Security screening for tiny aircraft at tiny airports

[Heathrow Harry]

Yup - I had to dump some aerosols a year back at Cairns........ but water was no bother

[Richard Le page]

Here in the channel Islands all inter island flights used to be security free prior to 9/11.
There was a separate inter island gate situated away from the main security area in both Guernsey and Jersey Don't think Alderney had any security area either even on UK flights. No bags or yourself screened, you just walked up to the gate showed your boarding pass and got on the plane. Completely different story now though.

[Phileas Fogg]

Here in the Philippines one is allowed to take their laptop on board but not the power cable that goes with it ... The logic being that one could strangle somebody with the power cord but one could never hit somebody over the head with the laptop!

I just love travelling on business here

[PAXboy]

Since 2001, I have said that a heavy laptop (2kg) and a bottle of duty free spirits (hold the neck and break off the main part to leave you with the weapon) are all that you need. Both are encouraged by the carriers and the glass bottle will be provided to you at your seat.

Simples.

[Basil]

Just came back from Barra. Security on the way out from GLA was as standard. On the way back, nothing at all,

With that intelligence now available to them, the bad guys will now arrive on Barra by sea for the flight to GLA.
Better get that wicker man ready.

[Rwy in Sight]

With that intelligence now available to them, the bad guys will now arrive on Barra by sea for the flight to GLA.
Better get that wicker man ready.

What we don't know is what happens to connecting pax after they reach GLA. I guess there would be screened as let's say someone who arrives from downtown GLA and wants to board a flight from there.

[PAXboy]

The Isle of Man airport take matters very seriously as they know all to well of the route from Ireland (N + S) to the Island and then onward. Their magnetic arch was set super sensitive - although they always claimed it was set to 'UK standard'.

When IOM flights went to LHR, they were at the end of a long pier in T1 (Gate 12, I seem to recall) and there was a special one-way viewing room for the folks to observe pax leaving and arriving.

[edi_local]

What we don't know is what happens to connecting pax after they reach GLA. I guess there would be screened as let's say someone who arrives from downtown GLA and wants to board a flight from there.

Everyone has to go through the arrivals process and then re-clear security in GLA before entering the departures area. There is no option to enter the departures area directly. As I didn't have a bag and wasn't connecting onwards from GLA I can't say for sure if baggage is through checked or not, but whatever the case they will be screened at GLA as it wouldn't meet DfT/CAA rules if they didn't. I imagine the DfT/CAA know the situation and their rules allow for flights such as the highlands and islands services to exist without screening.

[Rwy in Sight]

edi_local

So the "risk" is just for the short sector from the islands to the mainland.

[edi_local]

You could put it that way, I suppose, but how much "risk" there is in reality is questionable. Scotland is hardly unique in having this kind of set up. I imagine the services inside wales, from Cardiff to Anglesey, or the services from the Scilly Isles to the mainland operate much the same system.

As a side note, I once flew from CFN to DUB, a route operated by Loganair (now EI) and entirely inside the Republic of Ireland. Donegal airport has security screening, which I, and the other 6 passengers on the Saab, went through. When we got to DUB I was connecting on to LHR (my bag was checked through). I had to not only go through security again, but also Irish passport control in order to get to my LHR gate!

[Skipness One Foxtrot]

On the way back, nothing at all, yet BRR has a door with "security" written above it which everyone must go through to board, but there is nothing on the other side of it but a desk. All transit passengers have to land themselves at GLA and clear security there. I imagine most of the inbound Loganair routes are the same, with the exceptions of perhaps Stornoway, Shetland and Orkney routes which are on bigger aircraft.

Well that;s changed! Did this in 2008 and although there was no Xray, the bag was thoroughly searched, not pleasent really. So passengers must be bussed to arrivals at GLA as they can't be allowed into the terminal airside as before. ILY-GLA on the SF340 was standard airport security last year.

[ExXB]

Flew Gloucester to Isle of Man on a LET a couple of years ago. We had full security and all luggage (checked and carry-on) scanned.

The thing was, there was only one guy doing the check in, baggage check, security, announcements, boarding process. His Hi-viz jacket also had him in the airport fire brigade. Pity they didn't have a shop/bar ... he might have got a tip.

[edi_local]

Originally Posted by Skipness One Foxtrot

Well that;s changed! Did this in 2008 and although there was no Xray, the bag was thoroughly searched, not pleasent really. So passengers must be bussed to arrivals at GLA as they can't be allowed into the terminal airside as before. ILY-GLA on the SF340 was standard airport security last year.

It may be the case that checked in baggage is hand searched, I never checked in baggage and I think only one other passenger did, but I didn't see anything, although that isn't to say they don't hand search. We walked from the aircraft on arrival and entered through the same door as Irish/Channel Island/IOM arrivals in GLA, meaning anyone in transit at GLA would have to clear security in order to proceed to the main departure lounge.

[ricardian]

Loganair's Interisland service based in Kirkwall has no security checks.

[Fly4Business]

We are talking inner-country Islands Hopping here, with all its special rules and regulations. Not much difference between the Britten Norman Islander transporters serving Helgoland redrockmen and Susi Air doing the Papua bushmen ...

[Heathrow Harry]

and most people know everyone else on the flight and are probably related to them - and that often includes the flight crew

[FerrypilotDK]

Re Miegs Field in Chicago post-----It was a crime committed by the crappy mayor, and he got away with destroying NATIONAL infrastructure. Oh yes, it was found to be illegal, but it was done. Jobs were lost owners and users were horribly inconvenienced. I NEVER go through Chicago if there is a hint of an alternative. I might not make a difference, but I will not drop a dollar that could see a cent reaching this National Socialist wannabe.

[S.o.S.]

FerrypilotDK Please do not use the 'N' word. Whilst the person might be many things, that knee-jerk usage does not help. I am leaving your post as you make a strong opinion, but edit your post and use another word.

[davidjohnson6]

Very small UK airports

I understand that passenger security checks are to end at three very small airports in Scotland - Barra, Campbeltown and Tiree. Clearly, most passegers from these 3 airports are travelling just to Glasgow and as small communties where everyone knows everyone else, the whole security thing becomes a bit of theatre and people ticking boxes. I don't believe that a 19-seat aircraft on short hops in remote areas from an airport with maybe 2 departing flights per day is a spectacular target for terrorism

Previously I've flown on a single ticket from Campbeltown to Heathrow via Glasgow - the fact that checks have been performed at Campbeltown meant that I was considered 'clean' and could transfer straight to the gate for the Heathrow flight when I arrived at Glasgow. Will the new policy mean that one has to go to landside, or is there an intention that there will be an 'airside' security check ? Furthermore, is this expected to impact connection times when travelling onwards ?

Flights from Anglesey to Cardiff on the other hand have the worst of both worlds - passengers have to go through full airport security to board an aircraft at Anglesey, but on arrival at Cardiff are considered 'dirty' and have to go landside before reclearing security !

Note - For the avoidance of doubt, I believe HIAL are making the right move. I've flown on scheduled flights from 3 very small airports in Germany (not a country known for skimping on rules) - nobody thought it necessary to do full airport security checks

Source - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...lands-38689143

[PAXboy]

This article on the topic:
Security searches at three Scottish airports to end ? but union warns plan places a nuclear power station at risk | The Independent

Has a different angle:

But Prospect’s negotiator, David Avery, said the move to end checks before Loganair flights depart “puts staff and passengers at risk”. He said that several strategic locations, as well as the airports themselves, were “far more likely to be potential targets”.

“The flight path into Glasgow is close to nuclear power facilities at Hunterston, the large oil terminal and facilities at Finnart on Loch Long, and Ministry of Defence establishments at Coulport, Faslane and Glen Douglas.”

The union says the decision puts 10 jobs at Tiree, Barra and Campbeltown airports at risk. It claims that the trigger for the move was a five per cent cut to HIAL’s budget.