Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > Current Airport Security .........

[MJS]

Question - are all ground crew, airport staff, airline crew etc. who have access to airside being searched going to work in the same way as passengers? I don't think it's conceivable that terrorists could infiltrate these positions and then the whole security idea falls apart anyway..

At the end of the day, flying's never going to be safe again, there's always going to be loopholes in security.

As for plates in bodies - I knew someone who had a titanium rod in their leg - no problem with airport scanners, but regularly set off the door alarms at WHSmith!

Cheers
Martin

[Stu748R]

Still marginly better than getting"annoyingly" killed though !!!!!

[Jools]

The worst example of airport security that I have ever seen was when I was returning from San Francisco not long after 9/11.

We were all in a long queue to get through security and were only being let through to the luggage scanners one at a time, then having to remove shoes, belts and such before going through the body scanner.

About 4 people in front of me there was a guy in a wheelchair and he was wheeled forward for the same procedure. Now I know that terrorists could easily pose as invalids but it was quite clear that this guy was genuinely disabled to all but the most brainless muppet. However, they would not let the guy go through the body scanner in his chair - again I can see why. However, they would not let his carer assist him either, even though they volunteered to go through the scanner seperately again. So they made this poor guy try and stand and take a few faltering steps through the scanner. As he stood up he lost his balance and tipped forward towards a dumbassed security guard who, over reacted thinking that the guy was taking a lunge at him instead of simply falling over. He immediately went into attack mode and the next thing you knew he had pinned this guy to the floor with his arm locked up around his back while all his over excited cretin buddies ran around with their guns pulled and pointed at the guy screaming the usual cliches 'like FREEZE Motherf....".

Meanwhile the disabled guy was still pinned to the ground by a 250 pound gorilla with blood trickling from a split lip from where he'd hit the floor.

Me and all the other passengers were in stunned silence for a second or two, then uproar broke out as we all realised what was going on and started to shout at the security guards to leave the poor guy alone. It worked, they picked him up and the last I saw there was some sort of first aider patching up his cut lip.

The security guards though were having none of being shouted at by the public, just gave them an excuse to go into an even greater adrenalin fuelled macho swagger and make it extra difficult to get through security.

Hmmm...the land of the free

[RickyX]

This has just been sent to me regarding travel from UK.
It is pukka gen but is subject to change at short notice:

UK DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT
Hand Baggage Allowance Restrictions

The following is subject to change at short notice and these arrangements apply to all passengers flying out of the UK.

1. Passengers are permitted to carry ONE item of cabin baggage each. The dimensions of this item must not exceed a maximum length of 45 cm, width of 35 cm and depth of 16 cm (17.7"×13.7"×6.2" approx) including wheels, handles, side pockets etc. (This is roughly the size of a standard laptop bag or briefcase).

a. Additional items such as ladies’ handbags must be carried within this larger item.
b. All items carried by passengers will be x-ray screened.

2. Passengers are advised to take the minimum amount of items in their hand baggage.

3. No liquids of any type are permitted other than the following items:

a. Essential medicines in liquid form sufficient and essential for the flight (e.g. diabetic kit), as long as verified as authentic. The maximum amount allowed is 50ml. Up to 50ml of insulin can be stored in a cool bag, provided this fits inside the one item of hand baggage permitted. If a passenger with insulin does not have verification that this is prescribed to them then the BAA are prepared to seek confirmation from a local pharmacist. AvSec are working with the DfT in respect of stretcher cases and insulin users requiring over and above 50ml of liquid medication.
b. Baby milk and liquid baby food (the contents of each bottle or jar must be tasted by the accompanying passenger).

4. The definition of liquids includes gels, pastes, lotions, liquid/solid mixtures and the contents of pressurised containers, e.g. toothpaste, hair gel, drinks, soups, syrups, perfume, deodorant, shaving foam, aerosols, lighters etc.

5. To help progress through search points, passengers are encouraged not to include items capable of containing liquids (e.g. bottles, flasks, tubes, cans, plastic containers etc.) in their cabin baggage.

6. Through security, all laptops and large electrical items (e.g. large hairdryer) must be removed from the bag and placed in the trays provided so that such items neither obscure nor are obscured by the bag. These electrical items will be subject to additional checks.

7. Pushchairs and walking aids are permitted but must be x-ray screened. Wheelchairs are permitted but must be thoroughly searched.

8. Once airside, passengers may purchase goods, which can be taken onboard the aircraft provided they are in their original packaging with proof of purchase. For UB bound flights, liquids are not permitted onboard the aircraft regardless of carrier.

[clockwork orange]

The whole point of the liquids thing - the plot that was discovered involved liquid explosive. So only liquids bought airside go in the cabin. Seems fairly logical to me. But I'm sure there's plenty of loopholes via catering staff etc. Bit of a pain for people like me who like to travel light and not check luggage if I can help it though.

[Gilps]

So why is there a new restirction on the size of hand luggage? The smaller size that they are allowing is, oddly enough, the same size as a laptop bag. This should keep the all important business travellers happy. But you are not allowed to take on hand luggage that was previously allowed. Obviously the size of bomb you can fit in a laptop bag is not large enough to cause serious damage, whereas larger hand luggage is more unsafe.
The airlines are taking this opportunity to reduce the size of hand luggage, something that they have been trying to do for years but have found difficult to do so far. Now they have an excuse.

[RickyX]

Originally Posted by Gilps

The airlines are taking this opportunity to reduce the size of hand luggage, something that they have been trying to do for years but have found difficult to do so far. Now they have an excuse.

As an airline employee...no comment!