Win a Skooba Design Checkthrough Brief

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.skoobadesign.com/product/checkthrough-brief-40/' target='_blank'>http://www.skoobadesign.com/product...rough-brief-40/</a><br /><br /></div><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1254179082.usr1.jpg" style="border: 0;" /></p><p>I've reviewed a lot of <a href="http://www.skoobadesign.com" target="_blank">Skooba Design</a> (formerly RoadWired) products over the years, and their latest line of "Checkpoint Friendly" bags improve upon their previous designs in a number of ways. Their <a href="http://www.skoobadesign.com/product/checkthrough-brief-40/" target="_blank">Checkthrough Brief</a> ($139.95 USD MSRP) is one of the new designs, and they sent me one to check out. I haven't been able to use it yet for a flight, but so far I'm quite impressed with it. And guess what? You can win one courtesy of Skooba Design.</p><p>Want to win? All you have to do is tell me an airport security story - good, bad, or ugly. Ever been stuck behind one of those people who didn't understand the whole concept of "metal" and watched as they walked through the screening gate over and over until they got pulled aside for the more thorough search? Or those people who can't get their own stuff out of their bags? Tell me a story about it! And if you've never had the opportunity to go through airport security, just tell me a travel story of some type.</p><p>This contest is open to anyone in the USA or Canada (sorry rest of world, shipping is too expensive on a large product like this). There's one post per person allowed, and the contest will stay open for one week, closing down on Tuesday the 6th of October at 3pm GMT -7. One entry will be selected randomly.</p>

[uzziah0]

For a previous job I traveled 2 to 4 times a year to the UK. I also had long hair at the time.
I had my luggage rifled through often, returning to the US. No problems or questions in the UK.
Once I had my luggage rifled through, they patted the pockets of all my pants. Then looked in my shoes.
Then, two guys stepped over and asked me to come with them [no explanations or anything]. I wondered about my luggage, since they always say to keep it with you at all times.
They led me to a small room with a bench.
They asked me to put my hands on the walls (and at this point they said they were going to frisk me) and spread my legs. They basically had me spread out almost to the point where I was going to fall.
One guy patted me, the other watched.
Then, they asked for my shoes.
I gave them the shoes, and one guy took them to be scanned. The other guy waited in the doorway. I asked a few questions, and he was nice enough, but not very talkative.
I got my shoes back, and stuffed my luggage back in the bag so I could go. And, that was it.
I wonder if they are instructed to not be talkative for some sort of security reasons?

[Phronetix]

I watched a young girl with her parents one time. The little girl intently watched her father remove all the items from his pockets, and when he went through the scanner, she got very alarmed, yelling in a mostly incoherent 3 year old voice, grabbing his wallet and coins and running to give them to him, setting off several alarms, and causing this massive commotion. The mother's face went several shades of pink, and the entire family had to be searched and questions at length off to the side to sort everything out to the satisfaction of the alarmed security personnel. The girl was very happy, however, singing and laughing in her daddy's arms the entire time while mom and dad were flustered answering questions, explaining themselves. It was very cute.

Dennis

[Cold Flame]

Back in early August I had to travel home to Regina via a flight from Calgary. Just over a 1 hour flight, and domestic flights in Canada aren't usually THAT bad for security purposes. Because I was only due to be there for 3 nights, I opted to just take a backpack as my only luggage and carried it on so as to avoid the hassles of the baggage carousel.

Anyway, I went through the metal detector portion fine, and they found no issues with the items in my bags, but a polite young guy in a security uniform pulled me aside with a pair of gloves and a clipboard, informing me that he was going to search me.

Needless to say, they didn't take me to a private room or anything, I was standing at the end of the x-ray treadmill machine with him patting me down, checking the inside of my waist-band, hands on my butt, inner thighs, etc... in PLAIN SIGHT of EVERYONE!

Anyway, needless to say it was a tad embarassing and apparently a completely random check. I had at one point informed him that if I was going to let someone touch me in places like that, I usually like to get their name first, and would prefer a female. He smiled politely, but neglected to comment. Haha... anyway, that's my story. *blushes*

[andrew_lee]

I was stopped by security because I had left a Helicomatic freewheel remover in the pocket of my backpack and forgotten about it. This is a flat metal tool that is designed to take off and put on bicycle freewheels made by Helicomatic. It also has two spoke wrenches, and a bottle opener, which is why I still had it. Security objected to the spoke wrenches, because it might be used to open something on the plane. This was true, if I found a nut that fit the spoke wrenches, 2 or 3 mm. Since I wasn't checking any luggage, I just threw out the freewheel remover.

[Tony Rylow]

Last summer, I was attempting to get through security on my way home from quick trip to Colorado. Learning from my first trip through security a few days prior, EVERYTHING was out of my pockets - keys, phone, belt, etc. Only thing left was my wallet that had the same contents short several dollars as it did the first time through security. The scanner kept going off as I walked through, indicating my feet were setting it off. I had some cotton socks on. I got to get patted down and wanded by a TSA officer, while my wallet was x-rayed and sealed in a clear plastic bag wrapped with TSA security stickers. All this while I got to stand in a mini glass box, while my shoes, backpack and laptop wandered down the conveyor belt and my GF was about having a mini stroke watching this.

[NeilE]

Here's one for you:

On my last business trip I was flying to Austin. I got into the security line and realized I didn't have my wallet. I quickly called my wife and she turned around back to the airport in case my wallet was in the car. Nope. So I had no ID, no credit cards, no cash. And my house is more than 40 minutes from the airport so there was no way to go home and get it in time.

What did I do?

I grabbed the $40 in cash my wife had and got on the plane. Yes, that's right. On the plane. Thanks to reading BoingBoing I knew that you don't actually need ID to fly. You just have to be ready for some extra scrutiny. The TSA supervisor gave me a stern lecture, but you could tell she was amused and she was nice about it. They had to call some special number, I had to answer some questions to "prove" who I was, sign an affidavit, submit to secondary screening, and that was it. Even the secondary screener was apologetic when he couldn't find the big stamp they needed to put on my boarding card to say I was clear to fly.

My wife found my wallet at home and FedExed it to my hotel. It cost $28, and was at the front desk by 8:30am the next day.

Fun stuff!

Neil

[Gordo]

I was going through airport security in Ottawa, Canada; we have our own version of the TSA. There was a new female employee working the secondary screening after you go through the metal detector(I am male). I was waved through, and no alarms went off. The supervisor who was training her, stepped aside for a moment as I was going through. The new employee asked me if she could pat my front pockets down, and I complied. As I was picking up my laptop bag, after the pat down I noticed the supervisor, who had returned, informing the new employee that she should have had a male perform the pat-down. I am a little surprised that they would not have covered that part of the job in a training session, before they hit the floor.

:)

[leslietroyer]

my "worst" experiance was rather tame. I was taking my mother to the airport to go visit my brother, wheeling Oxygen and all the other crap she needed. We had gone over and over what she could and couldn't bring, before during and after she packed. -- She assured me no problems....

They found sissors, lotions, and something else they had to confiscate.. "oh, you ment nail sissors, I thought it was only paper sissors".... sigh...

[Ploobers]

I hate when I get on a plane in Hong Kong bound for the US and they don't just screen you on entering the airport, but again at your flight. I have had multiple drinks and items purchased in the airport taken from me in the tunnel leading to the plane.

[jazboy01]

I have traveled a lot in international , domestic flights. Luckily I never had any problem. But there was only one situation when I fell embarrassed along with security lady. When I got my job transfer from MI to Denver, Colarado. I was departing from Detroit Airport to Denver. I had two 2 check in baggage and one cabin baggage.
When I was checking my check bag one lady came to me and asked you have been randomly selected for security check. Can you please step aside and show me your bag. I said yes. She asked me to open my bag and I opened my bag. She examined my bag completely. There was one box. She asked me what is there in the box. I hesitates little bit. Then she asked again. I said, its Condom. but she got suspicious and asked me to open that box and i opened that box and box was filled with condoms. I was carrying more than 100 Condoms. She asked me why this much (oh man.. what should i Say..). I said, i brought it from my native country as my colleagues told me that Its damn costly here and i didn't want to check my chance.

[txa1265]

I was traveling just after all of the new fluids rules went into effect, and there were multiple lines for security ... I decided to choose the short one. I figured everyone had heard about the regulations or seen pictures of people having stuff taken away ... but not these two women in front of me! They caused a massive scene and yelled and shouted and swore and claimed sexism and pretty much any other ism they could come up with (the security officer was also a woman) ... to the point where airport security and management got involved, all of their stuff got searched through, and they were nearly tossed out.

Needless to say, getting in the shorter line didn't help my time through the screening process ...

