LHR loses airside IDs

[JPJ]

Today's press reports that police investigating the recent thefts from Heathrow have found that 8000 security passes are missing, wrongly issued, or otherwise not accounted for.

[iomode]

Does that mean that all that pomp and ceremony in the crew bus at the LHR control posts was all smoke and mirrors?


What superb irony.

[PAXboy]

It also appears that the 'security' van used to collect valuables form the SAA flight had neither GPS tracking or active alarm system.

This might be the kind of silent alarm that, unless the driver presses a button at the right time, or enters a code every X minutes - it will default into an alarm condition.

Also, I have only heard reference to this 'security' vehicle having a single man operating it!

[IMMELMAN]

I have posted before that the airside pass system and the Aviation Maritime Security Act, etc is totally corrupt - it does not work - and there is NO such thing as a security van with 'high tech' gizmos such as has been suggested. The whole bit about airport security is a total fudge, only concerned about who pays and involving several agencies, none of those involved knowing or caring what it is all about. The 'back door' of airports is wide open - anybody can get an airside job - it is largely left up to handling agents. Even the 'front door' is a joke - they employ anybody they can get. When you consider the fuss made about such things as nail scissors, making a big show of checking flight crews, etc - forget it!The airport authority is only concerned about duty free sales, property and concession income, etc., and the politicians involved, of any party, are a joke - privatisation gone mad again, I'm afraid!Remember, those responsible for all this will not be on the aircraft! Just watch what goes on at security check-points - if you have even the slightest notion of what this all about, you will see that the people and systems involved are pathetic. Until Governement takes this seriously and considers security and crime prevention worth paying for - the whole thing just stumbles along on 'a wing and a prayer'. You must now take some responsibility and monitor who is getting on your aircraft and follow your own instincts - nobody else gives a damn!

[gyrohead]

All LHR ID's to be re-issued

All personnel working or travelling through LHR who have access to an airside ID card will have to have them reissued immediately, a spokesperson from the BAA said in the Staines Gazette today. This process could take months and will inevitably lead to misery for passengers and staff alike as thousands of flights will be delayed. The route cause of all this has of course been the embarrasing attention that has been drawn to the lack security measures at Heathrow, highlighted by the two recent multi-million pound robberies.

The first batch of new ID cards should start to be issued as of noon today!

[John MacCalman]

April the 1st strikes again.

While I was not taken in by this one, earlier today I had forgotten the date and was studying the latest news release (Avflash) from AvWeb forgetting that on 1st April they traditionally do a major April Fool issue.

They had stories like VORs to be decommissioned five years ahead of schedule.... 2 day outage for GPS Satellite network for security software updates.... FAA to require DNA samples from all pilots.. Age 60 rule to be reversed.... Leonardo Da Vinci 600 year old prototype aircraft found on crash site..

As I gradually woke up I got suspicious, and when I came across the story about William Shatner arrested at LAX for discharging a firearm through the passenger window of an airliner. I knew then that it must be an April Fool because there is no way now that you could smuggle a weapon on board an aircraft at a USA airport now...... is there?

[gyrohead]

I'll try and be fiendishly cleverer next year!!

[John MacCalman]

I'll try and be fiendishly cleverer next year

Had you posted this any other day, I would have believed it because it is potentially a very credible story.

So have no fears on your fiendish cunning. In fact you could be a planner for BAA.




edited for my lousy spelling... and me a journalist. oops the J word.

[brockenspectre]

Gyrohead

Hehehe well done! I read this quite seriously and was thinking - well, at last, at least they may now also choose to vet all who go airside!! Then imagine my embarrassment when I read the thread further and found it to be a joke. I am sorry you have been "outed" as I am sure some journo somewhere could easily have picked up on the story and run with it ... now THAT would have been a major coup for you and pprune!!

[JPJ]

Just for the record the original post was not a joke.

April the 1st is a super wind-up day, but might we leave security out of it?

[s.lindburgh]

JPJ,

Well your post prooves one thing for sure and that is airport security is either a joke or a wind up........nothing more, nothing less.

cheers
lindburgh

[steamchicken]

I was about to mention that this story was reported in the London Evening Standard not long after the Heathrow heist....sadly there's nothing April Fool'sh about it

[ZQA297/30]

It gets better and better!!
An unbelievable post gets "outed" as an April fool spoof , is roundly congratulated, and then the original poster sheepishly admits its not a spoof.


The stuff of legends, congrats to all.

[M.Mouse]

Airport IDs are not exactly high tech and would guess that forging one would be a relatively minor difficulty if someone was intent on getting airside.

If you issue x number of passes, tools, clothing or whatever a percentage will always get lost, stolen or misused.

Where did this figure of 8000 come from, over how long a period and were they all at LHR?

I do so enjoy righteous indignation.