Trying hard but…

They are trying hard, working harder, but there are still things lost in translation. While the major domestic airlines in the Philippines are busy informing and warning passengers about what to do and what not to do when they travel by air, our TSA have been more than usual very strict, thorough and professional as they process passengers and baggage going through the NAIA terminals.

Last Friday, I flew out to Cebu and passed through TSA screening at the NAIA Terminal 3. From the get go, passengers were directed through a regulated lane where one person counted passengers and directed them to the next available X-ray machine and screener. By controlling the number of passengers at each X-ray machine, they avoided hand-carry bags and personnel effects from piling up or being too near each other, where a bag or items could disappear.

The X-ray operators were very attentive, unlike in the past when some would be bored and slumped on a seat just casually glancing at the screen. I don’t know if it makes a difference, but in our experience the lady screeners really “saw” and flagged items that were never noticed in past travels such as sewing needles, thread rippers or tiny crossstitch scissors.

When they asked passengers to open their bags for inspection, the TSA checker made an almost exaggerated motion of raising his/her hands like a magician showing their hands were clean. The inspection would then start and upon completion, the questionable item was isolated, the reason for removal explained and the inspector would once again repeat the same motion of raising hands to show they did not take any item from the baggage. Up to that point all went well.

But the problem and tension start once the passenger is told that a certain item has to be checked in or confiscated and thrown into a large bin. In our case the item in question was a multiple AC outlet and multiple USB extension cord. For another family of tourists from the US visiting Cebu, it was a skateboard that was hand-carried from America to Manila to Cebu. On their return, the skateboard was confiscated. We learned later that another friend was prevented from hand carrying her scub regulator that many divers