MAN and the BBC
 

I have been told by a good reliable contact at Manchester Airport
that a BBC reporter has been working undercover on the airports security section for the last few months. Apparently a program about aviation security in this country
will be broadcasted on 9/11 this year.

Is this true, does anybody else know about this?

Lots of fodder at Manchester Airport Security for exposes, especially in the management! :eek:

Just one example is a crew based in MAN with a new pilot on a temporary pass. Pilot has to remain on temp pass until Disclosure Scotland get their pathetic act together. This means that said pilot has to be signed through and has to be manually searched each time. Problem is that if said pilot isn't accompanied by ANOTHER pilot then said pilot can't pass through security. Doesn't matter that senior cabin crew who holds full pass issued by MAN Security and has been 'disclosed'. Senior cabin crew member cannot escort said pilot on temp pass through security. ANOTHER pilot has to be summonsed to sign for pilot on temp pass! :rolleyes:

This is an edict from their 'security management'. Obviously, a full pass holder who is on the same crew as the temp pass holder is deemed not worthy unless they 'look' like a pilot. It hasn't dawned on the dipsticks who make these rules that the cabin crew member could, in theory, be a pilot. Also, it hasn't dawned on the 'management bod' that the vetting of the cabin crew is IDENTICAL to the vetting of the flight crew.

The security don't even want to see licence or other photo ID. Just their temp pass and ANOTHER person dressed in a pilot uniform with a full pass. They ignore the fact that the pilot with the temp pass COULD take off their jacket, issue themselves with a ticket for the flight out of their own stock and board with the rest of the pax, which in theory would save a whole load of hassle and time wasting by security bods whose only real effectiveness is to stop pointy objects getting past their induction loops. :rolleyes: What on earth do the security bods think about positioning crew?

I hope that the BBC do a real expose, without the over-dramatisation of some granny with a pencil sharpener and instead, open the publics eyes to the farce that is considered to be security. If they don't show it to be the cosmetic exercise to dupe the travelling public that all's well when in fact all it is is a money saving excuse because real security is far too expensive.

Ooh... must go and have a lie down now. Don't get me started on security. :yuk: :mad:

Maybe he is the over-zealous chap in T1 who clobbered about 4 of us in the knackers yesterday!!!:mad: :{ :sad:

Ball-ache in the right testi all afternoon the git!:ouch:

The latest news is, John Donnison, the security manager has been removed from his post. This is only rumour at present.


Corrupt police chief handles airport safety

By Robert Mendick 17 February 2002

The head of security at Manchester airport, which has witnessed two serious security breaches in recent weeks, is a former police chief with a criminal conviction for dishonesty.

The revelation comes ahead of a 36-hour strike by security staff at the airport next weekend that could lead to lengthy delays for passengers. Airport bosses want to slash the average wage of security staff from £23,000 to £12,600 and cut up to 200 jobs, out of 600 security staff.

One of the leading figures in the management negotiations is John Donnison, a former chief inspector with Leicestershire police. Donnison pleaded guilty in January 2000 to 14 charges of false accounting, and ordered to perform 200 hours' community service for fiddling his police expenses over a three-year period.

His role in the negotiations has infuriated union leaders who accuse the airport of gross hypocrisy in employing him. Security staff have a clause in their contract that allows the airport to summarily sack them if they have a criminal conviction.

Donnison is in charge of up to 700 staff and a total budget of reportedly more than £20m. He is believed to be on a salary of £70,000, £30,000 more than he earned as a police officer.

Phil Craven, Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) convenor at the airport, said: "Because of his past he has not got the integrity or the ability to build up the trust needed in the security department."

Manchester airport confirmed Donnison is head of security with the job title of fire and security services business manager. A spokeswoman said: "We are not going to talk about it. It's in the past and nothing to do with ability to do the job. I am not going to go there. It's not relevant."

Leicestershire police confirmed Donnison was a chief inspector working in the northern region at the time of the police investigation into his affairs. According to reports, he admitted inventing 236 car journeys to claim £1,200 while serving as an officer. A police spokeswoman said the investigation was taken "very seriously".

The airport spokeswoman said she was confident next weekend's 36-hour stoppage would not cause any disruption to passengers.

She said the airport wanted to cut average wages to what it claimed is a market rate of £12,600, but was offering staff compensation packages of as much as £62,000 to do so.

The change in working conditions affects 590 security staff, who have been given notice their contracts will end on 25 April. They are being told to take new contracts on much less favourable terms.

Unions are baffled by the airport's persistence in pursuing the cuts in the wake of worldwide security fears since 11 September. That has been compounded by security breaches at Manchester airport in recent weeks. Last week, a bag containing bomb-making equipment, guns, imitation explosives, three detonators and dummy bullets were smuggled on to a plane bound for Gatwick after they were missed by a security guard employed by private contractor Securicor ADI.

The airport also employs private contractors but the unions point out this security breach was the result of trying to employ workers on the cheap. The weapons were planted by Global Air Training, to test security procedures. Journalists have also smuggled knives and other weapons onto a flight at Manchester.

Dave McCall, TGWU regional spokesman, said: "Manchester aiport tells us the two breaches of security at the airport last week were not related to the dispute. That has got to be the biggest load of nonsense any of us have ever heard. Both the breaches took place in areas where cut price security has already been introduced at this airport. If they continue we will get that sort of breach happening over and over again."

