Extra Precaution

Attached is photo of my regular computer backpack and a white box that I got from Israeli custom. Now free guess. What is in the white box?

I was told of the tedious security check at the Israeli airport, so I went there early to make sure I had plenty of time. The airport was not busy at all, but not well marked. I knew there would be people checking my luggage all over, however, standing there, I was not sure where to start. I hope they could provide a 123 guide. Step 1, wait in the line here, step 2, open you luggage, step 3, blah blah blah.

I decided to ask for help.

The lady was very nice. Instead of pointing the direction I should go, she took me in person to where I should start. However, either it was still not marked very well or she did not really know the airport well herself, I followed her direction, and found myself cutting in another line. I was quite embarrassed. Fortunately, it was a very short line, so someone could take me very quickly.

This is the best VIP experience I have ever had. 5 people waited on me. One opened up backpack, one checked my luggage, one worked on my computer, and while she could not figure out my computer, she called another coworker, and then they called the third person, obviously their manager, for help. My computer is a Dell Latitude XT. This computer has a hinge attached to the screen, so I could flip the screen 180 degrees, and put it back down, with the screen facing outside, and use it as a tablet PC. Obviously they have a major concern on the hinge structure. I just stood there, seeing the manager talking and pointing at the screen (obviously x-ray photo) and the hinge part of my computer, back and forth. I refrained from the desire to come up and show my expertise as a mechanical engineer, professional and proud, to explain the mechanical structure. They are cute girls, but look so serious and soldiers like. It’s a good idea to keep my mouth shut.

And they did check all the details. Everything in the backpack was put on the table. Some of my clothes were put on the counter. They use some kind of cotton to wipe the outside and inside of the whole thing. Then I was asked to go through the metal door for personal security checkup. This is the time when I remember, never leave my luggage un-attended. I was not very comfortable at this point when even my passport was out of my sight.

When I went back, they asked me to turn on the computer, and run a program. I guess they just want to make sure this is a working computer, not something they will worry about. And then a lady told me that for security purpose, I am not allowed to put both my laptop computer and the adaptor in the carry-on luggage. I normally do that, just in case if for some reason, the luggage is lost or delayed, I still have my computer to conduct business. So this lady took out a big white box, put some packaging material in, and threw my adaptor in. I was then asked to sign my name on the box, nice and big, and this box became my second check-in luggage.

Well, it turns out, though I thought it’s ridiculous to put just one tiny adaptor in this large box, however, when I came back to Taipei and waited at the carousel, this box is still small compared with other luggage, but quite visible.

The whole checkup at the airport is very tedious and messy. However, the coworker I traveled with lost his computer. He was not allowed to carry on his laptop even. His adaptor was put in one such white box, and computer in another. And at the Taipei airport, neither of the boxes showed up. He did not get any receipts for the boxes, so now the airlines cannot do any tracking at all. And, this is not the first laptop lost at the Israeli airport from our office.