Airport Security

Ruen · 13-04-2007 11:19PM

sean_keevey wrote:

Yea but hold a needle to someone's throat and say you've got HIV and see if they do what you say.

Well it wont get them control of an aeroplane

DublinWriter · 14-04-2007 08:15AM

A little light relief...travelling back to Dublin from Brussels, the security guy on the X-Ray belt announced "please put all ze bombs and ze guns on the belt so we can take nice picture of them...thank you".

Ah yes, God bless the Belgians.

14-04-2007 08:55AM

robinph wrote:

Airport security is more to do with scaring the population into thinking that bad guys are out to destroy us all and that the powers that be are doing something about it. It is not designed in anyway to make travelling on aeroplanes any safer though.

yes its all in our heads

Boggles · 14-04-2007 09:28AM

DublinWriter wrote:

A little light relief...travelling back to Dublin from Brussels, the security guy on the X-Ray belt announced "please put all ze bombs and ze guns on the belt so we can take nice picture of them...thank you".

Ah yes, God bless the Belgians.

Brilliant.

Who is screening these security guys? Cleaners, staff, that's how the next attack will take place, not some Irish fella with 2 kids and a tired wife.

I'm more scared of a hung over maintenance man reattaching an engine then I am of any terrorist!

DublinWriter · 14-04-2007 11:16AM

Hilarious: http://www.break.com/index/the_chasers_airport_security_part_2.html

zuutroy · 14-04-2007 11:24AM

DublinWriter wrote:

Hilarious: http://www.break.com/index/the_chasers_airport_security_part_2.html

Very good!

DaSilva · 15-04-2007 01:40PM

Anyone who finds airport security in Europe frustrating must take a trip to Israel. Ben Gurian airport security is probably tougher than most of our prisons. They profile you while you are in the queue you go through countless security scanners and searches.

I'll never forget that English girl who was ahead of me in the queue and her being profiled. When asked if she met anyone in Israel and spent time with that she didn't know, she said yes. And then when asked what her residence was she said she had a hotel but actually stayed with some friends instead most of the time. The girl had no idea what was about to happen as a red sticker was placed on her bags, and she was escorted off for a "full" search. I saw her crying later.

zuutroy · 15-04-2007 01:57PM

DaSilva wrote:

Anyone who finds airport security in Europe frustrating must take a trip to Israel. Ben Gurian airport security is probably tougher than most of our prisons. They profile you while you are in the queue you go through countless security scanners and searches.

I'll never forget that English girl who was ahead of me in the queue and her being profiled. When asked if she met anyone in Israel and spent time with that she didn't know, she said yes. And then when asked what her residence was she said she had a hotel but actually stayed with some friends instead most of the time. The girl had no idea what was about to happen as a red sticker was placed on her bags, and she was escorted off for a "full" search. I saw her crying later.

And yet you see the Israeli foreign minister on football focus a few weeks ago urging everyone to come and have a great time and they have nothing to worry about.

Stark · 15-04-2007 04:47PM

DaSilva wrote:

Anyone who finds airport security in Europe frustrating must take a trip to Israel. Ben Gurian airport security is probably tougher than most of our prisons. They profile you while you are in the queue you go through countless security scanners and searches.

I'll never forget that English girl who was ahead of me in the queue and her being profiled. When asked if she met anyone in Israel and spent time with that she didn't know, she said yes. And then when asked what her residence was she said she had a hotel but actually stayed with some friends instead most of the time. The girl had no idea what was about to happen as a red sticker was placed on her bags, and she was escorted off for a "full" search. I saw her crying later.

It's a bit like when you're asked "Have your bags been out of possession for any length of time", you should always answer "No" and not stop to think about the question. Someone was telling me they went to the States before and answered "Well I put the bags in the luggage hold of the bus for a while", to which the reply was "Are you sure about that?". "Yes". "Are you really sure. Because if you're really sure, we'll have to cavity search you". "Oh. Actually, no, I had them with me". "Very good. On you go".

15-04-2007 05:24PM

I'd love to see the first days of air travel where you wandered up to the plane on the airfield about 5 mins before the flight, sat down and off you went.

Stark · 15-04-2007 05:28PM

One of the reasons why I think flying within Ireland is ridiculous when you can just walk onto a bus/train with no hassle whatsoever.

