What is the story with ICTS security?

danger mouse

I havent flown out of Ireland since 2008.

Anyway 2 days ago I flew to LAX from Dublin and came across these "individuals" about 10 mins after I entered DUB airport. First up this goon in a suit pulled me out of the queue for my flight and asked me for my passport he had this PDA type thing he used to scan my passport and afterwards proceeded to put a stupid sticker with "icts" on my passport. I asked This guy what the sticker meant he got all CIA on me and told me I didn't need to know. Well this behaviour only made me more interested so I pushed and pushed with more of my questions, but I got nowhere...lol So after hours of analyzation of this situation, do any of you know what this is all about?

bumper234

I presume it's these guys


http://www.icts.co.uk/services/aviation

and they were doing a random check.

dmc17

The sticker makes him feel important.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

If he refused to give me any information about the sticker Id just remove it.

bumper234

The sticker is just there to say you have been checked in case another employee stops you further along.

danger mouse

In all fairness this wasn't the end of it. I met these guys the whole way along through my travels of Dublin airport. Even right up until I boarded the gangway for my flight, they where there again asking everyone questions before they got on the plane. I suppose it's been 5 years since I've been on a plane and this must be the norm this past while.

bumper234

danger mouse wrote: »

In all fairness this wasn't the end of it. I met these guys the whole way along through my travels of Dublin airport. Even right up until I boarded the gangway for my flight, they where there again asking everyone questions before they got on the plane. I suppose it's been 5 years since I've been on a plane and this must be the norm this past while.

Just think T.S.A but without having your junk fondled.

Skuxx

danger mouse wrote: »

I havent flown out of Ireland since 2008.

Anyway 2 days ago I flew to LAX from Dublin and came across these "individuals" about 10 mins after I entered DUB airport. First up this goon in a suit pulled me out of the queue for my flight and asked me for my passport he had this PDA type thing he used to scan my passport and afterwards proceeded to put a stupid sticker with "icts" on my passport. I asked This guy what the sticker meant he got all CIA on me and told me I didn't need to know. Well this behaviour only made me more interested so I pushed and pushed with more of my questions, but I got nowhere...lol So after hours of analyzation of this situation, do any of you know what this is all about?

My housemate used to work for them, ill ask him when he wakes up!

Sir Humphrey Appleby

danger mouse wrote: »

In all fairness this wasn't the end of it. I met these guys the whole way along through my travels of Dublin airport. Even right up until I boarded the gangway for my flight, they where there again asking everyone questions before they got on the plane. I suppose it's been 5 years since I've been on a plane and this must be the norm this past while.

Its been happening since just after 9/11.
ICTS handle security on the flights to the US, if you refuse to co-operate then you don't get on the plane, end of!

kneemos

danger mouse wrote: »

I havent flown out of Ireland since 2008.

Anyway 2 days ago I flew to LAX from Dublin and came across these "individuals" about 10 mins after I entered DUB airport. First up this goon in a suit pulled me out of the queue for my flight and asked me for my passport he had this PDA type thing he used to scan my passport and afterwards proceeded to put a stupid sticker with "icts" on my passport. I asked This guy what the sticker meant he got all CIA on me and told me I didn't need to know. Well this behaviour only made me more interested so I pushed and pushed with more of my questions, but I got nowhere...lol So after hours of analyzation of this situation, do any of you know what this is all about?

Are you the one who enjoys arguing with rather than go through the motions and be on your way?

danger mouse

kneemos wrote: »

Are you the one who enjoys arguing with rather than go through the motions and be on your way?

Na thats not me. I'm the guy thats having the most amazing holiday of my life, visiting some of the best places in Southern California. I'm the Irish guy thats walking around LA with the biggest **** eating grin. :P:D:):D

bumper234

danger mouse wrote: »

Na thats not me. I'm the guy thats having the most amazing holiday of my life, visiting some of the best places in Southern California. I'm the Irish guy thats walking around LA with the biggest **** eating grin. :P:D:):D

Ah so YOU'RE the white pasty guy. Got it

edit: If you're having such an AMAZING time living it up in California on the best holiday ever why are you posting on boards at 1-45 AM on Sunday morning?

danger mouse

bumper234 wrote: »

Ah so YOU'RE the white pasty guy. Got it

edit: If you're having such an AMAZING time living it up in California on the best holiday ever why are you posting on boards at 1-45 AM on Sunday morning?

Well suppose jet lag may account for some of it. Anyway Im just waiting until tomorrow to check out of here and head to las vegas. It's a long drive.
Got to have some down time before the big drive.... :cool:

genericguy

bumper234 wrote: »

Ah so YOU'RE the white pasty guy. Got it

edit: If you're having such an AMAZING time living it up in California on the best holiday ever why are you posting on boards at 1-45 AM on Sunday morning?

I bet he just hasn't met up with his Internet girlfriend yet.

danger mouse

genericguy wrote: »

I bet he just hasn't met up with his Internet girlfriend yet.

I'd love an Internet girlfriend. Where do I get one of them?

