F3G
Tad busy so a quick response. I was really only defending security personnel only where they are confronted with occurences such as the Brandy bottle example. I can sympathise with their frustrations. At the same time I fully sympathise with your frustrations especially your LGW occurences. I fly roughly 60 to 70 sectors per year. I'm lucky in that I do not have to use LGW nor LHR, both which seem to encounter a great deal of criticism. Based in Dutch Limburg, my usual departure airports are CGN, DUS, BRU and occasionally MST. The security process at all these airports is generally efficient. The only UK airport I use regularly is BHX which, again, hasn't caused me any frustrations (yet). Bottom line is YES there can be some real brainless security personnel, but equally there are quite a number of brainless pax who just seem incapable of following simple well advertised instructions.
I will continue to avoid LGW like the plague.