About a year and a half before 9-11 I was leading a climb of Aconcagua in Argentina. As part of our equipment I had a 300' length of Spectra line in my carry-on baggage to use as a handline for the last ways up on the route we were taking. It was about the diameter of a boot lace, maybe a bit larger. Not much.

The security guard had me turning on radios, understandable, explaining my heart rate monitor, and then found the line. It was on top. She told me I'd have to check it. I asked why, she replied it was because she said to. I asked where it said "no line", and she said she was the one making the decisions. I asked for a supervisor.

When the supervisor came over they jabbered rapidly in a language I couldn't understand. ( I think it was a dialect of English. I would bet they didn't have four years of high school between them, counting vocational studies and alternative education.) The supervisor didn't even look at me, turned away, and the guard told me I'd have to check it.

Went back to the ticket counter, where KLM didn't want it. Refused to check it, told me to put it in my carry-on.

Finally they held the plane, took the line, gave me a ticket, and off I went.

I could understand why one of the Kennedys was accused later of having some foul words for a security guard at LAX.

Arf