue for me. My bags are screened and I've been stopped only once this year after passing through a dozen security checks spanning four different countries. If security in all of these places where keeping security as it is laid down for most I should have been stopped a whole lot more. And if I were stopped more I would probably make more of a point of taking out my liquids in order to not endure the extra searches. Not that there is a guarantee I wouldn't forget something at some point.

Perhaps we don't need added security measures or extra security for certain countries and all that is needed is that security is followed by more efficiently to begin with. And one has to wonder where will the security measures end? If one intends on blowing up a plane in an act of terrorism what is to stop them from say inserting devices in their bodies? Are we than going to have to endure anal probes every time we want to fly?

I do think that the added security measures that are supposed to be in place in Saudi right now will continue to impact the decision of Saudis and those within the country choosing to fly to the US. Now this may not seem like such a great deal but it has possibly larger ramifications within this region. Not only will tourism continue to decline from this part of the world to the US, but also trade, students choices of university and possibly pushing relations father apart. And I'm sure this won't bother some who hold the view that certain groups should stay in their own country the question remains if it is a necessary choice? I wonder.