I would visit my dad in London every year as much as possible. He was then over 90 years old and I did not know how long he would be there. He eventually passed away in 2016 at the age of 100 years 7 months. As time progressed I saw the changes in airport security. It was never an exception to see armed police in the departure lounges. I was then becoming a golden oldie: a bit of a limp, sometimes with a stick but I was harmless.
What is wrong with having a toothpaste tube in you bag. I always carried the toilet articles with me as you never know if your case will arrive with your plane or not. London City Airport removed two tubes of toothpaste and confiscated them over the years. The tubes were too big apparently. Only small tubes were allowed and so in the bin they went. I imagine airport personnel never having to buy their own toothpaste. They probably did a distribution of the confiscated tubes after a days work.
The most insulting was before I passed through the metal detectors: you know that arch you walk through after they had removed your hand luggage for the x-ray machine. If you happened to have a gun enclosed on your body they would find it. I was told before walking through to sit on a chair that they had suppled. I had to remove my shoes. I had no socks or stockings, in was Autumn and warm. I then had to walk bare footed through the arch and afterwards they gave me my shoes again to wear. I was glad that I had no mini explosives or razor blades hidden in the heels. I had left them at home.
And once, to set an example, they had taken my luggage out of the loading point. I was asked to identify it and open the case. I was told this was done now and again at random, and this time they had chosen my luggage. I was not very happy as it was the return flight from London to Zürich and I did have a plastic bag full of dirty washing. Luckily I had the Christmas Pudding and Cadbury’s Milk Flakes in my hand luggage.
There was also the time when I travelled from Zürich to London and arrived safely, but my luggage did not. It decided to make a detour to Lisbon. Two days later it was delivered to my friends house where I was staying, by special courier. No problem, my friend had one size nightdresses and so I borrowed one for the night. This time the security programme failed it seemed.
Summing it all up I would say I had been through all the possible security checks. I wonder how they never confiscated my Swiss Army Officers Knife. Perhaps they assumed it was something that all Swiss have.
Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss 
With bionic parts, airport security is a surreal thing for me. Some airports X-ray my whole body. Some wand me in a very embarrassing way. Some tell me to partially undress and it usually takes forever. But last time I flew out of Zürich on Icelandair, I said, “I have a metal hip.” They put me in the fast lane, wanded me quickly and said, “Have a wonderful flight!” I had to wait for Lois!
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I never though of my metal bits and pieces. Perhaps that is why I had to take off my shoes. My left arm is totally bionic with a steel plate and 15 screws. But it was the toothpaste that got me
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I think everyone has to take off their shoes since that one guy in the early 2000s had a bomb in his Nikes.
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Perhaps they thought I had something like that as I do have a unique walk.
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They tried to confiscate the knife I keep in my medicine bag. Because you know all those pills that come in so much plastic, you need a 4″ blade to pry it open. I’d forgotten it was there. Eventually, I had to pay an extra $40 to put it in a box and ship it with luggage. Really stupid. But Garry had stuff confiscated at the Canadian border which had been rolling around under his seat for years and he’d forgotten it was even there. I’m sure they saved it.
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I am glad thar my flying days are over. I am still annoyed about the toothpaste. I am sure they kept it for their own use
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I have a titanium plate and screws in my neck and they don’t set off any alarms. But one time at the airport, the man behind me had a steel rod in his leg and he turned on all the bells and whistles. I breathed a sigh of relief it was not me!
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Since my last flight I have also collected some steel,parts in my left leg, perhaps also titanium, so perhaps it’s just as well my flying days are over
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All of these rules are there to give you the illusion of safety. That’s all. It’s all a charade really.
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You ae probably right
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I mean, like 150g of toothpaste is so much worse that 100g.
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I was treated as a criminal because of my large tube of toothpaste. Perhaps they were annoyed because it was Swiss toothpaste and not British.
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Ha Ha Ha Ha….
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