Ridiculous security procedures travelling to Australia

[juddles]

Maggs, careful, you are adding the carrier itself to the conspiracy.

If it was a free-for-all on Df liquor or water, then maybe half the pax would be adding a couple of kgs of liquid each. Tops that would still come to less than a ton. Do you relly believe this would drive the airline to engage in whatever dirty dealings to influence Australian government authorities to influence overseas security procedures?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

On a slightly different angle... I am quite sure if AU wanted to remove the liquids restriction it could do so, overnight. But undoubtedly there are other more pressing governmental needs. I wonder if one of the factors (in not taking immediate action) is that politicians think AU has some of the best duty free prices and therefore there is no need to act?

And if they think that, I wonder where that marketing comes from (ie that we have very low prices)!!

 

[drewbles]

Are you serious?

I'm with timtammi on this one.

Think about who pays a massive amount of rent and has enormous influence at airports.... Nuance. They are almost a monopoly around the world with their dozens of brands. Why wouldn't they be in bed with the government to ensure they can sell duty free booze for $50AUD a bottle in MEL or SYD vs $25 in an overseas market?

I point blank refuse to buy anything from AU duty free for this reason, and will buy wherever is cheapest (coming in from the US or UK via Asia or Middle East is not difficult to buy it en route and have it delivered to the gate in a sealed bag).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm with timtammi on this one.

Think about who pays a massive amount of rent and has enormous influence at airports.... Nuance. They are almost a monopoly around the world with their dozens of brands. Why wouldn't they be in bed with the government to ensure they can sell duty free booze for $50AUD a bottle in MEL or SYD vs $25 in an overseas market?

I point blank refuse to buy anything from AU duty free for this reason, and will buy wherever is cheapest (coming in from the US or UK via Asia or Middle East is not difficult to buy it en route and have it delivered to the gate in a sealed bag).

that's the thing about AU and UK duty free - it doesn't mean 'profit free'. enormous mark ups for profit are added. Alcohol is much cheaper in SIN for example, but looking at tobacco, the average price anywhere in most of Asia (excluding Japan) Asia is $17 a carton. In AU duty free... somewhere between $68 and $88.

 

[Rebekkap]

I'm with timtammi on this one.

Think about who pays a massive amount of rent and has enormous influence at airports.... Nuance. They are almost a monopoly around the world with their dozens of brands. Why wouldn't they be in bed with the government to ensure they can sell duty free booze for $50AUD a bottle in MEL or SYD vs $25 in an overseas market?

But what on earth do you think the government gets out of this? Nuance aren't a political donor.

 

[Moody]

Where's the Flat Earth Society when you need them?

 

[supertrav]

Does these security procedures apply in KL?

 

[leadman]

I agree it is financially motivated. You just have to look at the duty-free shop set-up at our major airports. I cannot recall a worse encroachment at other airports; even at tourist airports like East Midlands and Birmingham. And where else do you get "spruikers" other than Melbourne sell their wares as you get off the plane.

 

[ralfaford]

I found this when I travelled out of HKG to SYD in late August 2011. There were signs in the duty free shops stating Australia bound passengers could not take duty free alcohol with them, but cigarettes were fine. When we went to board airport security searched every bag, emptying them onto a table for you to repack. Even waters and cokes were being confiscated so it seemed like a liquid ban rather than an alcohol ban.

 

[JohnMcC]

Nothing to do with liquids, duty free but back to the original post. I flew J class two weeks ago from HK to Melbourne departing from gate 61. Every compartment of my briefcase was examined carefully. It was the same with everyone boarding. They were not searching for liquids in the documents folder, I am sure. There was no problem with some non liquid gifts I was carrying and I remember thinking at the time - I just went through a standard security check, why the extra security now? Hey I don't care - I want to get to my destinations in one piece but I remember being curious.

 

[conventdweller]

Skype calls?? WTF??....Obviously you haven't travelled to the UAE. Skype is banned, blocked by the rulers of these Emirates, as is utube and facebook in China.

Anyone who has enough time to waste reading these stupid messages should get something productive to do, like learning to spell before making public fools of themselves.

Enough said, though at least I can spell.

 

[Robmn]

...
The Govt is in the business of making money. The govt could justify anything using the phrase "security" and the sheeple quickly submit.

You got that wrong - The Government is in the business of spending every one else's money, and they are only sucessfull till they run out.

r

 

[Clayton J Scott]

I think the security measures are over the top - there is a whole industry out there protecting our shores from bottles of water and oversized containers of perfume. KL is the same, NZ is bad - travel around South America and you can pretty much do what you like.
Common sense is out the window on this one, the CIA and the KGB blow up a bunch of buildings and the world changes... shame on us for being suckers. I don't feel one bit safer knowing that gramps in front of me will no longer be able to stuff my face into his water bottle and drown me on my flight home from HKG or where ever.

