I always seem to be pulled aside in airport security checks!

GAA widow

Heading away on my hols in a couple of weeks - what I don't understand is on one occasion I was called aside out of the check in queue in Paris to open my main baggage for a check behind the scenes, on another trip I was called aside for a more "thorough" frisk type search (twice on the same holiday in America) and when I was coming back from a weekend in London a couple of weeks ago I was the only one in the queue who had to do a retina scan.
I know I'm not a dodgy looking type or anything, and I know that airport security staff have to be so careful post 9/11, but is there some kind of criteria they go on for picking out people or what? I just take it as the given now at this stage!

GrumPy

Post a pic of yourself, I dont trust you you prolly got a whole osama look going on, or one of those shifty eyed dogs....

Ruu_Old

I dont know what the criteria is but I always get picked out also (travel back and forth from the US alot), they ask if you are travelling alone but doesnt bother me too much as I get to skip the long queue and into the security one. I never ever got frisked, just my bags searched.

Miguel_Sanchez

A friend of mine got taken aside on his way into Canada a few years ago after a sniffer dog went mental at him.

In the security room the officers kept saying they knew they had drugs and that they might as well give them up now.

My friend found it pretty funny because he knew the dogs had just gone after him because he'd been out at a party the night before and his jacket smelled of grass.

Tazzle

on a slightly similar note, i hate having to practically undress just to take a flight these days. shoes, belt, phones, wallet, jacket, whatever. bleh.

Dave!

Are you Muslim?

Ruu_Old

Tazzle wrote:

on a slightly similar note, i hate having to practically undress just to take a flight these days. shoes, belt, phones, wallet, jacket, whatever. bleh.

The shoes thing is annoying, they stopped it for a while because people kicked up a fuss but started it again not so long ago. Heres a pic of me, can't understand why I'm being picked on.

Archeron

GAA widow wrote:

I know I'm not a dodgy looking type or anything, and I know that airport security staff have to be so careful post 9/11, but is there some kind of criteria they go on for picking out people or what? I just take it as the given now at this stage!

Maybe your skin looks so soft and smooth they feel they just have to rub you up and down, and this is the only way they can do it without looking like pervs. Is everybody else in the security queue normally hot chicks?

biko

Been picked out on a few occasions, mostly in US on business trips.
They usually go through bags and ask the usual - where I've been etc.
Once in Israel, before getting on an AL EL flight I was stripped down to my undies. Thankfully there was no need need for the ol' rubber glove, phew...

I read somewhere that in a study they had ordinary students trying to pick out smugglers alongside trained airport staff. The students had same success rate as the trained staff!

Astro1996

Always happens to me too, but i tell ye one thing, if they ever ask me for fingerprints or retina scans, ill tell them to f off - im going on holiday, im not a criminal, you shouldnt have to feel like you are either

AnitaMcCluskey

Maybe you look nervous after it happened so much............ I never got stopped myself. I travel through the airports on a monthly basis and I love looking at people being picked out of the queue because they are always so embarassed!!! My brother is ALWAYS stopped! Every single time he has been to the airport!


Bit of advise though, if you're always stopped..... make sure your underwear in you bag is clean and never have anything on you that would set of the detector off. Happened to a friend of mine......... God bless her, she'll never fly again! eek: :eek: :eek:

GAA widow

DaveMcG wrote:

Are you Muslim?

No, I'm not, I don't even have dark hair, I'm blonde ffs! One thing I have learned from this is how to pack more carefully (dirty clothes etc) after the whole French thing. When my baggage was checked in America I was even told "I must complement you on your packing Ma'am!"

Ruu_Old

Astro1996 wrote:

Always happens to me too, but i tell ye one thing, if they ever ask me for fingerprints or retina scans, ill tell them to f off - im going on holiday, im not a criminal, you shouldnt have to feel like you are either

Good luck with that, you'll find yourself kicked out of the airport.;)

Tazzle

on another note, it's a criminal offense in america to bring an item which is not allowed on board a plane to a security check point, even if you didn't know you had it. happened to me there last week, forgot i had my penknife in my backpack.

Lexie

Happened to me on the way to the states.

Do you think it was because I had a red leather suitcase??

Stephen

I always get frisked whenever I get a connecting flight through Heathrow.

iz it coz I is Irish?

Ruu_Old

Stephen wrote:

I always get frisked whenever I get a connecting flight through Heathrow.

iz it coz I is Irish?

They invaded our country and they still want more?;) I got stopped in Liverpool once and showed them my garda ID (it had department of justice, equality and law reform at the top of it).

"So whats your role in the Department of Justice then" *shifty eyes at me*

"Eh, its just an ID card"

"Oh..okay..."*look of embarrassment*:o

Dave!

Ruu wrote:

They invaded our country and they still want more?;) I got stopped in Liverpool once and showed them my garda ID (it had department of justice, equality and law reform at the top of it).

"So whats your role in the Department of Justice then" *shifty eyes at me*

"Eh, its just an ID card"

"Oh..okay..."*look of embarrassment*:o

rofl

chamlis

Tazzle wrote:

on another note, it's a criminal offense in america to bring an item which is not allowed on board a plane to a security check point, even if you didn't know you had it. happened to me there last week, forgot i had my penknife in my backpack.

Dude, same thing happened to me last monday at Stansted. It had a good sharp scissors on it too. I also got royally frisked.

I knew that I had a lighter and my wallet in my pockets and they'd set off the detector.
Security man said it was ok.
I set off the detector.
Got frisked.
A good 2 minutes.
Then some security woman was opening my bag. I knew I had my mach3 in there, but ffs the price of them blades these days.

It's the same thing every time I travel though. I've no problem getting into the country, it's when I want to get home...........

Ruu_Old

chamlis wrote:

Dude, same thing happened to me last monday at Stansted. It had a good sharp scissors on it too. I also got royally frisked.

I knew that I had a lighter and my wallet in my pockets and they'd set off the detector.
Security man said it was ok.
I set off the detector.
Got frisked.
A good 2 minutes.
Then some security woman was opening my bag. I knew I had my mach3 in there, but ffs the price of them blades these days.

It's the same thing every time I travel though. I've no problem getting into the country, it's when I want to get home...........

I also used travel to England to get my Mach3 blades at the markets, luckily remembered to stick them in my checked baggage.

Mrs. MacGyver

On my way to New Jersey last year I went throught the normal search everyone goes through at the security checkpoint. Then when i got to the other side on my way to the plane, i was stopped and checked again. And on the way back from New Jersey my bag was searched, They didnt even close it properly but covered it with yellow security tape (checked by US Customs) and i had to walk home from own with this out the Malahide road. Was never so embarassed. I look like a libriarian for flip sake, i dont look the leat bit intimidating!

Hagar

Your real name may match the name of someone on their watch list.

My old boss and I used to travel together all the time and our names match a Sinn féin Councillor and an IRA activist. It got beyond a joke. We ended up getting a "special" UK Special Branch clearance in the end.

Dave!

Mrs. MacGyver wrote:

i dont look the leat bit intimidating!

Always the one you least suspect... ¬_¬

Civilian_Target

#Elites wrote:

funny little "test" i did a while back.

At Dublin - Walking in with Metal lighter and belt on through the dectors, beeped.. lighter taken away and made take of Belt, was also put aside, frisked and bags searched.

funny how some Airports just dont do as much as others

Dublin has stricter security checks to comply with US Visa Check exemptions that are unique to Ireland in Europe. Secuity was getting lax, the Yanks sneaked some knives through Dublin security and told them to clamp down. So now you remove your belt.

Incidentally, I got a good stern searching entering the EU from Skopje - in combats. Looked too useful so they made me take them off!

BrokenArrows

Ruu wrote:

I also used travel to England to get my Mach3 blades at the markets, luckily remembered to stick them in my checked baggage.

Id love to see someone try and take over a plane with a MAC3. Ill cut you a tiny bit but it will feel nice because of the lubricating strip at the bottom.

Suppose you could threaten to shave one the the airhosts hair.

Ruu_Old

Yep you can see the amount of blades and scissors going through security in Stansted, that huge full of things. I guess they had to include every sort of blade and anything remotely dangerous. Lately I have seen them take apart mobile phones, well just have the battery removed or whatever.

Black Swan

Stephen wrote:

I always get frisked whenever I get a connecting flight through Heathrow.

iz it coz I is Irish?

Hate say this, but I would suspect that Irish get hassled more at US Customs too because of a history of problems in the 6 northern counties. Merely coming to the States on an Irish passport may set them off. The problem is they really don't know what they are doing over here and have developed profiling techniques based upon the biased opinions of conservative, uninformed thinkers, who are hurting America's relations with foreign nations and visitors.

Beetlebum

My friend, who has never touched drugs an is abit clueless about them, was stopped at Sydney Airport...

Security guy: Do you have any amphetimines on you?

My Friend: Yes

Security guy: Are you trying to be funny?

My Friend: I have a cold

Security guy: You're an idiot

My friend thought he meant anti-histamines.....what a clown!!:D

Dave!

Beetlebum wrote:

My friend, who has never touched drugs an is abit clueless about them, was stopped at Sydney Airport...

Security guy: Do you have any amphetimines on you?

My Friend: Yes

Security guy: Are you trying to be funny?

My Friend: I have a cold

Security guy: You're an idiot

My friend thought he meant anti-histamines.....what a clown!!:D

roffle

seamus

Dublin airport no longer require you to remove all footwear - only shoes, or if the detector goes off.

I know exactly what will and won't go off, so now it's just off with with the watch, off with the belt, and out with the change. Nothing else goes off.

I did get my bag searched going through Dublin on Wednesday though. There was nothing in my bag - the only thing I can think of is that they scanned my hard-disk MP3 player and thought that the read/write heads on the disk were a sharp stabbing implement.

(This is what a hard disk would look like under the X-Ray)

Lex_Diamonds

I travel to the US about twice a year and get searched the odd time.
The worst was the last time I went, I got searched three friggin' times on the way out of Ireland. Travelling alone is a big thing in their eyes I reckon!

I'm grand when coming home though.

therecklessone

Extended trip to Oz/NZ/US last year.

Questioned by Special Branch in Heathrow.
In Hong Kong I was told I didn't look like the picture in my passport when I was checking in, managed to convince her I am who I am!
Questioned by four seperate immigration officers at 4am in Cairns, eventually they got the message that I was only staying 3 weeks.
Arrived in Dunedin (NZ) to be asked did I mind helping with sniffer dog training, had some foreign fauna put in my pockets for pooch to sniff out.
Arrived in LA, sailed though immigration then got grilled by customs, over what exactly I don't know, I could hardly keep my eyes open after an 11 hour flight with no sleep.

Is it because I is ginger?

I wouldn't mind, but the closest I came to a security risk was when I reported a suspicious looking bag to a member of staff in LAX after it lay abandoned on the floor for ages...

Good story from years ago in Dublin. New cabin crew with Aer Lingus used to have a prank pulled on them on their first overnight. Prankster would place a vibrator in the young lady's overnight bag, she would then proceed through security, set off alarm and have her bag searched. Everyone was usually in on it. Imagine their surprise when they pulled out not one, but...;)

Altoid

Once when coming home from Stansted I was late for the plane. I was running to get through everything as quickly as I could and with carrying my bags I was sweating quite a lot. I heard the security guys talking about the big guy sweating in the queue and sure enough I got checked.

I do remember watching a TV show about customs people, it said there were some US official travelers that review the security checks, unfortunately I match a description of one of these so I get checked regularly as they think I could report them.

DamienH

GAA widow wrote:

No, I'm not, I don't even have dark hair, I'm blonde ffs! One thing I have learned from this is how to pack more carefully (dirty clothes etc) after the whole French thing. When my baggage was checked in America I was even told "I must complement you on your packing Ma'am!"

Yah I've had at least two conversations when people have gone through my bags about my choice in music. I'm 18 and it's always with like 40yo men. Dosen't bother me at all tbh.

I know a fella that has the same name as some IRA activist that gets stopped all the time aswell

AngryBadger

Used to happen to me all the time too, but then i used to have my hair shaved fairly tight, and wore a long black leather jacket

HelterSkelter

Despite what everyone seems to think you are allowed to bring Mach3 or similar blades on board the plane...

http://www.dublinairport.com/at-airport/airport-security/

"Razor blades (razors that have the blade set into a plastic moulding are allowed, but razors that can be opened and the razor blade removed are prohibited)

bullrunner

was coming back from washington a little while after the 911 thing with a friend...hes Irish but of middle eastern origin. FBI/airport security said they were carrying out 'random' security searches...funnily enough my friend was asked to do one of them!! cant imagine why.:D

His bag was put on some machine that checked it for something (assuming it was checking for some chemicals)

but other than that (and remember we are talking DAYS after 911) airport security was a bit of a joke getting on the planes! Quick run through a metal detector and a check of your passport and that was pretty much it!

chamlis

Well I remember when your one was checking my bag, before she found the penknife. My digital camera was in there. She took it out, put it on some scales, brushed it with something (same with my mobile phone). Then found the penknife, but didn't seem too bothered, just said they're not alowed, need to destroy it. Damn good knife that was.....

Hobbes

There is a no-fly list. This is a long list of various names of people who either (a) should not be allowed on a plane or (b) should be searched before going on the plane.

Odds on your on that list or someone with the same name is.

Also other factors can trigger a search (beyond it being random). From how you dress, to the amount of luggage you bring to how much money you spent on a ticket or if you paid by cash or credit card.

bean

I believe that you automatically get searched if:

You buy tickets with cash

or

If you buy a one way ticket (not round trip)

HelterSkelter

bean wrote:

I believe that you automatically get searched if:

You buy tickets with cash

or

If you buy a one way ticket (not round trip)

Not true about the one way ticket. Bought a ticket with cash about 10 years ago and was not searched but things may have changed since 9/11

GAA widow

Hobbes wrote:

There is a no-fly list. This is a long list of various names of people who either (a) should not be allowed on a plane or (b) should be searched before going on the plane.

Odds on your on that list or someone with the same name is.

Also other factors can trigger a search (beyond it being random). From how you dress, to the amount of luggage you bring to how much money you spent on a ticket or if you paid by cash or credit card.

I don't think anybody else has my name, actually (have weird surname)

I think my boyfriend would probably agree about the luggage thing though!

CrazyGirl

Tazzle wrote:

on a slightly similar note, i hate having to practically undress just to take a flight these days. shoes, belt, phones, wallet, jacket, whatever. bleh.

These are Standig Operation Procedures!!! They just doing their job!I fly out a lot and it doesn't bother me at all.

Red Alert

i wonder under data protection legislation can you access your 'threat' level?

HelterSkelter

CrazyGirl wrote:

These are Standig Operation Procedures!!! They just doing their job!I fly out a lot and it doesn't bother me at all.

It's just window dressing to make ordinary Joes feel more comfortable about flying. The flight crew have to go through the same checks as everyone else which is a complete joke!!

seamus

Ìf the guys standing at security screening don't look at your ticket (i.e. only the guy at the entrance does), then how would they know that you're "high risk"?

I'm talking about Dublin and Heathrow specifically.

GAA widow

Red Alert wrote:

i wonder under data protection legislation can you access your 'threat' level?

Yeah, actually. Freedom of information and all that.
Have a friend who ticked "no" to the "Have you ever been in contact with biological substances...." question on the way back to the U.S. (works in a lab over there) for a speedy exit. He was hauled in by security who questioned him extensively on why he hadn't ticked the "yes" box and his occupation. What they didn't know about him wasn't worth knowing apparently.
Seems big brother is watching alright...

CrazyGirl

seamus wrote:

Dublin airport no longer require you to remove all footwear - only shoes, or if the detector goes off.

I know exactly what will and won't go off, so now it's just off with with the watch, off with the belt, and out with the change. Nothing else goes off.

I did get my bag searched going through Dublin on Wednesday though. There was nothing in my bag - the only thing I can think of is that they scanned my hard-disk MP3 player and thought that the read/write heads on the disk were a sharp stabbing implement.

(This is what a hard disk would look like under the X-Ray)

one in twenty have to remove shoes and belt if get asked to!

CrazyGirl

HelterSkelter wrote:

It's just window dressing to make ordinary Joes feel more comfortable about flying. The flight crew have to go through the same checks as everyone else which is a complete joke!!

So does the search unit before start of their shift [edit] and everytime they leave airside!

have you ever heard bout the fed ex employee in the states?

HelterSkelter

CrazyGirl wrote:

So does the search unit before start of their shift!

have you ever heard bout the fed ex employee in the states?

If a pilot wants to crash the airplane the last thing he needs is a pen knife, he has all the needs with access to the controls!! Plus there is an axe in the cockpit if he wants to smash someone's head in for good measure! Why they stop pilots bringing on screwdrivers, pen knifes, etc is beyond me.

seamus

HelterSkelter wrote:

If a pilot wants to crash the airplane the last thing he needs is a pen knife, he has all the needs with access to the controls!! Plus there is an axe in the cockpit if he wants to smash someone's head in for good measure! Why they stop pilots bringing on screwdrivers, pen knifes, etc is beyond me.

Person X pays pilot A an undisclosed sum to carry an offensive weapon through to the boarding area. Person X has already passed through the security check clean. Pilot A meets up with person X, hands him the weapon and boards Plane W. Person X boards plane Z and uses the weapon for his own means. Pilot A gets off scott free and without having to hurt anyone.