We have an issue with the Coalition for Luggage Security for their outrageous claims to sell a currently marginal service.
- The Coalition began an ad campaign last month(see below) in Washington newspapers. They want to draw attention to the tens of thousands of pieces of lost luggage.
- They commented on the evacuation of Terminal F at Miami International Airport. An x-ray machine scanning checked baggage discovered a box that possibly contained an explosive device. The police were notified by the TSA and the bomb squad arrived on scene to discover that the box contained cremated human remains. The Terminal opened back up almost 3 hours later. “This just shows how easily a bomb, hidden in a suitcase, can get into an airport. These are the types of instances we hope to avoid by removing luggage from our Airport Terminals,” their founder commented.
- They questioned the sale of lost luggage to retailers, implying that lost luggage is a source of revenue to airlines, and thus it is in their interest to lose it. ” Finally when are Americans going to stand up and say ‘no,’ those are my things and I want them back?” their founder asked.
- Then they commented on security flaws at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport. The TSA left the airport in the hands of airport staff from midnight to 4:30AM, during which time x-ray and metal detectors are turned off and little to no screening was done. This has, since broken by local news, been rectified, and the airport will now be screened 24 hours a day. The Coalition insists the solution is “no suitcases – no bombs.”
- They commented on the evacuation of Long Beach Airport in California after a suspicious piece of luggage was found. “How many lives today are affected because of this evacuation? How many missed connections, meetings and deadlines? How about the fear of flying being enhanced by evacuations? Evacuations are not solutions; they are simply a well-intended form of terrorism. Stop terrorizing our citizens! We have to change this broken system and it can not be fixed with the seizing of blocks of cheese or shampoo!”
We find security procedures troublesome…but lack of luggage is not the solution.