Mixed threads about airport security (merged)
Thread Starter
SLF Security Observations
Flew YYZ-DAY and return.
YYZ seemed alert and efficient, but they don't provide seats for those required to remove shoes. You can do gymnastics, sit on the floor or sit on the counter and try to do your shoelaces while your foot is hanging in the air
Had to visit the Federal Building in Dayton and the US Marshal Service handled the screening: Thorough, Professional, Efficient and Polite. The swiss army knife was checked with no more fuss than a coat check.
Leaving Dayton, TSA decided to do some eight random checks after the boarding passes were run through the security machine. One TSA person did the frisk while the other pawed through the hand baggage taking an interminable amount of minutes per person. The airline gate agent was moved to suggest bringing in more personnel and one could see how fed up they were with the delay. The flight was significantly delayed and those randomly selected were concerned that they would be left behind.
I noted to a deadheading pilot that I could probably fly a 172 DAY-YYZ in less time than the three hours before checkin now required. He let me know that AA is about to park 75 a/c and furlough 900 crew. With my routing via ORD, DAY-YYZ took 8.5 hours which is not that competitive with taking the car.
TSA needs the random checks to show that they really do something other than just Stand Around. But scheduling time-consuming random checks during boarding immediately puts "thorough" security in conflict with getting the plane off the gate on time and getting the SLF home to their beds that night. Far better would be to schedule the random selections ahead of time.
There is a stupendous gulf between how the TSA and the US Marshals perform screening.
YYZ seemed alert and efficient, but they don't provide seats for those required to remove shoes. You can do gymnastics, sit on the floor or sit on the counter and try to do your shoelaces while your foot is hanging in the air
Had to visit the Federal Building in Dayton and the US Marshal Service handled the screening: Thorough, Professional, Efficient and Polite. The swiss army knife was checked with no more fuss than a coat check.
Leaving Dayton, TSA decided to do some eight random checks after the boarding passes were run through the security machine. One TSA person did the frisk while the other pawed through the hand baggage taking an interminable amount of minutes per person. The airline gate agent was moved to suggest bringing in more personnel and one could see how fed up they were with the delay. The flight was significantly delayed and those randomly selected were concerned that they would be left behind.
I noted to a deadheading pilot that I could probably fly a 172 DAY-YYZ in less time than the three hours before checkin now required. He let me know that AA is about to park 75 a/c and furlough 900 crew. With my routing via ORD, DAY-YYZ took 8.5 hours which is not that competitive with taking the car.
TSA needs the random checks to show that they really do something other than just Stand Around. But scheduling time-consuming random checks during boarding immediately puts "thorough" security in conflict with getting the plane off the gate on time and getting the SLF home to their beds that night. Far better would be to schedule the random selections ahead of time.
There is a stupendous gulf between how the TSA and the US Marshals perform screening.
Knives in the sterile zone at FRA
Recent experience at a B concourse departure gate in FRA
Fraport worker breaking down cartons for disposal, using a knife with a 15cm blade in full public view!
Pointed it out to a security chappy who investigated and approached me during boarding to tell me"it's OK - he's got a security clearance"
Well, hell, so do I but I don't think that it's particularly relevant.
Fraport worker breaking down cartons for disposal, using a knife with a 15cm blade in full public view!
Pointed it out to a security chappy who investigated and approached me during boarding to tell me"it's OK - he's got a security clearance"
Well, hell, so do I but I don't think that it's particularly relevant.
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: behind the lens
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Boomerangs & Security
I work at a U.K. international airport in a safety related role. I read some of the threads relating to security issues and still maintain that total safeguarding of aircraft & their occupants is a Utopian dream.
I recently flew down to Australia and back and as we progressed eastwards, the cutlery started in the all plastic phase, mellowed into an incongruos mix of plastic and stainless steel and on the final sector I actually had the ability to eat my meal with a full set of proper cutlery. As noted on this forum before, Champagne was always available in solid glass bottles from Rheims!
Like all good tourists I bought a boomerang in the deparure lounge on my way home (stowed in hand luggage) and thought very little about it.....until I noticed some curiosity as it was X-rayed when I got off for an overnighter in DXB.
Now I can't throw a boomerang for love nor money - however, would it be classified as a weapon had I tried leaving any airport outside Oz with it in my hand luggage??
I didn't want to find out the hard way
I recently flew down to Australia and back and as we progressed eastwards, the cutlery started in the all plastic phase, mellowed into an incongruos mix of plastic and stainless steel and on the final sector I actually had the ability to eat my meal with a full set of proper cutlery. As noted on this forum before, Champagne was always available in solid glass bottles from Rheims!
Like all good tourists I bought a boomerang in the deparure lounge on my way home (stowed in hand luggage) and thought very little about it.....until I noticed some curiosity as it was X-rayed when I got off for an overnighter in DXB.
Now I can't throw a boomerang for love nor money - however, would it be classified as a weapon had I tried leaving any airport outside Oz with it in my hand luggage??
I didn't want to find out the hard way
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Planet Earth
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...so you threw it away?
Well done, with any luck it might be coming back to you one of these days...
Just to spoil one of those old misinformations: Real hunting boomerangs were never meant to come back...
Well done, with any luck it might be coming back to you one of these days...
Just to spoil one of those old misinformations: Real hunting boomerangs were never meant to come back...
