The Airport Security Follies.
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Australia
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the company won't back you for a minute
i nearly enjoy the carry on at the small regional airports where the local security experts get all excited and serious.
fools.
i was asked to take my laptop out of its nylon cover the other day to which i replied "why"? (first time I've ever challenged anything at security) the lady looked very uncomfortable....had no answer for me. I took it out just to avoid getting tazered or sprayed.
"these laptop carrying pilots are really dangerous"
fools.
i was asked to take my laptop out of its nylon cover the other day to which i replied "why"? (first time I've ever challenged anything at security) the lady looked very uncomfortable....had no answer for me. I took it out just to avoid getting tazered or sprayed.
"these laptop carrying pilots are really dangerous"
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Taiwan
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Came through Copenhagen the other day. After security - Restaurants serving meals with metal cutlery. No more checks prior to boarding 
Tel Aviv, last month - no ban on hand carry liquids
Singapore, checks at the gate - but SQ use metal cutlery
Tel Aviv, last month - no ban on hand carry liquids
Singapore, checks at the gate - but SQ use metal cutlery
This chap has learnt an expensive lesson.
A BREWERY executive was on the verge of tears when he had to smash two bottles of Australia's best known wine, worth $3000, at the airport.
Neil Grant, the southern region general manager with Fosters Australia, ran foul of the tough security rules at Melbourne's Tullmarine Airport as he was about to board an Emirates flight to the UK.
"I was going to conferences in Scotland and Ireland, and grabbed a 1980 and an '82 Grange from my personal cellar," Mr Grant said.
He estimated the two bottles were probably worth about $3000.
But he'd forgotten about the 100ml of liquids rule applying to carry on luggage, and although the precious Grange slipped through Customs he came unstuck at the final security check.
"I had the lady from hell, who said 'No sir, this is going to be bloody destroyed' even though the Emirates people were happy to find my baggage and pack it for me," he said.
"I said this is like a work of art, it's irreplaceable, do you know what you're doing here.
"She had them in her office and I said I wanted to put them in the wheelie bin myself.
"I was worried that they'd just go downstairs and someone would open the bin and there's two bottles of Grange, so I smashed them.
"I thought if I'm not going to be able to drink them, nobody is.
"I'm still in mourning over it."
Mr Grant said he wanted to take the Grange overseas to share with others at the conferences and show off some of Australia's best produce.
"They were just totally inflexible about anything we suggested to get it fixed," he said.
"I offered to open it there and then and let everyone have some, but they said 'No sir, you can't do that here'."
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...001021,00.html
A BREWERY executive was on the verge of tears when he had to smash two bottles of Australia's best known wine, worth $3000, at the airport.
Neil Grant, the southern region general manager with Fosters Australia, ran foul of the tough security rules at Melbourne's Tullmarine Airport as he was about to board an Emirates flight to the UK.
"I was going to conferences in Scotland and Ireland, and grabbed a 1980 and an '82 Grange from my personal cellar," Mr Grant said.
He estimated the two bottles were probably worth about $3000.
But he'd forgotten about the 100ml of liquids rule applying to carry on luggage, and although the precious Grange slipped through Customs he came unstuck at the final security check.
"I had the lady from hell, who said 'No sir, this is going to be bloody destroyed' even though the Emirates people were happy to find my baggage and pack it for me," he said.
"I said this is like a work of art, it's irreplaceable, do you know what you're doing here.
"She had them in her office and I said I wanted to put them in the wheelie bin myself.
"I was worried that they'd just go downstairs and someone would open the bin and there's two bottles of Grange, so I smashed them.
"I thought if I'm not going to be able to drink them, nobody is.
"I'm still in mourning over it."
Mr Grant said he wanted to take the Grange overseas to share with others at the conferences and show off some of Australia's best produce.
"They were just totally inflexible about anything we suggested to get it fixed," he said.
"I offered to open it there and then and let everyone have some, but they said 'No sir, you can't do that here'."
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...001021,00.html
Why couldn't the EK staff take these bottles to their office for later collection by a family member? Or for $3,000 I'd send them home in a Taxi.
Seems a little strange.
