This one's sure to start everyone of on a rant. (I guess it's not necessary to disclose the location..)

Mr. Rau drives an Audi. Audis now come with stylish ignition keys designed to house the key inside a holder, preventing rips and wear on pocket liners. You push a button on a flat two-inch shaft and the key slides out.

As he demonstrated it, Mr. Rau could see the word forming in the minds of the screeners, now three, on his case: switchblade.

"Now the bells are ringing," he said. After running the key through the X-ray machine three times, the security committee reached a conclusion. "Well, sir, that's a switchblade style, and that's a prohibited item," Mr. Rau said he was told. "We're going to have to confiscate that."

Paperwork, of course, was required. His driver's license and other identification papers were photocopied.

"And of course, I didn't have my car keys," he said. Luckily, he keeps a spare in a little magnetized box under his car. But, it cost $300 to replace the key at the dealer, who must add a computer code for a specific car.

He was carrying his house key at the time. In comparison with the flat Audi key, "the house key looks like a saw blade"

Full story here http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/21/business/21road.html?8dpc

Easy, make sure you have it in the extended position when you go through. TSA won't know any better.

Last week at work, security x rayed - wait for it, an engineers Leatherman and his bottle of water.
The pax screening people confiscated a drawstring from a womans handbag and took the 3 cm sewing needle from my travel kit !
They are truly all brain donors.

One day I'll take the axe, which is fitted behind my seat, and go through security....

regards

We have to collect the names of these goons. We'll record them on a web site (perhaps a sticky of pprune) and with the help and interest of the tabloid press we can publish a "Worlds Worst Goon" contest.

If you are a frequent traveller through your own airport you probably have a name in mind already. If not, next time you go through "security" note the name badge of the pratt that is the most agressive and unhelpful. He or she, by antagonising and upsetting our passengers are using their miserable position to destroy the massive marketing effort and budget of your airline.

We in the industry know that these unfortunate individuals provide nothing towards the security of the aircraft. The real security is provided by agents that the public and the aviation industry do not see.

The rant is never far below the surface, and continues!

Had my car keys checked in 2 separate security checks at Frankfurt 3 or 4 weeks ago, they seemed to be asking everyone. Perhaps I was lucky, the Merc key does not spring out and it was a German car!

and it was a German car!

Do you think, that matters?

regards

Well the first German security guard (with a smile) commented on a Brit having a good German car and tried to guess the type. The smile was probably the most unusual part of the encounter! :O

egbt

Well I can only speak as I find it, but FRA security peeps are usually pleasant or friendly when I go through there.

In May, I inadvertently left a Swiss army knife in my hand luggage and they were very nice about it - even offered to hold it in the office so that I could collect it after arriving next time, the BAA could learn from that thorough, but customer friendly approach.

I'm thinking about the memo that is going to be issued one day after the Managing Director of a reasonably large company is hassled at security and blows his top.

Words to the effect that the company will hold meetings by video from now on, corporate travel by commercial airline being prohibited, and any U.S. customer can take their business elsewhere unless they come to our place. A few instances of this might possibly inject some sanity into security.

But it still amazes me that you can buy GLASS litre bottle's of spirits in the duty free shops! I think keys and knitting needles are the least of their worries!:uhoh:

Not only can you buy glass 1 litre bottles, but some of the spirits they contain are very flamable indeed. Overproof Bundaberg Rum anyone?

(The Ozmates will know what I am talking about)

Hell, they will deliver the bottle of spirits to your airline seat! I have been (accidentally) through several x-rays with an attachment on my house key ring that does open out to a small blade. Yes it is shorter than the proscribed size but it IS sharper than a car key!
--------------------
"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Last February I asked PPRUNE why baseball caps should be removed when one walks through the metal detector.
Last week I had the opportunity to ask the question at the security staff at a large fairly new airport in southeastern Europe.
The (ridiculous) answer I was given was that caps should be removed because one may hide something on it.

But now I have a new question: Why stop at caps? Why not remove blouses and baggy pants!

Great job people!

