Friday, August 25, 2006
Blobspot
At Luton Airport last week, before going through the hand luggage check, I verified my bag was the right size and took out all cosmetics (since when has a terrorist overcome a cabin crew with a powder compact?). No one said anything about feminine hygiene products. I had just bought a new box of tampons in the airport shop for the flight (costing £3.50). This showed up on the x-ray. The officer was suspicious:
"What are these?"
I explained.
"You are not allowed medicine apart from .."(points to laminated list).
"It's not medicine".
"What is it for then?"
I began to explain but was stopped ..
"Why did you buy them before the hand luggage check? You can get them the other side."
How the ... was I supposed to know there is shop the other side or that I couldn't take them through?
"Well I'm going to have to take them away. You can get them back if you apply in writing"
So 2 minutes later I was buying another box in the shop "the other side" (this time £1.80 - bargain).
Has Luton airport become a gun state full of anti-tampon staff on a power trip?
P.S. I later found a lip balm (on the banned list) in the bottom of the bag that I forgot to take out. Bless.