JamBur

so much homoeroticisim......

God, I hate people like the OP.

Irish Halo

Sir Humphrey Appleby wrote: »

ICTS handle security on the flights to the US, if you refuse to co-operate then you don't get on the plane, end of!

Yeah ICTS were a function of you flying to the US not flying out of Dublin. You should have heard the questions when I tried to fly to the US from the UK (where I was living) on an Irish passport. They genuinely couldn't get their head around why an Irish person was going to board a flight to the U.S. in London or that I may *shock, horror* live in a country that I was not a citizen of.

doolox

It seems they get all the bullies in school and put the in a uniform and make them act the asshole with people trying to get from A to B, and paying very heavily to do so.

The big problem with airports now is not the queues for tickets etc but the security queues and searches with foreign police and search teams, the Irish ones are admittedly good and keep the procedure as pain free and light hearted as it can be, The French and Italians are right royal pains in the proverbial and not a bit like their fellow countrymen in general who are much more personable and friendly to deal with.

The world in general and the governments of that world should be going after the genuine terrorists with absolutely no mercy and should leave ordinary travellers alone. It should be possible to have covert survellience and detection of potential trouble makers without making everybodies lives a misery with queues and checks.

humbert

danger mouse wrote: »

told me I didn't need to know.

I think I'd have keeled over laughing if someone delivered that line to me. In his head he's probably wearing a tux and holding a Walther PPK.

Beefy78

danger mouse wrote: »

Well suppose jet lag may account for some of it. Anyway Im just waiting until tomorrow to check out of here and head to las vegas. It's a long drive.
Got to have some down time before the big drive.... :cool:

Why would you drive from LA to Vegas? It's 40 minutes in a plane.

conor-mr2

Beefy78 wrote: »

Why would you drive from LA to Vegas? It's 40 minutes in a plane.

You dont need to know :P

fasttalkerchat

Probably something like the "Airport Police"

bumper234

JamBur wrote: »

so much homoeroticisim......

You were feeling left out maybe

Duck's hoop

Beefy78 wrote: »

Why would you drive from LA to Vegas? It's 40 minutes in a plane.

Because he wants to? It's the US, land of the automobile? A pretty cool drive with many possible diversions? A great way to see and experience the country?

hansfrei

What was his PSA number? He has to tell you that. Its either HE has one or HE gets fined up to €3,000.

hansfrei

psa.gov.ie

JustAddWater

[Deleted User] wrote: »

God, I hate people like the OP.

The feeling is probably mutual

bumper234

hansfrei wrote: »

What was his PSA number? He has to tell you that. Its either HE has one or HE gets fined up to €3,000.

And one word from him and you hit a no fly restriction and there goes your holiday.

hansfrei

bumper234 wrote: »

And one word from him and you hit a no fly restriction and there goes your holiday.

Report him after you return.

kneemos

hansfrei wrote: »

Report him after you return.

For putting a sticker on your passport?

bumper234

hansfrei wrote: »

Report him after you return.

Report him for what? Doing his job? Can't understand the Irish mentality with being asked questions by security people. Op was asked a couple of security questions, answered them to the satisfaction of the security person and was sent on his way after a minor delay.

What would the people here who are claiming they would ask for names, badge numbers, or say they would refuse to answer the questions do when travelling BACK from the states? You ever been pulled over by US security? Try giving the TSA that attitude and then see how long you are delayed.

TheChizler

bumper234 wrote: »

What would the people here who are claiming they would ask for names, badge numbers, or say they would refuse to answer the questions do when travelling BACK from the states? You ever been pulled over by US security? Try giving the TSA that attitude and then see how long you are delayed.

I think the issue here is that, from the OP, they never identified themselves as part of official airport security. They could have been anyone.

hansfrei

bumper234 wrote: »

Report him for what? Doing his job? Can't understand the Irish mentality with being asked questions by security people. Op was asked a couple of security questions, answered them to the satisfaction of the security person and was sent on his way after a minor delay.

What would the people here who are claiming they would ask for names, badge numbers, or say they would refuse to answer the questions do when travelling BACK from the states? You ever been pulled over by US security? Try giving the TSA that attitude and then see how long you are delayed.

Here we go. Unless he is PSA registered its not his job. Its just like getting a taxi thats not licensed to be a taxi. How hard is it to understand?

kneemos

TheChizler wrote: »

I think the issue here is that, from the OP, they never identified themselves as part of official airport security. They could have been anyone.

Just some weirdo who somehow enters an airport and scans passports.

biko

TSA in US has a long record of privacy breaches, stealing property and minor offences.
Can't wait to get the dirt on ICTS.

hansfrei

TheChizler wrote: »

I think the issue here is that, from the OP, they never identified themselves as part of official airport security. They could have been anyone.

And they probably were

Local-womanizer

I love the way the OP is getting abuse for not just keeping quiet and continuing on his way, yet when he asked this security official what the story was he got an ignorant reply.

Surely he actually could have answered the OPs question. No need to be an ass about it.

TheChizler

kneemos wrote: »

Just some weirdo who somehow enters an airport and scans passports.

