Anyone watching the undercover Manchester Aiport thing on BBC1

[clapham_gull]

You know what the headlines are gonna be tomorrow.

X-Ray luggage ? Do they f*ck..

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

High quality plain-English reporting by Michelle Cox

Manchester Airport were obviously making it up as they went along, cutting corners, basically treating security like a McJob.

The official statement by the airport at the end was the obligatory corporate bullshit.

Have to say tho that the single most scary aspect of a British airport I always find is the fact that absolutely anyone can get off the Gatwick Express from Victoria or the Thameslink from Brighton at LGW and wheel, completely unchecked, a 50kilo trolley load of bulky packages into the airport terminal.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

It's easy to blame the airport authorities. But, in the final analysis, their customers wouldn't thank them for the queues that would form if airport security was stepped up to, er... secure levels.

Try flying into (or out of) Tel Aviv if you want to know what I mean.

 

[Bwian]

It's easy to blame the airport authorities. But, in the final analysis, their customers wouldn't thank them for the queues that would form if airport security was stepped up to, er... secure levels.

Try flying into (or out of) Tel Aviv if you want to know what I mean.

In these uncertain times I personally don't mind waiting around if security checks are being done correctly. Better to wait rather than become another fanatic group's victim.

 

[Lammy]

It's easy to blame the airport authorities. But, in the final analysis, their customers wouldn't thank them for the queues that would form if airport security was stepped up to, er... secure levels.

Try flying into (or out of) Tel Aviv if you want to know what I mean.

Are you OK LB? You've been coming up with some seriously bizzare opinions of late!

So you would rather have quick queues rather than security?!?!?! I've flown into Mexico and they don't have X-Ray machines there. They search EVERY bag by hand. I was happy to wait.

 

[Everest]

I've flown into Mexico and they don't have X-Ray machines there. They search EVERY bag by hand. I was happy to wait.

Oh no they don't. I went there a couple of times last year and mine was only checked once.

Catching a flight from Miami to Cancun last year, the cases were X-rayed while you had to wait. You were only allowed to go when you got the thumbs up. That's the way it should be.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I flew through America on my way back from Sydney just a few weeks after that nut had tried to explode his owwn foot off and they had explosive detectors for shoes operating on everyone before you could get into the dpearture lounge.

I coudn't believe when people started piping up with 'what's with the machine, I'm not going to blow the plane up' and 'I just wish they would hurry up and let us on, this is silly'.

Goons.

 

[Lammy]

Oh no they don't. I went there a couple of times last year and mine was only checked once.

Catching a flight from Miami to Cancun last year, the cases were X-rayed while you had to wait. You were only allowed to go when you got the thumbs up. That's the way it should be.

Funny that. I was flying to and from Cancun also. EVERY bag was checked both ways. I took ages but I would much rather that than risk it so save 20 mins.

 

[Everest]

If your bags were checked both ways you must have one of those faces!

I take it you had to push that bloody button that switches on a red or green light when arriving?
Green - walk straight through (not always though)
Red - stop and have your bags checked

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Are you OK LB? You've been coming up with some seriously bizzare opinions of late!

So you would rather have quick queues rather than security?!?!?! I've flown into Mexico and they don't have X-Ray machines there. They search EVERY bag by hand. I was happy to wait.

I'm not saying that I don't want to see security measures at airports. I'm saying that, in a world where suicide bombing is now the modus operandi of choice, current security measures will eventually fail.

Not because the people who work at airports don't do their job. But because "random searches", even when performed properly, are inadequate to the task.

The Israeli authorities know this. That's why it takes FOUR hours to queue for a plane to or from Tel Aviv. Every passenger is interviewed (aggressively, if you fail to give the "correct" answer to questions like "why were you visiting Jerusalem?") and bags are systematically searched way beyond the levels that apply at Manchester (even when they are working properly).

That's what it takes to eliminate the threat of terrorism. UK airports could not manage this, even if they wanted to. Terminals would need to be much bigger to hold the numbers of passengers that pass through them. Low-cost airlines would go out of business if they had to pay their share of the costs. The Spanish tourism industry would collapse. The punters would stop flying.

People who think that making sure the staff at Manchester do their job is all that is needed are deluding themselves. It's certainly not as straightforward as the "20 minutes" that Lammy is talking about.

 

[Lammy]

I'm not saying that I don't want to see security measures at airports. I'm saying that, in a world where suicide bombing is now the modus operandi of choice, current security measures will eventually fail.

Not because the people who work at airports don't do their job. But because "random searches", even when performed properly, are inadequate to the task.

The Israeli authorities know this. That's why it takes FOUR hours to queue for a plane to or from Tel Aviv. Every passenger is interviewed (aggressively, if you fail to give the "correct" answer to questions like "why were you visiting Jerusalem?") and bags are systematically searched way beyond the levels that apply at Manchester (even when they are working properly).

That's what it takes to eliminate the threat of terrorism. UK airports could not manage this, even if they wanted to. Terminals would need to be much bigger to hold the numbers of passengers that pass through them. Low-cost airlines would go out of business if they had to pay their share of the costs. The Spanish tourism industry would collapse. The punters would stop flying.

People who think that making sure the staff at Manchester do their job is all that is needed are deluding themselves. It's certainly not as straightforward as the "20 minutes" that Lammy is talking about.

I'm not suggesting that if Manchester (and probably a lot of other airports) do their job properly we would illiminate terrism. But it would be a bloody good start! I don't think we'd have 4 hour queues if they searched the correct number of random bads would we.

It would also be a good start if the perimeters were adequately monitored (not affecting queues). It would be nice if planes weren't left with stairs and no security seal for joe bloggs to hope on and off! Again this would not effect queues.

What was interesting is that they never investigated what happens to the luggage that goes in the hold. How well is that searched? You wouldn't even need to be a suicide bomber to get a bomb in there!

 

[brunswick]

I work Airside at GLA LHR LGW sometimes and i could tell you stuff that you wouldnt believe.

Its the Airlines - they have Service Level Agreements with the Airport E.g. If you dont get our passengers on our plane on departure time you incurr a £15k fine.

This fact sort of kicks the Airport into reducing queues.

Also, Manc Airport is a small company linked with EMidlands - they dont have the money BAA do, therefore costs cutting is rife.

 

[brunswick]

What was interesting is that they never investigated what happens to the luggage that goes in the hold. How well is that searched?

very very well. Since lockerbe UK does 100% screening that is automated using £m's systems. (i know i design/install them). Its the hand luggage that is the problem.

US has just signed up to 100% screening on checked in luggage for internal flights - this was not the case hence 9/11.