[Anonymous]

[JamesMoloney5]

I fly about 160,000 miles a year, most of it around, into and out of Asia, with Bangkok as my base. I am becoming more and more concerned about security at the Tier 2 countries/airports/hotels.

In particular, Jakarta, Hanoi, Bangkok, Bali, Manila……where hand baggage security is at best suspect (Bangkok) and at worst appalling (Jakarta, where you don’t even have to remove your laptop from your baggage during screening……scary!).

I don’t even bother putting liquids in the plastic bags anymore, and often exceed the 50ml maximum, without any comeback.

I have lost count of the number of times flights from BKK have been subjected to “random” arrival screening at Changi. I have questioned staff at the screening location, about the reason for this extremely inconvenient secondary screening on arrival, and have written to Changi management to request an explanation but my question remains unanswered…for security reasons….naturally! I believe the reason to be that Singapore regards security at Bangkok to be sufficiently lax to justify secondary screening on arrival.

Having said that, the aircraft has arrived safely by the time the secondary screening is conducted, so what sense does that make?

Include concerns about actual flight safety from an operational viewpoint with, among other issues, Asian culture potentially impeding co-pilots from questioning their superior flight captain, again mostly in second tier airlines but sometimes in Tier 1 airlines (Korean for example).

Throw in seriously dodgy and completely ineffectual hotel security screening in places such as Jakarta and Manila, and I pose the question…..are we sitting on a ticking time bomb or shall we continue to bumble along sipping our Bombay Sapphire Martinis, enjoying our rare Wagyu fillets and fine wines, “safely” traversing the Orient’s skies?

[MartynSinclair]

James – “I don’t even bother putting liquids in the plastic bags anymore, and often exceed the 50ml maximum, without any comeback.” – havent bothered at Heathrow for nearly a year now. Only get stopped at Heathrow becasue of shoes or belt.

With regards to the Far East, I find the most scary airport, Hanoi. Even when the metal detector goes off, nobody really bothers. I also see families going through the security gate together, still bleeps and still nobody is checked.

Previosuly reported open doors (unattended) to the tarmac at Hanoi.

The random arrival screening at Changi is more about drugs and this random screening also (quite rightly) applies to executive jet charter.

[janrotterdam]

simonHB – I totally agree!

[Vertrek]

Hi James,

Believe it or not, in Indonesia my friends was stop for bringing liquid offer than 50ml or boxes in their bag. The security in Jakarta is not as tight as those “tier 1” like UK, US or SIN, but somehow they got tei job done.

Random check in SIN is, as Martin said, more towards drugs, pirated DVD and large amount of fake branded item and cigarrete.

To conclude it all, I feel much safer in Asia than USA and EU, as my only the threat are low, but most of the time they are very efficient, at least SIN and HKG or CGK for tier 2.

Safe travel.

[Aladam888]

Its kind scary travelling in a plane in Asia but come to think of it any air travel gives me the creeps now!

[stevescoots]

its never bothered me and i am flying round the region all the time

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