Kansas Snapshots by Gloria Freeland - October 16, 2026

Part of the adventure

Husband Art and I have done a fair amount of international traveling in our 38 years together. But variations in airport configurations occasionally leave us flummoxed. When combined with security requirements that are updated as often as my laptop's software, the whole experience can be a bit taxing.

Security changes have come about largely because of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Before that, immigration agents were primarily checking to make sure people had the proper documents to enter a country. One pre-9/11 year while our girls were in their Super-Hero phase, they had no problem bringing two impressive swords on board. Now, a scissors for cutting cross-stitch thread might be banned as a weapon.

Technological advances also play a part. Cell phones, laptops, Smart watches, power packs, and other electronic devices usually have lithium-ion batteries, which can start fires. So passengers have to carry those gadgets with them, rather than packing them in their checked bags.

On our most recent trip to Wales, we planned a two-week time slot in the middle to visit friends and see a few new sights near Metz, France. Art's cousin Kris accompanied us on that trip, which began with a flight from Manchester, England to Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.

Terminal 2 in Manchester's airport recently received a much-needed update. Before, it seemed somewhat grimy and crowded, but now it's clean and spacious.

Kris's recent knee surgery meant she would need a wheelchair to get from the check-in counter to our gate. No problem! We went to the area designated for those who need special assistance, showed Kris's boarding pass and passport, and a wheelchair was immediately provided. We decided we could wheel Kris as well as an airport worker could, so off we went to the security line designated for families with young children and those with limited mobility. Easy-peasy!

We were almost at the front of the line when Art suddenly asked, "Where's my passport?" I didn't remember him giving it to me, but I searched my computer case, small backpack, and jeans pockets. "I don’t have it," I responded. He, by then, had searched his computer case and shorts and shirt pockets. No passport!

I walked back to where we had first entered the security area and asked the young woman whether it might be there. Nothing!

Art immediately announced he was going to look for it. In the meantime, I gestured to those behind us that they should go ahead of Kris and me and I told the man directing security "traffic" that my husband had left his passport someplace. He immediately got on his walkie-talkie. It had been found and was being brought to the security area.

Before long, Art appeared, grinning. "My passport will be brought here," he said. "I know," I responded, feeling a huge sense of relief. In making arrangements for the wheelchair, he had set it on the counter and neglected to pick it up before he walked away. A man there had turned it in.

Our next hurdle was to take off our belts and jackets and put them, our carry-on bags, and computers into plastic bins and then onto a moving belt for inspection. This was followed by walking through the body scanner. Kris got out of the wheelchair, which was inspected separately, and then sat back down in it after walking through the scanner.

Art followed. The security people asked him to remove his suspenders. "I just want to let you know that my pants might fall off," he said. It didn't phase them, so he did as he was told.

They did!

The next time I saw him, his pants were around his ankles. I and the young couple behind me started giggling uncontrollably. "Just think about the stories you can tell people about your experiences flying!" I said to them. They shook their heads and kept laughing. Art, who has little sense of personal privacy, was amused by the fact everyone else was so amused.

Our flight on a twin-prop plane from Manchester to Luxembourg went well. The LuxAir flight included fresh sub sandwiches and drinks - a luxurious repast compared to the food we normally get on economy flights with U.S. carriers.

Our landing in Luxembourg presented a new set of challenges. We're familiar with the various biometric measures, such as facial and fingerprint recognition, that have been used for several years to identify passengers as they go through immigration and passport control, but each is a bit different. This airport had a system that included scanning our passports, our faces, and our fingerprints, and completing a short survey with questions about the purpose of our trip, where and how long we would stay, etc. After he had completed the survey, Art commented to the staff member, "Well, that was fun!" The man looked slightly bemused and remarked he'd never heard anyone say that before.

That part was a piece of cake. But when I got up to the actual border control agent, I couldn't, for the life of me, hear what he was asking from inside his booth. Having watched what Art had done, Kris said, "Turn around and look at the camera." "What camera?" I responded.

I finally figured out that I needed to step back from the agent, turn to my right, position myself in front of a vertical column, and stand still for a few seconds.

After picking up our checked bag and getting our rental car, we began our two weeks that seemed to fly by.

Then it was time to reverse the whole process and return to Manchester.

Not understanding the security official in Luxembourg, Kris explained she only spoke English.

So was he! Today, the whole world speaks some version of English, but there is no guarantee it is our version.

But it's all just part of the adventure. If we wanted everything just as it was at home, we’d stay home!