19 Dec 02
The Federal Government is asking travelers to leave their checked luggage unlocked when traveling by
airplane. It seems that the government’s agents will be pawing through
checked luggage and the agents find the locks inconvenient. What’s to
keep others from pawing through your luggage? That’s right.
Nothing. And how will you be compensated for items stolen out of your
checked luggage:
“Complaints of pilferage will be handled ‘on a case-by-case
basis’ by the airline, the [Transportation Security Agency] and the airport
working together…”
Now that sounds like as much fun as a barrel full of flaming,
greased, rabid monkeys. Can you imagine trying to get any of the
following to pay for something stoles out of your luggage?
- A large, governmental agency with “national security” concerns
- A large, impersonal airline
- A governmental agency that is run by either a city, county, or regional
government
Good luck! Such a futile experience would certainly deter me from
ever packing anything of even marginal value in my checked luggage.
Yesterday, we got a little taste of California-style winter:
fifty-plus degrees and rain.