Infinite Justice

Flew back to LA early Monday morning via Jet Blue. Gotta love them - after 5 flights, I have already earned a free pair of tickets. Plus I got to watch 'Battlestar Galactica' on my way home Friday night. Fortunately we had to wait a bit for a gate, so I got to see how it ended.

I know how much it hurts to have the airlines lose your luggage when you're on the road. The fear of this happening leads people to try and bring everything with them onto the plane.

I see the logic of this thinking, but I think it is time we agree on some reasonable limits. A small roll-away suitcase overhead and a purse or knapsack beneath the seat? Go for it. A family of four, with a baby, each of them with 3 bags? Push them off the jetbridge.

Like Monday morning, getting thru security at JFK. Mother with 3 young kids, probably ages 8, 10, and 12. It wasn't enough for each kid to have a small bag with them, but for the mother to have what appeared to be all of her luggage? And a tennis racket? And a tennis racket for her daughter? And two lacrosse sticks for the boys? Come on, when my antecedents walked out of Egypt, after hundreds of years of bondage and headed for a new home, never looking back, they had less hand luggage.

Clearly the TSA folks at security heard my thoughts. (Echelon?) The woman put up a little fuss, holding up the line, before gathering her larvae and schlepping all the way back to the check-in counters.

Justice!