Unusual & intrusive questions by AA agent at Barelona Airport

[shofer]

I don't see a problem with security questions. Some questions are asked not to get particular information, but to see a reaction.

We are usually asked tons of psychological questions on all flights from Europe to US. The most "notorious" security is in Schiphole, Amsterdam.

 

My friend and I (both 70 yrs) did a Baltic cruise R/T Amsterdam. Arriving, we collected our luggage and watched a Customs officer really grill a young woman. Another officer took one look at us and waved us through.

 

Leaving was ok except for the very thorough searching of our carry on luggage. I would have appreciated this more had our flight not already been boarding. We made it ok but it was tense.

 

Sue

[Tatka]

Arriving to Amsterdam was never a problem for us... it is departing to US. I've noticed that on other flights from Amsterdam it's not the case, but to US....

[Jana]

nelblu and cruise or lose, i think you're both right. You are both way too important to be treated with such "indignities." if i were you, i wouldn't stand for it! Stand up for your rights! Demand that you be let through security with absolutely no questions! You have rights! So be bold, be assertive, demanding! Tell those "idiots" how stupid they really are and be sure to add some "descriptive" language. Tell them where they can stuff their stupid questions. And then please, please come back and let us know how this attitude of yours works out for you in a foreign country. Lol

 

^^^^ prize winning response!

 

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[flhartley]

This happened on Sept. 10 when we checked in for our 1:05 pm flight on American to Philadelphia. The agent was pleasant and when she saw the RCL luggage tag asked us about the trip. We saw nothing in the question as our impression was that she was being friendly. The subsequent questions were unusual.

 

 

 

Q: How was your trip--no problem.

 

Q: Which countries we visited--no problem.

 

 

 

Problematic questions.

 

 

 

Q: Turned to my wife and asked her what was the cabin #, as though my wife was hiding something.

 

Q: How did we book our cruise.

 

Q: When I answered that I booked it on line, she proceeded to ask me the web-site address. Rather than prolong the discussion I told her that it was via RCL at RCCL.com.

 

 

 

I was tempted to tell her that it was none of her business, but since we were close to the weight limit, I played along.

 

 

 

As we completed our check-in, we wondered if we were selected for this process as we could not check-in on line on Brilliance and instead were advised to check-in at airport.

 

 

 

At our gate, there was an irate member of the UC Irvine, California water polo team that was incensed by some inane questions posed by a AA agent to her.

 

 

 

Wonder if this is new as part of the overall security package.

 

 

 

We've been thru Barcelona Airport and never experienced this process.

 

 

 

We just returned from Colombia and these are exactly the kinds of questions we got both from the counter agent, immigration and gate agent. And, they were excellent at bouncing questions between both my wife and me. Seemed to just be enhanced security.

 

 

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[caribill]

Actually, it is. Given that this was an international flight it is the airlines responsibility (US carrier or otherwise) to determine that you have the proper authorization to enter the country. Failure to do so on their part can result in the airline being fined and sometimes more. DHS is the only body that determines what requirements the airline must fulfill. Any techniques used in this process must be DHS approved.

 

My passport (and visa or ESTA authorization if non-citizen) is all the airline needs to know I have proper authorization to enter the USA. With out that passport, it would not matter what my cabin number was on a cruise ship as a cruise ship cabin number is not authorization to enter any country.

[caribill]

You need to not travel in Foreign Countries anymore. The arrogance to assume that airline personnel that ask you these questions aren't trained is amazing.

 

The times are different and the training may be also. But it was not that long ago you were always asked at check-in if anyone else had access to your luggage. One of the reasons that type of "security" questioning was dropped is that it turned out in many non-USA countries the airline clerk did not really understand English and was taught how to ask the question, but could not understand any answer given in English.

[caribill]

I was pulled aside for an explosives check at Heathrow once. It didn't bother me in the least. And I think the agent new he was going to come up with nothing just from my demeanor when I was pulled out of line... I was more curious than anything else.

Sometimes they purposely pick people who are unlikely to have any forbidden item. It is a lot less hassle for them if there is nothing found.

[caribill]

So if someone is white or over 60, they shouldn't be subject to security?

 

In the USA if you are 75 or older you do not have to remove your shoes for the TSA.

 

Of course in the rest of the world you do not have to remove your shoes at any age unless they set off a metal detector.

[caribill]

I still haven't figured out how bottled water can be used as a deadly weapon. I doubt they have, either. But God bless them, for they are omniscient and above scrutiny.

 

 

At LGA once I saw someone bringing hundreds of bottles of water through security to go to the shops had to lift every case onto the belt to have it x-rayed. It amazes me that somehow TSA could tell that these hundreds of bottles of water were safe, but if I had a single bottle of water, they are unable to determine if it is safe and thus confiscate it.

 

But it is easy to know that TSA really knows that those bottles of water are not a hazard.

 

Since they simply put the confiscated bottles into a box near them instead of summoning a HAZMAT team to properly dispose of the bottles, they either know they are safe or do not mind having possible explosives next to their agents for a number of hours.

 

While going through extra (required for everyone) security for a flight to the USA from Dubai, an empty bottle was confiscated from my carryon. The reason, I was told, is that once on board I might put something hazardous into this empty bottle. (Doesn't logic like that really make you feel safe?) What was funny is that as each passenger entered the plane, he/she was handed a full bottle of water. I guess they figured nobody would pour the water out leaving them with a dangerous empty bottle.

[grapau27]

At LGA once I saw someone bringing hundreds of bottles of water through security to go to the shops had to lift every case onto the belt to have it x-rayed. It amazes me that somehow TSA could tell that these hundreds of bottles of water were safe, but if I had a single bottle of water, they are unable to determine if it is safe and thus confiscate it.

 

But it is easy to know that TSA really knows that those bottles of water are not a hazard.

 

Since they simply put the confiscated bottles into a box near them instead of summoning a HAZMAT team to properly dispose of the bottles, they either know they are safe or do not mind having possible explosives next to their agents for a number of hours.

 

While going through extra (required for everyone) security for a flight to the USA from Dubai, an empty bottle was confiscated from my carryon. The reason, I was told, is that once on board I might put something hazardous into this empty bottle. (Doesn't logic like that really make you feel safe?) What was funny is that as each passenger entered the plane, he/she was handed a full bottle of water. I guess they figured nobody would pour the water out leaving them with a dangerous empty bottle.

I agree that security should be taken seriously.

We flew to Orlando on an American plane from the UK a few days after the terrible 9/11 attrosity.They did all the enhanced security in the airport then during the flight they incredibly gave us all metal knives and forks to eat our meals.

 

 

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