[Anonymous]

[VintageKrug]

Good to hear someone talking sense on this issue for once, though I wouldn’t want to be the politican that authorised the non-scanning of laptops which let through a device:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11632944

Will be interesting to see how this one pans out.

There is so much inconsistency (especially the ridiculous need to scan laptops individually despite LHR having the right equipment to make this unnecessary) that it’s about time some proper international standards were established.

[TominScotland]

I listened to the interview with Martin Broughton on the radio as I drove in this morning – yes, lots of sense there. I think the point about laptops was just whether they needed to be removed from bags or not, nothing about not scanning them at all.

[VintageKrug]

Quite right, I meant seperate scanning.

[openfly]

Martin Broughton travels a lot and has obviously been rialled by the petty differing rules at each airport. Great to see him voice a semblance of reason, on our behalf, and demand a uniform consistency in the search requirements.

How stupid that Gatwick demands that your boarding card must go through the x-ray machine and Manchester insists that you carry it!!

And worst of all is that Heathrow security allows Marmite and Gatwick doesn’t….you either love it or hate it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NTarrant]

I have never been demanded to put my boarding card through the xray machine at LGW, I have gone through many times with it in my top shirt pocket. Unless this has changed in the last couple of weeks, I’ll find out later today!

Good on Martin Broughton, I find it strange that we have to take lap tops out of the bag, but in the bag is my Blackberry, a PDA, two mobile phones and MP3 Player. Has technology moved on?

[VintageKrug]

There was a good reason why laptops used to be allowed to be scanned inside bags, and now have to be removed.

BAA spent several millions during 2009 introducing new scanners at certain LHR terminals (T5 among them) which meant they could scan laptops effectively even inside bags during an initial assessment phase.

The opportunity to continue this approach rested with the Department of Transport, with BAA providing advice. The DoT decided not to continue the trial, and made airports revert to the “laptops out” policy.

http://asia.businesstraveller.com/news/laptops-to-be-removed-from-hand-luggage…-again

I suppose it is a least consistent, so you know what to expect (unless you have an iPad).

My concern with this statement is that it will lead to a more consistently stringent approach globally, rather than a much needed relaxation in standards.

While LHR and most major US airports do a good job scanning for illegal items, there are several in the world (and I won’t highlight them here) where a much more professional approach is needed.

[excessbaggage]

The Daily Mash has their own view on this:

http://tinyurl.com/3282ms4

[NTarrant]

Openfly, I have just come through LGW North security with my boarding pass in my shirt breast pocket without any problems or comments from the staff.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

LHR is appalling, with ignorant staff who do not always know the BAA rules, as I found out to my cost last week.

I support Mr Broughton – where is the impact analysis and cost benefit analysis for some of this lunacy?

[Potakas]

Now on CNN ”Quest means Business” has some interviews about this issue.

[MartynSinclair]

I wonder what Martin Broughton is thinking about this morning and whether he would make the same comments next week that he made last week about the security measures being demanded by the US on UK/European originating flights. His use of the word “redundant” springs to mind!

A uniform consistency in search and security measures should not happen, it needs to be random and there needs to be different procedures (not standards), even between terminals at the same airport, otherwise the airports may just as well publish a manual, “how to beat the system”.

Security procedures should not be decreased. Passengers should instead learn to be patient and airport operators / security firms design better passenger flows to increase the speed of checks.

Stricter hand bagage rules is the best place to start and compulosry use of body scanners should be considered. Interestingly, nobody has ever commented about the “scanners” we all walk through when clearing customs.

I hope Martin Broughton clarifies his position on security this week!

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Martyn Sinclair

An over reaction worthy of our US cousins.

The latest news involves cargo aircraft, not pax.

[Potakas]

Also i believe that Martin Broughton’s problem is that they have different security standards for many US domestic flights which is not appropriate if we remember that the 9/11 hits started from US airports.

[MartynSinclair]

DisgustedofSwieqi

THATS EXACTLY MY POINT!

Our pax security is becoming so robust, the bad guys are looking at the soft or other options. Our airport security measures are begining to look right, the only “over reaction” is to listen to Martin Broughton’s views and start reducing the pax security issues or thinking that some measures are redundant.

If there are no queues at security it only means one of two things.

1. there are no pax

2. the checks are not being done

The other point about security lines is that it provides the back office teams a chance to view who is in the lines and check reactions. When randon passengers are checked, the reactions of those immediately in sight of the stopped pax are checked.

What has shown up today is that the threat moved from a major to a minor airport. Where security is concenred DS, please do not think there are over reactions. Our American cousins may be a pain sometimes, but at least we can feel a lot safer!

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