Rwy in Sight

3 greens,

Well yes it varies and this was definitely not a dig at the Germans, just a comment about car keys. I'd have a go at Miami, Venice, Hong Kong and several more before I got to them. Generally I find airports with large numbers of tourists are worst but I have some sympathy with the staff at these looking at the antics of many infrequent flyers.

Strangely in my experience (60 or 70 trips as self loading freight to the US over the years) the US seem, after an initial blip, to have got better since 9/11, more professional and less aggressive, the difference is particularly noticeable at PHL, even if it does take a while to get through. But as moosp suggested this may be down to one person who I have not seen recently.

Thankfully I only (?!) have to brave security a couple of times a week but you generally remember the bad experiences and the unusual rather than the professional approach.

The good news for me is that security is not so much of a problem in UK GA, but I did give up on the idea of flying in the US whilst on vacation or there on business (the office overlooks a good GA airfield), and will be going back to Cape Town rather than the US next winter - but that’s another story.

IST gets my vote - they had the metal detecter turned up so high I had to take my glasses off and feel my way through the arch! Rather than frisk folks who made the thing beep, they just got people to walk through over and over again with less on until it stopped beeping - marvellous.

On the same subject, anyone know why a lot of airports (except BHX in my recent experience) have started X-raying laptops separately?

Recently at a rural airport security point, my FO buzzed as we went through.
Boy did he get searched! It was the most amazingly thorough search of the decade.
During the search I got so pi$$ed off that I started shouting to my mate saying "you know what you have control, I don't even want to touch the aircraft today, you do what you want, hit me with the axe even".
BUT - nothing, the moron kept on touching him up thoroughly.
What are they looking for, please someone explain!?!
What have they achieved so far ever with their aircrew searches?
Has there ever been a case of successfully stopping someone that had an INTENT, other than go to work???

By now hundreds of thousands of words have been written by an international community here on the pages of pprune about the world-wide security farce that we face daily - and what has been done about it?
Zilch. And why? Because the antics of the airport security empires and their demi-god managers go unchallenged by our airline management and airline unions who in turn dare not (or are in collusion with?) the desk-bound cretins who impose the regulations. It is only until such time that we, as a professsional body worldwide, say enough is enough and tell 'authority' to sort these fiascos out or we will boycott airport X or refuse to go airside at airport Y, will anything be done. So I guess it will be normal service as usual tomorrow.:{

EGBK

Up until a couple of years ago PHL and some other US airports X-rayed laptops separtely - then always asked you to turn it on to prove it was real, if your battery was flat you had to connect to the mains:confused:

What if you were taking it to be repaired? Or you'd just dropped it and busted it?



Actually I have to say DAL to HOU has always been ok, in fact there's a really foxy young lady at HOU...and it's not just the uniform :E

Oh, I just had a very anxious and arrogant screener at BOG who wanted me to turn on my laptop. Problem is the batteries and the connectors were in the bags (I men the ones you check in). He just could not understand that wat relly is important in a three year old laptop is not the laptop but the DATA.

He first wanted to confiscate the unit, which promted a 'go ahead, but first you give me that hard drive', followed by five (!) scans through the x-ray.

He had selected me while we were queuing since I was the only ?gringo-lookalike' in the queue. And since he was so arrogant and unfriendly I suddently lost all my spanish.

So in oder to prove his 'efficiency' he confiscated my shaving cream. Oh well...

At Ottawa airport, laptop owners are asked to take their PCs from their bag and are scanned separately - and then sometimes swabbed to check for explosives (?). The laptops that is, not the laptop owners.

My carry-on was practically pulled to bits on a recent trip. When asked, what exactly were they looking for, the answer was : 'miiz, ve can zee you have ze handcuffz in ze bag!'
:confused: :confused: :confused:

Then it clicked - had a small clutch bag with a round metal handle (an oversized logo of Ferregamo) in my luggage which must've caused the confusion. Fair enough.

Explained the rather strange looks I got, a weird mix of
'hm, terrorizt:suspect: ' and 'hmmmm, naughty:E '

Ok -- working (at different airport from LHR) as computer engineer. Had just picked up a broken laptop from Airline staff and prepared to go through staff security to get to my van. Laptop went through x-ray but was stopped the other side.

