Airport Security
 

My daughter and granddaughter went on holiday early this morning. I got a text from my daughter this afternoon to say they'd arrived safely etc. She also said Laura was "randomly" picked for a security search at Manchester airport and was frisked (she was only wearing a vest top and calf-length jeans, nowhere to hide anything) and made to remove her shoes and socks which were then scrutinized. Dozens of adults went through without any hinderance while she was being searched.

Nik said Laura looked very scared but she managed to convince her it was exciting rather than scary. Oh, Laura is 8 years old and was getting on a holiday charter flight to Greece. :rolleyes:

Re: Airport Security
 

well obviously she must have looked like a terrorist westender.:rolleyes: a similar thing occured with paris at Los Angeles airport a few years ago although not a child she was petrified, she was wearing just a blouse, three quarter pants n trainers, no socks, it wasn't just being stopped that upset her,was the really obnoxious female securitys manner. hope the young un was treated better.;) P.S. we had only flown in from New York were we went through no hassle.

Re: Airport Security
 

They searched my Harry at 6 months old, he was in his all in one suit. They made me get him out of his pram at 3am when he was fast asleep so they could take his pram away seperately to be scanned. Needless to say he was wide awake after that.

This was 1 and half years ago at the height of the security alerts, with all the liquid problems. I had to drink his milk and open and taste some of the baby food in jars that I had with me.

I was a little aprehensive about them searching him, but they were very quick and understanding. And to be honest with you i'd rather they did proper checks, so I know that i'm going to be safe when I travel.

Re: Airport Security
 

Unfortunately some people will use children and babies to carry through illegal substances in the hope that they wont be searched because they are children, these are the people we need to thank for babies and children being searched, I hope they treated her with respect though and it doesn't ruin her holiday

Re: Airport Security
 

Thanks, fibi. Her mum said the woman who searched her kept apologising for doing it and Laura's a sensible girl. She's texted me herself since they got to Greece - 3 times! - instead of holiday "spends", as they're All Inclusive, I'd topped up her mobile for her. She'll have used it all by the weekend :rolleyes:. She doesn't seem at all bothered now, just a bit dischuffed that they got to the hotel too late for her to go in the pool. :D

Re: Airport Security
 

I was stopped last September, November, and January, whilst other just walked through.

Can't really grumble, as security is understandbly still tight.

Luckily I'll be with my mum next month, and she will be able to re-thread my belt, and tie my shoe laces.

If anyone sees someone in their stocking feet, and their trousers falling down, in November, please spare a moment to help the cack-handed sap with Parkinson's.:D

Hope your family have a great holiday Westender, and that seeing the sun isn't too much of a shock for them.:D

Re: Airport Security
 

Thanks, G, I'm sure they'll love it. I'll enjoy 2 weeks peace and quiet, too. ;)

I may possibly go to Malta in November so I'll look out for you at the airport. Can't have you tripping round Terminal 2 with your trollies round your ankles. :D

Re: Airport Security
 

Blimy Garinda, you get about a bit dont you? Three jollies in six months!!!!
Lovely x

Re: Airport Security
 

go mid october instead,then i can laugh.:D;)

Re: Airport Security
 

You guys should look like me .... long hair, beard, scars, tattoos .... I look like a terrorist, and most definitely like a drug smuggler for the Hell's Angels; therefore, I never get stopped.;):D

Re: Airport Security
 

I usually always get frisked it would be enjoyable except its always a women:rolleyes:, went away in April this year and needed food and bottles for Robert I had to taste everything but expected to have to so made sure his food was something good, pram had to be folded the kids weren't searched though, hope your grandaughter's ok Westender, I think it would be more worrying if they just let people walk through though.

Re: Airport Security
 

It's scary enough flying into LA X even without the searches.:eek: Flying into the US from Canada is usually a breeze; we still are not required to show passports. A driver's licence will do. There's not much the US can do about the border between Ontario and America; most of the traffic is heavy trucks (those things you guys call lorries for some strange reason). And the volume of trade between American and Ontario is greater than that between America and China. Money talks, bullcrap walks.:D

Re: Airport Security
 

I've never, thankfully, gone through the full Airport rubdown. Did get into a bit of a disagreement with security over a mostly empty tube (rolled all the way up) of toothpaste. He said I couldn't bring it in as it holds whatever a full tube does. I noted that there was only a few days supply left. He was all hung up on what a full tube contains. (This will explain my bad breath during my last trip over!)

Funniest thing was that I also had a full container of shampoo that I had forgotten about but he just past it over!

Sorry your family had to go through that Westender. Had to be really hard for both of them. I imagine their trip back will be pretty apprehensive for them eh?

Brian

Re: Airport Security
 

Got yourself 'clocked' next time through you are requested to have a shave...have a haircut..take a drug test...shave the beard off and have your tatoos read by a trick cyclist...as for your scars....the mind boggles. ;)

Re: Airport Security
 

I nearly always get frisked, not only here but abroad too. The worst airport I've ever been through has to be LA, it was a nightmare...:rolleyes:

Re: Airport Security
 

When I went to Florida in February I managed to completely dodge one big section of the security procedure for arrivals at Orlando international. I got lost and ended up just wandering outside without having my shoes checked or anything. Was very surprised to say the least, it being American airport security.