[budda]

Last time through was a lady from India, and she didn't understand that gold was a metal. Bracelets, rings, necklaces... my gosh she was covered in the stuff. They had her remove stuff and step through the gate about 5 times...

A bag would sure be nice.

[Sven Johannsen]

Way before any of the really tight security at airports I had the occaision to be at one of the fairly small airports in the north of England. I had already checked my bags and was waiting at the gate when my name was called to return to security. I wondered what I had left somewhere. When I got there they ushered me into a room where my bag was on a table. They asked for my permission to inspect the contents. (Long ago they used to do that...really). They gingerly and carefull searched through the contents, but I could see they were still unsatisfied. I suggested if they told me what they were looking for I might be able to help. They said they say a small package of electronics with wires and batteries. Oh, I said, check the little case on the bottom left. I had a case with an old Compaq Palmtop. Those ran on AA batteries and the case had elastic loops where I was carrying spares. Yes they said, that was it, and there was one other thing, something kind of round with a solid center. I was puzzled at that one for a moment and then remembered my belt, rolled with the buckle in the center and stuffed in a shoe. I pointed that out and they were satisfied that was what they saw. As we put it all away, I mentioned I understood the electronics and battery concern, but what was the deal with the belt? They said, on the XRay, it looks like plastic explosive with a detonator in the middle. Haven't packed my belt that way since. All in all I didn't feel at all put out or irritated, and got to see that there actually was some attention to my safety going on, without the current ordeal we have to deal with. Damn those that made it neccesary.

[cjhpe]

My last time to travel by airplane was the first time that I have flown since most airlines have started charging for checked baggage. I have always preferred checking my baggage as I usually have to transfer flights at least once so I only take minimal carry-on so that I do not have to lug it around the airport.

I will start this also by saying I have never had my luggage lost so far and usually fly at least 1-2 times per year. I guess my record had to end sometime...

So I told my wife before I left that the trip just for my luggage to fly would be $50 more so hopefully since now you have to pay for your bags you shouldn't have to worry about them being lost...

Well on the trip out my bags were misplaced but were eventually found! Just didn't come out with everyone else's on my flight...took an extra 20 minutes or so.

Then on my flight home I arrived to the airport 2 hours prior to my departure and decided to check the bags with the Carrier provided sky cap at the door to the airport so as not to have go through the long line at the check in area. Even tipped the guy the requisite $5 for the bag. Then after a 7 hour delay in the Dallas/Ft Worth airport I finally arrived home at midnight--1am...and everyone is tired and the airport is pretty much deserted of airline personnel. Finally our flights bags start coming down the belt...Everyone is grabbing their stuff and leaving. I am still waiting...NOTHING!!!! So I spend the next 45 minutes trying to find someone with my airline. Finally track the a guy down...his first question did you check it at the counter or with the sky cap. Well since you checked it with the sky cap it most likely didn't make it on your flight. I said what is the point of having the sky caps if they can't get the luggage to the flight in time...he said it was for convenience. He said that they would ship the bag to me when it arrived for a fee or I could pick it up at the airport. I laughed. And decided to take multiple deep breadths before responding so as not to say things that would make both of us get angry. It was hard as I was very tired. After cooling off a bit I said that this was ridiculous as I have already paid $50 for the bag to fly and should at least be assured that it would get on the same plane as me and arrive on time. I would need to speak with a supervisor before I would pay any additional fees. He decided ( I guess) that rather than call his supervisor at 1:30 in the morning that the airline would ship the bag to me for free...

Finally received my bag 2 days later....It was a tad worse for wear...I guess the luggage fee doesn't really get your bag any better treatment than what it use to get for free!!!!
;-)

Yeah get to fly again in 20 days...

J...

[r90a22]

I have never been trough airport security, but I travel to Canada couple times a year, and a couple weeks ago they wouldn't let us trough. they asked hundreds of question search our bags and car, including taking out the tire jack. After for about 45 minutes of searching they gave back our passport and let us go.

[Reid Kistler]

Have never had a problem going through airport security (other than having to wait through the odd Long Line), but the most hilarious situation was my very matronly, mid-70s Mother being first pulled aside, and then taken to an inspection room - where she was subject to such unspeakable treatment as to remain INDIGNANT for several months!

Only thing can imagine was a combination of Poor Packing Decisions & the lack of a Drivers License - although she does have a State ID Card - but at least she is now able to have a bit of fun over her tenure as an Elderly Terrorist! ;)