How did this security breach occur?

[Spotl]

Taser gun on board Virgin flight | Adelaide Now (http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/taser-gun-on-board-virgin-flight/story-e6frea6u-1226268213886)

Well handled by all concerned!

[KRUSTY 34]

"On-flight procedures by cabin crew had worked well..."

Come on Colin! It's not procedure for Cabin crew to search every item in the overheads. It was pure luck that the weapon fell out of the bag.

Trouble with these corporate affairs types is they are so used to Bullsh!tting, it just flows without any forethought! :=

[Servo]

I think he meant that on discovering the items the necessary procedures were followed............ inform the Captain, AFP etc. Not that the cabin crew were looking for prohibited items.

Hopefully some heads will roll at the security checkpoint. Half the time the scanner operator is talking to his/her mate and not even looking at the screen.............

[KRUSTY 34]

If that was the intent, I most humbly appologise! :ouch:

[Kelly Slater]

I think he meant to talk the company up and the incident down by spinning a bit of misinformation, a less forgiving person might say he lied.
The alternative is that the spokesperson actually believes that cabin crew check bags for prohibited items.

[neville_nobody]

The conspiracy theorist in me suggests that there will be a report from this incident suggesting that current security measures are inadequate and they will have to be ramped up.

Who was it that had the Taser how did he get it past security and how did it magically fall out of the bag at the wrong time? I will bet folding money anyone who has a taser legally will know they are not to be put on a aircraft and anyone who is carrying one illegally would not let it fall out of a bag.

Interesting to note that the Feds have circled the wagons on this one.

[Oriana]

Must of got through when an ASIC carrying flight crew were 'randomly' getting bomb swiped and bag searched.:hmm::ugh::ugh::ugh:

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

:}:}Re the comment:
"One passenger, Labor MP Leon Bignell, recalled the drama that began at 2.15pm Melbourne time."

Note - NOT an 'ordinary' SLF,....BUT....a 'Labor MP' SLF no less....:=:=

And.... -"and that process was repeated three times with three other passengers," he said.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

PLUS....'Three More'..... = 4 on the one flight???:eek::eek:

Standby for a another 'Labor' brainstorm of more / closer / whadd-ever-ya-wanna-call-it security ,measures, to protect 'the hard working families of Australia'......:yuk::yuk:

I'm with you Mr 'NN'.... I smell a rat......(Nuthin' to do with a white one either...)

I can just see it now, for a flight fuelled to go from ML to AD.....
"Take me to Cuba"......:ooh::ooh:

Cheers:}:}

[Kanga767]

The conspiracy theorist in me suggests that there will be a report from this incident suggesting that current security measures are inadequate and they will have to be ramped up.

Also, with the recent finding of a knife on a DRW-BNE flight last week, I can't help but agree. Brings the issues to the front pages, then the full-body scanners get rolled out. Joe public grumbly accepts them.

[Capt EFIS]

Could be about time we started to lock up these idiots that bring prohibited items on board aircraft, 6-12 months should start to send the message that this is just not on.

The whole incident does sound a little odd to me, if a "normal" passenger was found to have a taser on them, you would expect that the whole terminal would be shut down and all the passengers re-screened (like what happened in Sydney). I guess the AFP knew better in this case.

[Wally Mk2]

I'd like a dollar for every prohibited item that is carried daily on planes all over the world! I'd be filthy rotten rich!:-) I note in the article that the current 'vote' that is there for those so inclined for is security enuf or not shows around a 50/50 vote for.
A gun of any description shape or size that ends up aboard a plane is a real worry,somebody's gunna pay for this cockup if it is indeed an accident!!
But I also agree with 'nev' here, something stinks with this !!!


Wmk2

[peuce]

Makes you wonder how many naughty things DON't fall out of a bag ??

If you could work out the chances of:


Someone taking a gun onboard
ANYTHING falling out of a carry-on bag
That anything being a gun
The bag having been on top
The hostie seeing it


Surely the odds must be astronomical ... unless .... there are hundreds of guns smuggled on board each day. That would lower the odds... but still huge.

So, where am I going with this? Buggered if I know ...

[framer]

Strange that the person wasn't arrested.
Is there any way to findout the persons name in order to determine if it's a set-up?

[TWT]

The AFP were quite happy to make public that Simon Overland had been busted with
ammo in his carry-on at Canberra which may have been for 'political' purposes.
I wonder if they'll be as forthcoming in releasing the identity of the person who 'fessed up to owning the bag in this incident ?

[Conductor]

Must of got through when an ASIC carrying flight crew were 'randomly' getting bomb swiped and bag searched


Back when crew were getting screened almost every time...


Screener: Blah blah blah...selected for explosive screening...blah blah

Me: Whatever.

Screener: you don't look happy today

Me: I'm just worried.

Screener: Worried about what?

Me: About how many of the actual security threats that are walking by right now, while you are screening me, are going to board my flight.

That usually put a stop to the inane conversation.

[neville_nobody]

Strange that the person wasn't arrested. Is there any way to findout the persons name in order to determine if it's a set-up?

Given that aviation events automatically come under the terrorism act and therefore suspects can be arrested and held without charge good chance this is some sort of a setup or old mate works for ASIO.

If you could work out the chances of:
Someone taking a gun onboard
ANYTHING falling out of a carry-on bag
That anything being a gun
The bag having been on top
The hostie seeing it

What are the chances of the regular joe public having a taser in the first instance? How would you even go about getting one?

