AIBU to think airport security were wrong to do this?

[LightTurquoise]

This isn't an issue to me, I was in fact, very grateful and happy.

DD is 7; she has a mini-suitcase for the plane. She accidentally packed a body spray, a family member had brought her. Airport security let it go through, when she started to tear up.

AIBU to think this wasn't that smart?

Er, I read Battersea's comment to mean noone would choose the unscreened flights? Maybe that says more about me though!

I have to visit family in Europe fairly regularly but I refuse to fly unless I absolutely have to. I prefer the overnight ferries.

I understand the concern about terrorism on flights, but as far as smuggling drugs goes, my bet would be (I havent tested this, Im not a mule!) that the ferries would be much easier! They dont have anywhere near the same security and you can take a car-load of stuff. I had heard that friends of inlaws had brought boxes of fireworks over by ferry. They had forgotten they were in the car and only discovered it when they unpacked after getting back home!

I was in the security queue last Wednesday at Standsted and absentmindedly put on some l'occitane hand cream.
I then set the scanner off as I walked through it, was then swabbed for explosives and was positive twice. Was taken into a room, had a thorough pat down, my passport was taken off me and criminal record check was run on it, my hand bag and all its contents were swabbed again for explosives.
At first I was like are you being serious, then I got really anxious and it wasn't nice.

we went through once and dd had a bottle of water ...security woman sort of pounced ...I apologised and said to throw it away but she gave it the works....sniffed/shook/dibbled her fingers in it and then gave it back

I always set off the scanner doodah cos I wear too much jewellery and usually heels but never had anything more than a pat down and an eye roll

Security is much tighter on a plane because it is pressurised when it flies, which means a very small bomb could blow it to pieces. It can also cause more damage to those on the ground when it explodes.
On a train you can derail it, and a carriage might be severely damaged, but the overall damage is limited.
Just compare a major train derailment to Lockerbie. Bombs are worse on trains when they are in tunnels, as it concentrates the energy back on the train - so tube bombings are worse. (And Eurotunnel would be an issue).

My mother absent mindedly went through security with a bag full of large bottles of liquids. Whilst she was getting the third degree, my 4yo DD shouted over 'Grandma, on the naughty step, NOW!' causing much mirth.

They are so non-consistent in their checks. I'm convinced it is a power trip

Travelling with 4 month old baby from UK to Australia (and unable to breastfeed and I had to take tins of formula from Aus on the outward leg to UK as it was not available in UK). I had 8 bottles of sterlised water to see me through the flight. Bastards made me open every bottle and drink from each one, whilst 4 staff stood there and watched me balance a small baby and try and drink boiled water (now not sterile) and repack my backpack and nappy back.
I was crying by the end (PFB) as I thought my baby would not be ill- teats were dropped on the conveyor belt where shoes etc go.

Luckily she is still alive, but that was my single worst journey. I loathe Heathrow.

On another occasion we went to Tampa- guy was a delight and said he could check a bottle of water (child now toddler) and Nurofen by a special machine without opening it. Never been offered this anywhere else in the world. Surely Heathrow could have such a machine?

The last three times I flew, I took some crochet with me, and a little pair of scissors (to cut the yarn). I had checked ahead of time that the crochet hook would be OK, and that the scissors were within the guidelines.

Going through Glasgow, security had no issues with either the crochet hook or scissors. Going through Heathrow, security wanted to check the scissors, but we're unconcerned about the crochet hook. Going through London City, security didn't bat an eyelid at the scissors, but had to examine the crochet hook - this took two of them.

I brought (expensive) perfume in DF once going to France. This was just after a bomb attack, so security was HIGH (they'd just brought in the 'no liquids under 100ml thing). On the holiday, chucked the (logo'd) DF bag containing cellophane-wrapped perfume and receipt into the hand luggage bag and forgot it.

