The Day I Was Frisked at the Airport
By Val
@valmnz (17099)
New Zealand
January 16, 2021 8:43pm CST
After reading a story about paper clips by @JudyEv the other day I was reminded of a paper clip story of my own.
My husband and I were flying out of Wellington, New Zealand on our way to Melbourne, Australia in the afternoon. I taught in the morning and my husband picked me up from school, from where we went straight to the airport.
Much to my amazement all the bells started ringing loudly as I passed through security. The metal detector had picked up something and I was pulled aside. I felt like a criminal, although I knew I had nothing to worry about.
The staff frisked me a couple of times, then started a more in-depth search.
To cut a long story short, the item that set the alarms off turned out to be a tiny metal paper clip that had somehow slipped into my jacket pocket at school. It certainly had enough power to cause alarms to ring.
Lesson learned. I searched all my pockets myself before leaving the country again.
19 people like this
20 responses
@kaylachan (57998)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
17 Jan 21
Wow, that tiny thing. Then again a magnetic strip on a hotel key card set off the alarms for my husband when we went to the court house in my home town. My wheelchair always sets it off, so I get the wind each time. When we went to the court house to get married here in town, I asked to skip the mettle detector and just get the wind. The person in the station on the other side, kept setting off the wind. Sure didn't want to be them.
3 people like this
@kaylachan (57998)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
17 Jan 21
I know what you mean. I mean my husband emptied his pockets, electing to leave most of his spare change behind, knowing it would be a lot to empty..... and the one thing he didn't think to remove.... set off the alarm. Let's face it, we knew my wheelchair would. @valmnz
@RebeccasFarm (86833)
• United States
17 Jan 21
Oh yes we must be vigilant when it comes to anything on us going through those metal thingies Val.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
19 Jan 21
oh my! those thingies much be really sensitive to such. i'd been most humiliated 'n ne'er flown 'gain. wait, i don't fly now! thanks fer sharin' yer story, hon. i bet such 'tis now looked back'n with humor.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79905)
• United States
25 Jan 21
Who would have thought a simple paperclip would cause so much trouble.
1 person likes this
@Nakitakona (56302)
• Philippines
18 Jan 21
@valmnz Now a lesson is learned to be extra careful next time to avoid inconvenience.
@allknowing (130063)
• India
17 Jan 21
This took me to a situation where I was a suspected criminal as I was the last to check in thanks to my nephew that reached late at the check in counter. My luggage did not come in the plane that I took and so had to wait at the destination airport for well over four hours for its arrival.
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
25 Jan 21
Oh my, that is terrible. My husband's eyelets on his boots set off the alarms!! Sometimes it doesn't take much.
@thelme55 (76482)
• Germany
23 Jan 21
I am glad it was only a paper clip and I know how you felt at that time.
Once when I was inspected after I checked in, the alarm went on and I didn´t have a sharp thing in my clothes. Then we found out, it was only my 18-carat golden bracelet that rung the bell. I had to get it off from my arm and put it inside my bag while in the x-ray.
@dgobucks226 (34392)
•
18 Jan 21
I remember after 911 how they would take someone at random to search while waiting to board the plane. It happened to me once. Necessary, but you are a bit embarrassed as you become the center of attention. Or like a criminal as you said..
