Be careful what you pack

I read a news item earlier today telling of an Olympian’s mother’s suitcase being blown up by NCL cruises. Quite amusing when you read it but I can imagine the lady in question was not laughing having left the suitcase in the safe hands of security whilst heading off to see her Daughter compete.

Apparently a mobile phone was left inside the case which set off a security sensor, even though the phone was removed from the case they still decided to blow the suitcase up.

Cindi explained what had happened: “The handle was nowhere. It was completely blown up. There was some clothing. They use some sort of wet bomb, I think, because everything was wet. Some of the clothes were salvageable, but some were melted. Some had holes. My American flag was melted. And all the toiletries with caps had their caps blown off.”

On reading this article it took me back nearly 20 years when I worked overseas for Virgin Holidays. Whilst boarding my flight leaving Lanzarote at the end of a busy season, I was asked by security to follow them into a room as they had found an illegal item inside my suitcase. 

Heading home with a few of my fellow colleagues we all thought this was a wind up as we had worked alongside the security team at Arrecife airport for the last nine months and thought someone’s got to be pulling my leg.

Once led into the room the guard asked me to open my case to display my worldly goods inside. As we got to the bottom of my bag I pulled out my Rancho Texas cowboy hat along with my holster and fake Cowboy gun which I’d obviously just thrown in last minute having given myself an hour to pack after partying on our last night.

To say I was mortified was an understatement. I’d told guests for the past 9 months to ensure if they buy any toy guns from the popular Western themed excursion show to declare them on check-in or that many of them would not be allowed on board the flight. There was me bold as brass trying to sneak through my revolver.

How times have changed over the last 20 years, just look at the list of items you’re not allowed to travel with now!!!