Posted by Dr. Science on 01/30/2013 in
Question |
When I go to the airport, I see the carousel at the baggage claim area. Why can’t people ride on the carousel and go around until they arrive at their baggage?
———- from Bob Pease of Pacifica, CA

That was the original intention of the carousel designers. But then someone at the FAA thought passengers might have so much fun that air travel itself would pale in comparison. People would begin sneaking into airports just to ride the luggage carousel. Only in Belgium and Uruguay do airports encourage passengers to use the carousel for its intended purpose. Today’s reminder of the luggage carousel’s circus origin is the alarm that sounds when it starts up and the substitution of the white courtesy telephone for the brass ring.