Major UK air disruptions

[Mr_Gimlet]

The UK has raised their terrorist threat rating to critical. As a result of this, all hand baggage is banned from UK flights with immediate effect. You are allowed one clear plastic bag with a very restricted range of items.

Here are the 'rules' (edited in):

Following this morning's police action, security at all UK airports has been increased and additional security measures have been put in place for all flights.


With immediate effect, the following arrangements apply to all passengers starting their journey at a UK airport and to those transferring between flights at a UK airport.
All cabin baggage must be processed as hold baggage and carried in the hold of passenger aircraft departing UK airports.

Passengers may take through the airport security search point, in a single (ideally transparent) plastic carrier bag, only the following items. Nothing may be carried in pockets:
Pocket-size wallets and pocket-size purses plus contents (for example money, credit cards, identity cards etc (not handbags)
Travel documents essential for the journey (for example passports and travel tickets)
Prescription medicines and medical items sufficient and essential for the flight (eg, diabetic kit), except in liquid form unless verified as authentic
Spectacles and sunglasses, without cases
Contact lens holders, without bottles of solution
For those travelling with an infant: baby food, milk (the contents of each bottle must be tasted by the accompanying passenger) and sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight (nappies, wipes, creams and nappy disposal bags)
Female sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight, if unboxed (eg tampons, pads, towels and wipes)
Tissues (unboxed) and/or handkerchiefs
Keys (but no electrical key fobs).

All passengers must be hand searched, and their footwear and all the items they are carrying must be X-ray screened.

In addition to the above, all passengers boarding flights to the USA and all the items they are carrying, including those acquired after the central screening point, must be subjected to secondary search at the boarding gate.

 

[NM]

Here is a link to a news.com.au story on this topic.

BRITISH police say they have foiled a plot to smuggle explosive devices in airline hand luggage to blow up planes in mid-flight.


The targets were said to have been flights between the Britain and the US.

Overnight police have arrested a number of people in London and there has been a massive security clampdown on all flights leaving Britain.

 

[Dave Noble]

Apparantly Heathrow is now closed for arrivals, so anyone heading off tonight from oz might want to reconsider travelling later mayhaps ( found on FT: AIM Detail )

For those travelling QF , those booked for travel to UK before 16 AUG may defer or change free of charge; see faq 540 http://qantas.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/...php?p_faqid=540

Dave

 

[roryg]

I make no comment about the "right-ness" or "wrong-ness" of such reactions, but I am horrified - if that's the right word - at the idea of flying all the way from, say, Heathrow to Changi with only the airline's coughpy headphones and the in-flight "magazine" for entertainment.

But I would much rather be safe and alive than bored.

I wonder what they are doing about duty-free pruchases? [Rhetorical question]

 

[N860CR]

I wonder what they are doing about duty-free pruchases?

I've just been watching CNN and they said that all liquid in bottles is being removed from pax at the security point and again when boarding the aircraft, so I'd assume duty-free isn't happening at the moment (by the sounds of things, all sales in the departures areas are off)

 

[LordGarlic]

Urgent advice for customers travelling on flights to or from the United States of America

Aug 10, 2006
Singapore Airlines is advising customers traveling on flights to or from the United States of America that the following security arrangements are in place with immediate effect, by order of the Transportation Security Administration:
Passengers may not carry any liquids or gels past security screening points at airports except: Baby formula, breast milk or juice for a small child or infant;
Prescription medicines bearing the name that matches that of the passenger’s ticket;
Insulin and other essential non-prescription medicines
No liquids or gels apart from those listed above, and including drinks or items purchased at the airport can be taken on board the aircraft.
Beverages, shampoo, suntan lotions, creams, toothpaste, hair gel and other items of a similar consistency are not permitted in the cabin. These items must be carried in checked baggage.
All footwear must be x-ray screened, except for people with disabilities, in which case the footwear must be subject to special screening. Due to the stringent security screening processes, Singapore Airlines is advising customers to check in early and to be prepared for delays. Further updates will be provided as they become available.

 

[kyle]

I know nothing about bomb making, but what's wrong with taking toothpaste, hair gels, or other liquids etc on board as hang luggage? How is that a threat?