Ever hear of forged duplicate passports? That's how they can get valid details.

bumper234

hansfrei wrote: »

Here we go. Unless he is PSA registered its not his job. Its just like getting a taxi thats not licensed to be a taxi. How hard is it to understand?

We don't know if he was PSA registered.

TheChizler wrote: »

I think the issue here is that, from the OP, they never identified themselves as part of official airport security. They could have been anyone.

Nowhere in the OP does it state the guy didn't identify himself as part of airport security.

TheChizler

bumper234 wrote: »

Nowhere in the OP does it state the guy didn't identify himself as part of airport security.

He just said some guy in a suit, who wouldn't explain what he was doing. I imagine if he identified himself off the bat the OP wouldn't have an issue and this thread wouldn't exist. Can the OP confirm?

kneemos

TheChizler wrote: »

He just said some guy in a suit, who wouldn't explain what he was doing. I imagine if he identified himself off the bat the OP wouldn't have an issue and this thread wouldn't exist. Can the OP confirm?

No he didn't.The op said he had a problem with the sticker they put on his passport.He also said there was loads more of these guys throughout the airport,so obviously security.

Elbaston

Was it a pokemon sticker ?

I'd guess this has something to do with the hurricane of bodies and backpacks that is Dublin airport departures security at certain times (esp on a Monday).

If you haven't flown in a while, or if you're flying Ryanair - be extra early, departures is straight in and to the left. (in a hidden area with no signs to tell you where)
They usually have a mile long queue of people boarding in 5 minutes and with faces on them that look like they're seconds from sharting themselves.
(I was one of them)

So then they just shovel you all through with a half hearted, methodical, token check. They just don't have enough time or staff.

The Americans probably saw this and decided security had to meet a higher standard, so they might have demanded their flights have that extra edge, so they went to the best, they went to the real professionals - they went to ICTS. You don't need to know about the sticker, you'll know what to do when the time comes...we'll be watching.


(ryanair - because their gate is a truly amazing distance from departures. It seriously must be 2 kilometres - almost died getting to the gate)

camel jockey

danger mouse wrote: »

analyzation of this situation

Sounds sore, I wouldn't be a fan of anal probing. You should sue over that.

camel jockey

I've never had the ICTS check when flying to the US by Aer Lingus, only when using one of the US airlines. And I have never been stopped / approached by them once I have checked in. Last time I flew to the US was a couple of months ago.

bumper234

TheChizler wrote: »

He just said some guy in a suit, who wouldn't explain what he was doing. I imagine if he identified himself off the bat the OP wouldn't have an issue and this thread wouldn't exist. Can the OP confirm?

If the guy didn't identify himself or wasn't wearing some sort of badge/ID why did op hand over his passport? OP had a problem with the "stupid sticker" and decided to act like a tool when security refused to answer his questions.

danger mouse wrote: »

I havent flown out of Ireland since 2008.

Anyway 2 days ago I flew to LAX from Dublin and came across these "individuals" about 10 mins after I entered DUB airport. First up this goon in a suit pulled me out of the queue for my flight and asked me for my passport he had this PDA type thing he used to scan my passport and afterwards proceeded to put a stupid sticker with "icts" on my passport. I asked This guy what the sticker meant he got all CIA on me and told me I didn't need to know. Well this behaviour only made me more interested so I pushed and pushed with more of my questions, but I got nowhere...lol So after hours of analyzation of this situation, do any of you know what this is all about?

Beefy78

Duck's hoop wrote: »

Because he wants to? It's the US, land of the automobile? A pretty cool drive with many possible diversions? A great way to see and experience the country?

It's not a pretty cool drive with many possible diversions though. It's eight hours of nothing which is renowned as being one of the worst drives in America.

TheChizler

bumper234 wrote: »

If the guy didn't identify himself or wasn't wearing some sort of badge/ID why did op hand over his passport? OP had a problem with the "stupid sticker" and decided to act like a tool when security refused to answer his questions.

I'm waiting to see if the OP confirms if they identified themselves before the sticker (at which point from the information given it becomes obvious that they're official, not before).

TheChizler

kneemos wrote: »

No he didn't.The op said he had a problem with the sticker they put on his passport.He also said there was loads more of these guys throughout the airport,so obviously security.

The exact words were 'goon in a suit', unless the suit was a security uniform with a badge or the guy identified himself somehow I think it's understandable that anyone would have an issue with someone demanding and modifying their passport.

bumper234

TheChizler wrote: »

The exact words were 'goon in a suit', unless the suit was a security uniform with a badge or the guy identified himself somehow I think it's understandable that anyone would have an issue with someone demanding and modifying their passport.

If someone demands your passport you can obviously refuse to hand it over that's why i assume the suit had identified himself to op as security. And i would hardly call putting a sticker on a passport "modifying".

Conmaicne Mara

danger mouse wrote: »

and told me I didn't need to know.

Well if I don't need to know, neither do fecking you.

Oooooooo matron, is that the sound of rubber gloves :eek: