Jet2LeedsTom
29th May 2009, 16:24
An interesting security situation recently arose.
A friend and I went for a "lads" weekend in Tenerife, flying Jet2 out of Leeds but that's by the by. My friend lost his passport, actually at the airport of all places, as we were supposed to check in. We were then dispatched to an on-airport police station whereupon the policeman rang my pal's mother to clarify he was who he said he was.
Point one: this mother could have been anybody, surely. As it goes, it WAS his real mum but any immigrant (or, worse, "proper" criminal) could have set that ruse up in the blink of an eye.
When this copper eventually reassured himself that my pal was who he was proporting to be we were handed a piece of official immigration-type paper, presumably telling the powers that be that my mate was legit.
My second point is that his surname was spelt incorrectly, his home address (Wetherby) was spelt incorrectly (Whetherbey) and the christian name of the person (his mum) who'd okay'd him was also wrong (Sandra became Sandy).
Now don't get me wrong, I'm impressed that Tenerife got us dealt with and dispatched on the same flight as planned despite losing the passy at the airport BUT surely the above show, at best, somewhat lax security?
Essentially, it seems anybody without a passpport could fairly easily have it arranged that they board any flight out of Tenerife. This copper only rang the mother, not - for example - the carrier for any kind of confirmation?
A friend and I went for a "lads" weekend in Tenerife, flying Jet2 out of Leeds but that's by the by. My friend lost his passport, actually at the airport of all places, as we were supposed to check in. We were then dispatched to an on-airport police station whereupon the policeman rang my pal's mother to clarify he was who he said he was.
Point one: this mother could have been anybody, surely. As it goes, it WAS his real mum but any immigrant (or, worse, "proper" criminal) could have set that ruse up in the blink of an eye.
When this copper eventually reassured himself that my pal was who he was proporting to be we were handed a piece of official immigration-type paper, presumably telling the powers that be that my mate was legit.
My second point is that his surname was spelt incorrectly, his home address (Wetherby) was spelt incorrectly (Whetherbey) and the christian name of the person (his mum) who'd okay'd him was also wrong (Sandra became Sandy).
Now don't get me wrong, I'm impressed that Tenerife got us dealt with and dispatched on the same flight as planned despite losing the passy at the airport BUT surely the above show, at best, somewhat lax security?
Essentially, it seems anybody without a passpport could fairly easily have it arranged that they board any flight out of Tenerife. This copper only rang the mother, not - for example - the carrier for any kind of confirmation?