Can a snow globe be a weapon of mass destruction? Airport security in the United States thinks so.
On my way back from a whirlwind trip to San Francisco, I did everything I could to ease my way through security with my carry-on baggage. My nail clipper had no sharp file on it, I had in my hand that ridiculous plastic bag filled with tiny portions of body creams and hair gel.
I was sure I was the model traveller until I was taken aside by the security officer.
“Do you have a snow globe in your bag?”
“Yes, and it’s a fantastic one for my best friend who’s been collecting them for years,” I said, stupidly voluble. “I walked all over the strip in Sausalito looking for the perfect one and finally found it. She’s going to be really happy with this one.”
“Sorry,” said the officer, “you can’t take a snow globe in carry-on luggage on an airplane.”
“What?” I said as respectfully as a I could. “Why?”
“Because it’s got liquid in it. Let’s have a look.”
She opened my suitcase and pulled out the bag and opened it to reveal an unopened box. She needed a knife to pry it open, then used it again to loosen the snow globe’s styrofoam covering, then attacked the plastic bag in which my tiny gift nestled.
“Mmm, I’ll call my supervisor,” whereupon the meanie supervisor shook her head, said, “No” and walked away.
For the record, the officer who originally busted me was perfectly polite and understanding as I begged her to reconsider and take into account my very important friendship. She shook her head. She did, however, say that I could take the snow globe home if I went back out to the Air Canada counter, check my bag and then go through security again.
That was not an option. I flew home on a day that a snowstorm was ravaging the American midwest and had, seeing the long line-up at the check-in of passengers who were having to be rerouted, congratulated myself on having checked in online the day before. And besides, I’d waited 45 minutes to go through security.
So I gave up my precious snow globe.
Of course, once out of earshot of the uniforms, I did vituperate at no end about how fucking ridiculous the whole thing was. Airport security should use sophisticated and not arbitrary methods to determine whether someone should be hassled. I could tell from the look on the officer’s face that she knew I was not a security threat. Customs officials have discretionary powers and so should airport security.
Or maybe it should be against regulations for passengers to open boxes on an airplane.
As it is, someone in that securiy office has a very dangerous snow globe to give to some San Francisco lover.
