Tag Archive for: airport

What ‘really happens’ to your airport luggage

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Hello fellow citizens of the internet! Andrew here. Welcome to today’s edition of web_crawlr. 

Our top stories today are about: A viral video where a passenger put a camera on his airport luggage to see “what really happens” to it, how the FCC is set to officially begin its effort to reinstate net neutrality, two people going viral for showing off a completely mold-infested apartment, and an explainer of the Chad time thief meme. 

After that, we’ve got something exciting for you. We are introducing our new column “Deplatformed” by our Senior Politics and Tech Editor David Covucci that will search all corners of the internet to tell you the political discourse online.

See you tomorrow! 

— A.W. 

Today’s top stories

VIRAL
Passenger puts camera on luggage to see ‘what really happens once it’s checked in’

A creator tried to find out what really happens to luggage once it’s checked in at an airport. 

➤  READ MORE

INTERNET RIGHTS
FCC to officially begin effort to reinstate net neutrality

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is beginning the process of restoring net neutrality rules that were axed during former President Donald Trump administration.

➤  READ MORE 

WTF
‘When they forgot to mention the apartment comes with complimentary mold’: Creator shows herself touring mold-infested apartment

Two people in hazmat suits revealed a disgusting series of discoveries they made in a mold-infested apartment, leaving viewers with a ton of questions.

➤  READ MORE

MEMES
Chad time thief meme, explained

If you ever find yourself slacking or taking an extra long lunch break then there’s a meme for you.

➤  READ MORE 

We crawl the web so you don’t have to. Sign up to receive web_crawlr, a daily newsletter from the Daily Dot, in your inbox each day.

Deplatformed

By David Covucci
Senior Politics and Technology Editor



Sasha Al/Shutterstock

Moor Studio/Shutterstock

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Why do I have to take my laptop out of the bag at airport security?

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Estimated read time: 4-5
minutes

NEW YORK — Anyone who has traveled by air in the past 10 years will know how stressful airports can be.

You didn’t leave home as early as you should have. In the mad rush to get to your gate, the security screening seems to slow everything down. And to add insult to injury, you’re met with the finicky request: “Laptops out of bags, please.”

But what does your laptop have to do with security?

The day that changed air travel forever

Before 9/11, you could pass through security with a carry-on bag full of everything you might need for your vacation, including a knife with a four-inch blade.

After 9/11, screening processes around the world changed overnight. In the U.S., private security contractors being paid a minimum wage were swapped out for a federalized program with highly trained security personnel. Anything that could be considered a weapon was confiscated.

Around the world, travelers were suddenly required to remove their shoes, belts and outerwear, and take out their phones, laptops, liquids and anything else that could be used as part of an improvised explosive device.

This lasted for several years. Eventually, more advanced screening methods were developed to effectively identify certain threats. Today, some countries don’t require you to remove your shoes when passing through security.

So why must you still take your laptop out?

Airport scanners have come a long way

The machine your bags and devices pass through is an X-ray machine.

The main reason you have to remove your laptop from your bag is because its battery and other mechanical components are too dense for X-rays to penetrate effectively, especially if the scanning system is old. The same goes for power cords and other devices such as tablets and cameras.

With these items in your bag, security officials can’t use the screened image to determine whether a risk is present. They’ll have to flag the bag for a physical search, which slows everything down. It’s easier if all devices are removed in the first place.

A laptop inside a bag can also shield other items from view that may be dangerous. Scanning it separately…

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Woman throws computer monitors, scanners in outburst at airport ticket counter

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Things got turbulent — well before takeoff.

A woman was caught on cellphone video going ballistic at a Mexico City International Airport ticket counter Tuesday when a Volaris airline employee informed her there was an issue with her flight reservation.

“A passenger reacted violently when she was notified that she had to complete the purchase of her flight,” Volaris said in a statement to The Post on Thursday.

“Apparently the lady had tried to make the payment with several credit cards without success, causing our fraud prevention system to issue a security alert.”

María Guadalupe, 56, is being accused of damaging equipment as well as disturbing the peace for allegedly slamming four computer monitors and four handheld barcode scanners to the ground, the Daily Mail reports.


María Guadalupe was taken into police custody.
María Guadalupe was taken into police custody.
Twitter / @MiguelElBlacky

Woman goes berserk at Mexican airport ticket counter
Guadalupe is accused of destroying equipment at a ticket counter at the Mexico City International Airport.
Twitter / @MiguelElBlacky

Auxiliary Police agents placed Guadalupe in custody, according to Volaris, which noted “a reparation agreement was reached for the damages.”

The Post contacted representatives for the airport and the police for comment.

The situation apparently took off when Guadalupe allegedly asked a Volaris worker for a refund.

“If you don’t want to, don’t give me the money back. I don’t give a f—k. But that’s going to cost you,” the woman shouted in Spanish at an agent as she stood atop the airline’s baggage scale.

“Don’t give it to me. But you pay for that.”

The woman can be seen throwing computer monitors and barcode scanners to the ground.


María Guadalupe destroyed a ticket counter at Mexico City International Airport.
Cellphone footage captured the equipment damage.
Twitter / @MiguelElBlacky

In its statement, Volaris said its “ambassadors on site activated the corresponding security protocol with the support of the airport authority.”

The airline called the woman’s behavior “erratic and unfortunate.”

“For Volaris, the safety of its customers is of the utmost importance,” the airline’s statement read.

“For this reason, Volaris works closely with the authorities to permanently…

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Sask. international student alleges airport security negligence over ‘suspicious’ luggage

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Hugo Campos is still trying to get home to Ecuador weeks after a security incident at the Saskatoon airport caused him to miss his flight.


Campos is a computer science student at the University of Saskatchewan and has travelled many times with his computer tower, monitor and keyboard on planes. But a typical security screening for his oversize luggage on December 17 went wrong.


“I was pretty stressed. I’m prone to panic attacks and things related to that,” Campos said.


After his items were screened and cleared for the first time, the situation escalated when his luggage broke.


“The guy that was working there first treated my bag pretty roughly and the zipper got destroyed. I couldn’t close the bag anymore,” Campos told CTV News.


He says his brother-in-law’s parents quickly came and brought him a new suitcase. Campos says during this time a new security guard took over, wanting to screen his luggage again.


“This person barely looked at me. He didn’t want to talk to me at all and it took around 30 minutes that they were talking to each other and I asked them to hurry up because I had a flight to catch,” Campos said.


Campos says he overheard the officers calling his bag ‘suspicious’ and questioning his computer. He says he acted cooperatively, telling security officers he was willing to show them his items but they refused, telling him he wasn’t allowed to touch his bag.


“The worry started shifting from losing my flight to losing my bag because they wouldn’t really give me my bag back,” he said.


Eventually, the Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) was called to respond to a report of a “suspicious package” located in the traveller’s luggage.


SPS told CTV News by email “in the interest of public safety the immediate area was evacuated and under the lawful authority the man was detained pending further investigation.”


Police say following the examination of the package by both a police service dog and the SPS Explosive Disposal Unit, it was confirmed to be negative for explosives. Campos was released without charges shortly after.


“Such occurrences are highly sensitive and require a commitment of both…

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