Yesterday I flew home from Mexico City. As always, Alejandro drove me to the airport. I didn't have to check any luggage (all I had were my carry-on and my backpack) and my boarding passes had already been printed. I did not have to wait in line at the United desk for check-in. My flight was scheduled to begin boarding at 7:00 AM. We had breakfast at the airport, and at 6:30 we said goodbye, and I headed through the security checkpoint.
I went through the normal routine... took my laptop out of my backpack, took off my belt, emptied all my pockets. At least in Mexico City, you do not have to take off your shoes. After my carry-on went through the x-ray, the security guy asked me to open it. I hoped that I wouldn't have to unwrap any of the fragile handicrafts that were thoroughly encased in bubble wrap. However, it was the bars of soap that had triggered his suspicions. I had packed at least a dozen bars of artesanal soaps that I had bought in various places as gifts for friends back home. I have brought home soaps numerous times from Mexico without any trouble. But the guy told me that soaps were not permitted in carry-ons, and another security officer was called to confirm that. "But they are not liquids," I argued, but they were adamant.
I was allowed to leave the security area and give the soaps to Alejandro. He was still just outside the checkpoint watching the problems that I was having. So I put myself back together and repacked the laptop... went out to give Alejandro the soaps... and then went through security once again. After all this hassle, by the time I reached my gate, the flight was already boarding.
The plane landed in Houston, and there immigration and customs were a breeze. When I went through security, there were not many people. I asked the TSA officer about the soaps. She said that she had never heard of such a thing before, and that people frequently have bar soap in their carry-ons. After I arrived home, I talked to Alejandro on the phone. He said that he asked a policeman about the soap and was told that it was a new rule at Mexican airports that had just gone into effect a couple weeks ago.
So, I guess that unless I am checking luggage, there will be no more gifts of soap when I return from Mexico!
Maybe next time you go, you can teach Ezra to carve soap/ I remember carving an Ivory soap cat in art class in elementary school. All the Velasquez men will smell so good after using all your gifts. What a strange rule, but apparently some nefarious soap smugglers are responsible. Welcome home!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should give one to the security guard but the next time, already carved you can take them as crafts or better yet send them with your other crafts.
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