I was going to reply to bafanguy, but OvertHawk and Asturias have given you a perfect answer.

Yes, we could potentially deliberately crash a 'plane, but after Germanwings, that is highly - highly - highly unlikely. What is more likely, as OvertHawk suggests, is a family being kidnapped and held until the pilot - or cabin crew member - of the family smuggles something to leave on board that will cause a future severe problem to that aircraft.

Hence EVERYONE in contact with any aircraft must be subjected to the same rigorous security screening.

And they are.

At least over here in the EU theres plenty airports where staff has a very distinctly different level of scrutiny at their crew security than normal passengers. Precisely because they are constantly background checked. But obviously one always has to paint within the rules of the country they are currently in.

In my former home base crew security was just a quick swipe test of their bag and hands and thats it, only a small percentage had to randomly go through the full security check with the exceptions of fluids where flight crew in all of the EU is exempt from the normal passenger rules.

You’ve got to play the game .

Ive even become immune to their “ the autopilot does everything , why do they have you ?” Style wind ups . Whereas before I’d bite .

In the “olden days” I have brought through chainsaws, 6’ bi-fold doors (only just fitted into the bunk!), and a 14lb sledge-hammer (that hastened the disembarkation of some recalcitrant pax!). In latter times, it was a case of staying quiet and accepting the system. The most bizarre thing was being waved through with 100 rounds of .357 magnum in my hold baggage (which I then personally took to the aircraft) but having each one of my dozen, 1/2” pipe-insulation lengths individually inspected because they got stuck in the x-ray machine.

Happy to be away from the system now and just be a dumb pax.

Mog

It’s the various pieces of metal in me that indicate my incredibly sub par skiing talents that normally cause me issues…

I once saw someone bring an (expensive) broken down racing bike onto SQ slave class on a DC-10 as hand luggage........................ he tried to get it in the overhead locker but they eventually put it somewhere in the cockpit area IIRC

But that was long ago before 9-11

My UK car blew its head gasket in the summer when I was based in Toulouse in the early 2000's, so on a return trip home, I took a full set of tools and spares through Heathrow to fix it.

I was travelling on my company's aircraft, in uniform, (in case I needed to use the jump-seat), and Security allowed my hand luggage with all my tools through, except my newly purchased metal scraper for clearing the areas where the gaskets seal against.

I still remember my French landlady's shock when she saw the stripped-down and disassembled engine in my car in the stable..." Oh my god ! what 'ave you done ??" Don't worry, I'll have it all back together and working again soon.

And I did :ok: (Rover K-series engine).

Way back well before 9/11 I flew from Phoenix to Houston as SLF. The baggage was left OUTSIDE the terminal building in a designated spot, there was NO security check at all, and I noted that several of my fellow passengers carried, respectively, a chicken, a small lapdog and a handgun in the cabin with them. No-one seemed to bat an eyelid, and the cabin crew took no interest, preferring to have a party up front during most of the journey. Those were the days.

Indeed they were... What could possibly have gone wrong...?

But..., you know what...? It did go wrong! (You may have slept through it)

And the bad guys brought nasties onto the aircraft and killed a lot of people. (Just like thya had been killing lots of people in the rest of the world for years before) So now we have to have security.

Your alternative proposal is what?

The thread is already a few months old. Is there any kind of follow-up to the story publicly known? Or is it really a story worthy of attention instead of some scripted fake-reality TV show?

If he had really been on a roster for a flight that day, probability is rather low that he would have caused such troubles at security. Granted, it happens rarely nevertheless, but then the offender will be rather delayed for checkin and be missed by the rest of the crew. There will be phone calls from the company and explanations requested, the stray crew members next step will certainly not be the removal of his uniform and a second attempt to cross the same checkpoint, this time without uniform, ID and flight kit.

There is a rat in there somewhere.

Overthawk:
My post was merely an observation on how things are now so different to what happened in 'the old days': I am not nostalgic for them, nor am I qualified to suggest any alternatives to today's way of doing things. The 'bad guys' will always try to find a way around any precautions.

Fair enough - my apologies for barking at you! :ok:

Overthawk:
Appreciate it. No offence taken.

At least in the US, it's a good idea to tell them you're going to set off the metal detector beforehand (I have a knee replacement and routinely set off the metal detector).
If you tell them first, they generally redirect me to the full body 'scanner' and I'm on my way. If I don't tell them beforehand and set off the detector - even after explaining the fake knee, I get wanded as a minimum, and frequently a full 'pat down'.

Same here TD. A Titanium hip joint in my case. Testament to my cycling cornering skills in the wet...
However at my "home base" as soon as I signal the case, I am directed to the pat down.
Glad to see, that I am not the only one, who hates this. Long live the body scanner.

That's why private aviation is the best in the US: no security nonsense in most places! We still got a few havens of serenity left in Europe where we do not have to pass through screening, but they are few. Everyone is so scared and concerned.

In CDG is just horrible, especially T3...frustrated security that enjoy in having Flight Deck crew waiting in line behind pax, and if you dare to say something they just start shouting at you and trying to embarass in asking to open all bags we have ...really many times we called supervisors and police too.

I agree. Earlier this year on my first two flights after having stents I triggered the body scan and was pulled aside for a pat down Australia & Canada). Told them the problem and offered to show them my international implant cards (which they didn't need to see), and as soon as I did that they sent me on my way. After that, I told them before the scan and had no problems in the USA & Canada.

Some years ago when metal detecting arches had just been introduced, a gentleman in his 60s with a grin on his face went through the detector. Much to the consternation of the young security operative, the thing went nuts with all the lights flashing and hooters blaring... .

Then a senior security chap came over and took the junior one aside...

"That gentleman is no less than the famous Group Captain Douglas Bader", he explained!

Bader thought it was most amusing!