Airport Security..

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On leaving Luton Airport the other week for Spain we sent through a series of vigerous security checks which included:

Taking off shoes
Checking inside mouth (inc babies)
Checking hair
Checking babies nappies (Both on him and the ones in the bag)
Tasting the bottled baby water/milk.
Opening 3 sealed jars of baby food and tasting
Opening 2 sealed carton of pre-made baby milk and tasting

This excludes the normal checks. I can live with this. I've nothing to hide so it's not a problem. I did ask the security lady (politely) why the opening and tasting. Her response was that it is possible to inject explosives in to liquids and jars.

So why the post? The reason I'm mentioning this is that there was nothing like this in Spain when were actually coming back into the country??? Just the normal "walk through" check and that was it. I was shocked because it seems a bit strange and a half hearted attempt to combat terrorism.

So is the extra securty really necessary? Is just political paranoia or proper gander trying to restore passenger confidence. I can't help thinking the later.


What do you think?
 
seaviewuk said:
Checking mouth and hair?

That's a new one on me.

So why not check all body cavities?

Im leaving on friday for Egypt, this is gunna be fun :D

JOKEZ, before the anti-humour police arrive and take me off
 
Two thoughts on this.

Firstly how effective have the extra checks been? I have not heard anything on the news etc to say that further airline bomb plots have been foiled so cannot comment.

Secondly it does seem all very much bolting the door.

Organised terrorism is not as worrying as the sole nutter. They are usually far more succesful.

At the end of the day if you look at the number of people who die from terrorists vs the number who die from infections caught while in hospitals I know where I would prefer the further checks to be carried out.

Just put a couple of extra strong mint tubes in your mates suitcase along with the curly elastic bit off of those key holders - gives the security staff an excuse to look for the clock ;) - shamelessly stolen scenario.
 
Admiral Huddy said:
On leaving Luton Airport the other week for Spain we sent through a series of vigerous security checks which included:

Taking off shoes
Checking inside mouth (inc babies)
Checking hair
Checking babies nappies (Both on him and the ones in the bag)
Tasting the bottled baby water/milk.
Opening 3 sealed jars of baby food and tasting
Opening 2 sealed carton of pre-made baby milk and tasting

This excludes the normal checks. I can live with this. I've nothing to hide so it's not a problem. I did ask the security lady (politely) why the opening and tasting. Her response was that it is possible to inject explosives in to liquids and jars.

So why the post? The reason I'm mentioning this is that there was nothing like this in Spain when were actually coming back into the country??? Just the normal "walk through" check and that was it. I was shocked because it seems a bit strange and a half hearted attempt to combat terrorism.

So is the extra securty really necessary? Is just political paranoia or proper gander trying to restore passenger confidence. I can't help thinking the later.


What do you think?

Travel to any airport in Europe, then report back with what you find :)

Yepp, security for leaving UK airports is ridiculously inhibitive. Every other airport's is ridiculously lax (apart from maybe Germany).
 
Bar said:
Two thoughts on this.

Firstly how effective have the extra checks been? I have not heard anything on the news etc to say that further airline bomb plots have been foiled so cannot comment.

none have been foiled simply because these checks are in place.

If word gets round the UK airports are checking everything, all sealed pots, in your hair, mouth, shoes everywhere then no one is going to try and take a bomb on board are they.

Therefore the security does work, just because they havent caught anyone doesnt tell you how mant people have been deterred from even trying because of the new rigorous checking.

I am not in total agreement with these checks, but with shoe bombers and people making explosives out of clear liquids you can understand why they would take it so seriously.

Imagine if they let someone through because they didnt check something fully. Then there really would be questions.
 
Admiral Huddy said:
I can live with this. I've nothing to hide so it's not a problem.

I don't mean to single you out and please don't think I'm having a go at you AH, but that's the problem. Not with you specifically, but the nation in general at the moment it would seem. We'll put up with this total BS because we have nothing to hide. Only criminals have something to hide? Our rights to privacy are rapidly going, the restrictions at airports would be laughable if they weren't so dangerous.

Great, no kilogram blocks of semtex in the baby formula, but if it's a suicide bomber, why not just surgically implant some high explosive inside him? The illusion of security is more dangerous than the lack of security. Recent terrorist attack, a guy drives a burning car into an airport, apart from big bollards, there's not a whole lot you can do about it. I'm more likely to win the lottery than die in a terrorist attack but I'm still likely to have a gloved hand invading me should I look shifty.

Scrap the retarded haphazard "security" measures and teach people the risks and how to prepare for disasters rather than using fear to push the restrictions that do no good.

"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

Sorry if I wandered Off Topic.
 
I agree with the above. The "i have nothing to hide BS" is BS.

By moving the queues and masses of people OUTSIDE the airport, or in a long queue, you simply create another target for suiciders. Nothing you can do, since there will be queues of people with unchecked luggage queueing up, and one of those suitcases could go boom....

I value my privacy and freedom, I currently fear the authorities more than I fear the jihadists, since one can only kill me, but the other can imprison and torture me with impunity.
 
The_KiD said:
none have been foiled simply because these checks are in place.

If word gets round the UK airports are checking everything, all sealed pots, in your hair, mouth, shoes everywhere then no one is going to try and take a bomb on board are they.

Therefore the security does work, just because they havent caught anyone doesnt tell you how mant people have been deterred from even trying because of the new rigorous checking.

I am not in total agreement with these checks, but with shoe bombers and people making explosives out of clear liquids you can understand why they would take it so seriously.

Imagine if they let someone through because they didnt check something fully. Then there really would be questions.

To be honest if I wanted to smuggle a device on board it would be relatively easy.

Not once have I been patted down prior to boarding a plane. All you need to do is take a quantity of two liquids in long narrow bags under your arms taped to provide a natural body shape and bobs no longer your aunty. Remember terrorism is about terror not killing people.
 
The_KiD said:
If word gets round the UK airports are checking everything, all sealed pots, in your hair, mouth, shoes everywhere then no one is going to try and take a bomb on board are they.

Actually, I think anyone with half a brain and some real desire to kill a lot of people could easily do exactly that. It's not about scaring potential bombers, it's about making it look like they're doing something. Besides which, you don't need a bomb to take down a plane, the pilots aren't armed and neither are the flight crew and anything can be used as a weapon in the right (or wrong) hands.

The_KiD said:
Therefore the security does work, just because they havent caught anyone doesnt tell you how mant people have been deterred from even trying because of the new rigorous checking.

My phone kills dinosaurs. See, no dinosaurs anywhere near my phone, therefor it must be really good.

The_KiD said:
I am not in total agreement with these checks, but with shoe bombers and people making explosives out of clear liquids you can understand why they would take it so seriously.

Imagine if they let someone through because they didnt check something fully. Then there really would be questions.

Covering one's ass is a very good possibility.
 
Admiral Huddy said:
I think my point here was that I'm happy with any security checks but the problem is the consistancy.. or the lack of it.

There's a complete lack of consistancy between airports within the UK too.
 
I remember reading an article by Wednesday 13 (lead singer of the Murderdolls) and he said that after 911 when they were on tour they got searched 4 or 5 times before they reached the gate just because of their appearance. I think this is the ridiculous thing about security checks - they'll search people to make the majority feel safe but it does nothing. A real terrorist would just dress normally and avoid these checks and get through without a fuss. Its all a pretense to make it look like they are doing something
 
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