Airport Security, as consistent as (add words here).

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munitalP

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Here we go, on my soap box again...

Melbourne, I don't use the right hand metal detector, my belt sets it off, the others fine...
Sydney, my TAG sets off the centre metal detector, the others are fine...
Brisbane, all let me through with no issues…
This list could - and I'm sure, will increase over a short period of time.

What is up with the quality and calibration of the metal detectors? If they are built to an Australian standard, my belt and my TAG should either set them all off or set none of them off.

As for the security guards, well here’s another story. One of my employees recently left Sydney domestic for a cig (ick!), however on return, was told the sockets (you know, tools) he had in a back pack, had to be checked luggage. Let me explain the sockets briefly... 3 sockets, each in the 19mm size, brand new. My employee had, only an hour before, checked in, walked through security with the same items without being challenged!

OK, I am sure that if let loose on a jet engine, John would have found nuts and bolts to undo with his 19mm sockets (assuming ground staff had also loaned him a ratchet to use with the sockets and a ladder to reach the jet engine as John's rather short), however, I was mystified as to what the security gorilla expected John to undo whilst traveling at 750kph and at 30,000ft... Maybe someone here will at least have superior aircraft knowledge to me (I actually have very little, you sit in them and they get you to hopefully where you want to be reasonably fast) and inform this "aircraft mechanical design challenged" person (me) what possible threat 3 x 19mm sockets could have...

Airport security is as consistent as the decisions made on field by AFL umpires – none at all! (sorry umps, but between all of you out there, you must have heard the siren)

We as security conscious citizens of this great nation of ours must unite, we must stand strong, we must say loud (well not loud enough to wake the bloke in the seat next to me) – WE WANT CONSISTENT SECURITY AT OUR AIRPORTS!!! Please sir…;)
 
munitalP said:
We as security conscious citizens of this great nation of ours must unite, we must stand strong, we must say loud (well not loud enough to wake the bloke in the seat next to me) – WE WANT CONSISTENT SECURITY AT OUR AIRPORTS!!! Please sir…;)
Yes, I agree that it is inconsistent. And it's not just the machines. Security at SYD and MEL is outsourced (I think) to SNP. It has been reported that they have some poorly trained casuals on deck.

Still, compared with the outsourced monkeys I've encountered during my last few trips to the LOTFAP confirmed that they have it worse.

Related story in today's paper:
Aussies split on airport security: poll - Breaking News - National - Breaking News
 
munitalP said:
Airport security is as consistent as the decisions made on field by AFL umpires – none at all! (sorry umps, but between all of you out there, you must have heard the siren)
We as security conscious citizens of this great nation of ours must unite, we must stand strong, we must say loud (well not loud enough to wake the bloke in the seat next to me) – WE WANT CONSISTENT SECURITY AT OUR AIRPORTS!!! Please sir…;)
In my experience, the thing that is consistent about airport security is the inconsistency.
 
BNE Dom: oohhhh Roller skates. Can't let them on, they have metal wheels. No they are a urethane wheel. They have sharp bits. Nope round....Can't take them.
Everywhere else: ooohhh Roller Skates.

Have also seen a whole team of skaters (about 20) go through security and the last person is told they aren't allowed to take theirs with them.

Mal
 
Some of my better examples:

1. A pair of shoes of mine set off one metal detector in BNE, but not others in BNE or other airports bar SYD Intl flight connections. A special technique I can use stops it from going off on the BNE machine. The same shoes go off in SYD at the INTL connections machine, but the same technique I can use in BNE doesn't work there. As I said above, nowhere else.

2. One morning in BNE, I had a half drunken bottle of "Mizone" or a similar water drink. I was told to take a sip of it before I put it through the x-ray. I assume it would have killed me if I was up to no good, but curiously never been challenged with other bottles of liquid in my carryon / hand carrying at various other times in BNE or other cities.

3. A workmate who was travelling with me from CNS forgot to remove his laptop from his bag. I removed mine and went through just before him. He wasn't challenged, even though we have identical laptops.

4. I once walked through a metal detector at a certain airport in Australia without taking my metal out, and it never detected!

5. A friend who wears a permanent bracelet (ie one that can't be removed without pliers) keeps getting hassled about taking it off before going though the metal detector even though it never trips on it!!

Overall, I find airport security in Australia to be ok. Wish the machines would be better calibrated though!
 
Brisbane, all let me through with no issues…
A pair of shoes of mine set off one metal detector in BNE, but not others in BNE or other airports bar SYD Intl flight connections.
Please don't mention my dangerous shoes. Over the previous years I've established the process of shedding the obvious belt, pen, change, laptop etc and got thru everywhere without shedding my (dangerous) deck shoes.

Last week - you guessed it, the shoes set off the alarm and I subsequently got into a confrontation with a "security" official when I said I was securing my carryon/laptop/wallet etc from the scanning belt before I would walk through the loop again. I'll just have to blame the shoe makers for installing that 1" metal bit to hold the whole deal together.
Same deal upon return in Rockvegas where I've had to shed the shoes for the first time in 2006.
Jeez, maybe Max the Axe was right in suggesting (jokingly of course) that there should be a separate FF security line.:evil:
 
In the new Thailand airport, the x-ray is set very sensitive (like some other airports), and it seems nearly everybody goes off.

