Is this a potential security hole?

[edi_local]

Originally Posted by T250

Always makes me laugh airports that allow public access to a supposedly airside area, baggage reclaim?

And on this topic, always intrigued me whether in fact, baggage reclaim is actually 'airside'. As pax have checked in baggage landside at check in, but they are now receiving it back airside... At least at all UK airports, baggage reclaim is very much airside as there is no public access. Yet pax could retrieve prohibited items from their checked bags...

EDI domestic baggage reclaim is fully open to the public. I am sure GLA used to be up until recently too. There is no chance EDI could actually enclose domestic baggage reclaim because to do so would then mean people couldn't access the jet2 check in area. It's a poor design, always has been and now, seemingly, always will be.

[T250]

The process at LHR and LGW is, and has been for decades, to arrive in the following sequence:

- Land at gate
- Walk to immigration or 'passport control'
- Enter baggage hall
- Clear customs

Then you're landside.

[Hotel Tango]

Not all but many airports treat baggage reclaim from domestic flights differently than international flights. Again there are exceptions such as Atlanta and a few other U.S. airports for instance. There, once you have completed the immigration and customs process and your final destination is Atlanta, your suitcase will be taken away from you and travel separately for collection at the main terminal. This is so that passengers don't clutter the terminal transit system with all their baggage. Consequently, although you arrived on an international flight, your suitcase will now arrive on a belt completely accessible to the public. They at one time did tag checks, but that is no longer the case.

[Wot No Engines]

World wide, most domestic baggage claims are open to the public. Many countries also permit non-travellers through security. QF used to permit club members to use their lounges when not flying. In a number of countries, it's possible to get on a flight never having shown ID. It got worse with online checkins.

[edi_local]

I've taken commercial domestic flights in NZ, Iceland and the UK where there there had been no security or ID checks whatsoever all in the last few years. They were not what you'd call major routes, but they were still either from or to large airports.

[T250]

Thought the likes of easyJet and Ryanair always insist upon some 'form' of photographic ID for their domestic flights? Unsure on the others, maybe they don't, BA, Flybe etc.