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mandragoraNo, really, it is. Had the pleasure recently of flying to Atlanta to attend the wonderful ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
laurakaye's wedding, staying with the fabulous (and obliging) thermidor.
All went smoothly (well, except for the accident on the M25 that closed the motorway for about 30 mins as I drove to Gatwick. Luckily I left myself lots of time to get there...), waltzed through security and passport control (took my shoes off, made sure I wasn't carrying any liquids etc), flight took off on time and landed a few minutes early. So far, so good.
Bit of a wait to get through passport control, but nothing more than anticipated. Queued up for the obligatory mugshot and fingerprints, went to baggage reclaim, breathed a sigh of relief when the suitcases turned up, queued up again for Customs. No problems there. Everything was as usual in my experience in flying to the US post-911.
Started looking round for the exit, excited at the thought of seeingthermidor again, as she as picking me up from the airport and--
Um, what?
You want me to hand all my luggage to who? Member of the airport staff. Right. Er, why? So they can be x-rayed... And then you want me to join the queue (the very, very long queue) there. So I can have all my hand-luggage x-rayed, take my shoes off, and pass through the security devices. Again! And after that I have to go on a train to the main terminal, where I can pick up my luggage - again - on carousels where absolutely everyone, including any Tom, Dick, or Harry who fancies wandering into the airport from the streets and helping themselves to some poor hapless traveller's luggage, has access to.
Er, you do know that I've just flown to Atlanta, don't you. That my luggage and person were subjected to security checks before I flew? Oh, you do?
Ri-ight!
Yes, that's right, if you fly internationally to Atlanta when you land they subject you to the same security checks that you went through before you flew. 'Cos Atlanta's such a major target for terrorist incidents, you see. *nods sagely* Makes NYC and London look like the havens of non-terrorist activity that they are. I mean in recent years there've been none, that's right no, terrorist incidents in Atlanta.
What's so sad is that all of this palaver gives travellers an entirely unwarranted unfavourable first impression of Atlanta. Which I absolutely loved, BTW. Gracious, beautiful, warm and welcoming in all respects. The exact opposite of the bleeding airport!
laurakaye's wedding, staying with the fabulous (and obliging) thermidor.All went smoothly (well, except for the accident on the M25 that closed the motorway for about 30 mins as I drove to Gatwick. Luckily I left myself lots of time to get there...), waltzed through security and passport control (took my shoes off, made sure I wasn't carrying any liquids etc), flight took off on time and landed a few minutes early. So far, so good.
Bit of a wait to get through passport control, but nothing more than anticipated. Queued up for the obligatory mugshot and fingerprints, went to baggage reclaim, breathed a sigh of relief when the suitcases turned up, queued up again for Customs. No problems there. Everything was as usual in my experience in flying to the US post-911.
Started looking round for the exit, excited at the thought of seeing
thermidor again, as she as picking me up from the airport and--Um, what?
You want me to hand all my luggage to who? Member of the airport staff. Right. Er, why? So they can be x-rayed... And then you want me to join the queue (the very, very long queue) there. So I can have all my hand-luggage x-rayed, take my shoes off, and pass through the security devices. Again! And after that I have to go on a train to the main terminal, where I can pick up my luggage - again - on carousels where absolutely everyone, including any Tom, Dick, or Harry who fancies wandering into the airport from the streets and helping themselves to some poor hapless traveller's luggage, has access to.
Er, you do know that I've just flown to Atlanta, don't you. That my luggage and person were subjected to security checks before I flew? Oh, you do?
Ri-ight!
Yes, that's right, if you fly internationally to Atlanta when you land they subject you to the same security checks that you went through before you flew. 'Cos Atlanta's such a major target for terrorist incidents, you see. *nods sagely* Makes NYC and London look like the havens of non-terrorist activity that they are. I mean in recent years there've been none, that's right no, terrorist incidents in Atlanta.
What's so sad is that all of this palaver gives travellers an entirely unwarranted unfavourable first impression of Atlanta. Which I absolutely loved, BTW. Gracious, beautiful, warm and welcoming in all respects. The exact opposite of the bleeding airport!
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Date: 23 April 2007 12:24 (UTC)no subject
Date: 23 April 2007 19:18 (UTC)