SECURITY - Revised Uk Rules (14 Aug 2006)

[BABizFlyer]

No One has answered how exactly roller bags have been breaking the rules!!! If they can not fit through the xray machine - they could not be brought on board - simple.

If some pax consider that 2 such roller bags are acceptable then it should be pointed out to them, at check in, that they are not!!!

It seems that a lot of peiple who disagree with roller bags are just jealous because they do not own one or are non business pax to whom the wait, and risks, of dealing with baggage handlers, is not critical.

I choose to fly with BA because of their more relaxed carry on policy, I stopped flying with BMI - Luftwaffa etc because of that policy.

Lets get back to a reasonable limit on size - allowing most of the current roll on bags in the overhead lockers.

[A2QFI]

Roller Bags

I think the problem is now, and may have been in the past, that they don't fit the "Gauge" at check-in. They also may exceed the weight limit, which seems to depend on the airline. I think that anything which encourages people to travel hand luggage only is a good idea. I don't know if Easy have changed their rules but they used to let you on board with anything up to 20Kg, so long as you could lift into the overhead locker yourself.

[Nov71]

Looks like we got the laptops out of the hold just in time -

BBC News - "The world's largest manufacturer of personal computers, Dell, is to recall 4.1 million of its notebook computer batteries because of a fire risk. "
(Sony Li-ion batteries)

Wonder what the reaction would be if a Dell started smoking at Security?

[BEagle]

And the incompetence of BAA carries on....

From Ryanair's website:

"As a result of BAA's failure to adequately staff the Stansted Airport security points on Tuesday the 15th August (at 0400hrs, one hour after check-in desks had opened, BAA Stansted had opened just 4 out of 14 security points at the airport. At 0500hrs, just one hour before our first flights are scheduled to depart, BAA Stansted had opened just 7 out of 14 security points at the airport), Ryanair have been forced to cancel a further 8 flights on the 15th of August."

Although I'm no great fan of Ryanair, I certainly agree with all that Michael O'Leary has been saying about this farce recently.

[Man-on-the-fence]

BBC News - "The world's largest manufacturer of personal computers, Dell, is to recall 4.1 million of its notebook computer batteries because of a fire risk. "
(Sony Li-ion batteries)

I work in IT and had to make a service call for one of these today, the Bod on the end of the phone says it is suspected that this may happen while charging. So unlikely to happen at Security.

[Haven't a clue]

I can't help thinking that the new hand baggage size limit, although determined by DfT, has been heaviliy influenced by BAA's inability to screen pax and baggage at the speed needed to allow the volume passing through Heathrow to catch their planes.

As previously posted the size does not reflect any of the previous standards applied by the airlines (except perhaps for puddle jump operators).

It seems though that even with this restriction BAA can't handle the pax numbers involved. Slap another fiver on the ticket price to pay for extra facilities if you must, but let's see some committment by BAA to get things back to relative normality (albeit with no liquids).

If I am right then it is wrong that those seasoned pax who avoid LHR like the plague suffer because of BAA's shortcomings.

[PAXboy]

BA 'mulls Heathrow compensation' Tuesday, 15 August 2006, 13:12 GMT 14:12 UK BBC

BA is to consider seeking compensation from airports operator BAA after security measures forced it to cancel hundreds of flights from Heathrow.

BA boss Willie Walsh has attacked BAA's management, saying it had "no adequate plan" to deal with the emergency.

FANTASTIC That is one of the best bits of news that I have heard in a long time, I hope they get on with it, rather than just mulling.

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

Originally Posted by Man-on-the-fence

I work in IT and had to make a service call for one of these today, the Bod on the end of the phone says it is suspected that this may happen while charging. So unlikely to happen at Security.

But I thought there had been some cases of Dell computers burning when on the move, eg. at a conference in Japan, in an SUV in Nevada (truck burned to a cinder) and on a Lufthansa plane at Chicago. I am following this since my laptop is one of the affected....

[Man-on-the-fence]

GCC

Possibly, I'm just saying what the telephone monkey told me.
There is also a recall for Compaq/HP laptop batteries, however that is due to charging problems.

[Man-on-the-fence]

Back on Topic

Just to confirm that we are dealing with two different carry on allowances. One from the UK and one to the UK with the latter being larger than the former.

