I thought writing about San Diego Comic Con being censorial assholes would be the strangest story we’d write about Comic Con this year, but leave it to airline security to come up with an even more bizarre story. Apparently United Airlines (because of course it would be United) put up a sign at the airport in San Diego telling people that all books needed to be removed from checked bags. A Twitter user named Adi Chappo tweeted a picture of the sign at the airport:
United, being United, responded that the TSA was demanding that all comic books from San Diego Comic Con could only go in carry on luggage.
Chappo asked for more detail and United told him to reach out to the TSA directly.
This wasn’t just a one-off either. Another Twitter user posted a Twitter direct message conversation with United, in which it claimed that there was a TSA restriction on any comic books in checked luggage:
Ahaha holy shit the airport is going to be a clusterfuck. #SDCC cc @SD_Comic_Con pic.twitter.com/WIYqSpzlaA
— Amy has been reliably informed it's February now (@spooloflies) July 23, 2017
So that’s all bizarre enough. I mean, there has been talk about restricting electronics on flights, as well as some talk of sifting through reading materials, but comic books? From San Diego Comic Con? Many people were left wondering what the hell the TSA could be thinking… and that included the TSA. When asked about all of this by reporters, the TSA appeared to be just as confused as everyone else and insisted there was no such restriction:
There is “no restriction on anything related to putting comics or any type of books” in baggage, and TSA never put out any guidance to that effect, she said.
“In fact, they are allowed in both checked and carry-on baggage,” the spokeswoman told Consumerist, adding that there were no delays in the processing of checked bags out of San Diego yesterday.
So, there was either some sort of bizarre miscommunication between the TSA and United, or it was just United being United. Either way when it comes down to a dispute between the TSA and United, it’s difficult to bet on which organization is likely to act worse.
This could have much to do with sales and revenue made while at what’s being brought to sell.
Several years back at a London tattoo convention, artists arriving to work were asked if they were visiting with their equipment to work the convention. If so, they were asked for work visas and if they had them they could enter through customs. If they didn’t have a visa, they could relinquish their equipment and enter or board the next outbound flight.
This is about mammon and their piece of the action, as well as more control.
“… but comic books? From San Diego Comic Con? Many people were left wondering what the hell the TSA could be thinking… and that included the TSA.”
I know what SOMEBODY/(s) involved was/were thinking.
Some of those comic books go for thousands.