The Best Airport Security

[hasta lueGO]

Just wondering what people's current views were regarding airport security? We've heard a lot in the past about guards being 'jobs worth' and the silly rules that are inconsistant but how are people feeling now? Good experiences or bad?

[CHIVILCOY]

Just returned from Athens and when having my hand luggage scanned was gratified to be pulled up at security for having a stupidly forgotten pair of scissors in my toilet bag.
Just as I was prepared to hand them over the girl said without examining them closely that it was allright as they were too small, well that was a shock to me as they were just as large and could have been just as sharp as a stanley knife.

[Hartington]

It's a thankless job and I'd hate to do it, particularly in the US where the witchunt following the next hijacking will be horrendous. Given that, I'm not surprised they appear officious at times.

That said, a recent round the world trip (LHR/SFO/AKL/SYD/SIN/KUL/BKK/LHR) was remarkable for the lack of long queues at security, quick processing and efficient, polite staff.

On the subject of scissors I was taken aback on one flight to see a stewardess with a (small) pair of scrissors dangling from her belt.

[OldAg84]

It's better than nothing- but sometimes it doesn't seem much better. I've personally seen things misss screening going out on a trip to be seen on the way back. I also was selected for additional screening and then would have been able to continue on, as I was not "handed-off" to anyone. I reported that. To be fair, I'm sure they do a lot of things for reasons I don't know about- nor probably should. But I think any reasonable person realizes it's about risk reduction, not risk elimination. The biggest factor in security, at least regarding knives, will be the 20 passengers clawing over seats to subdue anyone that tries something. I'm more concerned about other threats that might go by.

[Leodis]

My experience would be the longer the queues the better the security, at least in this country anyway.

When the BBC Manchester airport 'whistleblower' was screaned on TV, the day after it was reported that the queue had well over a thousand people in it waiting to process through security.

This in itself suggests that the job was being carried out properly on this occasion!!!:rolleyes:

Surely it is time money was invested in aviation security, or are we just going let another large scale incident happen in this country before anything is done?:ouch:

[ILS 119.5]

As much as the government try to improve security it still remains a joke. The security screening seems to work quite well most of the time. However, I did walk through one mteal detector last year and because it was late and there was only one lady security guard and the detector went off I was still allowed to pass through unsearched. This was due to shortage of staff.
The real security issues lie around the perimeter and the staff allowed to work airside. Think of all the people who can work within the airfield boundaries. Now imagine if they wanted to get something within that boundary and then retrieve it later, easy. You do not have to go through security screening. The next step, well I'll leave it to your imagination.

[hasta lueGO]

ILS - what airport were you travelling through when you didn't get searched, even though the arch actiavted? Did you report it? Surely we all have our part to play and that includes reporting incidents such as this to the manager or supervisor?

[ILS 119.5]

I don't really want to say which airport but all I'm saying on that point that if you pay peanuts then what do you get? My main point is that if you really wanted to breach security at an airport then it is very very easy and you do not have to go through a screening process to do it.

[Leodis]

Most airport security in this country is run by outside companies and because of this the 'customer comes first' , but in this case the customer is not the passenger it is the airport.

The security companies therefore sees that having no queues is more important to the customer than whether or not the security is any good.

People are quick to ridicual the security staff conducting the security proceedures before asking why does the system fail. This is why airport authorities get away with paying for the cheapest contract.

Security at airports around the country have been put under the spot light on various occasions, Humberside, Manchester, Birmingham, Gatwick, Heathrow (off the top of my head), have all been mentioned at one point or another. I think that it is unfair to say that other airports are better, rather more to the point, that they have got away with it for longer.

Airport security needs to be taken on by the government so that they can run without the airport authorities interferance. Only then will security guards have the capacity to conduct their job properly.

[ILS 119.5]

The other main point here is that "security at airports is not good enough". If I told all that I knew to every fare paying passenger in the country then I'm sure that all the people who have doubts about flying would not fly. The rest of the people would have serious doubts and for the ones who don't care, well nothing I can say would deter them. Believe me security is not just at the screening point.