Bare In The Air

There's a case to be made for it, in this era of security fears. If passengers and crew got naked when they stepped on a plane, we wouldn't ever have to worry about armed hijackers.

I don't seem to be alone in thinking about nude flights. A couple of episodes in the past two weeks have called new attention to nudity on planes — and, in my opinion, the possible benefits of being bare in the air.

Despite continued warnings to passengers, TSA screeners say travelers continue to bring banned items in their carry-on luggage. Knives, guns, and other weapons are found and confiscated daily.

Fines issued for knives and other sharp objects range from $250 to $1,500. Fines issued for firearms discovered in carry-on luggage range from $1,500 to $7,500.

The TSA web site also indicates firearms violations will be referred for potential criminal prosecution. The same site does not propose the same criminal referral for knives like the one Cecilia Beaman was carrying.

"This is not the way my country should be treating me," she said. My concern is that if that's the way they're treating American citizens I would hate to think how they're treating other people. It's crazy."

The TSA reminds travelers that is has the authority to impose civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation.