Airport Security Restrictions = Thieves Heaven

Flukey

On Liveline, a radio phone-in show on RTE Radio One now, they are getting loads of calls of people receiving back their luggage with their laptops, phones, ipods, cameras, keys and anything else valuable you can think of all missing. Now there's a surprise!

Restrictions to the USA are still the same. Anyone going there bringing a laptop, phone, camera etc. are likely to lose them. Checking these in 3 hours beforehand gives plenty of time for those with sticky fingers to get to work.

The complaints all relate to Dublin airport. One guy had his laptop bag, with no laptop or phone in it, returned to his home by courier. That courier said that that was the 3rd time that that had happened yesterday. Just one courier seeing three of these incidents, imagine how many there were in total.

Bluetonic

Flukey wrote:

Just one courier seeing three of these incidents, imagine how many there were in total.

3 or more probably.

super_furry

I didn't think there were any hand luggage restrictions from Irish airports aside from not being able to bring on liquids?

mickd

Flukey wrote:

The complaints all relate to Dublin airport.

My understanding was that they related to heathrow in london and Faro. There would be a lot more time to go through luggage at the departure airport(heathrow) then when it has to be loaded on the carousel at the arrival airport

Hobbes

Goes on in every airport tbh. In Boston the locals told me never to put anything of value into check in luggage. One friend even lost good clothes that way.

Also when I was in LAX waiting ages for my bag it finally turned up. It was clear from opening the bag that not only had they opened the bag but they had emptied it onto the tarmac out near the plane in the middle of a rain storm and then threw the clothes back in. Nothing in it that time except dirty clothes.

Generic_Dave

Ah but isn't it a small price to pay for living in a world without terror...oh wait hold on...Maybe a class action lawsuit against the airlines, bring an absolute s**t load of people together. Or they could put a locked section on the plane, say at the back somewhere that's can only be opened while the plane is stopped, so you had your valuables into this room as you get on, get a ticket and then claim it as you're getting off...Or people could just grow up and realise that stopping people bringing things like that on a plane is a no-brainer. All you're doing is alienating customers, I mean the 9/11 hijackers took over with scissors and other tiny objects, they use whatever comes to hand. Knee-jerk reactions like this usually go away though.

Although while we're on the subject, I've heard alot of talk about liquid explosives being undetectable and all that lark, but apparently there's a machine that can, it's just expensive. There's a thing about it on Wired.com

you could just put a lock on your bag then if its broken its proof really that someone has been tampering with your bag

JohnK

Deleted User wrote:

you could just put a lock on your bag then if its broken its proof really that someone has been tampering with your bag

Customs can open any bag and warn you that locks like this can and will be broken.

godtabh

I friend of mine has cancelled a trip to London via plane cause he doesnt want to risk his laptop & camera. He is taking the ferry now.

deisemum

There was a documentary on the BBC a few years back (hidden cameras and all that sort of thing) and it was startling the amount of stuff stolen from suitcases by baggage handlers.

It's sure to get much worse now.

Adam

Thats got to be truly sickening, being a victim. And the airports in question must be hiring true scum if this is happening with such frequency!

Do they look into the incidents at all if a complaint is lodged?!

JohnK

With the number of people who have access to baggage it would be fairly pointless I'd imagine.

Adam

But if it's ongoing they can hardly sit around twiddling their thumbs now can they??

deisemum

If a tv company can "catch" baggage handlers on camera surely if the airports/airlines were really interested in minimising this abuse/crime they'd do it and not pretend it doesn't happen as much as it does. It would be much easier for them to catch them.

Terry

i'd go bananas if someone stole from my baggage.
i would get my cop friends to take finger prints and make sure the airport investigated it fully. i think anyone with cop friends should take this course. it pays to have pig friends.

Endurance Man

Ahhh fook , are these restrictions in effect in dublin to? Is it all flight? I leave for SA on monday, always take my laptop as hand luggage but wasnt sure now? Thought it was only flights to USA.

chump

On a different note, last year in dublin airport my gf had to open her bag infront of a baggage inspector while they trawled thru it with fine tooth comb, and this was just off to the side of departures area in dublin airport. Very embarassing, luckily no dirty clothes ... and thank bejeesus she hadn't packed her rampant rabbit

although the 500ml tube of KY raised an eyebrow

InFront

Ive lost luggage before that I never got back, it's such a killer - although, not so much a killer as being bombed by a terrorist might be...
I hope they work something out soon (ie before I go on holidays:) )

Generic_Dave wrote:

Although while we're on the subject, I've heard alot of talk about liquid explosives being undetectable and all that lark, but apparently there's a machine that can, it's just expensive. There's a thing about it on Wired.com

For some reason I cant access wired.com What kind of website is that?:) Anyway.. I dont see how it could detect liquids. You could just create a liquid that had the same osmolarity as blood at 320mOsms, and then how would you differentiate the explosive?

Adam

InFront wrote:

Ive lost luggage before that I never got back, it's such a killer - although, not so much a killer as being bombed by a terrorist might be...
I hope they work something out soon (ie before I go on holidays:) )



For some reason I cant access wired.com What kind of website is that?:) Anyway.. I dont see how it could detect liquids. You could just create a liquid that had the same osmolarity as blood at 320mOsms, and then how would you differentiate the explosive?

Thats a good point... But for every measure there will always be a counter measure really I guess!

Ruu_Old

chump wrote:

On a different note, last year in dublin airport my gf had to open her bag infront of a baggage inspector while they trawled thru it with fine tooth comb, and this was just off to the side of departures area in dublin airport. Very embarassing, luckily no dirty clothes ... and thank bejeesus she hadn't packed her rampant rabbit

although the 500ml tube of KY raised an eyebrow

They do that all the time, its nothing new. I have never had any problems with my luggage and travel often. I remember there being an article in Herald sometime last year, some Ryanair passenger opened her luggage, she had a camera and developed the pictures on it. A few of them were pictures of the baggage handlers throwing the luggage onto the carriages. Cheek of them, obviously wanted to have a bit of fun so started taking pictures of each other.

Flukey

Security is fine, but the point is that if we do have to hand over our valuables before getting on the plane, that we should get them back safe and sound.

Adam

Flukey wrote:

Security is fine, but the point is that if we do have to hand over our valuables before getting on the plane, that we should get them back safe and sound.

Precisely! How is this not covered by the airlines/airport??

Ruu_Old

I wonder how much travel insurance would cover of goods that go missing like that.

Lord Oz

I'd rather put up with the risk of terrorism than have my laptop stolen.

Adam

Lord Oz wrote:

I'd rather put up with the risk of terrorism than have my laptop stolen.

Me too.

<_<

Terry

Lord Oz wrote:

I'd rather put up with the risk of terrorism than have my laptop stolen.

well the whole idea of terrorism is to put the sh!ts up you.
continuing about your daily business is a kick in the teeth for these cnuts.

Kalashnikov_Kid

! was hoping I would find this exact thread!

Flew back to Dublin today from London Gatwick only to discover after leavin the airport (d'oh) that my 3 week old phone was either taken from my luggage by some Dublin knacker/London chav :mad: - after readin this I could presume that the former was prob responsible, also as my luggage seemed untouched on the flight over.

I wouldnt mind but I had someone elses much older phone in there too but they left it and they also didnt take my charger. None of my clothes were taken either, cheers lads!

Obvoiusly I dont have a hope in hell in gettin my phone but any suggestions on what would be the best way to report this so that it will actually get some notice? I was thinkin of maybe ringin serviceair... eh is there any point at all?

Also as Ive been away the last few days have events like these recieved much media attention here?

Damn Muslim terrorists

antSionnach

julep wrote:

continuing about your daily business is a kick in the teeth for these cnuts.

everyone says that but i dunno. Maybe it just encourages them. Maybe they dont even care - after all, they were planning on dying in this. They should be sizzling away in Hell as we speak... I doubt theyre watching sky news and thinking "ah feck them"

Terry

well the ones who are willing to die are just the foot soldiers. merely brain washed people who think they are doing the right think. it's those higher up that i was referring to. they are the ones you piss off with a non-chalant attitude to their attempts at creating panic.
i had something else to say, but i forget what it was. i'll edit this if i think of it.

Obvoiusly I dont have a hope in hell in gettin my phone but any suggestions on what would be the best way to report this so that it will actually get some notice? I was thinkin of maybe ringin serviceair... eh is there any point at all?

try here for answers on reporting your phone stolen.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=411

Flukey

Nowadays customs can "legally" open any bag and in some situations they don't allow you to lock them in the first place. So in all this high security age we are living in, everything is safe, except your property. It is not the terrorists that are robbing stuff out of your bags. If a fraction of the safety and security applied to us was applied to our possessions and those entrusted with looking after them, we'd get everything back without as much as a speck of dust on them since we parted with them.

Terry

what if a terrorist gets a job as a baggage handler and puts a bomb in your bag?

apologies to anyone flying in the near future.

Vokes

A baggage handler has to get past security though on the way to work, doesn't he.

Adam

What about on the way out? Maybe if they had to check in and out possessions we wouldnt have so many thefts, as they would hardly be able to explain where they "found" a new laptop during work...

Kalashnikov_Kid

Flukey wrote:

Nowadays customs can "legally" open any bag and in some situations they don't allow you to lock them in the first place. So in all this high security age we are living in, everything is safe, except your property. It is not the terrorists that are robbing stuff out of your bags. If a fraction of the safety and security applied to us was applied to our possessions and those entrusted with looking after them, we'd get everything back without as much as a speck of dust on them since we parted with them.

Was thinking the exact same thing buddy. Today at Gatwick I was told to take off my shoes empty my pockets and lectured about all the things I couldnt bring on a plane then had my wallet thoroughly searched for good measure. If only they could follow the same precedures on Deco from Dublin who's just finished his shift with 3 phones in his pocket???

Flukey

It is a bit more sophisticated than that. It is not just some gouger slipping a laptop into his back pocket as it were; it is more organised. A lot of stuff goes missing all the time. Now suddenly they are being sent a bounty of goods to steal.

Capt'n Midnight

Some people reckon that putting a lock on a bag just advertises there is stuff worth robbing in it.

Heathrow used to be known as Thief Row. They had to ban mobile phones in the baggage handling areas because of handlers keeping sketch.

If handlers go through security on the way in / out then how do they get the loot out ?

More importantly for a security point of view if they can take multiple laptops at will then whats to stop them putting something on the plane ?

Fajitas!

Oh lovely. I now have to trust some baggage handler with €3000 of camera gear.

Hmmmmm... Wonder if I strapped it all onto me would it be ok...

http://www.robertbody.com/zforeign_sources/collections/funny_pictures/thumbnails/too-many-cameras.jpg

jellie

Does anyone know if the restrictions are limited to US/UK flights?

Im going to crete on thursday (yay ) & wondering what i can/cant put in hand luggage. My mum came home from spain last friday with normal hand luggage & no problems with it.

Ruu_Old

I would advise you to call your airline sar84, as it might differ with the airlines.

Kalashnikov_Kid

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Some people reckon that putting a lock on a bag just advertises there is stuff worth robbing in it.

Heathrow used to be known as Thief Row. They had to ban mobile phones in the baggage handling areas because of handlers keeping sketch.

If handlers go through security on the way in / out then how do they get the loot out ?

More importantly for a security point of view if they can take multiple laptops at will then whats to stop them putting something on the plane ?

I guess we will never really know. I would imagine maintaining the good image of the airport is paramount and therefore would hinder us from finding any answers. For instance if staff at my Uni were caught taking student belongings I doubt PR would be mad for letting everyone know about it.

From a security point of view it is certainly worrying, especially if they already have some sort of set system of stealing goods as Flukey suggested. then I wonder what the limit to their capabilities would be if someone put their mind to it

Wertz

julep wrote:

what if a terrorist gets a job as a baggage handler and puts a bomb in your bag?

apologies to anyone flying in the near future.

I was just about to chime in with the exact same point.
What you have to remember about airport staff is that they're minimum wage monkeys for the most part, sometimes operated under sub-contracts to the airport authority....security and b/g checks may be done but to what level and how easy is it to dupe? Fat lot of good walking onto a plane with f*ck all in your pockets, when some jihadist has already placed a lb of C4 in your samsonite.

On an aside, workmate got back to work today after flying home last thursady and one of the first things he was talking about was watching these guys at Barcelona airport help themselves to various electronic items from people's checked hand-luggage with the help of an Xray scanner and a blanket to conceal the booty.
Leaving laptops etc at home is one thing....but I mean how the f*ck do you go anywhere without your phone? Guess it's time to dig out an old worthless handset to stick in your luggage...

Black Swan

If you're planning on flying to the US as they approach the mid-year national elections early November, the problems with carry-ons will more than likely continue. Oh, unless you are planning on making a statement, I wouldn't go commando should you have to undress.:rolleyes:

JohnK

julep wrote:

what if a terrorist gets a job as a baggage handler and puts a bomb in your bag?

apologies to anyone flying in the near future.

Did you ever read about Schapelle Corby? She claims that after checking in her bag in Brisbane airport 4.1kg of marijuana was place in it by one of the baggage handlers. She is currently in jail in Bali with a 20 year sentence for drug smuggling :eek:

Adam

JohnK wrote:

Did you ever read about Schapelle Corby? She claims that after checking in her bag in Brisbane airport 4.1kg of marijuana was place in it by one of the baggage handlers. She is currently in jail in Bali with a 20 year sentence for drug smuggling :eek:

Jeez...that's a real kick in the teeth!

JohnK

Suppose its not all bad though, they usually execute any drug smugglers they find :eek:

Random

People stealing from checked in bags. .. another wonderful extra of ALL THESE TERRORISTS TRYING TO KILL US! MURDER DEATH KILL! WERE ALL DOOMED! THE WORLDS GOING TO END!!!

... or something.

Chucky the tree

JohnK wrote:

Did you ever read about Schapelle Corby? She claims that after checking in her bag in Brisbane airport 4.1kg of marijuana was place in it by one of the baggage handlers. She is currently in jail in Bali with a 20 year sentence for drug smuggling :eek:

Yea i remeber that. Good attempt at bull****ting. Clearly didnt work though

Adam

JohnK wrote:

Suppose its not all bad though, they usually execute any drug smugglers they find :eek:

I think I'd rather be killed than serve 20 years in prison in Bali! :eek:

JohnK

fade_to_grey wrote:

I think I'd rather be killed than serve 20 years in prison in Bali! :eek:

Supposedly, if you have money then the guards are extremely bribe-able and usually very open about this fact . They wont let you go (except when you bribe the judge and prosecutor which is also apparently quite common) but they will let you live comfortably. I remember reading one article that interviewed an inmate who talked about the picnics he was allowed to have on the prison grounds with family and friends and beer shipped in by the guards

Adam

JohnK wrote:

Supposedly, if you have money then the guards are extremely bribe-able and usually very open about this fact . They wont let you go (except when you bribe the judge and prosecutor which is also apparently quite common) but they will let you live comfortably. I remember reading one article that interviewed an inmate who talked about the picnics he was allowed to have on the prison grounds with family and friends and beer shipped in by the guards

still, IF u have the money...

rogue-entity

Well, if I do bring my phone in by luggage, I will be sure to put the SIM and MMC cards into my wallet. My phone is useless (for now) on any network other then 3, and if it gets stolen, I report it as such and it will be barred. Wont be more then a brick to any potential thieves. Insurance will get me a nice new one.

If I cant bring my camcorder on board, I wont bring it at all, not risking it getting stolen, too much hassle trying to claim unless my travel insurance will cover a new one.

Wont ever bring my laptop if I cant bring it on board.

I will be locking my case, for what good it will do. I wonder what customs would say if I was to bring a taser or hunting knife back in my case... after all the US baggage security didnt flinch when I brought a sword back with me

Edit: With the changes to the hand-luggage restrictions, I will be bringing my camera on board, but the phone will go in my luggage with the battery in one area and the phone in another and my SIM in my wallet. A few books on board too and I am sorted