"Can you show me it working sir"

No problem with that except "sorry no, it's broken - wont boot up" and then explained situation.

Up to this point all fair and reasonable , he's doing his job, I'm doing mine, Except now he turns into Mr Jobsworth "if you cant show me it workin you cant take it through here'

No amount of pleading, explaining pointing out how silly they he's sounding did he budge from the mantra. Called the supervisor over and he went through the same blind routine.

Finaly I gave up. Mentioned to them that I would leave the laptop with another Airline staff whilst I went Airside to get the van and pick up the laptop later. I was then informed that as the item had already gone through x-ray that it would have to be retained by them. -WHAT!

They started to explain that after suitable checks etc that at some later unspecified date I might be allowed to pick up the laptop from their security HQ If I could show suitable proof of ownership etc etc

At this point I did what most poor passangers or other staff were usualy unable to do, I started ignoring their wittering and phoned the Airline staff who owned the laptop and told him what would be happening to his laptop.

I then stood there smiling sweetly at the getting more and more confused security staff untill about 4 minutes later when the supervisor got a phone call from the Head of security at the airport asking what the F*** was happening to the laptop of the (Major Airline) Principal Manager at the Airport.

Funnly enough, after a short one-sided conversation, the Security Supervisor had a change of heart and let me carry on airside with the offending item.

Now thank the stars I was on this occation able to bypass the whole extended sillyness, - but I wonder to the inteligence and/or common sense being applied to this situation (and conversly how little being applied to real threats ? )

I border on going somewhere I'm not supposed to, but there is, now perhaps was a damn good reason they wanted you to turn the computer on. Same with cell phone.

When an item gets confiscated because of an over jealous power hungry security guard, do you get a receipt and do you have the right to claim it back when/if you return at the airport?

Does the security firm assume responsibility for the safe keeping or you may kiss is goodbye? In the second case can you sue them for the loss you incured?

Rwy in Sight

I agree with you , mabye there was a good reason for insisting on turning on the laptop but that wasnt explained to me and that doesnt explain not allowing me me to then back out of taking the laptop through airside but most telling of all, the reason for x-raying the laptop vanished into thin air once the 'higher ups' got involved
There are only two explainations for this, local, individual security people making things up ( interpreting the regulations?) as they go along or there is unpublished rule that changes security regulations the more 'important' you are.
Consigering i work as computer engineer at this airport and normaly have no problems going through with printers, computers tools etc, (except for 4 or 5 notible exceptions, the above being one of them) I tend to the former explaination

"They are truly all brain donors." (BRUpax, posted 21st June 2005 11:05)

But after they have donated ...

I am now only an occasional passenger, and I am glad that my time of having to fly frequently is over. Don't even want to consider going to the US, 'cause I know my temper...

Anybody know when they will start using those x-ray machines that can see through clothes? I guess there will be a rush of job applications by would-be security guards.

The eternal optimist

I saw security taking a walking stick off an old frail gentlemen a few weeks ago. The security man said " do you need that to walk through with?" :rolleyes:

What the hell is happening in these peoples minds. Would be interesting if anyone reading this works at airport security and could enlighten us.

Mc

.....and never attempt to take a spoon through security!:ugh:

Mrs. LNS and LNS Juniorette travelling through Dublin a few weeks ago were asked, along with everybody else, to remove their shoes and belts going through the beeping arch. Mrs. LNS was apparently "beeping" after she passed through it. Absolutely bl00ody ridiculous.

I travel regularly through Luton and Schipol and the security bods there are generally OK.

No problems for the original thread guy. Audi is German for third best.

Even in the early 90's, they were asking you to turn on all battery operated or electrical items at Belfast International. We got very weary of the whole process and I remember one of my colleagues being sent back to the shops to buy batteries for his radio before they would let him through. The terminal shops did very well out of battery sales. On the plus side, the security staff at Aldergrove did have an amazing array of mains adaptor leads which fitted just about any electrical item.

Don't remember them being quite as thorough post 9/11 though.

To tobzalp

Wrong! Audi stands for people with life-style (and for having fun in Winter at the expense of Mercs and Beamers ...)

The eternal optimist