They found it one the way back. My shoulder's sagged (it was sixty quid's worth of nice smell!) and I said "ok, take it". They let me keep it. I was VERY grateful.

I once had a bottle of pop in my bag (totally forgotten about) a Faro airport in Portugal. Straight away I told them to throw it away but they scanned it made me drink a bit and then thrust it in my hand and made me take it. All the time I was saying just throw it away it's a bottle of Coke.

Body sprays are normally 75 or 90 ml so perhaps it was just under limit.

Given the events in Brussels today (even though that is reported to have taken place before security), I suspect that airports will be moving towards zero tolerance.

On a train you can derail it, and a carriage might be severely damaged, but the overall damage is limited.
192 people died & more than 1,800 injured in the Madrid train attacks in 2004.

Last time I flew (just me and DD) security insisted I took my sleeping toddler out of her sling, take off her shoes, cardigan to swab. Which unsurprisingly did not go down well. Then while I was trying to get a wailing exhausted toddler dressed and back in sling they started complaining that I was too slow collecting my hand luggage from the belt. I'm normally very patient but I admit to getting quite annoyed at that point.

Banana they do have a machine for checking liquids in Heathrow- DD is on a nightly medication (in bottles of less than 100mls) and they always check it.

I suspect the victims at Brussels Airport today would have welcomed tighter security...given a second chance

I know this thread started before this mornings events, but I think it's a bit tasteless to carry on with this discussion under the circumstances.

Except that it was before security. I've always wondered why there haven't been more incidents landside. The check-in area is the soft target. Now it has happened. But I don't see how you can change it, otherwise you'd just move the problem to wherever you are doing the security checks.

The bomber that killed the Russian tourists in turkey got a job at the airport. It looks as if one of the Brussels bombs was in an area the public shouldn't have been able to reach. Security can be infiltrated too, sickeningly

Sadly, perhaps we will see more attacks like this, but attacks that actually 'succeed' in terms of actually detonating a bomb are the tip of the iceberg - quite a lot are detected during the planning stage, like the liquids plot for example. There probably have been many more, but they are not always reported on.

Crowded places are the real worry for the security services as it is almost impossible to effectively prevent bombs entering the area without severely restricting normal daily life.

Imagine the queues if everyone had to pass through a metal detector to get on the tube, enter a shopping centre or concert venue for example.

Why do you care OP?? I regularly travel through other European airports and get through security with 150/200ml of cosmetic liquids, 1l bottles water that I forgot were in there. Fact is once in duty free there are enough other liquids that with knowledge you could buy and construct a "weapon" with...so this stupid liquids rule is widely regarded by experts as being completely pointless and just a huge power trip and time wasting exercise. Airport security would be better spent analysing individuals/behaviour/anything out of ordinary and spending more time on pat-downs and scanning.

Only - it wasn't, I've said that it was this huge Disney one...

I don't see how it's tasteless?

"used" its not tasteless at all . Its naive to think that this wont now be the centre of debate for months - issues with travel/security will be constantly discussed.

I was coming home from New York in December 2001 so security was really high. Security officers were patrolling the queues telling everyone to have their documents ready and pushing people forward who were in danger of missing their flights. It was controlled chaos.

I suddenly thought I had something that could be used as a weapon in my hand luggage so asked one of the officers for advice.

I fished my metal lip brush out of my make up bag and showed him it. He examined it slowly, taking the lid off, putting it on the other end, telescoping a few times and then handed it back saying: 'I'm going to take a chance on you, Ma'am.'

Airport security would be better spent analysing individuals/behaviour/anything out of ordinary and spending more time on pat-downs and scanning

Exactly. A well trained assassin can cause serious damage with all manner of innocuous household and personal objects that everyone carries on planes without restriction (pens, glass bottles etc).

Most members of the travelling public would never be able to, want to or think to do anything like this.

I did think about this thread actually when I read the news. It's an awful event but the fact that it did happen land side probably saved many lives.