On Monday, while driving my daughter to the airport, we encountered a police blockage, checking the approaching cars. We were allowed to pass, but several were pulled over. Then, while my daughter waited in line for the preliminary security for check in, I decided to take a photo of my lovely daughter. The "security" person from Delta almost jumped on me, and demanded I delete the photo. We were stunned and my daughter almost started to laugh, which ignited the situation further. We dismissed this incident as a sign of the times.

Then, while she went through the second security, past passport control, she was forced to leave her belonging and go for a thorough check. She was not happy to leave her purse, but was not allowed to touch it. Apparently, this attitude continued throughout her trip....

Did we miss something on Monday? Was there a bomb threat or something? Gosh, we felt pretty strange to be singled out. Any idea what was happening?

Can't help you about the 14th, but there are times (and places) where the security people - this is especially for U.S. airlines - decide that they will do random checks. Meaning they pick out every 5th or 10th person in line and thoroughly examine them, including grandmothers, small children, and others who would seem to pose no threat to anyone... At least that's what I've seen and experienced at Frankfurt [for one flight to the U.S., I had to go through five security checks] and my only explanation is that what the security are trying to do is send a message that says: don't even *think* about trying anything funny. Or for that matter, make fun of us...

J.

Susan, I have a feeling it is just a sign of the times. Someone, somewhere, heard/saw/was told about a potential (possibly improbable) threat, and the extra security was called in.

Being a blonde with blue eyes, I know I fit certain stereotypes, thus am used to the extra security. In particular, I enjoyed having a valve amp I was carrying on being taken apart by an airport security guard at London City. He was very nice, very apologetic, but made me take apart nearly the entire thing. My husband also freaked out them - over an inhaler.

These are the times we live in. In the past few times flying in and out of Zurich, I've seen little to no security to guys with giant Heckler and Koch weapons to multiple security stops. I think it depends on the day and might be just a grabbing of straws.

I think this was a combination of events.

The police do occasionally stop all vehicles and poke their noses inside. We've been stopped before, and they've let us pass after they've looked in the back seat (and at the tires?) Sometimes they are are looking for somebody... who knows.

The checkin security check seems to depend which airline you fly on, and the destination. Last month we flew AA to New York. It was a code share with El Al, and hence their security screening is much more thorough than for other airlines/destinations. Your daughter was flying Delta, presumably to the States - I assume the screening was similar.

The person/ cabin baggage screening has tightened up a lot of late. Once upon a time, if the scanner beeped, they used to simply run the little metal detector wand over you. Now they take every 'beepee' aside and check them in a little cubicle.

I Flew back Monday night landed about 22:00 no sign of the rozzers or anything untoward. And i marched up and down the whole of the airport looking for an exit to the bike sheds
Then i promptly cycled up the exit to a highway. Oops.

It seems they do these checks once in a while. Last two times I was at the airport they weren't around but I've seen them before. I don't know if they act on some information they get about alleged threats or if it's totally random.

You could probably avoid part of the security theater by flying on non-US (i.e. less paranoid) airlines.

Ive had to go for a thorough check a few times, so I dont think that was anything unusual.

A few things were going on on monday. Max Göldi arrived back in switzerland (although that happened in the early hours I think HERE
and they caught someone with a few kilos of cocain HERE

I was there on wednesday lunchtime and it was a lot busier than usual.

Don't take photos in airports. While I feel most of the "security theatre" is exactly that and roll my eyes when I have to take off my belt, when I see people taking photos my skin crawls. Strategically, photos of airports and planes are exactly what terrorists need to plan an attack.