[Anonymous]

[MartynSinclair]

CNN ran an interesting article yesterday on whether Pilots (not aircrew, only Pilots) shoul dbe exempt from airport security, in the states. The theory being that they have the biggest weapon in their hands once they are in teh air, i.e. the aircraft.

Pilots were becoming increasingly agitated about the number of times they get screened as well as the radiation or other “rays” they are being exposed to as the new scanning machines in US airports.

The discussion was started by one of the pilot unions, but noticeably there was no voice from the cabin crew unions (in the states).

This is interesting becasue whilst I follow a pilots logic about the the aircraft itself being their biggest weapon, I still dont think anyone should be able to pass into a secure area without being security checked. Once Pilots get speacial treatment then all and sundry will follow with there own special exemption requests.

Other blogs have started to discuss how to make the airport experience smoother and how to make the security process more efficient. I do not beleive that having another special line for “hey I am a pilot, let me through” will help.

My own views are to close the land side shops and limit hand lugage, but neither of those will happen.

I wonder how passengers would view seeing Pilots, but bot cabin crew being passed through security without being checked.

Will this come to British Airports and if it does happen in US airports will the American pilots automatically expect to get the same treatment in the UK.

I am fortuante that I sometime use private jets in and out of Luton and I have to say that I get extremely frustrated with the manner of the US pilots that seem to take it for granted that it is the British Pilots and passengers that will be checked and not them. 9 times out of 10 they are right, it is us Brits that get pulled the yanks just stay aboard or have their cars and limos whisk them straight into London.

[Potakas]

Martyn,

I definitely disagree with that, my thought is that an airplane can be considered as a weapon only if the person who does the terrorist attack is prepared to die, in many occasions we had other kind of terrorist attacks such as hijacks where the terrorists wanted to state something or to go to another country.

Regards

Potakas

[pomerol]

Martyn

I certainly agree with all you have said, any security system is only as good as its weakest point, that has to be, No one is exempt, No one.

[Potakas]

This article is from the end of October,

UK pilots have backed British Airways chairman Martin Broughton after he criticised the heavy-handedness of airport security procedures in the country.

Broughton told a conference in London that certain procedures were unnecessary and his opinion has gained support from cockpit union British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA).

BALPA general secretary Jim McAuslan says airport checks “employ a ‘catch all’ approach” which lacks focus on genuine threats from terrorism.

While disagreeing with Broughton’s illustrating his point with the example of shoe removal – citing the proven threat from hidden explosives in footwear – the union says aviation security should apply measures based on the latest intelligence.

It states that the policy should concentrate resources where there is a “true threat” to safety, adding: “The current UK policy, which views everyone and everything as a threat, is at odds with such a process.”
BALPA points out that pilots have to undergo security checks which fail to differentiate between an experienced captain and regular passengers.

“At the very least this can be a stressful process for the flight-crew member involved, who might pass through security several times a day, but makes absolutely no sense in terms of security risk reduction,” says the union.

Regards

[Deleted User]

I have noticed that in T5 there is more of a mix between aircrew and pax in terms of the entrance and exit points presumably because BA have closed or moved away from Compass House.

There is an old saying “what the eye sees” and I think it would absolutely create the wrong impression if aircrew were to bypass the lines at the public security points to the extent that pax will notice, wear a uniform, and bypass security. If crew were to have there own security channels out of public view this would make perfect sense.

In the states it is common practise for crews to simply walk to the front of the line and basically say “excuse me, I have an aeroplane to fly” – all taken for granted. I once tried to jump infront a crew by saying excuse me, my flight leaves in 10 minuyes and I would like to get on. One of the pilots tried to push me away, but I insisted on going through first on the basis that I had been waiting over 40 minutes and with a hoard of 10 crew barging through I would have missed my flight.

I dont think pilots should be exempt from security checks at public check points, what the airlines agree with TSA et all, behind the scenes and out of view, well thats down to them.

[Binman62]

CMBurchhardt..In T5 the operating crew have a separate and dedicated security clearance lane directly from the crew report area and away from the general public. Anyone in uniform in a passenger crew is a passenger.
All crew should undergo the same checks as everyone else. No exceptions.
I find it irritating enough that many diplomats are exempt, as are checks on their baggage. Why? Why would they have weapons or other items in their bags (diploatic or not) that the rest of us cannot carry.

[watersz]

Anything can be faked a uniform or an i.d the only safeguard is to make everyone go thru security

anyway I thought the americans had the motto

“In god we trust
Anybody else gets checked out!”

[Deleted User]

Binman I am pleased to hear your comments re the operating crew and their seperate area, although I still see a lot of crew BA staff and other airline staff (even in T5) going through public security in uniform.
I never knew that diplomats are exempt from bag searches, that is certainly not resepected in the states when I have travelled with a friend who uses a diplomatic passport.

Having now seen the CNN report the question I believe is more to do whether Pilots should be exempt from security checks in the public lines. I still have an issue with operating crew jumping to the front of the line at US airports. We all have reasons to hurry and all are “important reasons”.

I dont believe operating Pilots should have a different search level, whilst in the public lines.

[Stowage222]

In many airports in the US and other countries, there is a dedicated ‘crew/airport employee’ line at security. Passengers can use this line on the understanding that employees take priority. Remember crew only have 10 minutes after boarding to complete their own security checks and, if they are lucky, prepare the cabin before the customers are at the door. If crew have to wait for 40 minuites in a security line then your flight WILL be delayed. By the time crew arrive at the airport most passengers for the flights leaving within the hour should already be in departures.

[flyingbunny]

Pilots of course should be security checked like everybody else for weapons but no amount of security checks and body scans can stop someone using a plane as a weapon if they wish to.

[travelworld]

No.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Yes, they should be exempt.

But their I.D. should be verified very carefully.

Once in the flightdeck, they have access to a fire axe (a requirement for the aircraft to be airworthy) and can always shout ‘Allahu Akhbar’ and put the aircraft into a position whereby recovery is difficult, if not impossible.

So yes, these people have to be trusted but verified.

[speedbird1969]

I work airside and have been in the queue to get through security and witnessed a pilot having a spoon confiscated from his hand luggage as it could be considered “a weapon” The pilot informed the guard that if he wanted to bring a plane down he would simply push the stick forward and wouldn’t need the assistance of a spoon. Naturally the guard had left his sense of humour at home that morning and told the pilot to be on his way minus the spoon.

And as an aside, I witnessed a police officer with a machine gun strapped to his chest, a side arm, truncheon and CS gas have his bottle of water confiscated as liquids are banned!

[jonathanmiller]

Love Speedbird’s anecdote about the armed policeman and his bottle of water. Trouble is, of course, if you tell people (including security operatives where they merit the soubriquet) to follow the procedure and not employ brain, then that is the sort of nonsense which can result. I should observe that the current crop of security people at Heathrow at least, is a huge improvement over the old lot who didn’t even have a brain to employ. Pretty aggressive and unpleasant too, they were. Congrats on the improvement …. BAA?

[Author]

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