Crazy

What happens to transit passengers?

[Airbubba]

This year is as we all know is the fifth anniversary of 9/11 and yet passenger profiling is nowhere nearer being introduced.

Well, maybe they are trying:

Profiling plan angers UK Muslims

Tuesday, August 15, 2006 Posted: 1356 GMT

The British government says it is working on new security procedures at airports.

LONDON, England (CNN) -- The British government is considering a system of passenger profiling that includes checks on travelers' ethnic or religious background, according to media reports.

The planned system of tougher airport checks would create a new offense of "traveling whilst Asian," according to one of Britain's most senior Muslim police officers...

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/eu...ger.profiling/

[paulc]

The revised hand baggage is ok for laptops but what about photographic equipment. Mine is worth about 3K and would not want it in the hold. Bag is borderline with the new sizes and have had no problems with it in the past.

[Final 3 Greens]

The planned system of tougher airport checks would create a new offense of "traveling whilst Asian," according to one of Britain's most senior Muslim police officers...

Rather than just "travelling"

[Man-on-the-fence]

Paul

Lowepro Mini Trekker will fit, you have to take the lens of whatever camera you have and then lay the camera flat on its back.I have 1 body a big lens and two small ones in there, it all meets the new size limitations.

I intend to attach the lens back onto the camera when I am on the plane.

[chandlers dad]

Or carry the body and one lens on a strap on your shoulder as well as your carry-on bag in your hand. Women are allowed one purse and one carry-on, so we could carry a camera. As well have a very expensive camera and no way that its going to be checked.

[EastMids]

Originally Posted by paulc

The revised hand baggage is ok for laptops but what about photographic equipment. Mine is worth about 3K and would not want it in the hold. Bag is borderline with the new sizes and have had no problems with it in the past.

You're allowed one piece of hand baggage within the size limitations - period (no women's handbags unless they're inside the single piece, and laptops and cameras have to fit within the bag too). I think Paul you're going to have to live with this for now and if ncessary buy a smaller camera bag - what we have now is a lot better than was in place at the weekend, and as a last resort I for one would put all my camera gear in the ubiquitous clear plastic bag and checkin my empty camera bag if it were necessary to ensure I could actually take the camera gear on board.

Andy

[172driver]

Originally Posted by Airbubba

Well, maybe they are trying:
Profiling plan angers UK Muslims
Tuesday, August 15, 2006 Posted: 1356 GMT
The British government says it is working on new security procedures at airports.
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The British government is considering a system of passenger profiling that includes checks on travelers' ethnic or religious background, according to media reports.
The planned system of tougher airport checks would create a new offense of "traveling whilst Asian," according to one of Britain's most senior Muslim police officers...
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/eu...ger.profiling/

That's the first sensible thing I've heard from this government in a LONG time

[derekvader]

Originally Posted by Airbubba

LONDON, England (CNN) -- The British government is considering a system of passenger profiling that includes checks on travelers' ethnic or religious background, according to media reports.
The planned system of tougher airport checks would create a new offense of "traveling whilst Asian," according to one of Britain's most senior Muslim police officers...

Oh dear, what a shame. Unfortunately the whole world is currently being inconvenienced by a minority of nutcases, who do in the main fit a particular, easily identifiable, profile. You know, there comes a point when being PC needs to be left behind, it may not be right or fair, but it's for the greater good. And as a muslim caller said on LBC radio this morning, if the head-firmly-buried-in-the-sand muslim community leaders would actually do something about the minority of nutcases hiding in their ranks then the need for this profiling would end.

[Pax Vobiscum]

Bruce Schneier (for my money, the world's greatest expert on analysing security threats) has written in his blog:

Airport security is the last line of defense, and not a very good one at that. Sure, it'll catch the sloppy and the stupid -- and that's a good enough reason not to do away with it entirely -- but it won't catch a well-planned plot. We can't keep weapons out of prisons; we can't possibly keep them off airplanes.

This cartoon says it all:

[derekl]

Bruce Schneier's analysis.

Pax Vobiscum beat me to it.

Let me also heartily recommend that those interested in this subject please follow the link in PV's post to Schneier's analysis.