Re: Airport Security
 

Its alright for you lot, I get frisked if I try to go from Ossy to Accy:D

Re: Airport Security
 

Son always gets stopped 'at random' Im sure its nothing to do with the fact that he shaves his head and works put!! lol

It started when he was about 17 and we were flying to Ireland.

A couple of years ago, coming back from Dublin he was stopped, searched and asked why he had been to south America, the Staes and India so frequently. He explained it was part of his job. they then asked for his works phone number to confirm this. Of course being Saturday there was no one there. Eventually they let him go but did ring on the Monday to check on him!

Re: Airport Security
 

tosh gets stop every time we go away.last time it was his belt, we have had body searchers as well. better to be safe then sorry. they seem to pick on the young and family's. in Crete last year a lad got stopped at the air port coming back silly ****** had a knife in his case.

Re: Airport Security
 

I've been stopped a couple of times, so has Chris but the best fun I've seen was when we went away with a friend a few years ago who has a metal pin in his leg. You should have seen the looks on the security guards as they were scanning him over and over again and as his leg set off the alarms every time he went through it.

Re: Airport Security
 

Reminds me of when my Mum was flying to Ireland for her sisters funeral. She had been searching everywhere for her nail clippers, when her handbag went through the scanner it set the alarm off. You guessed it the clippers were in it, she was mortified. At least it gave my cousin a laugh, he said her face was a picture

Re: Airport Security
 

Was going to a wedding in ireland and i had the wedding present in my suitcase - all neatly wrapped up and ribboned etc. First in the queue at manchester - my sister had took me early - there was quite a few passengers behind me - when the suitcase went through and gave the check in clerk my ticket and passport for id - next thing you will have to go with these gentlemen theres something in your suitcase that we want to check! Security bloke dragged my suitcase off the belt and another one got hold of my arm - sis whats happening jen - its the canteen of cutlery for the wedding pressie!!! The scanner had picked out the shape of the knives but nothing else!!!! Was dragged off to a room and they opened my suitcase and saw the pressie - it was scanned and the other scanner managed to pick out the spoons and forks - otherwise i'd have had to open the pressie. I was searched as well. The security bloke said that if the scanner hadnt have picked out the rest of the cutlery then it would have had to have been opened and i would have had to have a full body search!!!! Next wedding i went to we posted the pressie!!!! :D:D:D Never gone through belfast though without being searched - have always been nabbed coming through there and that was after being searched at manchester - they searched me after picking my suitcase up - i got nabbed as i was walking through - my cousins used to laugh at it - i'd be coming through 10 mins after everyone else!!! :D

Re: Airport Security
 

I was on a trip from Manchester to Venice and had to change en route at Milan.
The new rules about sharp objects had just been introduced.
I had no problems at Manchester, but at Milan, with only 20 minutes plane changeover time, I was told that nail scissors had been detected in my hand luggage, and I had to remove them and hand them in.

I got down on my knees and tipped the whole contents of my hand luggage on the floor and rummaged amongst it rapidly and found them.

I did get some unusual looks from other passengers but who cares , I caught my flight

Re: Airport Security
 

Another airport story - big family holiday, ten of us went and it was about six months after the attacks so security was still pretty high.

We approached the scanner and all went through except my Dad who was stopped because they'd found something in his bag. He'd taken a nail care kit which had those little sharp scissors in and they'd found it. When they let him go after about 10mins they he was really indignant - "but they're only little nail scissors, for cutting my nails!" he kept saying - he genuinely couldn't understand why they stole his scissors. We did point out to him that though they were tiny they could probably cause some damage!

Re: Airport Security
 

I have flown at least 6 times since the "terrorist scare", from Manchester and, once, from Liverpool. Each time I have had nail scissors and a nail file in my handbag (handbag tucked into my flight bag until I'm on the aircraft). My bag has gone through the X-ray machine every time and I have never been challenged!

I went away with my elder daughter 2 years ago. She set of the alarm when she went through the arch, was body-scanned, then had to remove her trainer-boots which, it transpired, had metal toe-caps. The lady who searched her had to feel around her feet and I felt sorry for the woman because our Jo suffers from hyperhydrosis of the feet - just like her dad did. In other words sweaty, and rather smelly, feet. :(

Our Laura, the subject of this thread, hadn't set off any alarms. It was a "random" search of a child whose clothing made it patently obvious she wasn't hiding anything, if she had been it would have been conspicuous.

What a waste of time.

Re: Airport Security
 

Re: Airport Security
 

Joan, my other half, always set the alarm of when she goes through the airport scaners, as she has a plate in her hip frpm when she broke it about 12 years ago, she as had the fact recorded in her passport, to save any problems