Alternatives to current security

[Espada III]

I am a new member of the forum but fly about six times a year with my family from Manchester to Tel Aviv usually via an airport in Europe.

The most remarkable thing about this route is that security is so much smoother in Israel. It is not a case of one clogged up zone between check-in and departure lounge, but a whole series of small and large checks which generally add little overall time to the departure procedure but fill you with a certain measure of confidence that the security people actually know what they are looking for.

Security starts are the entrance to the airport itself where every vehicle passes through a brief checkpoint. Some cars are stopped and the passengers subjected to a more in depth investigation. Then, when you get to the terminal, there is a thorough but brief and polite interview with a security person who asks all the questions that people ignore at check-in everywhere else in the world. It is as this point that things change from the rest of the world.

After this point you can either to straight to check-in or have your hold luggage X-rayed in front of you. So they are profiling the passengers rather than subjecting everyone to the same procedure.

Check-in is just that - no stupid questions about who packed your luggage - its simply about getting you your seat as quickly as possible. Thereafter there is the usual hand luggage and personal check, but at various points before and after there is scrutiny of travel documents to ensure that only passengers get to various points. I have seen people pulled up at the last security check, although by then it is frequently a check of the systems. I was pulled up last week for something as minor as the the wrong colour ink on a signature by a security person on a label stuck to my passport.

Anyway just some thoughts.

I have lurked around the fora here for some time and though it time to get some things off my chest.

Anyone with recommendations for activities for children (aged 5 - 11) at FRA in the winter for an hour?

[Rusland 17]

The most remarkable thing about this route is that security is so much smoother in Israel. It is not a case of one clogged up zone between check-in and departure lounge, but a whole series of small and large checks which generally add little overall time to the departure procedure...Or maybe it just seems that way? It sounds to me that the entire airport experience is a nightmare from the moment you approach the airport until you board the plane.

It rarely takes more than 10 minutes to get through security at a British airport, and usually significantly less time than that, after which you are free to do as you wish, secure in the knowledge that everyone's bag has been X-rayed and not just those belonging to passengers who match the security force's "profile".

[Final 3 Greens]

but a whole series of small and large checks which generally add little overall time to the departure procedure but fill you with a certain measure of confidence that the security people actually know what they are looking for.

They do :ok:

[Espada III]

It is difficult to talk fully about this matter without being accused of being racist. However, whilst one sees a fair number of Moslem passengers in Tel Aviv airport, like everyone their faces are fully visible.

My wife has a certain (not unreasonable) phobia about travelling on a plane where there are passengers who faces, and therefore sex and identity cannot be determined.

[one11]

Everytime I have visited the food court on the top floor of FRA T2 the childrens play zone outside McDonalds ( A room with a sort of lunar module construction and containing loads of soft rubber balls) has been well populated and generating a high decibel count. Would suit the lower end of your age range - good views of traffic from this area as well as the roof terrace outside but that would be cold in winter.

[fonejacker]

I work for an airline that operates to/from TLV and the security is a bit of a nightmare to get through to be honest. As crew, we allow an extra 30 mins to pass security, compared to the other middle eastern routes. To pax, we always say to arrive VERY early for the flight, as much as three and a half/four hours to be on the safe side.

[Espada III]

Strange

On previous occasions, I have arrived at the airport with less than two hours to go and moved swiftly through security and check-in with almost no queues.

[WHBM]

fill you with a certain measure of confidence that the security people actually know what they are looking for.
I had heard this one about Israeli security many times, so on a first visit there earlier this year was most surprised at the differences to the stories.

Far and away the most incompetent was departing Ovda airport, where the security crew seemed to be entirely trained-last-week 18 year olds. That went for the supervisor as well. They had no clue about the various scanning equipment when it didn't perform to spec, and just messed about among themselves for nearly an hour. It really was like a convention of TSA clueless.

Another internal flight on Arkia from Tel Aviv Ben Gurion domestic terminal had a thoroughly disorganised check as well. Then after a gross delay was announced we could go back landside to the restaurant, then just come through a single, straightforward, unprofiled check to get back in airside again.

[Rusland 17]

My wife has a certain (not unreasonable) phobia about travelling on a plane where there are passengers who faces, and therefore sex and identity cannot be determined.But if they and their luggage have been through screening, what does it matter?

I work for an airline that operates to/from TLV and the security is a bit of a nightmare to get through to be honest... To pax, we always say to arrive VERY early for the flight, as much as three and a half/four hours to be on the safe side.And who wants to be stuck in an airport - any airport - for four hours? Passengers these days want to check in online and get to the airport as close to departure time as security checks will allow, which is probably about an hour in most cases.

[Espada III]

"But if they and their luggage have been through screening, what does it matter?"

Because the quality of security checks in the UK are poor and carried out by people who, to my mind, are as suspicious as those behind the veil.