Israeli airport adventures...
Well, I had been briefly detained and questioned on my way into the country, so I was kind of hoping that I could avoid any hassle on the way out.
So wrong. I was so wrong. I guess I fit a profile (non-Jewish 20-something American woman with dyed red hair traveling by herself with pretty extensive travel history including an Arab nation).
I was immediately sent off into a separate line (before I could even approach the check-in counter) and taken aside for questioning:
"What is the origin of your last name? What religion do you practice? What lagnuages do you speak?" and (this is weird) "I am sorry to ask such a personal question, but what is your job?" (It's nice to know that even though my religion and ethnicity are not personal, my job is.)
Then they put yellow stickers on all my bags and passport. Off the x-ray (still not at check-in counter). Go through x-ray and get sent off to another screening area.
I wait for about 15 minutes as they select other people to search, but don't take me. Finally, I am picked.
They take my passport and ask me more questions. More about my job, who I was seeing in Israel, my previous trips to the middle east, etc.
Then they start the search. Something is wrong with one of my bags. They won't tell me what. But they ask a lot of questions about it. Where/ when did I buy it, what do I usually use it for, who has used the bag, what is this tear here, etc?
They tell me I can't take the bag on the plane. They tell me I can't really take anything on the plane. I am allowed to bring my wallet and after some bargaining on my part, my tampons.
Everything else must go in the checked luggage (incuding cell phone). Which they then start to examine. They take the clips off and scan them separately, they go through my dirty underwear. They talk to each other in Hebrew a lot. (I imagine they are making fun of my socks, at least I hope that's what they are saying).
While they continue to go through my bags, I am taken aside by a lady (the men still have my ticket and passport). I go into a room and wait. And wait and wait. I ask what time it is. (They have begun boarding my plane)
Then I get searched. Metal detector, wand, pat down, shoes, belt, etc. I get through this just fine and no body cavity search is necessary. But they did check my chapstick a couple of times.
Then I am taken back to the area where my bags are. They are all re-packed. And I am handed a sealed box. "This is all the stuff we couldn't fit back in."
They had checked me into my flight (relief) and repacked my bags while I was away (not as much relief).
A man escorts me to the bag check area (kind of dangling my passport in front of me like a carrot), we drop of my bags (in two separate locations which makes me nervous).
Then the guy takes me directly to passport control. Do not stop at duty-free, do not go to the bathroom. (I was actually told this directly).
Anyway, that's most of the adventure. I get painlessly through passport control with my wallet and tampons and make my flight on time. Amazingly enough so did my luggage and the extra box.
Thankfully, I had left my leatherman at home . . .