11-14-2001, 09:56 PM
I just traveled to Hong Kong from L.A. I took United to Hong Kong, via San Francisco. There were bars on the door to the cockpit; I flew Cathay Pacific back direct to L.A.; no bars. On both flights, the crew and pilots were, to my mind, quite casual about entering and exiting from the cockpit to visit the bathroom and take out their meal trays.
Also, on Cathay, the bathrooms (this is upstairs on a 747) are at the back of the cabin, away from the cockpit. On United (also a 747), the bathrooms are up front by the cockpit, which I think is bad. People are hanging around there, waiting for them to become unoccupied.
Plastic knives (but metal forks) on both airlines. My shaving cream was inspected in Hong Kong: I was asked to take it out and the inspector walked to a confined area, opened it up, pointing it away from him, smelled it, and then returned it to me.
I have a very big watch and was wearing a belt with a big metal buckle, keeper, and tip (western style) and walked through the metal detector without it going off in both L.A. and Hong Kong. Also, I had a nail clippers and my razor from L.A. to Hong Kong and was not stopped from bringing them on board. In Hong Kong, I was asked if I had such items and, since I was not checking any luggage, I had to throw them away rather than take them on the plane.
In L.A. I was asked to bring my carry-on suitcase to a table, where a powder was applied to the zippers, and then after a few seconds, I was told all was OK. Anyone know what this is?
Lots more visible police than before in both places, especially in Hong Kong.
Also, on Cathay, the bathrooms (this is upstairs on a 747) are at the back of the cabin, away from the cockpit. On United (also a 747), the bathrooms are up front by the cockpit, which I think is bad. People are hanging around there, waiting for them to become unoccupied.
Plastic knives (but metal forks) on both airlines. My shaving cream was inspected in Hong Kong: I was asked to take it out and the inspector walked to a confined area, opened it up, pointing it away from him, smelled it, and then returned it to me.
I have a very big watch and was wearing a belt with a big metal buckle, keeper, and tip (western style) and walked through the metal detector without it going off in both L.A. and Hong Kong. Also, I had a nail clippers and my razor from L.A. to Hong Kong and was not stopped from bringing them on board. In Hong Kong, I was asked if I had such items and, since I was not checking any luggage, I had to throw them away rather than take them on the plane.
In L.A. I was asked to bring my carry-on suitcase to a table, where a powder was applied to the zippers, and then after a few seconds, I was told all was OK. Anyone know what this is?
Lots more visible police than before in both places, especially in Hong Kong.