Let the Traveller Beware - Laptops vs IATA Screening Regulations

David Heath
Monday, 10 March 2008 17:09

Your IT - Home IT

One other thing – I have *finally* removed the ‘sacrificial screwdriver’ from my bag.  It went in there (as far as I can tell) in early 2000; from there, it flew from Australia to the US at least 6 times between 2002 and 2006, had around 40 or 50 flights within Australia and had never been discovered by any airport screener! 

All this before I finally discovered the beastie when I was moving my stuff into a new bag.  Hindsight being stronger than valour, I chose to preserve it from that time on as a desk ornament for posterity!

What do we learn here?

Unfortunately, not a lot.  The average traveller cannot determine the rules when they are not consistently applied. 

We are forced to be sheep because, most of all, we want to get to our destination without excessive interference or delay, while in our minds we are screaming “this is crazy – you’re achieving absolutely nothing.”