Originally Posted by
Buster the Bear
Kuwait Airport has apparently failed to meet the levels of sterile security demanded by the TSA and associated US agencies in addition to the Israeli Passport issues.
As such they are currently prohibited from flying none stop services TO the US
For some months KU117 has transited Shannon westbound however with no traffic rights.
At Shannon everyone is trooped off and re-screened to US standards however problems are twofold
1. What to do with anyone failing re-screening in Eire (and this does happen)
2. How to manage crew hours since no base is near by.
So Kuwait have been looking for alternative solutions and the most ideal would be to reinstate the LHR transit of KU101 however those slots are now used for an increased frequency LHR-KWI service.
MAG group were approached and Manchester considered for the transit operation as the airport has experience with such operation with PIA
However the problem remains how to handle those failing screening and there return east
The home office were not convinced by escorted mini busing south to return those to Kuwait, or of the legality of routing them back through third country such as Doha or UAE direct from Manchester .
The best compromise seems to be Stansted it meets the security standards required and can be relatively quiet at sometimes of the day
Passengers can be trooped off re-screened and trooped back on. Any one failing screening can be detained and returned east after a nice escorted mini bus ride round to Slough Windsor and Hounslow regional
Same for crew change other way round M25.