Detained by Singapore Police and Investigators
Trip Start
Sep 09, 2005
1
47
86
Trip End
Dec 23, 2005
Singapore,
Singapore
Tuesday, November 1, 2005
So, as you've seen - not a good situation! Arrived, checked in, blah blah blah. Head to the gate for boarding. Well, in Singapore they screen you one last time before entering the actual boarding area. I walk through, no problem, my little backpack however does not. They scan in twice and see my little pocket knife - mini style. Now, normally I would have tossed it into the checked backpack, but it slipped my mind. Well, that wasn't even the problem - atleast not at this point. They ask if I can take it out, they'll keep it - whatever. Well they open my bag and see that I have a key chain style pepper spray. (which I had actually had in the bag since the day I left and never once been questioned about it.) Well, long story short - it is considered a offensive WEAPON in Singapore, and illegal. So they call the police. Detain me from boarding. They then decide to escalate this because not only did I try to board the plane with an "illegal weapon", but I had a pocket knife as well.... Gee I must have been up to something, so the police aren't enough, I'm detained until a "special investigator" arrives... each taking my statement, happily letting me know I can be prosecuted. Ah yes, the tears. Plane leaves, the airline doesn't fly again for 3 days. Utter mess. Joe had to buy us new, literally at the gate last minute tickets on a different airline that happened to have two seats left. Moral of the story, Singapore is a pain in the ass.
