MONDAY, JULY 08, 2024
Sandhya Vasudev
The idea of travel is enough to pump up the adrenaline in many. A few are content being armchair travellers, reading about exotic and unknown destinations, or subscribing to a travel channel wherein a good job is done by enthusiastic travel freaks under excellent direction and choreography. Whereas most are domestic travellers, a few are lucky enough to be regular international travellers.
The purpose may be business, academic, domestic or for entertainment and sightseeing. International travel has become more prevalent in India since the past couple of decades, thanks to migration of students and subsequent opportunities for the parents to visit their wards. But travel across the border requires a certain amount of patience and a minimum level of understanding of rules and practices.
It is not easy like domestic travel where one hops onto a bus or train with an e-ticket to display. Domestic travel itself entails screening of luggage and person. This translates to a next level during international flights, with enhanced stringency, and immigration check included. At certain airports, every passenger or luggage is viewed with suspicion, especially the suitcase that goes with one into the cabin. It is indeed a conundrum that the same cabin luggage is viewed differently by security personnel of different airports on the same journey.
Once I had a bizarre experience when the security officer at a well known international airport (name withheld on purpose) viewed my 200 ml water bottle and demanded that it be handed over and then examined it top to bottom as if it were a detonator. When I replied that I could drink up the water, as I was thirsty standing in the long queue, he replied curtly that I couldn’t and threw it away with suspicion written all over his face.
Then an officer at another such incident at a different airport allowed me to drink it and also keep the convenient small bottle with me.
The security screening entails inconveniences like locating trays and placing personal items like watch, belt, shawl, wallet, and of course the electronic gadgets. Finally the luggage, suitcase or backpack, itself is to be lifted and placed inside the tray.
On a recent journey, the husband totally forgot to do this and after crossing over with personal security done, stood waiting for the backpack which never came. Anxiety overtook him and infected me and we concluded that it had been withheld for questioning. But that didn’t happen and it was then that my husband exclaimed that he had forgotten to place the backpack onto the tray for screening. Off he went to the other side offering explanation to each officer, did the needful, but had to undergo personal screening once again, as rule was a rule, notwithstanding that he had crossed back into that zone. Finally the innocent backpack arrived after passing the screening.
At another instance pricey ornamental hair bands in the cabin suitcase caused room for questioning and I stated that we were from India as a way of lending integrity. Short of wearing the hair bands, the squat officer examined them minutely before appearing satisfied. As mentioned, international travel is not everyone’s cup of tea as it entails long queues, screening and flight weariness. Upon landing, leaving the portals of the airport, again after more formalities, is indeed cheering.