Bluetonic · 15-04-2007 05:31PM

Stark wrote:

you can just walk onto a bus/train with no hassle whatsoever.

:rolleyes:

SimpleSam06 · 15-04-2007 06:17PM

Yes indeed, I've been waiting for this one. First of all heres the deal; when your valuable liquids are confiscated, not only are they not investigated in case they might be explosives, even if they were checked there would be no way to link them to you. However that point is moot, since they give them to charities for auction. Thats right, maybe next time you are at a charity ball and they auction off a twelve year old bottle of single malt scotch, and you take it home for drinkage, it may just blow your fucking head off.

Second of all, you can do nothing about it. If they want to seize and strip search you for several days, they can. The government in question just gives the airport security company laissez-faire with the rules; whatever they say is effectively law. This is much the same trick as the catholic church pulled with the inquisition, sinners were handed to the secular authorities for "questioning".

And third, for my own horror story, when these regulations were first introduced, I was bringing home a 70cl bottle of rare old rum after a stint in the far east, and after much lively debate, it was taken off me and dropped in the big blue bin in Schipol. I strode off muttering "insanity!" under my breath, but was somewhat relieved that they had missed the litre bottle.

Muppetry.

Stark · 15-04-2007 06:34PM

SimpleSam06 wrote:

However that point is moot, since they give them to charities for auction. Thats right, maybe next time you are at a charity ball and they auction off a twelve year old bottle of single malt scotch, and you take it home for drinkage, it may just blow your ****ing head off.

Lol

FlutterinBantam · 15-04-2007 07:22PM

I was flying out of Entebbe Uganda there last Oct and the security there is as far as I could see Non Existant,no hassle ,no search no nothin... :eek:

InFront · 15-04-2007 07:54PM

In many airports in Pakistan (of all places) it's pretty much the same thing, you go through pretty basic (think pre 9/11 flight from Galway to Dublin) security and go out onto the plane - even for a flight ending up at Gatwick Airport in my experience. Pakistan also endures far, far more terrorist attacks (including on airports) than Britain or the USA combined.

Europe and America are completely paranoid about this. I really think a lot of it is more to do with convincing passengers that it's safe to fly as opposed to a watertight prevention of terrorism really. Terrorists will always find a way, clear plastic bags won't stop them.

Love2love · 15-04-2007 08:19PM

I fly back and forth once a month Dublin to Germany and tbh, I never had any hassle in Dublin. Germany on the other hand............. I borrowed my brother's bag once, he uses it going to the Shels matches for his banner and inside was a knife that he uses to cut the ties of the banner. Went through Dublin without a problem, bag got scanned - Nothing. Flying home the following week and the bag was confiscated and searched 5 times, when eventually found they measured it and told me it was 2cm too big for me to bring it on board. They took the knife and binned it.

Last month, flying with my son as I always do, some asswipe at passport control wasn't allowing me to board my flight because my son has a different surname to me. Even though I had his birth certificate which clearly states that I AM the mother. Asked me a 101 questions about where is was born, what his date of birth was and why our surnames are different. Eh.... because I'm not married yet! The only reason I was finaly allowed to board was because the other fella recognised me from flying so much.

Almost everytime I go through that airport I have a problem.

kwalsh000 · 15-04-2007 10:46PM

Too much to be reading at this time..tired and such. But seen there ICTS..ive been a victim also..two years xraying bags there and in general dublin airport security is a sham. If you only seen half of the people screening..it would scare you!

patrickolee · 15-04-2007 11:38PM

I have a plate in my arm. Never have any problems going through any of the metal detectors, except Frankfurt. For some reason it beeped there. They just looked at the scar waved a hand held detector over it and when it went off they were happy enough.

ellenmelon · 16-04-2007 05:17AM

ciaranfo wrote:

I'd love to see the first days of air travel where you wandered up to the plane on the airfield about 5 mins before the flight, sat down and off you went.

first days? lol you'd crack up at the sight of the airport in my home town here in NZ then so

its quite a small airport so you check your bags in and about 10minutes before you take off you walk out onto the tarmac onto the plane. bear in mind its just domestic flights but its still hilarious. wont be for much longer though i think cause theyve gone all paranoid here and are looking at bringing in that 100mls of fluids only thing here too...

englander · 16-04-2007 10:57AM

After several bad experiences with airports and the security, me and the family travel by ferry whenever possible now.

