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

GAA widow · 06-07-2006 03:19PM #1

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 · 06-07-2006 03:22PM

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 · 06-07-2006 03:22PM

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 · 06-07-2006 03:26PM

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 · 06-07-2006 03:26PM

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! · 06-07-2006 03:28PM

Are you Muslim?

Ruu_Old · 06-07-2006 03:29PM

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 · 06-07-2006 03:30PM

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 · 06-07-2006 03:30PM

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 · 06-07-2006 03:31PM

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 · 06-07-2006 03:32PM

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 · 06-07-2006 03:37PM

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 · 06-07-2006 03:38PM

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 · 06-07-2006 03:44PM

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 · 06-07-2006 03:45PM

Happened to me on the way to the states.

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

Stephen · 06-07-2006 03:56PM

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

iz it coz I is Irish?

Ruu_Old · 06-07-2006 04:13PM

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! · 06-07-2006 05:52PM

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 · 06-07-2006 05:52PM

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 · 06-07-2006 05:55PM

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 · 06-07-2006 06:33PM

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 · 06-07-2006 06:36PM

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! · 06-07-2006 08:09PM

Mrs. MacGyver wrote:

i dont look the leat bit intimidating!

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

Civilian_Target · 07-07-2006 02:49AM

#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 · 07-07-2006 03:01AM

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 · 07-07-2006 03:30AM

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.

07-07-2006 05:09AM

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 · 07-07-2006 11:17AM

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! · 07-07-2006 11:37AM

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 · 07-07-2006 11:44AM

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 · 07-07-2006 11:57AM

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.

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

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