UK Airport Security

[Dysonsphere]

There has never been a case where airport security has caught a terrorist, and given the way they work, they never will.

boofhead

Dont you remember the pregant woman caught at Heathrow years ago, complete with bomb that she didnt even know she had however it was EL Al check in

[bnt]

The part that confuses me is why passengers, who have already been screened at the point of boarding, have to go through it all again in the UK. I landed at LHR from Denver last Friday, and all the way from T4 we were kept isolated from the outside, no contact with anyone but other screened "airside" pax and airport staff.

Then we arrive at T1 by bus, wait 20 mins to get in to the Flight Connections screening area, then another 20mins to actually get to the screening. Baa.

OK, so it's possible that screening at point of departure is not up to UK standards, but it seems my experiences in the USA are not as bad now. Can't Heathrow tell the difference between a properly screened passenger (Europe, North America) and one originating where screening is lax?

Here's the funny part - how I make my life more difficult. I took a single case to the USA, with another soft bag and a small laptop, that both fit inside the main case on the way out. I had my tiny toiletries in a see-through bag, as requested.

• At Dublin I forgot to take the toiletries out of the case, but remembered the laptop. No problems at screening.
• At Heathrow T4, I moved the toiletries to a jacket pocket, but forgot to take them out for separate screening. No problems there.
• At Denver I had a little more stuff to bring back, thought I might have to check my case in the hold, tried to repack a little, then thought better of it. So I kept the soft bag with me, took out the laptop for screening, but couldn't find the toiletries in my case. I thought I'd misplaced them while repacking. No problems at screening (which took no more than 5 mins total).
• At Heathrow T1 Flight Connections, I took my laptop out, and put the soft bag in the case, so I was carrying the single case and the laptop in its slip case. If security had asked, I could just say "I took it out for screening". No problems there, apart from the general insanity I describe above.

When I got home to Dublin, I found my toiletries had been at the bottom of the soft bag all the way home. What's all this stuff about "separate screening", then?

[pacer142]

The airports are already paid the agreed amount of money per pax and the reason they do not have enough teams at work is because they have consistently under recruited.

Part of the reason is that the airports are pressured by the airlines (especially O'Leary's lot) to keep that fee low. Thus the fee should be increased by way of legislation such that the required level of security staffing is provided, not the bare "race to the bottom" minimum. That's why some airports are installing turnstiles and levying their own charge, and that is wrong - that extra charge, if it is necessary, should be on the ticket price.

I don't imagine that Schiphol is cheap to run, as by most peoples' estimation it is probably overstaffed, but it is *certainly* worth the money in terms of lack of stress over security delays.

[pacer142]

I then go to the World News shop in duty free and buy a new one !! Why insist we divest ourselves of these things then have them on sale in the "sanitised" area ? Is it commercial ?

Most probably - but then of all things that are allowed on planes and shouldn't be, lighters and matches take the biscuit.

You can't smoke on any plane, so why allow any such smoking materials aboard?

[pacer142]

OK, so it's possible that screening at point of departure is not up to UK standards, but it seems my experiences in the USA are not as bad now. Can't Heathrow tell the difference between a properly screened passenger (Europe, North America) and one originating where screening is lax?

I imagine there is not enough space at LHR to plan gate usage accordingly. AMS, of course, has "boundary" security on the Schengenland terminal and gate security on the rest for this very reason.

Just about every other UK airport I've been to separates arrivals and departures like LHR does.

[GANNET FAN]

X Ray

2 Weeks ago, the security queue to the scanners was quiet and her indoors went through the normal scanner but I was asked to be screened in the private X ray bit.

I asked to see the result of the photos. Wish I hadn't !!

Its seriously revealing, good for bombs etc but not quite so good for morale!!

Gotta lose weight

[Curious Pax]

Originally Posted by pacer142

I don't imagine that Schiphol is cheap to run, as by most peoples' estimation it is probably overstaffed, but it is *certainly* worth the money in terms of lack of stress over security delays.

As is often the case, it depends when you travel. Flew AMS-CDG on Friday evening, and the security queue for Schengen pax was 30 minutes and growing!

[fyrefli]

When I got home to Dublin, I found my toiletries had been at the bottom of the soft bag all the way home. What's all this stuff about "separate screening", then?

My mate - an infrequent flyer - came over to see us at the weekend. They took away his shaving foam and let him keep his razor

[MyData]

At LBA last week, early morning scrum.

Lady in front of me has knee high boots (rather fetching).

Asked by security to remove said boots for the scanner. A flat reply of "No, they are a real pain to get off and on again". "Oh, OK, just go through then..."

Now I know that only a % of people have to have shoes / boots scanned. But to flatly refuse with no good reason was quite a surprise. I must try that next time and see how far I get

[BackPacker]

Curious,

The Schengen security line is always busy at AMS. If I see this I typically go to the passport/security check located behind the KLM counters, walk through the international terminal and enter the Schengen area through the security checks near the D-pier. Saves a few minutes. OTOH - It doesn't make the plane depart any sooner.

I've also done it the other way around. I was in the Schengen area because I was booked on a flight to a Schengen country. I walked to passport control close to the D-pier, to get into the international terminal, and the nice lady asked to see my boarding card as well. "Sir, you're boarding at the C pier, which is behind you." "Yes, I know, but the McDonalds is over there!" Slight moment of hesitation. "Okay sir, have a nice meal". (This was a while ago. They've got more catering in the Schengen area right now.)