Author Topic: Ink on SDCC programs caused flight checked baggage issues on Southwest  (Read 3109 times)

Offline marcia29

  • Supporter
  • Pre-Registration
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2012
  • Posts: 2474
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 1292
As we were checking into our flights on Southwest, I noticed a sign on the counter:

"To expedite the check in process, please keep your event programs with your carry-on items.  Thank you!"


Huh? I asked the desk assistant what that meant and at first he had no idea.  Then he checked and said that the ink on the program books was setting off the alarms and could cause delays when bags were checked, or even get them pulled.   What?! Of course I had checked all my program guides, and wondered if I needed to dig in and get them out. I asked if anyone had gotten stopped that he had seen and, so far he hadn't, so I took the chance.  Well....my sister's luggage ended up getting pulled and searched (they left the little 'love note' in her bag).  And she got pulled for extra attention.  I have also seen notices that other folk had issues.

It would have been nice to know about this before coming to the airport, so I am posting here for possible future use.  I also wonder if this happened on other airlines.

Weirdness.

It is 2024, and I am still asking...where's my flyin' car??!! @fannishmarcia

Offline Transmute Jun

  • Stan Lee's Hospitality Suite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Mar 2012
  • Posts: 23719
  • Karma: 5
  • Queen of the Bird Missiles
  • Liked: 9714
That is so weird! I wonder what it was in the guides that caused this?

Friends of Comic Cons

  • Guest

Offline marcia29

  • Supporter
  • Pre-Registration
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2012
  • Posts: 2474
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 1292
Here is a pic of the actual sign at the Southwest check in counter.  Each counter had a sign like this.

It is 2024, and I am still asking...where's my flyin' car??!! @fannishmarcia

Offline TardisMom

  • Supporter
  • Volunteer HQ
  • ******
  • Join Date: Aug 2012
  • Posts: 3346
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 1845
Super weird!  I wonder what's in the ink?

Offline SteveD

  • Administrator
  • Volunteer HQ
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2014
  • Posts: 2541
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 1680
Same type of issue last year with United Airlines, but not about the ink...
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Offline mark

  • Volunteer HQ
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2015
  • Posts: 3917
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 2023
When did you fly out? We left on Monday and didn't notice any signs.

Offline marcia29

  • Supporter
  • Pre-Registration
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2012
  • Posts: 2474
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 1292
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
When did you fly out? We left on Monday and didn't notice any signs.

We left on Monday, too--- at about 11:30am, we were at the counters.  That is odd.  I looked up and down, and every Southwest counter had a desk sign at the inside check in desks.  I don't know about the outside ones, though. I almost didn't notice it.  Our check in was taking some extra time, so I began to look around.  I might not even have noticed it otherwise. :-X
It is 2024, and I am still asking...where's my flyin' car??!! @fannishmarcia

Offline marcia29

  • Supporter
  • Pre-Registration
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2012
  • Posts: 2474
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 1292
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
Same type of issue last year with United Airlines, but not about the ink...
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Well that was an interesting article...again, weird.
It is 2024, and I am still asking...where's my flyin' car??!! @fannishmarcia

Offline mark

  • Volunteer HQ
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2015
  • Posts: 3917
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 2023
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
We left on Monday, too--- at about 11:30am, we were at the counters.  That is odd.  I looked up and down, and every Southwest counter had a desk sign at the inside check in desks.  I don't know about the outside ones, though. I almost didn't notice it.  Our check in was taking some extra time, so I began to look around.  I might not even have noticed it otherwise. :-X

We were there pretty much exactly the same time :) But I didn't notice the signs I guess. We used the self-service kiosks and it was pretty chaotic.

Offline marcia29

  • Supporter
  • Pre-Registration
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2012
  • Posts: 2474
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 1292
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
We were there pretty much exactly the same time :) But I didn't notice the signs I guess. We used the self-service kiosks and it was pretty chaotic.

[member=4270]mark[/member] - For me, that makes it more strange.  Why didn't the Southwest folk point it out?  I probably would rather have taken them out than have my things rifled-through.  Oh well, I have posted this to the official CCI FB page too.
It is 2024, and I am still asking...where's my flyin' car??!! @fannishmarcia

Offline Transmute Jun

  • Stan Lee's Hospitality Suite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Mar 2012
  • Posts: 23719
  • Karma: 5
  • Queen of the Bird Missiles
  • Liked: 9714
Maybe the density of the books causes problems with the scanning?

Offline chocolateshake

  • Volunteer HQ
  • ******
  • Join Date: Dec 2016
  • Posts: 3270
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 1497
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
Maybe the density of the books causes problems with the scanning?

I was thinking it had something to do with the ink they use but the density of the books makes a lot of sense.

Offline DaveG

  • Pre-Registration
  • ******
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 2170
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 572
That's really strange.  I flew Southwest, but used self-service and never saw the signs.  Guides were in my luggage, but looks like everything made it through ok.  Odd.

Offline marcia29

  • Supporter
  • Pre-Registration
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2012
  • Posts: 2474
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 1292
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
I was thinking it had something to do with the ink they use but the density of the books makes a lot of sense.

Density makes sense, but...hey...don't other people fly with thick books?

The counter person told me it was the ink.  Ah...but what about the ink? I am intrigued.
It is 2024, and I am still asking...where's my flyin' car??!! @fannishmarcia

Offline SteveD

  • Administrator
  • Volunteer HQ
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2014
  • Posts: 2541
  • Karma: 0
  • Liked: 1680
My guess it is the density also, but to be safe, I'm going out to buy a larger carry on bag today for my trip home tomorrow.