Why carry on.... luggage?

I was very lucky that my last flight was just before the new "carry-on luggage regulations." These new rules are making it very difficult for many travelers.

Until those new rules were instated, some airlines even encouraged packing light and taking it all in the cabin. When I went to New York for the weekend to attend a wedding in March, I only took one small, carry-on bag. So I was very happy to see a special "express" line for check-in. This was at El Al, Ben Gurion Airport, Israel.

My packing system is to have my "most important clothes," a few changes of underwear and special gifts or large valuables in the carry-on, which is put in the high storage space by gracious helpers, since I don't have the height and strength to attempt it. I don't touch the bag until after landing. Strapped to my body in various other bags, belts and pouches are my money, documents, crocheting, a book to read, toothbrush, toothpaste and other valuables. The big problem is putting down the food tray, since there's so much bulk on me, I look like I'm pregnant with triplets.

So, in terms of my flying needs, I could handle flying without carry-ons. The big problem is the paranoid syndrome, aka Murphy's Law, which states:

The more valuable and irreplaceable something is or needed soon after landing, the better the chance that the luggage it's in will disappear.

I was taught that by some very wise neighbors, whose experience when they flew in for a son's wedding scarred us all for life. Yes, you guessed it. The "just perfect" dress she had gotten for the wedding flew someplace else and missed the festivities.

So, what security system and luggage regulations do I recommend? It's hard to say. Maybe more dogs for sniffing, but there could never be enough. Will we have to unpack our bags in public again? I hope not.

The truth is that unfortunately, the terrorists will just look for new methods, and we'll be inconvenienced for nothing.