Security screening for tiny aircraft at tiny airports
Thread Starter
Security screening for tiny aircraft at tiny airports
Earlier this month I did a return trip Bremerhaven-Heligoland-Bremerhaven on a public flight. For those not familiar, Bremerhaven is a shipping port in north Germany with a tiny airport. Heligoland is a couple of specks of rock in the North Sea with a total population around 1500 that are economically dependent on the holiday trade. For UK residents, a comparison might be flying from Wick to one of the smaller Orkney islands.
The flight was a 9-seat aircraft. Reservations open to anyone with access to the Internet amd ability to pay cash at checkin desk - ie very much open to the general public.
At both airports security screening of pax was nil. No xray, no hand search, no arch, nothing. Now I completely accept the risk on a route to/from tiddly offshore island on a tiddly aircraft is very low. However this happened in a rich and longstanding EU membrr state.
So how does Germany get away with not needing to worry about security on a route where risk is almost nil, while tiny airports in Scottish island seem to select everyone for random extra checks ?
The flight was a 9-seat aircraft. Reservations open to anyone with access to the Internet amd ability to pay cash at checkin desk - ie very much open to the general public.
At both airports security screening of pax was nil. No xray, no hand search, no arch, nothing. Now I completely accept the risk on a route to/from tiddly offshore island on a tiddly aircraft is very low. However this happened in a rich and longstanding EU membrr state.
So how does Germany get away with not needing to worry about security on a route where risk is almost nil, while tiny airports in Scottish island seem to select everyone for random extra checks ?
The A/C is probably bellow the min size requiring screening. A saab 340 or J41 is the normal aircraft used to the isles which is not so is treated the same as a 747 going to JFK. The security rules are the same throughout europe.
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cheshire, UK
Posts: 326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On numerous holidays to USA, one could ask why there is also no security at all for the flights I had such as in skydiving aircraft, helicopter trips over NYC and Las Vegas as well as small (10 seater) aircraft flying to Grand Canyon.
Maybe it is just common sense.
Maybe it is just common sense.
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Edinburgh
Age: 39
Posts: 642
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A few years ago I took 4 flights in one day, all Icelandic domestic. RKV-AEY-GRY and back. Not once did I go through any kind of security checks. The first and last legs were on Fokker 50s (both around 75% full) and the AEY-GRY and back was on a tiny piper chieftain. The Air Iceland legs were normal scheduled flights and the GRY legs were chartered for our group, but the route is also available to the general public. I don't think Grimsey airport even had security facilities as it is only open for that 1 flight to AEY. At AEY they only had security for international flights, which FI occasionally offer and Norlandair have a few flights to Greenland.
Juneau (state capital of Alaska) to Skagway, 100 (ish) miles and a Cessna Caravan, no security. Invercargill (South Island NZ) to Stewart Island on an Islander, no security.
I've always thought it was a risk assessment that caused no security.
I've always thought it was a risk assessment that caused no security.
Many flights round Australia don't start with screening. As in the EU it is the smaller airports with low capacity planes - Dash 8s and B1900s, However if one is flying on one of these into a major hub eg Sydney , Melbourne the arriving flight will put one outside the secure area thus needing screening before going into the 'normal' departures area for connections etc.
D.
D.
Once flew the missus and folks Plymouth - Newquay and back (for lunch a Mr Steins place)
Had to go through the metal detectors and put the hand bags through the x-rays at both ends.......yes that's what we thought as well.
Take a Kenmore Beaver from San Juan back to Seattle and pleasingly the only security is the pilot checking there is no seaweed attached to the floats prior to departure
Had to go through the metal detectors and put the hand bags through the x-rays at both ends.......yes that's what we thought as well.
Take a Kenmore Beaver from San Juan back to Seattle and pleasingly the only security is the pilot checking there is no seaweed attached to the floats prior to departure
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Cloud 9
Posts: 2,948
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On numerous holidays to USA, one could ask why there is also no security at all for the flights I had such as in skydiving aircraft, helicopter trips over NYC and Las Vegas as well as small (10 seater) aircraft flying to Grand Canyon.
Maybe it is just common sense.
Maybe it is just common sense.
Then why did they force the closure of Meigs Field in Chicago, can't imagine that anything bigger than 10 seats went in and out of there?
I took a feeder flight in the states in 2003, 4 passengers, was chatting pleasantly to the solitary gate agent/bag loader/marshaller/etc, all normal, yet I was chosen to be extra security checked (by him!). As said, it's all about common sense, but if there are procedures in place, one size fits all.
SHJ
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: The right side of the Pennines
Age: 73
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
............helicopter trips over NYC and Las Vegas as well as ..........
Told SoCal ATC that we were taking the VFR corridor over Los Angeles International Airport, this runs North and South from Santa Monica VOR at right angles to the 06/24 alignment of the runways, so does not interfere with landing or departing traffic. Didn't have to get permission from anyone, and certainly didn't even talk to LAX tower, just flew the required headings and altitudes printed on the sectional chart for all to see.
I have some superb photographs taken looking directly down on to LAX - imagine what I could have done, had I been so motivated and brain-washed!
Couple of days later I was required to remove my shoes and belt to board the Boeing home.
Total madness.
Paxing All Over The World
There is a particular style ankle length boots that I wear when travelling by air. In all UK airports, they trigger the magnetic arch.
When I went through SIN a couple of days ago? Nothing. I have heard that SIN is stringent on security. It will be interesting to see what happens when taking domestic flights in OZ.
When I went through SIN a couple of days ago? Nothing. I have heard that SIN is stringent on security. It will be interesting to see what happens when taking domestic flights in OZ.
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Edinburgh
Age: 39
Posts: 642
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just came back from Barra. Security on the way out from GLA was as standard. 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.
Paxing All Over The World
This type: Hi-Tec Mens Altitude V I WP Boot| Cotswold Outdoor
I'm currently in Australia so the search gave me A$ but these always signal in the UK. On this trip, it's too warm and I've left them with friends before the return journey.
Having now made half a dozen internal flights, I can say that the Australians are not interested in water and fluids but aerosols are very carefully inspected and must be taken out of the cabin bag. Bottles of water have gone unremarked.
I'm currently in Australia so the search gave me A$ but these always signal in the UK. On this trip, it's too warm and I've left them with friends before the return journey.
Having now made half a dozen internal flights, I can say that the Australians are not interested in water and fluids but aerosols are very carefully inspected and must be taken out of the cabin bag. Bottles of water have gone unremarked.