Travel: Letters to the editor

Jane Engle missed an obvious and overwhelmingly important point in her story [“Are We There Yet?,” June 12].

Since Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists armed with bombs have twice attempted to board aircraft, with the intention of destroying the aircraft.

Both of them were successful in getting through the security inspection and on to the aircraft. They both attempted to detonate their bombs in flight. The only reason that they did not succeed was their own incompetence, combined with the intervention of passengers.

It follows that Transportation Security Administration inspection has, therefore, a 100% failure rate. Terrorist evasion of security detection has a 100% success rate.

The media have been careful to conceal this information so the public remains unaware, although it is easy to figure it out from published reports.

If the public were aware of this, it is probable that TSA incompetence would compel an overhaul of the security system, which is mismanaged today, to an actual security procedure that would safeguard the public. Right now, the security procedures achieve nothing and probably increase the risk rather than contain it.

Bryan G. Gaggs

Santa Barbara

I have no objection to full-body scanners, and until my last flight out of LAX, I was always patient and tolerant of the TSA’s screening.

A few weeks ago, however, I went through the full-body scanner and then was motioned to step aside. The next thing I knew a (female) TSA agent was rubbing my breasts, hard, in front of everyone.

I cannot understand why the pat-down was necessary. I thought the scanner was supposed to give the TSA the ability to see my body as though I were naked. So how could they not see that the only thing there was breasts?

I traveled in Nepal last year and was patted down at airports there, and I never minded because it was done privately and discreetly. At LAX, it felt worse than being groped because it was so public and because the agent used harder pressure than groping would have required. I have definitely become a passenger whose tolerance is wearing thin.

Sarah Hess

Long Beach

Hidden hotel fees in Vegas

I always enjoy reading the Travel section [Special Las Vegas Issue, June 5]. I was recently in Las Vegas. I had booked my room at the Palace Station at a rate of $39 a night. When I checked in, I was told there was a $16.75-a-night room utilization fee.

I forgot that this was a hotel and almost believed it was my bank or my airline charging fees to make extra revenue. These back-door fees are obnoxious and give the tourist a bad taste for Sin City. Roll back the fees, or at least inform the guests before they book a room. It almost smacks of false advertising.

James Mewes

Cathedral City, Calif.

Baggage dilemma solved

I think Catharine Hamm missed the obvious answer to the question about what to do with baggage, posed by someone who was traveling into Seattle on the train and flying out later with a long layover [“Put It Where?,” On the Spot, June 5]. The train station is near Pioneer Square, which has lots of things around it. You can check your luggage at the train station, then go have a nice lunch. When you’re ready, you can pick up your luggage and get to the airport. The cheapest way is by train, but it involves some walking. There also are shuttle vans that will pick you up at the train station and take you to the airport. The vans cost more, but the fare would be the same as you would have to pay from any hotel.

George Riggs

Walnut

Don’t fly to that destination

Regarding “Theft at the Airport” by Catharine Hamm [On the Spot, May 22]. There is a simple solution for theft at airports: Don’t go to airports. I haven’t been to an airport in 20 years, and I’m not missing a thing.

Jim Dwyer

Bisbee, Ariz.