Shep
I'm not sure what point(s) you're trying to make. Security applies to us all; some countries (NLD, GERMANY, and even HKG) allow crews a certain amount of leeway in what the crew can take on, as we are crews. Sadly the UK does not. In fact they have been pressurizing other EU countries to adopt their own draconian standards, so far resisted. I'm not sure what the big picture is meant to be in your case; certain items are prescribed; cut throat razors, parangs, kitchen scissors and even kitchen knives are probably amongst them, irrespective of whether you bought them on a trip and they are packaged or not. This should apply to everyone, pilots, cabin crew, line engineers, etc. etc. without favour. If a passenger attempted to bring any of this crap onboard in his hand baggage we'd have a fit, and rightly so. Why therefore, with all our inherent human frailties, are we any different ? With the recent hacking to death of a serviceman (a musician;always a hard target) in the street by a pair of certifiable nutters (that sadly dignifies them too much) acting under the guise of religion, the UK authorities are understandably a bit sensitive on the subject of knives, blades etc. In this example if, as it appears is the case, the individual was based, then he would have had ample opportunity to put the items in his check in baggage, and check it through the normal CX counter, perhaps even pointing out before it drops through the hole to be x'rayed/ pillaged/ stolen that he had knives or razors in there.. No harm done, arse and job covered, he goes on his way rejoicing. To try and go through airport security in this day and age in the UK or anywhere else for that matter, recent events notwithstanding, with any form of potentially offensive weapon, however they choose to construe them, is frankly asinine.
Someone else mentioned a dedicated crew drop off; there is one at LHR, and it seems to be used as some sort of training set up for the would be stormtroopers that then go on to man the internal airport security channel. If anything, a singularly more unpleasant experience (if that is possible) than using the landside channel. The nonsense with that arrangement, and it is unique I think to Heathrow, is that you take your hold baggage with you, have that checked, not sealed, and then proceed with the same baggage airside, to then leave it at the the back of the aircraft, usually in the rain. Allowing you, if you were so minded, access to whatever non-allowable cabin items you put in there, before going back on the aircraft. Truly nonsensical.
Finally, with respect to the Hawaii "incident" which you have somehow managed to conflate in to this discussion. Most of us thankfully did not go through our school years having to use a fake ID, nor pass through a metal detector to get in the gates. Long may it continue. This individual was patently in the wrong, and as a former Naval officer should have known better, notwithstanding some alleged trauma nonsense influencing his judgement, and in my opinion he should have been banged up for it. In any event, he has almost certainly breached certain parts of the ANO here. Perhaps we should apply for his extradition and prosecute him here ? By extension, why didn't he take his CX card, change the photograph, (I'm sure that wouldn't be too difficult as apparently there is a wealth of experience in fake school id cards in the US) and sell it to Mr. Al-unsafe whilst he's at it.
