Airport Security A**holes
Discussion
My old mum was travelling Ryan Air out of Bristol on her way back to Spain after Chrimbo.
she declared the usual 'no knives/fluids' etc in her hand luggage, however, she ended up getting seriously searched, everything removed from case etc because the guy on the scanner 'thought' he could see a knife in her baggage.
This took nearly half an hour, and they even had her remove all her outer clothing and full 'tap down' type search. (despite the fact that the so called 'knife' was supposed to be in her hand luggage!)
I understand that people have to do their job properly this day and age, but really, is she likely to be a violent plane hijacker? Shes a frail 73 year old FFS. Even if she had a knife she couldn't possibly over power a plane a fly it into a skyscrapper FFS!!!
She had no such 'weapon', the likely hood is a combination of harmless articles in her case combined in the scan may have looked like something.
But for the love of god, why cant these people can't make a decision to just move on and perhaps catch a real hijacker. They've got to go on like a dog with a bone, just trying to get someone who might inadvertantly have packed a 'hijacking weapon'. What the hell would they have done if they had found a small knife? Sent her of to Guantanimo? Waterboarding?
Seriously, they need to forget about upsetting a few peoples 'human rights' and concentrate on doing their job properly. That is, focussing on mad-eyed mentalists with bombs in their undies, instead of failing to do their job properly. By making everyone a suspect, they fail to do their job properly.
she declared the usual 'no knives/fluids' etc in her hand luggage, however, she ended up getting seriously searched, everything removed from case etc because the guy on the scanner 'thought' he could see a knife in her baggage.
This took nearly half an hour, and they even had her remove all her outer clothing and full 'tap down' type search. (despite the fact that the so called 'knife' was supposed to be in her hand luggage!)
I understand that people have to do their job properly this day and age, but really, is she likely to be a violent plane hijacker? Shes a frail 73 year old FFS. Even if she had a knife she couldn't possibly over power a plane a fly it into a skyscrapper FFS!!!
She had no such 'weapon', the likely hood is a combination of harmless articles in her case combined in the scan may have looked like something.
But for the love of god, why cant these people can't make a decision to just move on and perhaps catch a real hijacker. They've got to go on like a dog with a bone, just trying to get someone who might inadvertantly have packed a 'hijacking weapon'. What the hell would they have done if they had found a small knife? Sent her of to Guantanimo? Waterboarding?
Seriously, they need to forget about upsetting a few peoples 'human rights' and concentrate on doing their job properly. That is, focussing on mad-eyed mentalists with bombs in their undies, instead of failing to do their job properly. By making everyone a suspect, they fail to do their job properly.
Tony*T3 said:
My old mum was travelling Ryan Air out of Bristol on her way back to Spain after Chrimbo.
she declared the usual 'no knives/fluids' etc in her hand luggage, however, she ended up getting seriously searched, everything removed from case etc because the guy on the scanner 'thought' he could see a knife in her baggage.
This took nearly half an hour, and they even had her remove all her outer clothing and full 'tap down' type search. (despite the fact that the so called 'knife' was supposed to be in her hand luggage!)
I understand that people have to do their job properly this day and age, but really, is she likely to be a violent plane hijacker? Shes a frail 73 year old FFS. Even if she had a knife she couldn't possibly over power a plane a fly it into a skyscrapper FFS!!!
She had no such 'weapon', the likely hood is a combination of harmless articles in her case combined in the scan may have looked like something.
But for the love of god, why cant these people can't make a decision to just move on and perhaps catch a real hijacker. They've got to go on like a dog with a bone, just trying to get someone who might inadvertantly have packed a 'hijacking weapon'. What the hell would they have done if they had found a small knife? Sent her of to Guantanimo? Waterboarding?
Seriously, they need to forget about upsetting a few peoples 'human rights' and concentrate on doing their job properly. That is, focussing on mad-eyed mentalists with bombs in their undies, instead of failing to do their job properly. By making everyone a suspect, they fail to do their job properly.
