Inappropriate security procedures

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 25 total)

  • Paul
    Participant

    In almost all airports around the world staff are sensible and respectful in undertaking security searches. There is one UK airport that I will no longer use because the staff seem to think they have the right to feel, poke and prod everywhere on my person. When I objected on one occasion, the officer tilted his head and used his eyes to indicate the door to the private search room and said ‘do you want to come in there with me’? Horrible.


    capetonianm
    Participant

    I think you should name and shame, and make a formal complaint.

    The only UK airport where I have had to make a formal written complaint about security was Luton.


    Fair2380
    Participant

    The inconsistentes on liquids is what gets me. My wash kit is transparent. Never have issues at LGW or – for the most part – T5. But at T3, they don’t just make you use a bag but also make you feel like a criminal.
    That said, I live in the Middle East now (where liquids stay in the case) and so when forgetting to take them out and getting stopped last week was all on me!


    NorskSaint
    Participant

    I agree the inconsistencies are painful yet my experience is the opposite. LHR never an issue, LGW I get pulled for secondary screening every time.

    It does remind me of the time I was trying to take vacuum packed steaks home to Norway….. my laptop charger had slipped under the meat and a very nervous looking security lady spent nearly 5 minutes with me trying to deduce what it was on the tv screen without wanting to open the case. Once we had worked it out, she explained that the meat had the same consistency as explosives and with the circuit board from my charger now underneath the meat it looked an awful lot like a bomb. I now pack my steaks in my hold luggage!!


    stevescoots
    Participant

    That reminds me of a friend of mine who during the troubles was studying in Ulster, he flew in from singapore with a case containing some home made singapore sausages wrapped in foil and an alarm clock his dutiful mother had packed for him in his case……….let just say he was grabbed by security in transit at LHR in a less than polite way and the bomb squad called in!

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    In the London area I have used the following over the last 6 months: The VS security has only been used once, the others at least 3 times each

    * T5 – First Wing
    * Flight connections T5C
    * Virgin Upper Class security
    * T3 Fast track
    * London City

    The inconsistencies are constant, especially where lap tops and liquids are concerned. Some want the lap top out of the sleeve others say it doesn’t matter. The biggest inconsistency I had was at the same checkpoint, my bag was emptied of all the small tubes of toothpaste and accompanying toothbrushes i was carrying – yet 2 weeks later, they were all ignored. Some demand lose items are squeezed into the ridiculous plastic bags, whilst others, allow you to not only use your own plastic bag, but don’t limit you to one bag.

    As for politeness, 2 out of the 5 on this list were polite the once and the other, ALWAYS… the others, as described by the OP.


    LaundryMan
    Participant

    Talking of inconsistency you should try Manchester T3 where you will normally see an extensive queue for rechecking bags. It seems that either the sensitivity of the x-Ray equipment is higher than other UK airports or they have a different tolerance level. More often than not you need extra time for security at the airport. It seems also that they do not have enough staff. The other day I asked why this was and they indicated they were recruiting and then training

    Bags that I have had rechecked at Manchester security would pass at Heathrow without any issue

    Heathrow T5 in general is a pleasure to go through when compared to Manchester

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    AFlyingDutchman
    Participant

    While I agree with all the posters here that security is inconsistent and varies not only within London Airports and the UK, but everywhere, I feel the initial post by Paul was about the inappropriate way in which he was felt, poked and prodded, and when he questioned this he was basically ‘threatened’ to go to the private room for a more thorough check. I think Paul should definitely name and shame, should have gotten the officer’s name, and should have made a formal complaint or demanded to see a more senior agent. Sometimes, you give a person a badge and a modicom of authority and they take it too far. Paul, tell us where this happened please.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    canucklad
    Participant

    [quote quote=945021]That reminds me of a friend of mine who during the troubles was studying in Ulster[/quote]

    Reminds me of a trip through Aldergrove a while back.
    Approaching the entrance to security I overheard a women say to her husband as she pointed towards the plastic see through receptacle that had a random collection of inoffensive sharp objects like manicuring scissors , pen knives, disposable razors etc inside ………

    “Mmmmm, that must be part of para military de-commissioning scheme !”

    Won’t tell you what the husbands retort was : )

    [quote quote=944894]There is one UK airport that I will no longer use because the staff seem to think they have the right to feel, poke and prod everywhere on my person.[/quote]

    I’m assuming that the airport was equipped with full body scanners ?


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    @AFlyingDutchman – back on track, I still feel very uncomfortable having a finger going inside the top of my trousers and a ‘feel’ of my crotch area. Any other situation this would be considered as assault. I think this now only happens in the UK – I may be wrong though…

    I have no issue at all going through a scanner which is able to identify male/female….

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    AllOverTheGaff
    Participant

    [quote quote=944894]In almost all airports around the world staff are sensible and respectful in undertaking security searches. There is one UK airport that I will no longer use because the staff seem to think they have the right to feel, poke and prod everywhere on my person. When I objected on one occasion, the officer tilted his head and used his eyes to indicate the door to the private search room and said ‘do you want to come in there with me’? Horrible.[/quote]

    I guess Bristol airport. Had family lived there and had to fly quite often, hated that place……


    StephenLondon
    Participant

    So is Paul returning to divulge which airport is the cause of his unhappiness? It seems most people have had issues at one or another…


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    Amsterdam Security – Intimate pat-down

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    capetonianm
    Participant

    I think it’s a pity that ‘Paul’ hasn’t come back to respond and to name the airport. Noting that this is his first posting, it makes me wonder if this was a wind-up of some kind, although I’m not sure what that would achieve, but then ‘there’s nowt as strange as folk.”

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    Chris in Makati
    Participant

    I’ve found Hong Kong to be one of the most pedantic when it comes to security checks at the airport.

    I once bought some grocery items in a supermarket there and when going through security for my flight back to Manila they picked out several items that they claimed contained liquids or gels. Among these were cheese, Marmite and some canned food that contained a very small amount of water inside the can. Having agreed which items were unacceptable I returned to the airline desk and they agreed to take them as check-in baggage.

    I went back through security once again, but in a different lane, and they started going through my bag again. Incredibly they picked out a couple more items that they had previously told me were ok and tried to say I couldn’t take them. So what was ok 10 minutes before was suddenly now unacceptable. Fortunately, a supervisor who had seen me go through the first time saw what was going on and intervened.

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