Another fine post on the security madness. When will it stop, please. We all know (at least the people working on the airside on daily basis), that securing an object as big as an airport is impossible. This was the principle in the past when they did not secure the whole thing but just high profile targets like US and ELAL planes. So what makes them think that now they can secure it all?? I truly believe the security companies know that it is not helping at all to make things safer, but it does bring in a whole lot of cash, so they just keep up the show. And the refreshment shops do not complain either. At my homebase airport the price of a 50dl bottle of water has increased from 1 euro to 2,50..... normal inflation or a matter of demand vs supply?
As a pilot working on GA planes I find it particularly funny to see the holes in the system. For instance at London City we walk in and out the whole day without security. Our vip passengers are...well how shall I put it...treated on level secure light. But in the pax terminal I have to strip half naked to get through security... (to avoid the liquid problem I now just go through security at GA and then double back to the terminal on airside.
Gatwick is another one with no security whatsoever at GA where the rest of the pax are undergoing the gestapo treatment on the other side. Neither at Farnborough where pax drive their car onto the ramp. Now this is the way it should be and still is in vip operation. But poor mum going on holidays has to taste her milk before going through. And me as a pilot go 8 times a day through airport securities on my socks. The other day I went through, the thing did not beep, and they frisked me anyway. When I asked why they had the machine then in the first place the answer was: standard procedure. It's not that I have something against security, it's just that when you go through the thing 8 or 10 times a day (instead of maybe 3 times a year for avarage pax), it becomes really a horrible experience. Especially if you know that it's just there to fill there own pockets, not to improve safety on board.
To finish off my ultimate favorite: Brussels airport. My passengers show up and they have to go through security. However their luggage can go unscreened to the airplane, including three hunting riffles. They are placed in the passenger compartment, for lack of space down below, I kid you not. Now comes the best part, in the security check they insist on taking the passengers nailclippers and offcourse his bottle of water. He looks at me and I have to tell him "I am sorry sir, there is nothing I can do about that, but when you get to the airplane you can have your guns back, ok".
Security madness.......