Heightened security at U.S airports (and overseas?)

[Bergerie1]

Good to see a dose of common sense at last:-
'Pathetic' Britons in Syria and Iraq do not pose threat, says former MI6 chief - Telegraph

[blue_ashy]

Out of interest, does anyone know if this will apply for internal flights-for example when connecting to domestic US flights? I am flying from the UK to Florida next week via ORD. Will I need to ensure my laptop can be powered up at ORD security as I plan to use it on the international leg.

[Piltdown Man]

The security ratchet is tightening again. According to the BBC earlier today:

The Department for Transport (DfT) said there could be checks "on some routes into or out of the UK" but did not disclose which routes were involved.

The DfT then went on to say:

Passengers flying into or out of the UK are therefore advised to make sure electronic devices being carried in their hand luggage are charged before they travel.

I can imagine the confusion and delays at airports because as soon as the word "some" is used it will be interpreted locally as "every". Then, realising that this will cause unacceptable delays, a local "solution" will be dreamed up by the security mullahs. But the work-a-round will be even more draconian and cause further delays because most passengers will be wrong-footed because they might be expecting national standards to be applied, but they rarely are, let alone European standards. I hope I'm wrong but we are now approaching the peak "bucket & spade" travelling season. And charter passengers are generally good targets at regional airports for security games. We'll see what happens!

Just out of interest, when will I be prevented from going airside when I present a foreign buss pass? Just out of sheer cussedness I always show it and it appears to work more often than not. Then I'd like to know when someone will actually check to make sure that I'm meant to be airside. The only place this happens now is in Italy. There your name is checked off against "l'elenco", your company ID in some cases a passport or photo ID card. They don't really care what's in your bags because you will shortly be driving an aircraft. In the UK, you can get airside with a uniform and buss pass and be given an aircraft, providing of course your iPad, laptop, camera, torch, mobile phones all work and you are not carrying a nasty yoghurt. Truly ridiculous!

Security yes, but please let's do it right.

[Ex Cargo Clown]

I'm still confused, how exactly are you going to detonate something with an uncharged battery? Surely you need charge, Nearly as crazy as the liquid ban. This is control by paranoia, simple as.

[etrang]

Its not uncharged batteries they are concerned about. The reports are that terrorist bomb makers have molded plastic explosive to look like a phone battery in order to smuggle it onto a plane.

[Skipness One Echo]

Given the iPhone is a sealed unit, how hard is it to scan a real one, compare to the "suspect" package and see of they match, swab is unsure. If that's not enough then what's the point of half of this security circus if they can't tell if it's a real Apple iPhone or not?

[Eric Janson]

Why not simply ground all flights and close all the airports?

100% effective.

[Piltdown Man]

Given the iPhone is a sealed unit...

If only it were. These things can be taken apart with ease. What our friends in security are apparently looking for are devices where certain components have been swapped for less benign ones. But whose electricals will they be checking? Discrimination is not their strong point. The trouble is, your average security bod is unable to determine a good guy (Police Officer, Customs Officer, law abiding passenger, catering staff etc.) from a bad one (nasty terrorist, security guard) etc.). On minimum wages, they won't be able to attract staff capable of doing so either. Therefore, they treat everyone with the same contempt. And what do we get in return? Peace of mind? Value for money? Security?

[SeenItAll]

For what it is worth, yesterday I flew from Tel Aviv to Zurich to Washington-Dulles. Although we were alerted to the possibility of having to turn on electronic gadgets to get through security, this was not requested of us either at TLV or at ZRH -- although we were asked in Zurich what electronic devices we were transporting -- which for Ms. Seenitall and myself consisted of two smartphones, two iPads, one camera, one GPS and one razor (that we could think of). Does anyone have evidence that this power-on drill is actually happening?

[superq7]

It seems a pain in the @rse but seeing as tablets laptops etc have to go in their own 'tray' at the security point anyway all we have to do is switch them on beforehand, no big deal for PPRuNE ers I would think, and perhaps big signs before entering the security area for the general public. Something like,

No Lighty no Flighty

No Power Push Off. etc etc.

[SeenItAll]

It seems a pain in the @rse but seeing as tablets laptops etc have to go in their own 'tray' at the security point anyway all we have to do is switch them on beforehand, no big deal for PPRuNe ers I would think, and perhaps big signs before entering the security area for the general public.

The problem is this. Many people don't have these devices already turned on, and it may take up to a minute to boot-up a device. Couple that with the person having multiple devices and the waiting time at the X-ray belt will quickly become astronomic. Just think of all the delays we have right now because the %&$#!! in front of you has not already extracted their liquids bag and removed their honking huge belt buckle, bangle bracelets, etc. before reaching the belt. Add to that the additional delays of waiting for multiple devices to power up, and it becomes a CF.

[hichachoc]

This is not new. I remember years ago frequently being asked to power-up my laptop when going through "security". As it was a very slow laptop running Windows 97 (RIP), it took a couple of minutes for the screen to light up.

Meanwhile the lengthening queue got restless.

Why did I not carry the laptop around powered-up?

Sheer malice?

No - weak 1-hr max batteries.

[Ex Cargo Clown]

More to the point if this undectable plastic explosive, just keep it in your pocket. Plus it's very hard to detonate.

[topgas]

Worth carrying a big Jiffy bag and a book of stamps, so at least you can post the dead item back to yourself. Did this with some 4" blunt blade scissors which met the requirements but the security man rejected them

[500N]

Plus it's very hard to detonate.

I was thinking the same thing. Unless they have been able to make it more sensitive.

[Simplythebeast]

Interesting and well informed comments from Piltdown about staff not being able to tell the difference between a good guy and a bad guy.
So..what does a terrorist look like? Please let us all know.
It would save everyone so much time and effort.

[Simplythebeast]

And while all this chaos is about to descend upon us, Mr terrorist casually drives a transit van full of explosives onto a large ferry. Sets a timer and leaves the ferry before it leaves port.
Always amazed at how lax security is when driving my car onto a ferry.

[jackharr]

The so-called “authorities” should explain how an uncharged device poses a terrorist threat. Merely saying “there is a threat” is counter-productive (and indeed, somewhat insulting to the travelling public). If there is indeed a threat from devices with low batteries then an explanation and the fact THAT WE UNDERSTAND would show to the bad guys that we know what they are up to and that they can’t win. Cat and mouse, but we need to publicise our knowledge so that the bad guys have to think again.

As for low security on ferries, I would rather take the minute risk of being dumped in the waters of the Sound of Mull than have to undergo the hassle of airline-type security every time I need to visit the mainland eg for the dentist (as I did today).

[500N]

The so-called “authorities” should explain how an uncharged device poses a terrorist threat.

It's not uncharged, it's the possibility that an item within has been modified using some sort of explosive. I think he mentioned the battery
but it was back 1 or two pages.

So, how is it a threat ? Because if the Electrical detonator is in built to the "device", then all the person needs is electricity to set it off
and this can be obtained on board.

Clear as mud ?


"Cat and mouse, but we need to publicise our knowledge so that the bad guys have to think again."
Don't telegraph to them what you are going to do. It is light telegraphing your punches.

Finally, you don't let them know what info you have as it could well give away the source,
especially for specific stuff if this is a new method, limited people would know.

[Chronus]

Groucho Marx once said stop pointing that beard at me it might explode.

Maybe beards might soon also be refused boarding.