Now This is a Security Breach

[drron]

OK from Nonews but-
Passengers escape security checks in airport breach | News.com.au

AN immigration officer at London's Heathrow Airport has been suspended after letting dozens of air passengers through without being checked by security.
CCTV footage showed the British Airports Authority employee herding them away from the normal route, through a side door into Domestic Arrivals, the Sun reported.
The passengers, on a packed British Airways flight from Rome, then picked up their luggage and left Terminal 5 without passport or border checks.
Staff tried to catch up with them but 61 left the airport unaccounted for.

 

[sampson]

I hope he's hung, drawn and quartered.

In a similar vein, did anyone see, last night, the tv show "Customs'? Officers were suspicious about a gent of middle eastern extraction. The fellow possessed drawings of the cabin and its various controls. He had details on cabin staff and manuals on fuel loads on take off. He said he undertaken flying lessons, and he explained that he possessed this material because he wanted to join the RAF. (Does the RAF admit foreigners?). He was let go. I sure hope he's on a watchlist and he is not on my flight

 

[Nigelinoz]

The line that really leapt out at me is-

left Terminal 5 without passport or border checks.

Yet a BAA spokesman says

"At no time was security compromised,

I wonder what he would describe as 'security being compromised'?.
This is disgraceful.
Yes it was reported in No News and I guess there is always a chance that the media have beaten the story up for headlines (that would NEVER happen would it?) but if the story is even half accurate it's shocking.
(IMO that is)

 

[Dave Noble]

I wonder what he would describe as 'security being compromised'?.

Airport security wasn't compromised though; the passengers were leaving the sterile environment, not entering it

Dave

 

[samh004]

Interesting security breach, surprising that there’s a door from INT arrivals that leads straight to DOM arrivals.

Surely they’d be able to check the passenger manifest of that flight, cross check it with immigration details for that day and then track down those passengers.

In a similar vein, did anyone see, last night, the tv show "Customs'? Officers were suspicious about a gent of middle eastern extraction. The fellow possessed drawings of the cabin and its various controls. He had details on cabin staff and manuals on fuel loads on take off. He said he undertaken flying lessons, and he explained that he possessed this material because he wanted to join the RAF. (Does the RAF admit foreigners?). He was let go. I sure hope he's on a watchlist and he is not on my flight

It was an interesting episode. The RAF thing was funny, as you generally have to be a national to join a countries defence force (though he might have been), but what a passenger cabin would have in common with a fighter jet I’m not sure.

 

[Nigelinoz]

Airport security wasn't compromised though; the passengers were leaving the sterile environment, not entering it

Yes,fair point.

Surely they’d be able to check the passenger manifest of that flight, cross check it with immigration details for that day and then track down those passengers.

That may not be all that easy to do,people may have given the airline out of date contact or address details,it is well known that there are a large number of illegal immigrants in the UK,and this sort of thing wouldn't help,obviously I am not saying that there was any among the 61 people,I don't know that and I'm not assuming that but immigration departments have a hard enough job as it is without this sort of incident.

 

[samh004]

It might require a little bit of effort, but all passengers on the plane should have had passport screening on the other side. So you find a list of names, check that against who left Rome (and I’m sure the EU must cooperate a little), cross off anyone that actually went through immigration and then work through the remaining, hoping none are in a flagged list.

 

[harvyk]

Interesting security breach, surprising that there’s a door from INT arrivals that leads straight to DOM arrivals.

I'm not surprised... At Syd there are corridors which bypass the customs and AQIS halls completely. I've done some work there and only one of the corridors had guards doing checks (bags and equipment), the other corridor (that I know of) had no one guarding it (but quite a few security cameras).

People who work at the airports do have a need from time to time to go straight from one area to another. (eg supervisors)

 

[simongr]

The only security breach is border security and not airport security. If this was outbound from LHR it would be very different...

 

[drron]

It might require a little bit of effort, but all passengers on the plane should have had passport screening on the other side. So you find a list of names, check that against who left Rome (and I’m sure the EU must cooperate a little), cross off anyone that actually went through immigration and then work through the remaining, hoping none are in a flagged list.

Though when we left Rome flying to HKG both mrsdrron and I flashed our unopened aussie passports at Immigration and were waved through-may be nothing to check from Italian Immigration.The only record may be at checkin.

 

[UnVoyage]

Though when we left Rome flying to HKG both mrsdrron and I flashed our unopened aussie passports at Immigration and were waved through-may be nothing to check from Italian Immigration.The only record may be at checkin.

I had a similar experience RAK-CDG a couple of years ago. The direct RAM flight disembarked at a remote station; we were escorted (on foot) across the tarmac, up a (steep) set of stairs into the terminal, and then through a maze of corridors direct to luggage collection. No security or passport control. My departure from CDG to FRA a few days later was a similar experience. There is no evidence (in my passport) of me ever being in France during this time.

 

[samh004]

Though when we left Rome flying to HKG both mrsdrron and I flashed our unopened aussie passports at Immigration and were waved through-may be nothing to check from Italian Immigration.The only record may be at checkin.

Good point, but in that case you’ve got the right to travel through the EU, so the only thing they would’ve missed in this situation is the concealed drugs

 

[drron]

Good point, but in that case you’ve got the right to travel through the EU, so the only thing they would’ve missed in this situation is the concealed drugs

I am innocent.I dont even use a boogie board.:shock:

 

[samh004]

I am innocent.I dont even use a boogie board.:shock:

I wasn’t trying to refer to you