[DisgustedofSwieqi]

esselle

Being polite is always good, but my question was about what process they used.

In my case, it took about 20 minutes from the bag being pulled, for someone to be available to search it, abut 5 minutes to search it and then a further 5 minutes to rescan it.

If I had known e-readers should have been removed ), I could have saved myself this considerable disruption.

That is what I found unacceptable.

So to repeat my question, did the people at CDG empty your whole bag and rescan or just rescan the e-reader and the bag?

[esselle]

They only rescanned the e-reader.

Interestingly, CDG is the only airport I have been through where my e-reader has been pulled.

[MarkCymru]

Esselle — y prosiect nesaf ar gyfer Gymdeithas yr Iaith: yr hawl i screening diogelwch yn Gymraeg (the next project for the Welsh Language Society: get the right to security screening in Welsh)

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

“Interestingly, CDG is the only airport I have been through where my e-reader has been pulled.”

Sounds to me maybe the EU has changed it’s guidance, if LHR and CDG have just started doing this.

If this is so , the difference is a pragmatic re-scan of the e-reader at CDG and a full search and rescan at LHR, which verges on the punitive, IMHO, especially when it takes going on for 30 minutes.

Well, I’ve got the message and will be avoiding LHR for my transfer flights from now on.

[RogerVictor]

I think when it comes to security, random is a very efficient tool. It may inconvenience you but if they ‘jumble up the rules’ a bit from time to time it will aid security. It’s not meant to be predictable. I’m sure people make mistakes with ‘the rules’ from time to time. Good I say. The more predictable a system is, the easier someone can bypass. I am more than happy to have my e-reader re-scanned, after not having taken it out my bag, if that randomness disrupts something more sinister.

[Tramor01]

Shwd mae MarkCymru. Rwy’n credu bod yr arwyddion ac yn ymlaen ar draws maes awyr Caerdydd yn ddwyieithog yn barod
Down to WAG, the Bwrdd Iaith Gymraeg, and I believe the Welsh Language Act
Now if they were in Welsh at Puerto Madryn or Trelew airports that would be a coup

[JordanD]

DoS, I think your purpose in life is to be disgusted at everything.

Seriously though: if you don’t like the process, don’t fly, don’t use LHR/CDG or write to you local MP/MEP and ask for change. Complaining without any real purpose on here won’t get you far.

There are large signs up at LHR which say that screening is a random process and may involve (or may not) the removal of a multitude of items. On FlyerTalk, it has been the case for an age that eReaders are considered in the same class as iPads and should be removed for secondary screening, however, like all electronic devices, if they are aren’t removed, it doesn’t always mean a rescreen of the bag with them removed.

Security screening needs to be random – doing it by rote increases the chance that security will become lazy.

[RichHI1]

I have always removed, laptops, tablets, video players, blu ray players and phone chargers from bags at Heathrow as they always make it up as they go along… DOn’t mention the non metric liquids bag I got from TSA at O’hare…
That’s the problem of having security run by a rivate enterprise (mind you TSA is not much better and that is government organization. At least it is more consistent though).

[MartynSinclair]

29/12/2011 04:30 GMT

I cannot agree with your post JordanD. If I was being searched or checked by EL AL, I would accept the randomness as they are simply the best as far as security checks are concerned as history has shown.

The situation at most of the UK airports is that the personnel are simply a clueless assume a ‘holier than thou attitude”. This was clearly shown when I reported to the duty officer in T3 transfer that a security checker was too busy talking and actually handed back a bottle of “confiscated” water to the passenger, who simply said thank you and walked off. Although I was travelling as a passenger, I reported this incident to the duty manager as an airside pass holder (as required) who simply couldn’t have cared less and threatened to report me for “flashing” my airside pass.

I agree that the process should be partially random, but on the basis that I couldn’t care less about bothering to take out my lap top or declaring any liquids in my flight bag (and they are now never found) just shows the total incompetence and lack of training by the people who are CONTRACTED to man the security check points.

If security is going to be treated seriously then ensure the staff are trained correctly, take their jobs seriously and act professionally. I have always taken airport security extremely seriously, but recently, the attitude of the staff, encourages me to play “beat the system” for the sheer heck of it.

I know that this is not the right attitude, especially working in the sector I do, but quite frankly, I am fed up with the way I am treated both in the staff and passenger lines.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

JordanD

I don’t have a UK MP and if you had bothered to read my posts, you would know that I have booked my next three connections to avoid Heathrow after this debacle.

To cut to the chase, you seem to accept that it is okay to delay a passenger for 45 minutes (in a terminal with a 60 minutes minimum connection) because they changed the rules (admitted by their own employee), but failed to promulgate it – NB, random inspections are not the same as changed rules.

I don’t find this acceptable, if a passenger misses a connection because the security process takes 45 minutes (given they are carrying nothing forbidden), then it is nothing less than a disgrace. The passenger would be responsible for the cost of a new ticket.

Rich – I agree they make it up as they go along, in November, I was told to put my ereader back in my case at the screening point!

Martyn – agree totally about El Al, correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe they are the only people to actually detect a bomb in hand luggage at Heathrow and they achieved that by profiling and interviewing, not the theatre that one witnesses at T5.

[RichHI1]

Case in point. I wear cowboy boots quite often which have a steel bar so they set off the machines.
LHR T3 don’t take your shoes off, not necessary … oh surprise the alarm went off
LHR T5 take your shows off and you must put in tray
LGW take your shoes off, do not put in tray as people put food in them you know…

CBP is the same everywhere, shoes off, through the machine does not need to be in tray.

LISis the funniest as they all gather round to admire the boots (Luchese) whilst God knows what sneaks through…

[JordanD]

DoS – no one said complain to a UK MP. I’m sure in Malta they have Parliamentary members you can complain to. One big EU family that you love, and all that.

To cut to the chase, you are wrong. I’m not happy to accept delays or unneeded checks. When you transit UK to International at T5, the rules state that you do not need a second check and are able to directly access the Terminal. However, I had to transit T5-T3 on BA and therefore I was warranted a second check in T3 – where not enough machines were open and a long queue ensued. And so I complained – not on here, but in letter to BAA and BA and made my feelings very clear on the mater. It cut my connection time down dramatically, and whilst it didn’t make me miss my flight, it did mean I was unable to complete the shopping I had intended to do in my budgeted time. So please, enough with the broad statements on “accept that it is ok …”.

As far as I am aware (from experience of a former colleague for whom this did happen), if you are in security and delays there mean you miss gate conformance, the airline will sort you out with a new ticket. Clearly you’ve had other experiences.

As for profiling, that’s another bugbear, but let’s leave that for another day and stick with issues on BAA/DfT rules.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Jordan

I’m not disputing what your mate told you about his experience, but nonetheless the airline is not obliged to do anything to assist, here are the relevant extracts from the BA conditions

6d) You must arrive at the boarding gate on time

You must be present at the boarding gate not later than the time we give you when you check in. We may decide not to carry you if you fail to arrive at the boarding gate on time.

6e) We are not liable if you fail to meet deadlines

We will not be liable to you for any loss or expense you suffer if you fail to meet check-in deadlines, fail to present yourself for check-in on time (if we tell you a time) or fail to be at the boarding gate on time.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Jordan

I don’t know why you think that a Maltese MP would be interested in what happens at Heathrow.

Even a Maltese MEP would be interested only at a European level and contrary to the Daily Mail, Brussels only sets the overarching policies, not local execution, which is apparently why esselle only had his e-reader removed and scanned and I was kept waiting for 20 minutes and then had every item removed and the electronics re-scanned.

[Author]

Posts