THE INDEPENDENT !7 February 2002

man and the bbc
 

if he exists, send him to west gate at 0600 each and every am, security there especially, seem to talk the job but dont do the job, i hv lost count of the no of times you leave bags etc in your vehicle on display in the back seat....and security never pick up on it, you put your stuff through the scanner...what for bcos 9 out of 10 times theirs no-one watching the damn thing anyway.

why do man security guards think they are better than everyone else who works there...they think they can enforce rules they dont have to stick to...

on a remote stand last week, private security firm watching a/c, you know the firm i mean...i noticed a security agent with no id, asked him to see it, he showed it to me and i told him to wear it instead of having it in his pocket...to which he replied : but its new and its raining'.....pleassse if these are the people who look out for our safety - god help us.. by the way i told him to wear the id or i'd have his ass hauled of the airfield before he could say
tosser of the week..

dont get me started on security.....

:cool:

truthnolies

it is true about the B.B.C they are under cover lets hope they do some good because the security at MAN leaves a lot to be desierd

if you want to know how i know this PM me and i will tell you


:ok: rampman

How about we forget individuals and their alleged misdemeanours no matter what their current positions and concentrate instead on the real issue where security is concerned.


What is required is proper ,real, secure security, - not politicians pandering to the media or the public with pathetic proposals. What's needed is profiling, proper searches and appropriate punishments for offences.

Don'you dare take a Leatherman or a corkscrew to work!

You can take any sharp metal object through security onto any flight, even a craft knife like the 9/11 people used.

Nothing has really changed since 9/11 and as all of us in the industry know- the flight deck door policy is nonsense, is driven by American politicians, and has done nothing except drag CRM between flightdeck and cabincrew back 10 years or more.

oh i was hoping to be able to resist posting on this one - nope

Manchester is a disgrace, always has been, idiotic management who never bother to have a look around them, the taxiways are hopeless, need resufacing and repainting (but have for years) the docking systems are out of the 70's, the passenger walkways are never switched on, and as we all know, security is a joke, oh, and what the hell have they done with the road system ?? oh and they also managed to lose all the disclosure scotland forms.
idiots, just idiots.

:mad: :mad: :mad:

Truth be said. If Mr Donnison is guilty as charged.As confirmed by the police authority, Why have the airport still got him working there.

Seems the higher and more incompitent you are...The more chance you have for promotion.

So says the slug............

I can confirm Mr Donnison is a convicted felon, he was awaiting trial when he took over the running of the fire staion. He is now in charge of car parks. Word on the ground is it was C4 and not the BeeB that was playing at Mole.

Just wondering how Mr Donnison, as boss of security at a major international airport, and presumably a holder of an airside pass, and a convicted felon?, got through Disclosure Scotland?

Long sentence, I know, but I'm mystified:confused:

Probably cos those muppets at disclosure scotland lost his form. As they also have lost dozens of forms from my company. Loads of cabin crew from my company have had to submit new forms and arrange new references.

Get your act together.
An increase in incompetence in various industries in the UK is driving me up the wall path. Sorry rant over

Walk through the security arch.. No beep or anything..
Self important security chap insists looking under one's cap!!

What for?

Why would I hide a pair of tweezers under my cap when I'm sat in the flight deck next to a full set of tools and an axe!!

MAN security.. PATHETIC.

:mad:

BN2A,

It is absolutely 100% essential that they check under your hat.
You might be hiding something under there that would allow you to gain control of the aircraft!;)

Cheers,
HaM

Convicted ex Cop Still at Work!
 

Not sure if there is any disappointment in the pipeline for John Donnison..... but he was at his desk this morning and is due back tomorrow (Thursday 19th)...then away til Tuesday 24th.


By the way...these revelations about MAN security are nothing new..... some of us found it a shambles for donkeys' years before 9/11....glad I've left the party thanks! bm

BN2A,

Probably looking for the carbon fibre knife that you were going to use to hijack yourself.

The serious question is, in the era of PC and litigation would he/she have insisted that the Sikh male or Muslim woman remove their respective turban / bourka (please excuse spelling)? This is not a racially motivated point, as the same could apply to the caucasian from Wherever with his head in bandages. However, the security officer is more likely to encounter one of the former and does their training cover these eventualities?

Having spent many years working with security staff I am only too aware of how bad it is in the UK, not just in the aviation industry, but you pay peanuts.........(before anyone takes offence that remark doesn't apply to all - there are some very good security officers out there).

It was mentioned earlier that the average wage at MAN was £23K (prior to any reduction). How is that average reached (Managerial salaries included?) and what hours are worked to achieve it - I'm not disputing the accuracy of the post but it seems quite high for the security industry generally and is possibly only attained through working long hours on a regular basis, unless of course aviation security officers are paid more than their general security counterparts.

And long hours of often mind-numbing routine = tiredness, lack of concentration, apathy, complacency, etc. It's possible that looking under the hat of the flight crew was the highlight of the day!!!

They cannot even keep staff at Manchester, they are dragging them in off thedole, for £12,000 a year. Then they leave and go back on the dole. Would you work for 12 hours a day with only an hour break, on the frisk for over 4 hours at a time. No wonder NO BODY is at all interested in what goes through or what happens.

And of course, as my good lady insists I point out, you may be wearing WMD (Wig of Mass Destruction).

Sorry, you've probably got your own rug but to keep the peace.

they look under your hat to make sure your not carrying any 'top secret documents' that could be used against the western world in a 'situation' :ok:

Apparently i am told, they have to look under your hat or anybody elses because you could be concealing something.

It is a bit of a farce but it is part of the protocol laid down by
the DFT and we must remember these guys and girls are on
CCTV 24/7 and i believe a number have been suspended this
week due not doing certain checks correctly.