I agree it's mental. But you see if they only search brown people with beards it's racialist......she declared the usual 'no knives/fluids' etc in her hand luggage, however, she ended up getting seriously searched, everything removed from case etc because the guy on the scanner 'thought' he could see a knife in her baggage.
This took nearly half an hour, and they even had her remove all her outer clothing and full 'tap down' type search. (despite the fact that the so called 'knife' was supposed to be in her hand luggage!)
I understand that people have to do their job properly this day and age, but really, is she likely to be a violent plane hijacker? Shes a frail 73 year old FFS. Even if she had a knife she couldn't possibly over power a plane a fly it into a skyscrapper FFS!!!
She had no such 'weapon', the likely hood is a combination of harmless articles in her case combined in the scan may have looked like something.
But for the love of god, why cant these people can't make a decision to just move on and perhaps catch a real hijacker. They've got to go on like a dog with a bone, just trying to get someone who might inadvertantly have packed a 'hijacking weapon'. What the hell would they have done if they had found a small knife? Sent her of to Guantanimo? Waterboarding?
Seriously, they need to forget about upsetting a few peoples 'human rights' and concentrate on doing their job properly. That is, focussing on mad-eyed mentalists with bombs in their undies, instead of failing to do their job properly. By making everyone a suspect, they fail to do their job properly.
There was some utter cockend on the Radio this morning saying that "an inordinate proportion" of the people searched in the US when they arrive are muslims and how it's so unfair. Fact is that that an "inordinate proportion" of the muslim fundamentals carrying bombs fall into the same group.
Tony*T3 said:
By making everyone a suspect, they fail to do their job properly.
I'm not sure that's true. If you start excluding sections of the population from searches then you create a massive hole in the process.If (for example) we exclude white women over 70 from searches how long before a terrorist works out that he's just got to get a stanley knife into the bag of an old lady in the the checkout queue and then get it back again once airside?
Similarly it's not beyond the realm of possibility that a 70 old white woman could be tricked into carrying knives/explosives.
I agree that it's not nice for your mother and I'd hope that the people involved would treat her with respect and consideration but to say that they're not doing their job properly seems unfair.
Soovy said:
There was some utter cockend on the Radio this morning saying that "an inordinate proportion" of the people searched in the US when they arrive are muslims and how it's so unfair. Fact is that that an "inordinate proportion" of the muslim fundamentals carrying bombs fall into the same group.
That was that right-on idiot, Brian Paddick.I read Jeremy Clarkson's column about airport scanners and the hysteria that has been blown up over all this and he's 100% correct with what he wrote (if I could find a link I'd post it).
He gist of what he said - The root cause of all the recent terrorism has been because the US after years of funding terrorism (IRA) they didn't know how to react when it happened to them. Instead of treating it as a criminal act and going after the few criminals involved their reply was "war on terrorism" immediately glorifying it and the terrorists behind it.
A bit like finding ants in your kitchen, you kill them and block the holes, you don't go looking for the nest and poking it with a stick.
Back to what Clarkson was saying, he said if you must check people with full body scanners then you know the ones you should be checking.
He gist of what he said - The root cause of all the recent terrorism has been because the US after years of funding terrorism (IRA) they didn't know how to react when it happened to them. Instead of treating it as a criminal act and going after the few criminals involved their reply was "war on terrorism" immediately glorifying it and the terrorists behind it.
A bit like finding ants in your kitchen, you kill them and block the holes, you don't go looking for the nest and poking it with a stick.
Back to what Clarkson was saying, he said if you must check people with full body scanners then you know the ones you should be checking.
Tony*T3 said:
My old mum was travelling Ryan Air out of Bristol on her way back to Spain after Chrimbo.
she declared the usual 'no knives/fluids' etc in her hand luggage, however, she ended up getting seriously searched, everything removed from case etc because the guy on the scanner 'thought' he could see a knife in her baggage.
