[Andrew66]

I think being that ” prepared ” might be a touch too much :-). You would still be asked ” is that a phone you’re carrying ” 🙂

[LuganoPirate]

I remember a time when there were no mobiles and the young unwashed would arrive at Schipol from Spain in their bikinis. They’d then announce in Dutch “Oooh, isn’t it cold here”!

Point is, the authorities are worried the bomb is planted on the person, though this has been a worry for several years now. I was recently told there’s a chamber developed you can walk through that is pressurised and will cause a concealed bomb to explode. Terrorist achieves same result in killing himself, but does not get to kill a plane load of people with him. Seems the government is not interested for legal reasons.

So it’s ok for them to allow a terrorist to kill 300 people, but not for the authorities to prevent it by allowing the person to blow themselves up on the ground!

[SimonS1]

Andrew66 – I understand what you are saying but can you explain the following.

When taking a flight from London to Doha I have to remove my laptop, iPad and dispose of any bottled water.

When taking a flight from Doha to London I don’t need to bother removing the laptop etc nor are they concerned if I am carrying a bottle of water.

Do the risks suddenly increase when flying south?

Having just been through 5 countries in 5 days in the Gulf I didn’t once take water or laptop out.

It’s not the rules that frustrate people, it’s the inconsistency.

[LuganoPirate]

Same thing flying ex JNB Simon. I don’t have a laptop but use an iPad instead and never take it out heading North though I’m always pulled over when going south if I forget to remove it.

[Charles-P]

SimonS1 – this is the point I was trying to make earlier. The manufactures of the scanning equipment have made enormous advances in what can be seen by the security personnel (even to the point where the machines are able to introduce items that are not there to keep the operators on their toes) and yet despite this the airports are still training their staff to work on the assumption the equipment is the old Smiths Industries X ray machines from 1986 !
From what I understand the El-Al human profile part of the security procedures are by far the most effective part of their checks and I’m surprised we don’t see more of that. When I read that George Bush’s mother was stopped and searched by the TSA despite having a Secret Service officer with her we know we are at the stage of ‘gesture security’.

[canucklad]

Do any of us recall the very stringent measures we had to endure way back in the 70’s?

As a little white young boy, boarding a flight at Schiphol to London I was ushered behind a curtain and checked out, my dad‘s search was rather more extensive. And this was at a time when planes were being hijacked not being blown up!

Also vividly remember being amazed at seeing policemen with machine guns at the ready, and on one occasion an EL AL flight left from the gate opposite ours……..As a little boy from the peaceful Pacific Northwest to watch airplanes being escorted by military vehicles was to say the least, an eye opener to the bad “Old World”

Sadly not much has changed for the better, and I didn’t realise that EL Al’s security screening isn’t based on racial stereotype profiling but physiological behaviour.

[MartynSinclair]

Does seem a little ironic that only recently, most US airlines and certainly BA relaxed the use of electronic toys on board, appearing to actively encourage their use to “entertain”.

Within 6 months of these new relaxed rules, a security directive is issued about the very same items…

Wonder if the airlines actually speak to the respective security agencies…..

[Charles-P]

canucklad – with regard to El Al screening. I understand one is being watched and assessed from the moment of arrival at the airport (at least in Israel). The officers are trained in looking out for behavioral clues that indicate feelings of tension, stress and worry. It seems they very often pick out nervous flyers for additional checks because of this.

[CXDiamond]

Now if all security had the thoroughness of El Al and was carried out as politely as they do I would not worry. What I do object to is the rude and ignorant people especially at LHR who manage to turn something simple into a nightmare. Part of the problem is the queues and overcrowding as of course space must be saved for retail and I would accept it cannot be pleasant to work in however if they want to turn out my bag I want it done by a lady in private. I don’t think that’s too much to ask and equally if I’m to be frisked I want it done in private.

Anywhere else in the known world can manage that but at LHR it’s also about humiliation and degradation which is not acceptable.

Martyn, I love the idea of charging the Americans more!

[PeterCoultas]

bad news – Al Q’s top bomb maker apparently hid a bomb in his brothers anus – it went off missing (inefficiently) a Saudi Prince but killing the brother

I wonder what horror our inventive home secretary will have for airline passengers to combat this threat!

[BigDog.]

@MartynSinclair – 03/07/2014 22:20 GMT
It appears a SAA Pilot is taking the initiative against questionable security processes/machines.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2679008/South-African-Airways-pilot-arrested-incident-exposure-stripping-pants-passengers-protest-airport-security.html

If this continues I can see the England Football Team spending more time getting through security than actually playing in the World Cup 😉

[Charles-P]

‘PeterCoultas’ – Yikes – that’s going to sting in the morning ! Am always reminded of the Billy Connolly joke about suicide bomber training school,

“Now watch carefully because I am only going to show this once… “

[Gin&Tonic]

Manchester Airport yesterday morning, especially T1 was chaos with lines going out of the terminal onto the roadway for security. Why because some genius at Manchester had decided a swab test of all hand luggage was needed, no other airport did this as far as I am aware and even Manchester stopped it later in the day.

Security is needed without doubt, it’s the inconsistency that drives me nuts.

[BigDog.]

@Gin&Tonic – 04/07/2014 09:46 GMT

Am afraid I disagree. This is one area where inconsistency is good. If the process becomes standard and predictable then the ne’er do wells know what they are up against. If a very occasional “swabbing” is intelligence led then imo it is a good thing.

However I do agree wrt knowing how much time to allow.

[Andrew66]

Simon , I don’t know why ME airports don’t require laptops to be removed , or in your case didnt ask you to remove it , I’m trying to think back when I went thru Dubai security , I remember our luggage going thru an X-ray and then having it opened and searched as a random check , there was nothing untoward in there , I know I had to remove my belt passing thru the AMD , I found the security checks pretty much the same ??
If people feel that laptops / tablets shouldn’t need to be removed and that bottles of water should be allowed to carry thru then it’s a matter to take up with the DfT who make the guidelines for all UK airports to get a consistent approach , it’s only security staff following the rules that they are given .
Charles , you are right about the scanners , they can introduce items , they are known as TIPs threatened image projection , as a bag is screened an image of a gun or knife etc will be flashed up on the screen and the operative will press a button to confirm if its a TIP or needed to be pulled for inspection .
As I’ve said before , some measures do pee people off , but take into account how many people have to be processed as quickly as possible , there has to be a framework to work to .

[Author]

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