I do a fair bit of flying due to my job. I always fly alone, and because I am a fit and fairly dark skinned man (and am sometimes mistaken for Middle Eastern descent, though I am not) I am usually paid extra special attention by the airport security. I suppose I fit a certain profile of someone who might be dangerous.
My carry on luggage is almost always opened and hand searched, I am usually patted down and subjected to a hand search of my pants, arms and shirt. I am usually asked to remove my belt, and since I have curly hair (where I suppose they think I could hide a machine gun) they often use a metal detector on my head.
As you can imagine I love going through airport security.
A couple of days ago I flew out wearing A314 and Instant Shine (it was actually my first time trying them in public). I did not set off the metal detector, and the security guard made a joking comment that she was glad that I hadnt set off the detector so she wouldnt have to get out the rubber gloves. She was joking and laughing, and touched me on the shoulder in a friendly way as she told me to go through.
On the way back home, I went though airport security. The screener was also unusually friendly. She checked my passport, read my name, and asked me what my nationality was (In a friendly way. When I told her I was of Italian origin, she made favorable comments about Italy etc). Then she asked me what I had in my carry on (I had some vitamin supplements that I had bought) and she made an odd comment that I would “live to be 200”. She was unusually cheery and friendly.
I then passed through some more screeners, and unusually was not subjected to any searches - no pat downs, no extra screening with the hand held metal detector and no one opened my carry on. It was the fastest trip through airport security I have ever had.
I can’t be certain of course, but I got the impression that the screeners were reacting more positively towards me because of the A314 and possibly the IS. I will have to test this again.
One thing that puzzled me though, and I would appreciate some comments on this, is that I thought the A314 was supposed to increase your “respect” factor. But the airport security guards were reacting to me in a more friendly way, rather than showing respect. In other words, it almost felt like they treated me as a buddy rather than someone with a higher social rank than them. Is that normal?![]()