When I went through, the security person was not paying attention. It beeped. When I went to pickup my luggage, the security person came over about to direct me to stand so she could use her hand scanner, and I looked at her, and then she asked "u beep" and I could tell she had no idea if i did or not, so I said "no, I didn't beep" and just kept walking.

This is one of the problems when these x-ray is set too sensitive and everyone beeps. The security people become complacent.
 
I am convinced that the Metal Detectors have been dialed down in Domestic the last few months. Usually I can set them off with nothing more than my wedding band. Must have high iron content or something :). So I have got used to taking off shoes, belt, wedding band, etc. etc. any walking slowly through them to ensure I don't set them off.

This time through PER on the weekend, I had the security guy insist that I do not put my ring through. I put it in, he handed it back, I put it back in there and he gave it back to me saying something to the effect of "please don't put it in the machine, you might lose it". I claimed that it usually set off the detector and he laughed at me. Of course, when I didn't (to my slight annoyance :) I got the knowing look from someone who's seen it all before.

Anyone else noticed more metal making it through of late?

mt
 
Groundfeeder said:
Groundfeeder said:
Jeez, maybe Max the Axe was right in suggesting (jokingly of course) that there should be a separate FF security line.


I have thought about this many times while standing behind some person who looks as though they are auditioning for a role in a strip club (the amount of clothing they are having to take off!) and the security gorilla makes everyone wait… and you can’t do a thing ‘cause your notebook, mobile and wallet are on the other side of the gorilla….

A gold / platinum security check – dedicated – oh a dream that will never happen… However, it should! (just for fun though, we will make the chairman’s lounge members line up with the plebes…)

As frequent flyers, we deserve the privilege of not being harassed by gorillas! If we wanted harassment from gorillas, we would have gotten jobs at the zoo! There are ways to create dedicated security for us animal haters (gorillas in particular) such as, retina scanning, biometrics and the likes and I for one will happily provide a DNA sample, a scan of my eyes or a copy of my finger prints and whatever else is needed for ASIO, Interpol, Al Qaeda, Eddie McGuire or whoever else needs it to get me through a consistent fast security check!
 
The one I laugh about is those airports that have an elite line at security (yes there are some), that also have a pre-queue to join the security queue! LAX T2 and LHR FCC spring to mind here. Yup, you first have to queue to even get to the start of the security queue; since they don't have enough room in the security queueing area to fit everyone. The pre-queue thus negates much (by no means all) of the benefit of having an elite line since you still need to wait up to 30 minutes just to reach it.
 
BNE - Metal plate and screws in left leg set off detectors.
SYD,T2 and T3 - no problems unless trapped by the explosives naz_s after security checkpoint
MEL - will try this tomorrow. Will wear a belt with a dirty big buckle and go through the right detector to see what happens.
 
As I frequently visit construction sites I often fly with my steel capped shoes on. Naturally these have to be removed before metal detector. Funny how on flight home after a day walking around a site (particularly in BNE) that the security staff will help with the laptop and briefcase, but no-one wants to touch those shoes...:D:oops:

RM boots and belt buckle set off any metal detector that I have been through, so it is habit now to remove them
 
Shano said:
As I frequently visit construction sites I often fly with my steel capped shoes on. Naturally these have to be removed before metal detector. Funny how on flight home after a day walking around a site (particularly in BNE) that the security staff will help with the laptop and briefcase, but no-one wants to touch those shoes...:D:oops:

RM boots and belt buckle set off any metal detector that I have been through, so it is habit now to remove them

hehe I wouldn't be surprised if they said lets just try walking through with them on
 
Kiwi Flyer said:
hehe I wouldn't be surprised if they said lets just try walking through with them on

The shoes, as well as the socks, could have walked through by themselves :D:D
 
could you please post what dates we need to avoid BNE (I'll assume 24 hours for fumigation)?
 
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Kiwi Flyer said:
could you please post what dates we need to avoid BNE (I'll assume 24 hours for fumigation)?

You'll know when I am there as I will have an entire corner to myself in the QP
 
Shano said:
You'll know when I am there as I will have an entire corner to myself in the QP

Sure, but I'd rather not turn up to find bouncer saying you really shouldn't go into the QP without a gas mask.
 
My best experience with "security" was in Sydney Int terminal when after passing through all the checkpoints I was singled out for the explosive wand treatment. The 'droid did his stuff and then fed the thing into the machine and nothing happened - kept trying, still nothing - then tried to fit a new sticky bit to attempt to wand me again when I told him "No". He said you must, I said no again. Called his supervisor over who insisted. I took out my ASIC and very loudly told the super to have a look at the back of the machine. then I walked away to the QF lounge. You see - the data cable was not connected to the computer so no data transfer.

the look on their faces was when I really wished I had my camera ready.


cheers:mrgreen:

Bill
 
ziggypop said:
when I told him "No". He said you must, I said no again. Called his supervisor over who insisted. I took out my ASIC and very loudly told the super to have a look at the back of the machine.
cheers:mrgreen:

Bill

Umm "ASIC"?
 
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