I ran into the boarding pass confusion last time I flew. It was the holidays, and they had somebody checking the credentials of everybody before they went through security - after waiting line, just before you to to the machines. I dutifully showed my pass and identification to the person at the end of the line, shoved my ticket and id into my bag and moved to the metal detector I was pointed to - at most 10' away. As I started to walk through the metal detector, I was asked for my boarding pass. I pointed out that it had already been checked. I was told I needed to show it again. I reached for my bag, which was coming out of the x-ray machine 5 feet away. No. I couldn't go through the gate to grab the boarding pass without a boarding pass. They ended up grabbing my bag, taking it back to the front of the x-ray machine, and allowing me to get my boarding pass. Then, after watching me take the pass from the bag - they ran it once again through the x-ray machine. As if I could have snuck a bomb into it with 20 guards watching me. This entire process took several minutes and left me feeling foolish as I held up the long line, simply because I assumed that they only needed to look at my boarding pass once as I went through security. It also made me angry, because I had no way of knowing that they would ask for my boarding pass twice.

Last week, I flew to India via Chicago and Heathrow. I went through a total of four airports. I have to say security at Chicago was by far the most annoying. To go through US security, I had to pull out my laptop, any gels/liquids (in the approved quart size bag, of course), and take off my shoes. I had to juggle all of that both before and after the x-ray, and then manage to get all put back together without spilling everything.

In London, they had us go through screening upon deplaning before reboarding for the second leg of the trip. But, we only had to remove our liquid/gels. Easy Peasy. I did get a fairly through pat down, but that's because I forgot to remove my metal watch and set off the detector. Happily, they missed my wooden knitting needles. (they are allowed in the US and India, not the UK)

In India, same screening on deplaning before my connection, but I only had to remove my laptop. Slightly more annoying, and they wand you as a matter of course, but its easy to grab your laptop and bag and then put things back together.

It means "verboten." Welcome to the United States of Nazistan.

How are you allowed to take knitting needles? I have friends who knit and they aren't allowed to take them.

Knitting needles and crochet hooks have been "allowed" for about six years now. I've knitted on flights over the last few years, although my trick has been to use wooden or bamboo needles...

Needles for embroidery/cross stitch and sewing scissors are also allowed, as long as they are with the embroidery materials. But don't take good sewing scissotr. I had a good pair confiscated, even though it met TSA guidelines as published on their web site. Now, I just carry blunt edged childrens scissors for cutting thread when I travel. They also make thread cutters that are essentially razor blades set firmly and non-removably into metal. These are supposed to be safe for flying. I haven't tried them yet, but they seem safe enough.

Perhaps we need to start making this an election issue, people for rational security policy. Get congress to stop rolling over in the name of national security for any absurd action taken by TSA and start listening to their constituents.

Everyone hates the TSA. They are an easy target.

However, I can't imagine a worse job with such a huge responsibility. Everyone blames you for delaying travelers and making airline travel terrible and everyone second guesses every rule you put in place. Everyone is also going to blame you the next time someone takes a plane hostage or blows one up. Talk about a thankless job!

Sure, some of the rules that the TSA has enacted are kinda dumb, but maybe we should just have a sense of humor about it and cut them some slack. Imagine yourself working on the other side of that x-ray machine.

All of this talk about the TSA simply distracts people from the real problem, the airlines themselves. Flight delays, terrible and insulting customer service, lost baggage, and cramped and crowded planes are not the fault of the TSA.

Maybe if Mr. Smith didn't work for the airlines he is covering, he'd be a little more vocal about the problems with airline travel today.

Is this the first column of Mr. Smith's that you've read? He ferquently talks about the other problems of air travel, like too many flights in smaller planes causing delays and air congestion. He's written articles about cramped passenger conditions and ways the various airlines are trying to fix that problem. He's written about the best and worst airline terminals from the perspcetive of comfort and cleanliness. He's written about everything you mention and more with the possible exception of lost baggage.

Do a little research before accusing someone of bias.

When they kill someone. They mis-apply a choke hold and someone strangles to death. They give an old lady a heart attack due to the stress of the entire security experience. They shoot someone who was only carrying their wallet (it sure looked like a gun!). It's when a person is captured on tape being murdered by TSA will this finally all end.

1) The card tables set up that everyone has tot hoist their luggage onto: watching elderly passengers struggle to get their wheelie bags onto these tables destroys me, especially since they get barked at by the clowns guarding the tables to "keep moving!" Then watching them struggle to take their shoes off while maintaining their balance? Nice one, guys. Slope the tables downward so all people need to do is lift the bag a few inches and slide it upwards as they move along the line. Set up a couple of chairs so people can sit down to untie their shoes.

2) The absolute dipshit moron who gave me a hard time because the ID picture in my passport -- which was taken in 1999! -- shows a version of me with long hair over my shoulders, and the version of me standing before her had the same long hair pulled up in a bun. She simply could not understand why I looked different in a photo taken 8 years prior. I've also changed my clothes since that photo was taken, I'm amazed she didn't question me about why my shirt looked different.