Also you don't get into the Immigration hall in Melbourne without getting past the staff asking about "liquid gells and aerosols" and offering little plastic bags to all. So he must have been in noddy land.
Seems a little strange.
Also you don't get into the Immigration hall in Melbourne without getting past the staff asking about "liquid gells and aerosols" and offering little plastic bags to all. So he must have been in noddy land.
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Melbourne
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Mr Grant didn't get a whole load of sympathy from the trade...
http://www.decanter.com/news/171669.html
They thought his wine was the cheap stuff, too.
400 quid for the 80 and the 82? I don't think so...
http://www.decanter.com/news/171669.html
They thought his wine was the cheap stuff, too.
400 quid for the 80 and the 82? I don't think so...
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Why not open it and drink it there? I suppose if you were worried about drinking the whole two bottles at once for fear of being offloaded as intoxicated you could even share it with fellow passengers...If you're that kind of person.
The only trouble then would be finding a corkscrew. I'm sure security would have one or two...
Hrm, and I wouldn't be overly confident of sending them home in a taxi much either.
The only trouble then would be finding a corkscrew. I'm sure security would have one or two...
Hrm, and I wouldn't be overly confident of sending them home in a taxi much either.
Just got back from Bangkok. At the last security screening before the gate the security staff ran up to me and said do you have perfume in your backpack. I couldn't remember putting it there but I checked and yep the screener identified it correctly.Well done. 
Then she got out a plastic bag. Put my perfume in it, sealed it and gave it back to me.
I asked if that made it safer now and she just shrugged. No more checks and i boardrd the aircraft.
At least if the bottle breaks it won't go all over the other junk I put in my hand luggage
Then she got out a plastic bag. Put my perfume in it, sealed it and gave it back to me. I asked if that made it safer now and she just shrugged. No more checks and i boardrd the aircraft.
At least if the bottle breaks it won't go all over the other junk I put in my hand luggage
Man Bilong Balus long PNG
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Looking forward to returning to Japan soon but in the meantime continuing the never ending search for a bad bottle of Red!
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had a great conversation with one in Melb)
Join Date: Jun 2004
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The unbelievable aspect to the Grange saga is that the bloke could have opened the bottles, poured the contents out on the floor and, once ensuring that the bottles were completely dry, proceeded through security with the now-empty glass bottles. A glass bottle in itself is not a prohibited item!
So, the innocent Grange is forbidden.....
Yet a potential weapon, the glass bottle, is permitted.....
The Emperor is not wearing any clothes!!!
So, the innocent Grange is forbidden.....
Yet a potential weapon, the glass bottle, is permitted.....
The Emperor is not wearing any clothes!!!
Join Date: Oct 2002
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That New York post article - I love the point it raised - we are confiscating your highly dangerous bottled water greater than 100ml, and we are placing it along with hundreds of other highly dangerous liquids, and putting them in 1 big pile right here. Of course we dont consider it too dangerous, otherwise we would have put it in a bomb proof disposal area, with the bomb squad on hand to look after it all.
Join Date: Jun 2004
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Wrong, KSJM.
Read http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/tra...n/LAG/faq.aspx
and specifically questions 5 and 6.
Your friend's experience with the ketchup dispenser is yet another example of security people not knowing the "rules" and/or making up it as they go.
Show me any prohibited item list, from any country, that forbids "receptacles" capable of containing liquid. I'm genuinely interested if you can. Qantas crew, on the other hand, are banned by company rules from carrying such containers in hand luggage. That's because management are afraid crew will steal the company plonk. Get caught with even an empty sports bottle in your hand luggage and it's a sackable offence at the Roo!
Read http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/tra...n/LAG/faq.aspx
and specifically questions 5 and 6.
Your friend's experience with the ketchup dispenser is yet another example of security people not knowing the "rules" and/or making up it as they go.
Show me any prohibited item list, from any country, that forbids "receptacles" capable of containing liquid. I'm genuinely interested if you can. Qantas crew, on the other hand, are banned by company rules from carrying such containers in hand luggage. That's because management are afraid crew will steal the company plonk. Get caught with even an empty sports bottle in your hand luggage and it's a sackable offence at the Roo!