 

[N860CR]

Eg: Phillipine Airlines 434. The bomb was taken onboard in liquid form (can't remember the name of the chemical) in a bottle of contact lense sollution. Terrorist attached a wristwatch operated detonator and the bomb exploded on the next leg of the flight. Fortunatley it was planted a few rows forward of the intended location (above the centre fuel tank) so the aircraft managed to land. Apparantly PAL434 was a "test" for a larger attack on American airliners.

 

[one9]

I know nothing about bomb making, but what's wrong with taking toothpaste, hair gels, or other liquids etc on board as hang luggage? How is that a threat?

I guess it is because terrorists can hide things inside the toothpaste tube, hair gel bottle etc.

 

[kyle]

I see...

When I think of a bomb, I think of a black spherical thingy with a wick sticking out the top...

 

[Gazza]

Lets keep this in perspective.

Scotland yard saw a brazilian runing to catch a plane and assumed the worst.

How is a bomb in the cargo area safe?

Gazza

 

[serfty]

... How is a bomb in the cargo area safe?

Gazza

Really, no one is safe, and it's been like that for a long time ... it pains to remember PanAm 103/Lockerbie ... ... That was nearly 18 years ago.

 

[simongr]

Lets keep this in perspective.

Scotland yard saw a brazilian runing to catch a plane and assumed the worst.

How is a bomb in the cargo area safe?

Gazza

Just a few comments after actually reading some of the news coverage both on line and the in the press in the UK. Re the liquids - the fear is that a number of people on the plan could each a small part of the bomb on board and then assemble the bomb on the plane. So there is no actual assembled bomb in the luggage compartment just parts in various bags etc.

I think the comment re the brazilian is in very poor taste.

I am not looking forward to my flights out of Heathrow next tuesday at this rate....

 

[Gazza]

I have bad taste?

Of well at least I have not executed anyone in cold blood.

Scottland yard has a bad history of dealing with this sort of thing. Apart from mistaking Brazilians for Islamist Terrorists and raiding a house and shooting another innocent man (at least he fitted the profile) they managed to lock up scores of innocent people while fighting the IRA. At the same time the master IRA bomb maker was a highly paid Scottland yard informant.

The reality is that we are experiencing a kind of hysteria that has no precedent in recent history.

It has very little to do with real security or the real fight against terrosim.

I hope that the umble british bobby will prove me wrong and justify this dogs breackfast.

Gazza

 

[aus_flyer]

I know nothing about bomb making, but what's wrong with taking toothpaste, hair gels, or other liquids etc on board as hang luggage? How is that a threat?

I suspect they are concerned about explosive liquids being put into these containers

 

[flyer4703]

Arrived LHR this morning, delays were not too bad. However if the lines I saw at check in are repeated when I fly out in a couple of days I will need to be at Heathrow hours before departure time
Looks like the ipod, laptop and other gadgets go into my checked bags.
Hope the AVOD is working

 

[JohnK]

Sad to hear/see that there are people out there who are searching for new/better ways to kill innocent human beings.

 

[LotusEliseDriver]

I am _fine_ with more security,and am quite happy to put up with hassle to mean I actually get there..

But what gets on my goat is that these "security staff" are so lax when the pressure is off. Has anybody had any real bad security that you have ever wanted to scream at the staff and say "Hang-on, your slacking on_MY_security, NOT yours" ?

True it was in Tassie airport, but still was annoying...

Mr D.

 

[coco50]

[quote=LotusEliseDriver]I am _fine_ with more security,and am quite happy to put up with hassle to mean I actually get there..

But what gets on my goat is that these "security staff" are so lax when the pressure is off. Has anybody had any real bad security that you have ever wanted to scream at the staff and say "Hang-on, your slacking on_MY_security, NOT yours" ?

True it was in Tassie airport, but still was annoying...

Mr D.[/quote]

Try flying out of a regional airport like Albury. What security? There is none at present and the Feds will make a token gesture in the future. At least at some regionals like BNK and CFS, passengers and carry on baggage are security screened.

 

[NM]

I can understand the ban on liquids etc. I have often thought hoe easy it would be to substitute the contents of a bottle of scotch with something sinister. However, I hope some common sense prevails and innocent things like reading material are permitted (subject to x-ray and even manual inspection if necessary).

I would be really reluctant to send my laptop computer as checked luggage. In fact, it is against our corporate travel policy to let it out of your sight and we are not permitted to check it in. So I guess that means that if its not allowed in the cabin then it stays at home - now that is going to make for some interesting changes to travel plans or policy.