An American Worker in London
Sunday, October 19, 2003
First Return to London
Back on the Virgin Atlantic flight again. A packed flight, but at this time it
appears that most oeioke are quiet (no noisy drunks or large parties), and I
don't have a hyperactive child behind me kicking the seat.
Checkin was reasonably prompt, with a line of maybe 10 minutes. Once I got to the agent, I asked how I could observe my bags being searched, and told her my story about the last flight -- and the pilferage costing me $900. She was sympathetic and offered to walk me through the bag screening process. She took me to the bag X-ray area and asked the TSA supervisor if I could observe, which was OK with him. I asked if I could re-seal the bag with my colored cable ties, but that was not permissable. It would be OK, however, for the Virgin Atlantic agent to re-seal the bag (if needed to be opened and inspected at all).
So, she took my two bags into the screening area, after moving me to the front of the line, put them in the machine, told me that the duffel was fine (it didn't need to be opened), but the rollaboard did need visual inspection. I watched from behind a roped-off barrier while a TSA guy dug through the contents. It was pretty obvious that any theft of large items would be impossible in this location. There are way too many people milling around, lots of co-workers, etc. The only possible TSA involvement would be one or more employees "marking" a bag in a certain way that it could be located and opened later, in a hidden area of the terminal. Something to think about...
Anyway, Sheryl (the Virgin Atlantic agent) re-sealed my bag with 2 of my colored cable ties, and the TSA guy put the usual orange sticker on the handle.
I am never concerned with someone unpacking my suitcase and then repacking it differently. Heck, as long as it all fits and arrives at my destination, that's the most important thing. The TSA guy apologized that he wasn't getting it all back as neatly as I had it, so we shared a laugh about my orderly suitcase packing technique.
Sheryl said he was aghast when she told him about my bags being pilfered last time. As a result, he was sympyathetic and very cooperative.
Seeing this process, I am still puzzled by the method in which the bags were pilfered. Today, before zipping the bag shut, the TSA guy put a "hand screened" note in the bag. There was no note last time -- just the external sticker. Today, he was going to re-seal the bag with a blue cable tie device. Sheryl put 2 of my bright colored cable ties on instead -- the same thing that last trip's thief did. Whoever pilfered the bag found the cable ties I had left in a zippered pocket and put them on, possibly in an effort to distract me or otherwise avoid suspicion. It would seem that the thief went through my bag after TSA, since the bag was stickered and did not have a TSA cable tie. But who and where and when?
Sheryl told me, in confidence, that Terminal 2 has a lot of problems with baggage theft. She did not suggest where this could occur, however, even though she often works in the same area where bags are collected from TSA and routed to the baggage trucks on their way to the cargo holds.
[Later] I am hoping this flight goes quickly and that I sleep most of it. After coming down with flu symptoms this morning, and fighting stomache cramps all day, I still don't fee quite right. My stomach still hurts, but I am no longer doubled over with stomach cramps. I still have a headache. It sure is fun traveling when you don't feel up to speed.
When I first went to London last month, I felt very disoriented the first day or two, but I am now wondering if it was due to my arrival in a new country -- or it was because of the time change. This trip will be some indication, since I already know my office, my workmates, and my neighborhood around the hotel. I won't have the same "lost" feeling I experienced on the first weekend.
Just after takeoff, at 9:08 PM, the chief flight attendant came on the PA to remind us to set our watches forward to 5:08 AM. Guess I'd better get some sleep.
