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Laptops to be removed from hand luggage... again

Published: 17/03/2009 - Filed under: News »

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Business travellers flying out of Heathrow and Glasgow airports must once again remove their laptops from hand luggage when passing through security, following the end of a trial by The Department for Transport.

The two BAA airports had been granted permission to allow their passengers to leave laptops inside hand luggage, but this special dispensation has now been removed while the DfT evaluates the results of the 18-month trial.

A spokesperson for BAA said:

“Passengers carrying laptops as cabin baggage are now required to remove them from bags for security screening.

“The DfT are reintroducing this requirement following the completion of a trial which took place at Heathrow and Glasgow airports.

“Passengers are being informed of the requirement before arriving at security areas across the airports.”

When Business Traveller passed through security at Heathrow Terminal 3 on February 28 these new restrictions were in place, but it is not until yesterday (March 16) that a  posting was made on the travel news section of the British Airways website saying that:

“The Department for Transport (DfT) requires all laptops to be removed from customers' bags during the security process at all London Heathrow terminals, because they must be scanned separately.

“Please allow a few extra minutes for this security measure.”

For more information visit baa.com, ba.com, dft.gov.uk.

Report by Mark Caswell

Have you experienced extra time spent at security due to the reintroduced measures? Let us know by leaving your comments below.

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COMMENTS » 

MarkCymru - 17/03/2009 16:20

This is typical of BAA: and the DfT: sudden, irrational changes with no information for passengers (obviously no signs in the airport and clearly no staff working with the queue ). The result is predictable: frustration, delays and confusion. But who cares -- they're only passengers and they matter much less than the schemes of bureaucrats or BAA squeezing every last penny out of its monopoly

briansalter - 19/03/2009 09:51

I simply don't understand the need to remove laptops. The X-ray machine "sees" the laptop in the bag excatly the same way as it "sees" it when we have to put it into the plastic tray. Nothing else changes. In the old days we used to have to switch on the laptop, but not any more. SO what on earth is the point?

excessbaggage - 19/03/2009 09:56

From what i understood, the issue was that while the x-ray machine could see through the bag to the laptop, it couldn't then see through the laptop to what was underneath it - it acted like a kind of shield against what else is in the bag. I thought that they had installed new scanners which enabled the bag to be scanned from the side as well as from the top, to get around this issue...

pkrejchrt - 19/03/2009 10:19

Reiterate Mark's comment - sudden, irrational and a lack of sufficient communication. Unfortunately a not atypical LHR experience.

WilliamRead - 19/03/2009 10:26

Yet another spurious "security" precaution that merely delays and inconveniences the paying passenger. There are so many such phoney rules now in Britain and the European Union it is not surprising that, if possible, passengers are looking at alternatives to aeroplanes. A bottle of Cuban rum is "safe and acceptable" for the ten hour flight from Havana to Paris, but becomes "dangerous and prohibited" on the onward flight to London.... pure nonsense, as everyone (except the DfT) seems to realise.

EdwardHughes - 19/03/2009 11:07

Gives the jobsworth's something to do....

NigelHuggins - 19/03/2009 11:31

Petty bureaucrats - the raison d'etre of Tony Blair! He must be laughing his simple head off at the mess he has made of the UK while he continues his freeloading around the wolrd preaching green issues from the first class cabins of 380's and 747's. These simpletons at airports are quite unable to use any common sense (the newest oxymoron to appear). They show institutionalised behaviour traits to the irrational jobsworths who watch passengers struggling to understand why 1

LuganoPirate - 19/03/2009 12:48

Most airport security is laughable I'm sorry to say and I'm convinced that the confiscation of items is simply one of the perks of the job. No-one will explain what happens to these items when they have been confiscated. They should either be destroyed, or offered for sale in public auction.

The answer I have been given in the past is that they will not comment "due to reasons of security"!!! In my opinion this is nothing short of legalised theft? Why is there not more transparency?

For those who have bought liqour in a non - eu airport and are in transit, such as William Read, go to the duty free store in the transit lounge and ask them to re-wrap it. Sometimes you have to buy another bottle but it will usually solve the problem. Even at LHR!!!

AsiaPac_Rascal - 25/03/2009 06:25

Hmm.. disappointing how dim the readership are - but marvellous how they squeal their petty outrage.

Maybe they do trials precisely to see if Laptops can conceal anything... Maybe Cuban Rum is safe to go to Paris, but can't be Proven So to get on a UK flight... Or maybe they should just accept your (honest) word ?

"My good man - my toothpaste, my luggage and my person are entirely safe and with no malicious intent" You hear that Fred? What Bob ? This 'ere gent says he's got nuffink dangerous and if it's all the same he'll just bypass the X-ray an' that. That's fine Bob, And thank you kindly Squire, if only everyone was as upstanding and thoughtful as you, we could clear these 'ere queues and let all the nice ladies and gents get to the retail park - er, lounges - with no trouble at all... (tbc)

excessbaggage - 25/03/2009 08:38

Finished your little monologue Anonymous? The point many are making is not whether trials were needed or not, it's the lack of communication to the paying passenger.

If at the end of the trial the DfT had communicated this to passengers through a simple use of signage at the entrance to security, then there wouldn't be this sudden confusion. Instead they have just re-erected the previous "laptops out" signs, without any explanation why.

wenkaechia - 31/03/2009 12:36

I really don't mind to coorporate with security checks etc. however "a lot" of the people who are working theire are just a pain. They are rude and think they are god. And the company behind these people are not much better. minimum staff etc. makes it even worse. I travel a lot and I have to say that BAA is the worse! And also for those people that do travel "would you mind to coorporate" you always have to wait for passangers that still have to take off there belt or still having coins in there pocket.

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