Security?

Does increased security at airports make us safer? Maybe, maybe not. But they sure do make you feel violated. Let me give you an example.

I started unpacking my suitcase when I got home, and immediately when I opened the bag, I felt that something was amiss. I'm not the neatest packer in the world but my belongings were in total disarray which is bad even for my standards. Also, a bottle of my hair spray had leaked EVERYWHERE despite the fact that I put it in a plastic bag before I left. I looked and the cap was on very loosely. It ruined one of my books, and several other books that I had packed were bent. At first I just assumed things must have REALLY gotten roughed up in the flight.

Then a piece of paper [also soaked in hair spray] fell out of some of the clothes I had taken out of my bag:

NOTICE OF BAGGAGE INSPECTION

"To protect you and your fellow passengers, the TSA is required by law to inspect all checked baggage. As part of this process, some bags are opened and physically inspected. Your bag was among those selected for physical inspection.

During the inspection, your bag and its contents may have been searched for prohibited items. At the completion of the inspection, the contents were returned to your bag.

If the TSA security officer was unable to open your bag for inspection because it was locked, the officer may have been forced to break the locks on your bag. TSA sincerely regrets having to do this, however TSA is not liable for damage to your locks resulting from this necessary security precaution."

Oh really? Now, I must admit, it is POSSIBLE that somehow I didn't tighten the cap on my hair spray and that my belongings were all bent because they shifted during flight. But I flew to Buffalo with that same bottle of hair spray and nothing spilled, and I don't see why I would unscrew the cap for any reason.

Regardless of who or what caused my suitcase to smell like a hair salon, I do feel violated. It's creepy knowing that some stranger rifled through my personal items in my luggage, like some of my financial records from doing my taxes. I had no idea they were searching bags, and I don't fully trust some random TSA agent to go through my things and a) not take anything or b) notice anything fell out.

Apparently others feel the same but lodging a complaint is probably futile.