Quote:I work with a guy who is a retired Marine with 24 years of service.  While in the Marines he pulled embassy duty in 3 different countries, one of them as the highest ranking Marine in country.  He's had higher security clearances and access greater than most politicians.  Yet he was on the no-fly list because of some fluke. He was guilty until proven innocent. 

Connecting flights in the wrong country can screw you over and get you on a "strip search" list for years afterwards, even if you never leave the airport terminal. It's not the no-fly list, but it might as well be. You go through the same security as everyone else, then you're pulled aside and taken to a back room with your belongings where every part of you--and I mean every part of you--is touched with an open palm and your belongings are taken out, dumped on a table and searched through piece-by-piece, including insistence that you unlock your cell phone for the screener to see what's on there.

 

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I found my way onto that list once. Apparently flying one-way on different airlines makes you a terrorist. Because, you know, if I was going to fly a plane into something, I'd totally buy a one-way ticket at the last second with cash just to make sure my reservation stood out.

---