How good is airport security?

How thorough are security checks at airports?

With the multitude of terror threats and unrest in many parts of the world, we all hope that the border authorities do their jobs properly in order to protect us.

However if you stop and think all systems involve some measure of human analysis and intervention. With the best of intentions and undoubtedly with the professional and thorough approach of border officers, there must surely be occasions on which potentially life threatening items are carried over borders. 

We all hear from time to time of the successes of screening in identifying such items, and well deserved it is. Perhaps though we hear a little bit less of the occasional failures.

It has been reported by Cayman Compass that recently a US citizen was spotted leaving the Cayman Islands with live ammunition in a magazine in her luggage.  They also report that they believe that there have been a further 4 visitors similarly caught since May this year.

Full marks to the Cayman authorities for spotting the threat, but as the lady passed through JFK to get to the Caymans what were the American authorities doing that they missed it?

Worrying?!