Teesside airport (or Durham Tees Valley airport as its now known) is particularly bad :

We had our 18 months old child's milk confiscated even though we tasted it first.
The unopened jar confiscated as we could only take one through.
No help with buggy.
Condescending sh!tes work in security.
We had to remove our little lads slippers and put through scanner ffs ! and take the buggy apart while the security just watched with smug faces while we struggled

The flight was then delayed and we had to sit in departures with no milk or food for our child and nowhere to purchase.

Savman · 16-04-2007 02:03PM

I'd say the Ferry companies are lovin' it. There must be a surge of people going back to the Sail & Rail to the UK, I know I am more and more recently.
The security idiots in the Airport wouldnt deter me off a trip away, but I would take it into consideration as a serious negative to flying.
I worked in the Airport for 5 years, I remember them bringing this new "security" crowd in they were the most ignorant bastards I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. Even Airport staff hated them, its no surprise the Public feel the same way nowadays.

And if that wasnt bad enough, there's the "low fares" scam where you think you get your flight for €1 only to find charges thrown at you for everything. Air travel has gone downhill imo, I only use when necessary (long haul etc).

Tiesto · 17-04-2007 05:23PM

yeah I dont agree with the silly 100 ml rule either.
I was going through frankfurt airport at the weekend and left a few bottles of aftershave (under 100ml) in my travel bag (not in the plastic bag) and put it through the machine. Was too tired and not in the mood to go rooting through my bag for them.
Had to go through two scanners in frankfurt and nothing was said about them. Happy enough

testicle · 17-04-2007 06:06PM

Anyone who finds airport security maddening should take the first flights out of Shannon in the morning (London/Girona 06:35) - there is no one manning the scanner.

Gauge · 17-04-2007 06:34PM

A while back myself and my family were on our way to Menorca and my six year old brother's little Manchester United backpack got pulled out for a random search by a security guy.

After we left my mom overheard him saying he 'always searches the Man U fan's bags!' Apparently he supported Liverpool. Strange.

civdef · 17-04-2007 06:50PM

My favourite airport security story is about British Army troops who were going abroad on a deployment, they were made put all their hand luggage through the X-Ray scanner - including the SA80 rifles they were all carrying.

Judt · 17-04-2007 07:45PM

I'm a regular all over Europe and the US, and it's funny some of the inconsistencies. For example when flying to the US everyone gets a full body search and their bags checked as standard. Flying back (USA->Europe) and we don't get the same check a week later. Of course the threat level may have changed, but it's happened more than once.

For some reason nowadays they always search my laptop bag in both Dublin and Germany (the last two times I flew to Munich specifically.) Must be something in there that looks odd. I'll check it eventually.

I wouldn't mind if they could just come up with a consistent set of international standards, and make the rules clear.

The homeland security chaps in the US have to be the most arrogant in the world. I saw a woman with two kids and two big bags and the guy was standing there looking at her moving up the line "Come on, move it lady..." The ones in Dublin are alright, but once you get to the US itself it's another matter...

Of course Dublin passport control has one of my favourites: I was coming through on the late night returns to Dublin, and there was a chap in a wheelchair being pushed along by one of the airport staff. The Guard just looked at him searching around, said "Are ya Irish?" Chap replied "Yeah" and the guard waved him on.

looksee · 17-04-2007 08:14PM

Coming through Luton one time there was a group in front of me, two women, an older woman in a wheelchair, a hyperactive small boy and a little girl draped with more metalwork than you can imagine - studded belt, chain necklace, bracelets, sandles with buckles, you name it... I don't know what they were trying to move but they had obviously been practising. They milled about, one brought the wheelchair through, she was supposed to go back and through the scanner again, but somehow the child was in the scanner at the same time, so one went back and the other came forward, the girl set off the scanner but the mother had to take all the metalwork off her and she was the wrong side and so it went on. In the end they were hauled off to be strip searched (I presume, they were hauled off with their luggage anyway) so they didn't succeed, but it was a good try.

Sam Vimes · 17-04-2007 10:36PM

Judt wrote:

Of course the threat level may have changed

to quote jon stewart "the threat level today is orange which means......nothing"

Ruu_Old · 17-04-2007 10:45PM

The only time they elevate it is normally around the holidays. I hate that colour system, HATE, HATE, HATE IT! Every 2 seconds, "the security alert status level has been raised TO ORANGE!"

Airport Security

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