[Worrals in the wilds]

You're not supposed to be able to buy marijuana or methamphetamines either, but there's no shortage.
Tasers are relatively easy to come by, being small, electronic and easy to buy overseas.

You'd be amazed to know what you can buy at local markets if you know the right people. :suspect: Of course some of you may not be as amazed as all that. ;)

[ampclamp]

Thank goodness we have full body scanning coming to stop this kind of thing. Very timely incident indeed .

[Worrals in the wilds]

Are they going to full body scan all the bags? :hmm:

[FlexibleResponse]

Doesn't anyone use lateral thinking anymore?

The dropped taser was obviously the inflight spare that the Sky Marshall had in his carry-on. The primary taser was in his front pocket.

The Sky Marshall was accidentally assigned to look after the flight on which a Labor MP just so happened to be traveling on.

The Security screening was fine, the AFP are fine and Sky Marshalls don't get arrested.

Now let's get on with discussing something more useful and relevant to the price of fish...

[neville_nobody]

Air Marshalls carry guns not Tasers and I believe that program was being scaled back or cancelled due to lack of funding.

[Worrals in the wilds]

Sshh! The federal government are Tough On Border Security, just ask them at a press conference. :E The big dudes who were formerly spotted sitting in the corner of the departures lounge wearing raybans, tatts and reading back issues of Guns and Ammo have just got more...covert. Really covert. :suspect:

Just shut up and get irradiated, okay? Nothing to see here, no tasers on the floor, let's keep moving guys... The System Works, god damn youse! The cut price contractors on crap money and worse conditions are doing an awesome job and OTS knows best...:}

[framer]

So I take it the name of the person will never come out and the whole thing will just fade off the radar?

[ampclamp]

worrals, have you no sense of irony?

[twentyyearstoolate]

ampclamp.... I hope you were looking in the mirror when you said that!

[neville_nobody]

Anyone have any idea what actually went down with this incident? Haven't heard anything on the news in regard to charges being laid.
This is highly unusal given the usual hysteria in regard to aviation security events.

[FLYKER]

Haven't been here for a long time and reading is interesting.
Reading these posts I tend to go with Flexible response, the incident has been hushed up, so obviously it was either a Marshall, a Fed or State Police. Whatever it is its a good bet is a Gov screw up. This I suspect would be ops normal, not really worth discussing any more.
As for getting by the security, I've travelled a lot recently, returned home from one overseas trip to find I had my LeathermanWave in my backpack with my computer the whole time, it was never picked up, am lucky to still have it.
Airport security is often a hit and miss afair.

[YPJT]

Seems to me this was probably missed by the operator of the cabin bag x-ray. Given the composition of the item though, probably an understandable although still unacceptable occurrence.

Warrals, at least someone gets it :ok:

OTS seem to have a policy of wanting to be told everything but saying nothing.

[Worrals in the wilds]

Warrals, at least someone gets it http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gif;)
If they have charged someone it could take a while to get to court. They may have decided not to prosecute, confiscated the item and given the offender a kick in the butt. IME media don't usually do follow up stories unless someone goes to court or there was violence involved, so a lack of info doesn't automatically mean there's been a cover-up.

The community is relatively well stocked with illegal tasers, pepper sprays, flick batons and similar and I assume that all the big airports still find them fairly regularly. It's the not finding it that's the problem, but no system is 100% failsafe.

[framer]

It's the not finding it that's the problem, but no system is 100% failsafe
True. Although it is a problem if this was a set up to get media attention prior to bringing in the scanners.

[Servo]

Yes a great system we have, where prohibited items get missed in some cases.

Not today though in Sydney. Job VERY well done!

Person in front leaves deodorant, laptop and leatherman in backpack. Items identified at same time said person walks through scanner only to set it off because of large metal belt buckle.

Comes back through, removes said belt, removes items from backpack and argues about keeping the leatherman.

Meanwhile queue of frustrated travelers backs up.......... including me in full airline uniform.

Person with prohibited items gives up leatherman, goes through scanner and proceeds to collect all other items.

I pass through, no beep, nothing. Grab cap and mobile. Mr prohibited walks off without and care in the world. What do the nuppties do, pull me aside for the explosive trace :ugh:

Meanwhile all the other screened passengers keep on walking.

Not happy. :*

Aviation in Australia is going to the dogs because of the continued medelling of government ministers whom have ABSOLUTELY no idea.

[Going Boeing]

Servo, I hope that you "required" a private screening - they hate it as they have to take an extra person off the scanners as two security staff are required to conduct a private screening. If every pilot/CC insisted on this, there may be a change to procedures.

If anyone knows a journo, can they request them to have a look at this thread and try to follow up. If it was a law enforcement officer breaking the rules, it should be made public plus it would be good to know what action has been taken by the company contracted to do the security screening - some additional training in Taser recognition may be required.

[FlexibleResponse]

Servo, I guess you are lucky that you didnt get the body cavity search. These guys know you are crew and that you will not risk your job by creating an uproar of protest. On the other hand, they have no idea about Joe Public individual who might actually be somebody very important and the subsequent uproar causes the security officer's job to be put on the line. It comes down to basic human nature.

My friend who came from the school of hard knocks, advises me that any time you are confronted by a bully, get in the first kick and you will be well ahead of the game.

I would think it is about time that the pilots unions worldwide gets a specialist security team together and does appropriate audits and university aided research on various airport security screening units to identify lapses in security procedures and undue and unwarranted attention to those who protest the least.

[moreflaps]

C'mon a taser can't be used to hijack a plane. Get real!