Security Panic Attack over Spare Batteries in Jacket
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Security Panic Attack over Spare Batteries in Jacket
I picked up a bunch of AAA batteries for a good price, tied them into a baggie and dumped them into a jacket pocket against future need.
Some time later I had to fly YYZ-DEN and endured the lineups for checkin, US Immigration/Customs and then Security. After the usual belt buckle undoing and wanding, spent several minutes waiting for my stuff which was held up at the X-ray station while several personnel were called over to have a gander. During all this time, nobody thought to ask me to take out and show them the contents. At long last the offending tray came down the conveyor, I took the items out of the pocket, showed them to the security person and was promptly sent on my way.
Returning via DEN, I put the batteries in the tray and -- after the usual 20 minutes in queue -- zipped through.
Some time later I had to fly YYZ-DEN and endured the lineups for checkin, US Immigration/Customs and then Security. After the usual belt buckle undoing and wanding, spent several minutes waiting for my stuff which was held up at the X-ray station while several personnel were called over to have a gander. During all this time, nobody thought to ask me to take out and show them the contents. At long last the offending tray came down the conveyor, I took the items out of the pocket, showed them to the security person and was promptly sent on my way.
Returning via DEN, I put the batteries in the tray and -- after the usual 20 minutes in queue -- zipped through.
Paxing All Over The World
Re: Security Panic Attack over Spare Batteries in Jacket
I have never been stopped/delayed for batteries before!! Always have some AA and AAAs in the cabin bag but this does not surprise me. At IOM (UK) My cabin bag is regularly opened and the computer inspected. When I comment (politely) that this never happens at any other UK airport, they always say that the equipment is all set to the same trigger levels.
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Re: Security Panic Attack over Spare Batteries in Jacket
Security really improved in the States after 9/11 and they are getting pretty good at it now. If they see something suspicious on the x-ray they seem to get a second opinion and "cross check". Sure, it holds things up but better safe than sorry and they are pretty efficient overall. I suppose batteries catch their interest as they are a power source and so have lots of uses, not all good. I also think they are worried about things being moulded in the linings of jackets, so I for one am glad they took extra time.
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Re: Security Panic Attack over Spare Batteries in Jacket
I think the interesting angle to this story is that the Canadian security staff took the extra look at the batteries but the Americans on the return segment did not.
This is something I've noticed repeatedly over the last few years... Canadian security regularly find my errant corkscrews, souvenir matches, etc in carry on where US more often than not fails to notice...
This is something I've noticed repeatedly over the last few years... Canadian security regularly find my errant corkscrews, souvenir matches, etc in carry on where US more often than not fails to notice...
Last edited by YOWGirl; 15th Jan 2006 at 21:14. Reason: typo
Thread Starter
Re: Security Panic Attack over Spare Batteries in Jacket
Rather than holding up the entire line for several minutes, you would think they would simply ask you to remove any suspicious item for closer inspection while they put the coat back through the X-ray.
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Re: Security Panic Attack over Spare Batteries in Jacket
A screener in London once showed me the scan view of one of those long strips of AA batteries in my bag, and explained how they can in some circumstances look a bit like ammunition - hence they take a more careful look if they see something like that to make sure that they are indeed batteries.
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Re: Security Panic Attack over Spare Batteries in Jacket
A tip - never take any batteries with you in your hand baggage from INDIA.
The police always take them away siting 'security' - and them sell them on the market the next day............
The police always take them away siting 'security' - and them sell them on the market the next day............
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Re: Security Panic Attack over Spare Batteries in Jacket
Just from my non-expert observations it seems that it's fellow passengers who cause the most delay at security. People who wait until the final moment to take their coats off, and those who carry corkscrews in their luggage even though there are signs all over the place telling them not seem to cause the most delay. Give them another queue I say. In some places, like ORD, frequent fliers get their own queue so you are at least behind people who have half a clue. That's not the same as fastrack at places like LHR where you can often take longer than economy, and also demonstrates that having the money (or the company's) to pay for business class doesn't mean you know what you are doing at an airport.
And that's the way to do it, make it easy for them to see these things on their own and you get through quickly. This also demonstrates that people don't estimate time well. If you look at the actual figures at http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov it is very uncommon to wait 20 minutes at DEN. Usually you are through in 5-10, sometimes less. Heathrow doesn't appear to want to share this info, having stood there with a watch and timed them I can understand why.
Returning via DEN, I put the batteries in the tray and -- after the usual 20 minutes in queue -- zipped through
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Originally Posted by slim_slag
Heathrow doesn't appear to want to share this info, having stood there with a watch and timed them I can understand why.
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Originally Posted by GroundScot
A tip - never take any batteries with you in your hand baggage from INDIA.
The police always take them away siting 'security' - and them sell them on the market the next day............
The police always take them away siting 'security' - and them sell them on the market the next day............
Oh no - we are not that impoverished!!! After all the stuff cost just 10pence!
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Took 47 minutes from the start of security queue until picking up bag after scanning at LHR T3 this morning
My non expert view would be that LHR needs to provide table space to unload laptops and take outer garments off, and provide more screening stations. Obviously this would mean closing down some retail outlets so it will never happen. The passenger who pays BAA at LHR good cash for security clearance and to enter the shopping mall is just going to have to queue for longer.
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I have recently spent very long periods at LHR trying to reach security, but I don't think the punters should be held responsible. As slim slag pointed out, it may help if people took off their coats in advance etc... but I am not convinced. I genuinely believe that if all the punters were really good, and were ready to zip through security, all that would happen is they would either close one of the screening areas, or worse reduce the staffing levels. If everyone goes really slow, who knows, they may actually open more than one screening area, or even more revolutionary, actually get enough staff.
As a fare paying passenger who pays for these security checks in my ticket, I have a problem with the way in which some security personnel get really uppity if you are not ready with your gear just as they like it. For instance, until recently, laptops in UK airports were screened within your baggage, but in the USA you had to get them out of any cases or bags to put them through separately. After a long flight from the UK, at one USA checkpoint, I forgot this, and sent my laptop through in my travel case. The security screener really lost it - "you should know to take laptops out - IT IS NOW STANDARD PROCEDURE" , and so on. The rant from her lasted quite a few minutes, and she still didn't get it when I said I'm from the UK and over there they insist you keep it in the case.
Everywhere I go they have some variation on procedures - my passport was compulsorily x-rayed at AMS recently (no kidding!). I don't mind the procedures, but the staff need to get a grip and understand that what they do day in and day out ain't necessarily what is done elsewhere, and they should also remember that very tired jet-lagged people can occasionally make mistakes, and are not necesarily filled with the joys of spring.
As a fare paying passenger who pays for these security checks in my ticket, I have a problem with the way in which some security personnel get really uppity if you are not ready with your gear just as they like it. For instance, until recently, laptops in UK airports were screened within your baggage, but in the USA you had to get them out of any cases or bags to put them through separately. After a long flight from the UK, at one USA checkpoint, I forgot this, and sent my laptop through in my travel case. The security screener really lost it - "you should know to take laptops out - IT IS NOW STANDARD PROCEDURE" , and so on. The rant from her lasted quite a few minutes, and she still didn't get it when I said I'm from the UK and over there they insist you keep it in the case.
Everywhere I go they have some variation on procedures - my passport was compulsorily x-rayed at AMS recently (no kidding!). I don't mind the procedures, but the staff need to get a grip and understand that what they do day in and day out ain't necessarily what is done elsewhere, and they should also remember that very tired jet-lagged people can occasionally make mistakes, and are not necesarily filled with the joys of spring.
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10secondsurvey,
If the security person 'really lost it' you should have complained to their supervisor. What I have often seen at US screening is somebody calling out instructions (call it shouting if you want) to take your laptops out, take your shoes off etc. To me that's just being a bit assertive to get people through the system faster, for the benefit of all. If only the people at LHR would make a bit of noise and tell people to take their coats off when in the queue and not wait until they are in front of the bloody x-ray machine. There are also some places in the States where people behave assertively all the time and they are actually being nice, you obviously wouldn't like living in New York
If the security person 'really lost it' you should have complained to their supervisor. What I have often seen at US screening is somebody calling out instructions (call it shouting if you want) to take your laptops out, take your shoes off etc. To me that's just being a bit assertive to get people through the system faster, for the benefit of all. If only the people at LHR would make a bit of noise and tell people to take their coats off when in the queue and not wait until they are in front of the bloody x-ray machine. There are also some places in the States where people behave assertively all the time and they are actually being nice, you obviously wouldn't like living in New York
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Misunderstandings can happen. Passing through security at EWR one night the x ray man asked me what I had in my briefcase. I listed a few things and said the word torch, torch he yelled and suddenly I had two serious guys either side of me guiding me around a screen. My briefcase appeared and I opened it producing the torch, I was told "That isn't a torch, it's a goddammed flashlight !"
If i recall correctly it ended in amusement on both sides, but the fact is that in the USA a torch is an incendiary device and in the UK it is a flashlight.
If i recall correctly it ended in amusement on both sides, but the fact is that in the USA a torch is an incendiary device and in the UK it is a flashlight.
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The other year returning through Orlando they spotted and refused to take on board the battery pack from my sons radio control car, despite my offer to show them the car drive around the terminal (and this was hold baggage, not hand baggage).
We were forced to go to the US Post Office and mail the battery home. I chose the cheapest post option ("cannot guarantee when it will get there, sir").
We landed in the UK the next morning and the following day it dropped onto our doormat.
The irony of the whole thing was that we were on the last plane out of Orlando before a Hurricane, no flights left for a further 3 days. Therefore the package must have travelled in the hold of the plane we were on, which is exactly where it would have travelled if we had been allowed it in our luggage.
We were forced to go to the US Post Office and mail the battery home. I chose the cheapest post option ("cannot guarantee when it will get there, sir").
We landed in the UK the next morning and the following day it dropped onto our doormat.
The irony of the whole thing was that we were on the last plane out of Orlando before a Hurricane, no flights left for a further 3 days. Therefore the package must have travelled in the hold of the plane we were on, which is exactly where it would have travelled if we had been allowed it in our luggage.
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Somebody important from LHR should go to America to see how it's done properly and make some changes
Canadian security regularly find my errant corkscrews, souvenir matches, etc in carry on where US more often than not fails to notice...
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Slim slag, like I said, if everyone at LHR got their coats off, the queues would not speed up, they would simply reduce staffing levels to maximise profits. The queues would remain as big.
As for the USA - go there lots, hear people (goons) screaming (being 'assertive' in your words) at little old ladies, and I choose to pay them no heed whatsoever. "Come on now on the double run run RUN! you mother f****** get your coat off now!!!!" Had I wanted to join the US marine corp, I would have applied.
As for the laptop, yes I did try to speak to the supervisor, but said goon would not allow it. Doh!
As for the USA - go there lots, hear people (goons) screaming (being 'assertive' in your words) at little old ladies, and I choose to pay them no heed whatsoever. "Come on now on the double run run RUN! you mother f****** get your coat off now!!!!" Had I wanted to join the US marine corp, I would have applied.
As for the laptop, yes I did try to speak to the supervisor, but said goon would not allow it. Doh!
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10SecondSurvey,
You seriously expect me to believe a screener screamed Come on now on the double run run RUN! you mother f****** get your coat off now!!!!? Simply don't believe you and that makes the rest of what you say have zero credibility
You seriously expect me to believe a screener screamed Come on now on the double run run RUN! you mother f****** get your coat off now!!!!? Simply don't believe you and that makes the rest of what you say have zero credibility