Pushchairs, Knives, Airport metal detectors and poor procedures.

[Feneris]

I noticed a poor security check recently while flying from LGW. Ahead of me in the queue was a family with a pushchair. The pushchair as expected set off the metal detector. The search of the pushchair done by the security personnel was very brief, lasting probably less than 10 seconds.

A pushchair is reasonably sized, and metal framed. At a time when even nail scissors are banned from tha cabin, I wonder if a far more thorough check should have been carried out. A pushchair with its size would not be an entirly impossible way to smuggle a weapon airside.

Is this worth mentioning / comment passing to BAA?

F

[A Very Civil Pilot]

Also there are the airport staff that do not get searched when setting off the detector - not pilots & cabin crew, obviously, but the security guards. I've never seen one searched.

Knowing this, Mr O.B Laden, on his next flight, slips a knife into the pocket of a security guard going throught the detector (not searched) walks through himself (all clear), and picks the guards pocket on the other side!

Result- breach of security, because no one searches the searches.

[pilotwolf]

Hopefully BAA vet their security staff more in depth than other companies do their employees...

What about the armed police who pass through the security points? Should they surrender their weapons just in case they are terrorsts? Heaven forbid suppose said police officer was of Middle East origin....

What about the paramedics, are you going to search them and consficate their needles, etc?.. All while some poor pax, who pays our wages, dies?

As had been said many times before - BE REALISTIC ABOUT SECURITY!