Dr. Abdulla Alkhayat
During one of my family trips, before the return journey, I decided to organize our luggage to avoid any delays or excess weight. After I finished arranging my own suitcase, I went to help my mother with hers. To my surprise, I discovered that she had packed a power bank in her luggage. It is considered prohibited according to aviation regulations, as these batteries are required to be kept in the aircraft’s cabin during travel. I explained to her the importance of complying with the regulations and not taking any risks.
I carefully arranged the suitcase, as it was my dear mother’s bag. I intentionally arranged the items in a way that they wouldn’t be damaged during the journey, expressing my love for her by taking care of her belongings. Then, I requested the hotel to weigh the suitcases to avoid any airport procedures. Everything seemed perfect up until that moment. Afterward, we sat and chatted, preparing ourselves for sleep.
On the following day, we confidently headed to the airport, of course, at an early hour to allow us to enjoy the duty-free shops and other services that I personally considered an important stop in my travels. For me, it was a separate journey altogether from the actual trip. Upon arrival at the airport, the check-in procedures for the flight were smooth and without any complications. Afterward, we headed to the duty-free market. While passing by the stores to purchase something special to keep as a memento in the memory box, I received a call from a local number. And here came the shock. It turned out that the caller was from the airline we were traveling with, informing me that they were unable to bring all the bags onto the plane due to a security alert on one of the suitcases. They instructed me to wait at a designated location for someone to accompany me to complete the procedures. At this point, worry started to creep in among all of us, and a long conversation ensued, with everyone wondering about the owner of the suspicious bag.
Time was passing quickly on my watch, and I started feeling anxious. I recalled the worst situations I had experienced in my life. I imagined that someone had placed something to hinder my return or that there were plans to kidnap or blackmail me. My imagination was running wild. My train of thought was cut short by an airline employee, who escorted me to the baggage inspection area. In reality, I was worried that my own suitcase might be the cause, and I tried to remember its contents, which could potentially be the reason for all this tension. As we walked, out of curiosity, I attempted various ways to get a description of the suitcase from the employee, but she was unable to provide one.
Upon reaching the designated area for inspecting suspicious luggage, the shock was even greater. The queue was extremely long, and the remaining time for the flight was short while there were many bags. Here, I caught sight of a familiar bag—it was my mother’s bag. What could she possibly be hiding this time?
Time was passing, and the anxiety was increasing, fearing that the plane would leave without me. Finally, it was my turn in the queue. The officer asked me if I had any prohibited items in my bag. I replied confidently, “Of course not. I packed this bag meticulously.” She said, “Alright, place it in the scanner.” I
anxiously carried the 32kg bag, curious to know what forbidden contents it might contain. The officer pointed out a specific spot in the bag after opening it, but all I found in that spot was a small bag of perfumes and some powders. I took it out and handed it to the officer, saying, “This?”. She replied, “Yes, this.” Unable to contain myself, I said confidently and challengingly, “It’s for perfumes. Open it and see for yourself.” She opened it, and inside was a small power bank.
It is worth mentioning that this portable charger has been missing for over a year, and finally, my mother found it with the help of customs officers.