Airport Security

[Loz]

I see our ever-reactive airport security people are at it again. It is now not allowed for you to take toner cartridges of a certain size in your hand luggage.

I wonder how many sodding toner cartridges have ever been taken onto a plane? I suppose we should be grateful they didn't respond to the Underpants Bomber like they have the Shoe Bomber, Toner Bomber, Drinks Bomber, etc. Really, most airport security is to look like 'something is being done'. They are always playing catch-up.

It all just goes to show that good intelligence is the key. Seems like MI5/MI6 did a corking job on this one.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Its pretty remarkable that this happened after a solid week or two of widespread pushing from airlines and some travelers for finally relaxing the existing security measures

I totally agree. Intelligence is a good thing. The whole theatre of security at airports is a sham

But then lots of people say the feel safer. Cant win

[katie1997]

Loz Wrote:

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> I see our ever-reactive airport security people

> are at it again. It is now not allowed for you to

> take toner cartridges of a certain size in your

> hand luggage.

> this one.

But if you want to take a rusty old axe to Spain in your hand luggage, that's absolutely fine (as apparently happened at Luton last week - the lady forgot to check it into hold luggage)

I was held back once at an airport over some already opened perfume. The security guys were spraying it everywhere and I thought they spent rather longer 'checking' it than was absolutely necessary.

[DirtyBox]

I fail to see how making all pasengers throw away anything containing liquid over 100ml and making them buy replacements in Boots the other side of security at twice the price is preventing the plane being blown up.

I'm not an expert but 100ml of an explosive liquid in a confined place like a plane is probably going to bring it down in a ball of twisted flaming metal. Of course I totally agree that we should have our shoes scanned, after all it worked out really well for the shoe-bomber.

[DJKillaQueen]

I'm not even going to ask why someone might have a rusty ole axe in their hand luggage, but it does seem a bit like after the horse has bolted doesn't it. Now does anyone know where I can get a suitcase square enough to accomodate my Epsom all in one laser printer?

[Loz]

It is (thankfully) reasonably hard to bring down a plane. This happened at 24,000 ft and the pilot still landed safely (albeit minus one stewardess).

http://www.jethag.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/243.jpg

[felt-tip]

That is mightily impressive.

[DJKillaQueen]

Isn't that the one where one tile blew off and the air stewardess was sucked into it and then it gets a bit gruesome....so I'll stop.

[louisiana]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

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> Its pretty remarkable that this happened after a

> solid week or two of widespread pushing from

> airlines and some travelers for finally relaxing

> the existing security measures

Remarkable indeed

>

> I totally agree. Intelligence is a good thing. The

> whole theatre of security at airports is a sham

Bruce Schneier coined the term security theatre back in the early noughties, and ever since it's been going from bad to worse.

>

> But then lots of people say the feel safer. Cant

> win

The purpose of security theatre is to make people feel safer by being able to demonstrate something (anything!) is being done. Its purpose is not to make people safer. Suppliers of security theatre equipment also do pretty well out of it.

[Loz]

DJKillaQueen Wrote:

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> Isn't that the one where one tile blew off and the

> air stewardess was sucked into it and then it gets

> a bit gruesome....so I'll stop.

The stewardess - and apparently the tea trolley.

[ratty]

Just an example of how ridiculous air security is:

ratty is going to Greece with his 2 year old. as he goes through security an eagle eyed security person spies the tiny metal childs blunt knife in his luggage. ratty is asked to leave it behind.

ratty goes to weatherspoons for breakfast and a few pre flight liveners. breakfast is served with a steak knife to cut the bacon.

ratty pockets steak knife and walks on to plane.

ratty emails gatwick on his return to UK to be told that they do not comment on security procedures!

ratty thinks what a bunch of coonts!

[Loz]

Another security stupidity: each and every airline pilot goes through the same charade we do. If they are carrying more than 100ml of liquid two things happen:

1) The liquid is confiscated. This is a security risk

2) They are then given the controls to the plane, containing several thousand of gallons of aviation fuel. This is not a security risk.

You couldn't make some of this stuff up.

[womanofdulwich]

we have just come back from the states where there are free water fountains everywhere, so you can empty your bottle and then refill from a drinking fountain the other side of the gates. that is so sensible- are so much greener than our approach- how long before we have free water fountains in our airports/ shopping centres?

[louisiana]

Ratty, did they have the knives individually secured in a locked cabinet under the control of the manager, or were there just stacks of knives at the waiters' service station? :)

[nashoi]

Seems like MI5/MI6 did a corking job on this one

I thought a disgruntled member of Al Qaeda handed himself into Yemeni authorities.

[HAL9000]

Or a double agent - they don't call it a 'wilderness of mirrors' for nothing.

[murphy]

louisiana Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> Bruce Schneier coined the term security theatre

> back in the early noughties, and ever since it's

> been going from bad to worse.

>

> >

> > But then lots of people say the feel safer.

> Cant

> > win

>

> The purpose of security theatre is to make people

> feel safer by being able to demonstrate something

> (anything!) is being done. Its purpose is not to

> make people safer. Suppliers of security theatre

> equipment also do pretty well out of it.

Bruce Schneier is great on security and says that of all the billions spent on security since 9/11 only two things have made any difference.

1). Reinforcing the cockpit door

2). Convincing passengers to fight back

"Everything else is window dressing"Why airport security is rubbish

[Loz]

nashoi Wrote:

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> Seems like MI5/MI6 did a corking job on this one

>

> I thought a disgruntled member of Al Qaeda handed

> himself into Yemeni authorities.

It was supposedly an ex-Guantanamo bay inmate. And I don't believe that - no security organisation reveals their sources.

[nashoi]

Sensible attitude Loz, but the truth is out there you just need to know where to look.

For instance, it's all become crystal clear to me now that Admin only recruits mods for the EDF after reading THE TRUTH.