WTF News

[classicman]

Where does Sri Lanka fit into this story?

According to the Los Angeles Times, the workers were loading a duffel bag onto Alaska Airlines Flight 563, which was bound for Portland, Ore., when the loaded .38-caliber handgun was discovered. Sources told The Times that the man told authorities he had flown out of Portland with the same bag, with the gun inside, three days earlier.

[BigV]

because sri lanka is a place where checked baggage is searched, a counter example to the previous assessment that checked baggage could not be checked.

[classicman]

Oh, ok. So Sri Lanka is similar to the US? Is their airport similar to that of those in this article? Do they handle more or less people and/or planes. I dunno anything about it.
How about Moscow, Beijing, Taiwan, London ... Is there a valid comparison?

[DanaC]

Prolly best to take London off that list. They don't handle luggage as such...

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by classicman

Where does Sri Lanka fit into this story?

Originally Posted by BigV

because sri lanka is a place where checked baggage is searched, a counter example to the previous assessment that checked baggage could not be checked.

Ding ding ding!

Originally Posted by classicman

Oh, ok. So Sri Lanka is similar to the US? Is their airport similar to that of those in this article? Do they handle more or less people and/or planes. I dunno anything about it.
How about Moscow, Beijing, Taiwan, London ... Is there a valid comparison?

I didn't mean it to be part of an argument.
My post does say I thought it was of little value.
I was just adding some local colour to the mix.

If you ever get to watch Border Control, do so.
It's an Aussie programme, about people, things, boats, goods, things and pets and things coming into Australia.
Given that it has no land borders, they can be as strict as they like.
And they are.
Given that it has no land borders, smugglers will be as inventive as they can. And they are.

Obviously the programme can only show those they've caught (and the odd suspicious person who is cleared) but it does make the security look bloody efficient.

I prefer Animal Rescue (Aussie again) but it doesn't fit in this thread...

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by BigV

because sri lanka is a place where checked baggage is searched, a counter example to the previous assessment that checked baggage could not be checked.

What has once been checked can never be unchecked.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Prolly best to take London off that list. They don't handle luggage as such...

Please explain

[BigV]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

What has once been checked can never be unchecked.

true, but it can be routed through Denver, never to be seen again.

[HungLikeJesus]

Oh no! My wife flew out of Denver just a few hours ago.

[BigV]

Jesus Jesus! You didn't check her did you?

[infinite monkey]

Originally Posted by Sundae

I didn't mean it to be part of an argument.
My post does say I thought it was of little value.
I was just adding some local colour to the mix.

~snip~

Sri Lanka is so much fun to say, anyway. So is Ceylon.

Pretty words!

[ZenGum]

Umm ... TSA doesn't examine checked baggage? WTF?

I get the point of being stricter with carry-on stuff, but checked bags could still have, you know, a b - o - m - b. Like Lockerbie, eh?

[HungLikeJesus]

Would you want to open a suitcase that might have a-b-o-m-b in it?

[BigV]

I believe the checked baggage is scanned in other ways for explosives, etc. that can be dangerous from a distance. Carry on baggage is checked for those things too, but also for things that can be dangerous in the hands of a person. Observe that it is possible to check a handgun, but not permitted in carry on baggage.

[Clodfobble]

Checked bags at the Austin airport all pass through a machine which is somehow supposed to detect the presence of any type of explosive powder or even residue.