Checked Baggage

While in the UK on holiday over the past few weeks, I was caught up in the terrorist threat and subsequent heightened security. Worried that I would have only a clear plastic bag as my carry-on, I watched the news for updates about the dimensions of carry-on luggage and what could be placed in this baggage. When I finally arrived for my flight on Wednesday, I was met by about 8 separate airport employees with elaborate displays of banned hand luggage items and the same cheerful call: “Any liquids? Cosmetics? Make-up?”

This team of reminders started before I’d even arrived at the check-in desk and continued until I was about to pass into the security zone. My answer was always the same; a brief smile, a shake of my head, and a cognizant, “no.”

Well, it wasn’t until I was halfway through the lengthy line-up for security that I actually looked through my carry-on bag. Sure enough, even with 8 different people entreating me to check, I found a bottle of (liquid) perfume. Bollocks, I thought, surrendering the prohibited item to the security guard and passing my bag, laptop, sweater and shoes through the scanner. I walked through the metal detector without incident and collected my belongings.

The moral of the story? Check your bag(gage).