Airport Security

[ExSp33db1rd]

Airport Security.:ooh:

This printed today in the New Zealand Herald newspaper,

Never mind the nail scissors, what about the chainsaw. A reader writes: "My brother-in-law went through security at Auckland domestic airport and witnessed a passenger having to fish out her nail scissors from her handbag and leave them behind. He went through security and then boarded his plane. After being seated he could smell petrol. He knew you shouldn't be able to smell petrol on a plane, because planes don't use petrol. The smell got worse and eventually he got the attention of one of the flight attendants. They started to look around to see where it was coming from. They found in the overhead compartment a chainsaw in a bag that was leaking petrol into the compartment. His plane was delayed as the owner was identified and the chainsaw removed and put with the main luggage. The owner of the chainsaw said security had stopped him but had let him through because it wasn't one of the things on their list to confiscate.

nor did they make him decant the petrol, or chain lube, into 100 ml bottles, carried in a see-through plastic bag, either. Tut Tut ! :=

[RevMan2]

the chainsaw removed (from the cabin) and put with the main luggage.

So we're now transporting undocumented dangerous goods in the hold?

This is jobsworthness gone mad.

[Xeque]

After everything I've said (and been soundly flamed for) - I rest my case.

We live in a world gone insane.

[jetset lady]

I hate to sound cynical, but having heard the "chainsaw leaking petrol in an overhead locker" story many times over the years, I have to doubt the validity behind this story. As for security saying that chainsaws weren't on the list for confiscation, even if, by some stretch of the imagination, they aren't, petrol certainly is! I think the Herald may be the New Zealand version of the good old British Daily Mail!

Sorry to disappoint you Xeque! :E

JSL

[gadgetman]

I've seen the attempted chainsaw-as-hand-luggage routine in NZ first hand. It didn't work that time, but the person who may have been trying to reenact Army of Dead claimed he carried it on board 'all the time'.

[haughtney1]

I think the Herald may be the New Zealand version of the good old British Daily Mail!

No, the NZ Herald is much more like the Independant, although to be fair, Nz news papers have little in common with the gutter tripe (however entertaining) that is pumped out here.

www.nzherald.co.nz if you want to have a look.

[ExSp33db1rd]

Jetset Lady. I agree that we can't believe what is printed in the Press, but I thought it worth mentioning to highlight the idiocy that we put up with, all we're really doing is stopping the nutters hi-jacking their Grandma to Cuba, as used to be the fashion, the real bad boys - of any persuasion - will do exactly what they want to do, when they want to do it.

A colleague of mine was once passing through the exclusive crew area of an Asian airport - that's not being racist, it was in S.E.Asia - being annointed by the Magic Wand of a security lady - that's not being sexist, she was female - in search of weapons of mass destruction. Some hiatus on the airfield demanded the immediate presence of a troop of Commandos, who rushed through the crew entrance, until coming up against Madam of The Wand. Each soldier was made to stand on the elevating footstool whilst M.o.T.W. waved said wand around their AK-47's, bayonets, bandoliers of bullets, and belts of grenades. The Wand emitted an almost non-stop blood curdling screech as it passed around each body. When the emergency was allowed to continue the scrutiny of the crew continued. My colleague asked M.oT.W. exactly what she had been looking for ? A blank stare was the answer - you get my point ? ;)