This took nearly half an hour, and they even had her remove all her outer clothing and full 'tap down' type search. (despite the fact that the so called 'knife' was supposed to be in her hand luggage!)
I understand that people have to do their job properly this day and age, but really, is she likely to be a violent plane hijacker? Shes a frail 73 year old FFS. Even if she had a knife she couldn't possibly over power a plane a fly it into a skyscrapper FFS!!!
She had no such 'weapon', the likely hood is a combination of harmless articles in her case combined in the scan may have looked like something.
But for the love of god, why cant these people can't make a decision to just move on and perhaps catch a real hijacker. They've got to go on like a dog with a bone, just trying to get someone who might inadvertantly have packed a 'hijacking weapon'. What the hell would they have done if they had found a small knife? Sent her of to Guantanimo? Waterboarding?
Seriously, they need to forget about upsetting a few peoples 'human rights' and concentrate on doing their job properly. That is, focussing on mad-eyed mentalists with bombs in their undies, instead of failing to do their job properly. By making everyone a suspect, they fail to do their job properly.
ok, Tony, now calm down and think rationally.she declared the usual 'no knives/fluids' etc in her hand luggage, however, she ended up getting seriously searched, everything removed from case etc because the guy on the scanner 'thought' he could see a knife in her baggage.
This took nearly half an hour, and they even had her remove all her outer clothing and full 'tap down' type search. (despite the fact that the so called 'knife' was supposed to be in her hand luggage!)
I understand that people have to do their job properly this day and age, but really, is she likely to be a violent plane hijacker? Shes a frail 73 year old FFS. Even if she had a knife she couldn't possibly over power a plane a fly it into a skyscrapper FFS!!!
She had no such 'weapon', the likely hood is a combination of harmless articles in her case combined in the scan may have looked like something.
But for the love of god, why cant these people can't make a decision to just move on and perhaps catch a real hijacker. They've got to go on like a dog with a bone, just trying to get someone who might inadvertantly have packed a 'hijacking weapon'. What the hell would they have done if they had found a small knife? Sent her of to Guantanimo? Waterboarding?
Seriously, they need to forget about upsetting a few peoples 'human rights' and concentrate on doing their job properly. That is, focussing on mad-eyed mentalists with bombs in their undies, instead of failing to do their job properly. By making everyone a suspect, they fail to do their job properly.
Q. Do all terrorists look like terrorists?
Q. What do terrorists look like?
Q. Could terrorists distract an old woman in the airport and slip a knife into her luggage to be retrieved and used by them later?
Q. could terrorists get their Mum/Aunty Vi/Sister to carry a knife/gun/syringe bomb for them?
Q. Would you accept as an excuse after the plane your Mum was flying in had been hijacked and blown up "well I used my discretion and the old man/woman didn't look like a terrorist so I let her get on the plane?"
ETA, doubtless if they had found a knife or other object she was not allowed to take on board they would have confiscated it. Stop whinging about a minor inconvenience, FFS.
Edited by Pothole on Monday 4th January 15:59
I'm with Pothole on this one. They saw what looked like a knife in her bag and they followed their procedures for what to do when this is the case. No exceptions. Would you rather they just ignored it?
I am the first to rant about the perceived waste of time that a lot of the airport security measures provide, but this example seems pretty legitimate.
I am the first to rant about the perceived waste of time that a lot of the airport security measures provide, but this example seems pretty legitimate.
Dare2Fail said:
I'm with Pothole on this one. They saw what looked like a knife in her bag and they followed their procedures for what to do when this is the case. No exceptions. Would you rather they just ignored it?
I am the first to rant about the perceived waste of time that a lot of the airport security measures provide, but this example seems pretty legitimate.
Why the semi-strip search?I am the first to rant about the perceived waste of time that a lot of the airport security measures provide, but this example seems pretty legitimate.