 

[drsuess]

Interesting. This is the first i have heard of a separate part of the terminal for AU flights... all the ones I have taken previously have just departed from regular gates (QF from G26 or G16 for example). It's also going to make a log ride to the departure gates from the F/J lounges if they persist in this...

Liquids - not allowed exHKG to AU. The final bag search (done down the pier) takes those away. Not sure however how they treat the sealed tamper proof bags? (I know you can take those past security for other flights, for example AU-HK-China, I went through security no problems with a tamper proof bag purchased in AU).

Actually, this is exactly what happens in Shanghai a 6 months ago. I was in transit after going through security, but with the flight delayed I bought some water and left the unfinished bottle in my hand luggage. It was seized, even though it was purchased in the "sterile" transit area. The logic was dumb but no more than having bottles of liquid, including spirits, before departing for flights in China. I doubt there is a conspiracy, just an enthusiastic interpretation of the rules which employs lots of people.

In a few days I am off to HKG in a few days and I will test the bottle ban.

 

[Robmn]

If it was a free-for-all on Df liquor or water, then maybe half the pax would be adding a couple of kgs of liquid each. Tops that would still come to less than a ton.

On the same note if they made each pax use the toilet before boarding

 

[luckyfnq]

Well on 9/4/12 we missed our connection cx103 hkg-cns(Due to bad winds at HK AP so we were told and resulted in widespread disruptions most of the day)from Cebu they were going to route us on cx 101 to syd no such security measures at the boarding gate for this flight. I refused their proposed rushed flights due to the routing they offered, considering my original flight was only less than 7 hours. and their offer was more than double this time via Sydney and Brisbane. So I waited till they off loaded my baggage and went the next day on my cx103. at these cx aus bound boarding gates 67-71 they were cordoned off and had security checking thru everyone’s carry on bags. At HK airport there was a complete ban on any liquids that did not conform to the 100ml bottles in a clear bag procedure. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!! NO PRE DELIVERED TO THE GATE!!!! But as you can see its not on all flights to Australia.So go figure?

 

[Clayton J Scott]

Seriously who is going to look like idiots if they no longer have to confiscate liquid at the gate? THE GOVT - ALL of THEM too!!!!

We are scanned at security, searched at the boarding platform. On a recent flight from KL a bunch of Aussies who had just purchased duty free were immediately relieved of their purchases with no recompense, during their combined protests and complaints it was explained to them that the AUSTRALIAN GOVT had implemented new rules regarding duty free...

Interesting take, they actually said GOVT too, not immigration, not transport, not national security or the SAS or any such department, the responsibility for the loss of nectar was firmly levelled at THE GOVT

Anyway - we all know it is stupid, I want to know how many threats to national security have been averted by removing liquid from PAX?

In my view as long as we are poked and prodded and scanned the terrorists have won

 

[Robmn]

I think the security measures are over the top - there is a whole industry out there protecting our shores from bottles of water and oversized containers of perfume. KL is the same, NZ is bad - travel around South America and you can pretty much do what you like.
Common sense is out the window on this one, the CIA and the KGB blow up a bunch of buildings and the world changes... shame on us for being suckers. I don't feel one bit safer knowing that gramps in front of me will no longer be able to stuff my face into his water bottle and drown me on my flight home from HKG or where ever.

Actually they have no standards in the US, each to their own. I'm finding the TSA rude and a law unto themselves, travelling through three security checks to arrive at my destination each routine different some getting very personal. Making a complaint would most likely place you on the banned list, knowing how paranoid the Americans have now become. Even just an island hop in the Hawaiian Islands is a tedious trip, I was stopped taking an empty 1ltr water bottle through security.

Now I think twice travellin to the US.

Was told just the other day, by a person I know, they had a Vietnam visa ripped out of their Australian passport when they entered the US, by a TSA person. The page was given back but still not legal to do so.

r

 

[sgboyd]

Hi Dan We have just returned from Hong Kong on 28 March but flew into Singapore first so no separation of passengers for us as our first port of call was not Australia. From reading this resource re duty free from Hong Kong and Singapore we checked about duty free at Singapore and as long as we purchased the goods 1 hour 15 minutes prior to boarding and had the goods sent to the gate we were fine bringing duty free in from Singapore. There are multiple duty free outlets at Singapore Airport and as long as you comply with the time frame quoted there is no problem.

 

[danmancs]

Interesting. This is the first i have heard of a separate part of the terminal for AU flights... all the ones I have taken previously have just departed from regular gates (QF from G26 or G16 for example). It's also going to make a log ride to the departure gates from the F/J lounges if they persist in this...

Liquids - not allowed exHKG to AU. The final bag search (done down the pier) takes those away. Not sure however how they treat the sealed tamper proof bags? (I know you can take those past security for other flights, for example AU-HK-China, I went through security no problems with a tamper proof bag purchased in AU).

They wouldn't even put it in a tamper proof bag for me, they just wouldn't sell it to me at all.

It was a long walk from The Wing, where the new J lounge is sensational, and much better than The Pier F lounge which I sat in for the last few hours of my wait.