KSJM.........
Not according to DOTARS 'Frequently Asked Questions' No. 6:
See: http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/tra...LAG/faq.aspx#5
I think we all agree with Mr Hat that the people who (God help them) are making these decisions aren't really coming across as 'highly intelligent people' or 'experts' who have carefully planned and thought out this security stuff.
Certainly the 'careful planning' which resulted in the security idiots causing KSJM's friend grief when they discovered her 'new (empty) squeezy ketchup dispenser (those tomato shaped ones)' certainly doesn't appear to have been highly intelligent OR expert!
In this case the dreaded potential tomato sauce container bomb was permitted..............because it was empty!
Oh boy.
You may find that an empty bottle is prohibited if > 100ml, as it is a RECEPTACLE capable of holding liquids.
6. What about an empty container?
Completely empty containers or vessels are permitted to be carried through the screening point.
Completely empty containers or vessels are permitted to be carried through the screening point.
I think we all agree with Mr Hat that the people who (God help them) are making these decisions aren't really coming across as 'highly intelligent people' or 'experts' who have carefully planned and thought out this security stuff.
Certainly the 'careful planning' which resulted in the security idiots causing KSJM's friend grief when they discovered her 'new (empty) squeezy ketchup dispenser (those tomato shaped ones)' certainly doesn't appear to have been highly intelligent OR expert!
In this case the dreaded potential tomato sauce container bomb was permitted..............because it was empty!
Oh boy.
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Had two female cousins visiting from Ireland last year. Both late 50's, one a teacher, the other a hospital Matron. I was sending them back to other cousins in BNE after a week in SY, and had bought them each a gold dipped gum leaf/bookmark as souvenirs.
You guessed it, gumleaves showed up on x-ray, they were questioned as to their use and items about to be confiscated. No sharp edges or anything.
Do these cretins think the IRA has a new cache of weapons? Perhaps koalas are the new terrorists?
You guessed it, gumleaves showed up on x-ray, they were questioned as to their use and items about to be confiscated. No sharp edges or anything.
Do these cretins think the IRA has a new cache of weapons? Perhaps koalas are the new terrorists?
Join Date: Sep 2006
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Hey 'LegallyBlonde' time for a hair colour change I think
, which is it, late 50's or in their 60's? Yr lucky they where not taken out & shot for trying to transport such nasty potential weapons !! Another Eg. of shoot first ask Q's latter mentality !
CW
, which is it, late 50's or in their 60's? Yr lucky they where not taken out & shot for trying to transport such nasty potential weapons !! Another Eg. of shoot first ask Q's latter mentality !CW
Join Date: Nov 2007
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Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the people who defend our industry!
Many here don't appreciate the gravity of the situation. Airport security personnel must be on guard against the most fiendishly cunning suicidal terrorists the world has ever seen.
They may even disguise themselves as 5-year-old boys!
Just such a suspicion arose at Seattle-Tacoma airport last week when a Matthew Gardner tried to board a flight to LAX (brief commercial message before the news video clip).
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Brilliant. So after subjecting the 5 year old kid and his Mum to a thorough search on the basis his name matched a name on the no-fly list, they finally established he posed no threat. Great, three green ticks for that breakthrough.
So then they gave his Mum a form to fill in to remove his name from the list. (Sorry Mum, we got that wrong, here's how to get off our stupid list). Excellent, customer service!
Errm, oh, but wait, now his name is off the no-fly list, doesn't that mean the original "bad guy" is now free to board a flight again, unchallenged?
I suppose that's about all you can expect for US$15Bn a year.
Somewhere a village must be sorely missing an idiot. Mail to the idiot can be forwarded to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, DC.
So then they gave his Mum a form to fill in to remove his name from the list. (Sorry Mum, we got that wrong, here's how to get off our stupid list). Excellent, customer service!
Errm, oh, but wait, now his name is off the no-fly list, doesn't that mean the original "bad guy" is now free to board a flight again, unchallenged?
I suppose that's about all you can expect for US$15Bn a year.
Somewhere a village must be sorely missing an idiot. Mail to the idiot can be forwarded to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, DC.