Jycommuter
29th Oct 2007, 19:46
First post, so please be gentle.
I was booked on BE555 MAN-JER last Friday. I was aware from Flybe's website that the flight was due to go via SOU. At checkin, I saw that my bag was tagged to JER, so I asked the young lady to see if I would be staying on the aircraft, would I have to get off, and would I have to collect my bag - I'm aware that SOU doesn't do transit. The lady checked with her supervisor and told me that I would be staying on the aircraft. Good result so far.
On the approach to SOU, we were then informed that ALL pax would have to leave the aircraft at SOU, collect bags, check in again, and go through security. This was apparently a customs requirement.
Needless to day, those who had availed themselves of Manchester's post-security shopping emporia were concerned that their new purchases would be taken from them as they no longer complied with the security restrictions.
On arrival at SOU, we were given "transit passes" and were then expected to find our own way through checkin and security again. There was no sign of customs - as one would expect, as we hadn't gone through a customs zone.
I was also amazed to be told by Sou security that the one bag through security didn't apply to us in this case. My understanding that this was a safety/security driven regulation, but it appeared on the night that customs can drive a hole through that. Big relief for the Manchester shoppers!
So now I'm confused:-
What possible good can it do to have a number of pax leave an aircraft, collect bags, check in, get scanned (again) and board the same aircraft, same seat?
What customs or for that matter, immigration requirement is satisfied by this ridiculous set of actions?
How come a customs (if indeed it was their) rquirement can blow a hole in EU security requirements?
Isn't it about time that Customs, Immigration, Security, BAA, airlines, and the handlers got together and sorted out a joined up procedure that would avoid this sort of farce and save a lot of hacked off paying pax and possibly even alleviate a few security queues?
And don't get me started on the LGW international transit setup for Channel Island Pax!
I was booked on BE555 MAN-JER last Friday. I was aware from Flybe's website that the flight was due to go via SOU. At checkin, I saw that my bag was tagged to JER, so I asked the young lady to see if I would be staying on the aircraft, would I have to get off, and would I have to collect my bag - I'm aware that SOU doesn't do transit. The lady checked with her supervisor and told me that I would be staying on the aircraft. Good result so far.
On the approach to SOU, we were then informed that ALL pax would have to leave the aircraft at SOU, collect bags, check in again, and go through security. This was apparently a customs requirement.
Needless to day, those who had availed themselves of Manchester's post-security shopping emporia were concerned that their new purchases would be taken from them as they no longer complied with the security restrictions.
On arrival at SOU, we were given "transit passes" and were then expected to find our own way through checkin and security again. There was no sign of customs - as one would expect, as we hadn't gone through a customs zone.
I was also amazed to be told by Sou security that the one bag through security didn't apply to us in this case. My understanding that this was a safety/security driven regulation, but it appeared on the night that customs can drive a hole through that. Big relief for the Manchester shoppers!
So now I'm confused:-
What possible good can it do to have a number of pax leave an aircraft, collect bags, check in, get scanned (again) and board the same aircraft, same seat?
What customs or for that matter, immigration requirement is satisfied by this ridiculous set of actions?
How come a customs (if indeed it was their) rquirement can blow a hole in EU security requirements?
Isn't it about time that Customs, Immigration, Security, BAA, airlines, and the handlers got together and sorted out a joined up procedure that would avoid this sort of farce and save a lot of hacked off paying pax and possibly even alleviate a few security queues?
And don't get me started on the LGW international transit setup for Channel Island Pax!