The same would have been true at Manchester you probably were asked to take the goods to the out of guage counter, which is not half way across the airport. The forms you had to fill in were probably customs forms dependant on what you told them the box contained and there are not dozens of them. I sense a degree of exaggeration here.
The reason boxes/cartons are singled out are as stated, they are more likely to be damaged so are handled in a different way and however incorrect you may feel the assumption is they are more likely to contain commercial goods which require customs documentation.
He probably was stopped as the box went through the x ray machine in the baggage area and not because it was checked in at the wrong place. If the box was sent to him on your behalf and he was unable to verify the contents having not opened it, then maybe that is also why your friend had a problem with your christmas present box.
Finally the statement "As an aside, and to your conclusion re. "Bringing down a plane"... warnings about "did you pack this yourself sir?" have more to do with contraband than counter terrorism" is absolutely ridiculous, obviously you have never been involved in or trained in avaition security, contraband does not bring aircraft down.
Last edited by pwalhx; 27th Dec 2012 at 12:29.