Just landed back from Geneva after ski-ing, with 3 kids and wife in tow. We got stopped going through baggage and they went through the stuff with a fine toothcomb.They were particularly interested in a pair of pedicure snips and a jar of Marmite! In the same way I was detained in Orlando for an hour while they checked something odd on their "wanted" list against me (same name,age etc) I had no problem with it. They were simply doing their job.
I fly frequently and I regularly get stopped for a further search or a quick pat down. Don't forget that 1 in 7 are randomly stopped for a further search, regardless if you have triggered the metal detector or not!
Either way, better to be safe than sorry. Get it wrong and the outcome is more serious with a plane.
Oh, and since when has a terrorist been the one with a massive beard, wearing traditional muslim dress and carrying a bag marked 'BOMB'? I agree that a 72 year old Woman might not be the most obvious mule, but lets not forget that China recently put to death that chap for smuggling drugs - if you believe the tails, he was asked to carry some bags and he did, eventually paying for this with his life. What is not to say that someone convinced a frail 72 year old lady to carry a small package for them?
Its never quite as clear as black and white I am afraid.
Either way, better to be safe than sorry. Get it wrong and the outcome is more serious with a plane.
Oh, and since when has a terrorist been the one with a massive beard, wearing traditional muslim dress and carrying a bag marked 'BOMB'? I agree that a 72 year old Woman might not be the most obvious mule, but lets not forget that China recently put to death that chap for smuggling drugs - if you believe the tails, he was asked to carry some bags and he did, eventually paying for this with his life. What is not to say that someone convinced a frail 72 year old lady to carry a small package for them?
Its never quite as clear as black and white I am afraid.
Halb said:
Dare2Fail said:
I'm with Pothole on this one. They saw what looked like a knife in her bag and they followed their procedures for what to do when this is the case. No exceptions. Would you rather they just ignored it?
I am the first to rant about the perceived waste of time that a lot of the airport security measures provide, but this example seems pretty legitimate.
Why the semi-strip search?I am the first to rant about the perceived waste of time that a lot of the airport security measures provide, but this example seems pretty legitimate.
This sort of think is proof of the terrorists winning. An old dear searched for half an hour because someone thought he saw an object that looked like a knife but wasn't.
Personally, I'd rather we didn't degrade old ladies, but stopped making people want to blow us up.
Just wait until the terrorists start on train and the tube.
Personally, I'd rather we didn't degrade old ladies, but stopped making people want to blow us up.
Just wait until the terrorists start on train and the tube.
eldar said:
This sort of think is proof of the terrorists winning. An old dear searched for half an hour because someone thought he saw an object that looked like a knife but wasn't.
Personally, I'd rather we didn't degrade old ladies, but stopped making people want to blow us up.
Just wait until the terrorists start on train and the tube.
What? If they carried out the search without the 'knife' triggering it, then I'd agree with you, but as far as I am aware you have never been allowed to carry knives on planes. I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but if I had a knife in my bag 20 years ago and my bag went through the scanner I would imagine security wouldn't just ignore it.Personally, I'd rather we didn't degrade old ladies, but stopped making people want to blow us up.
Just wait until the terrorists start on train and the tube.
I don't care how old you are, what race you are, or what religion you are. If the scanner says that you have something on your person that you are not supposed to then I want security to do their job and check it out.
- edit due to my ability to type flying out the nearest window**
Edited by Dare2Fail on Monday 4th January 16:33
Tony*T3 said:
Long rant about Tony's mum being searched
There was a woman speaking on a phone in radio programme today, think she said she is in her late 60s or 70s. She says she flies quite a lot and gets stopped and searched every time she goes through security at one airport. She said she is always polite about it and accepts it and over the years she has got to know the security who stop her. On one occasion she asked why they pick on her and they said it's due to quotas they have to meet and she looks approachable and not the sort to kick off. If true it seems they maybe taking the easy option when they stop people with white faces.
Edited by jagracer on Monday 4th January 17:02
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