To think Manchester airport are discriminating

[BackOnceAgainWithABurnerEmail]

I have a couple of friends with colostomy bags. When flying through Manchester airport they have both been strip searched! This is purely because of the bag. They were hauled off by two guards and made to strip to naked and take off the bag and show what’s under it. All their stuff was left for anyone to nick on the conveyer.

Stoma charity say it’s a private airport and they can do what they like. But I think it’s awlful. I can’t stop thinking about it since I found out.

What can be done? Local mp has written to Manchester airport but no reply so far.

I get that security has to be thorough, but there must surely be more dignified ways to deal with stoma patients! Bloody hell.

Drug mules use them so YABU.

There must be a more dignified way of handling it, but I'd hope that security do check bags under clothing pretty thoroughly.

I doubt they were hauled off.

They were asked to go to a private area where they could arrange a further search.

Whilst your friends have colostomy bags because the need them. Many people use them to conceal items they shouldnt have.

Sadly, this will happen as long as criminals use such things to conceal drugs/explosives etc. Blame them.

Manchester airport are really skirting the courtesy line at the mo. Lots of nosy poking through stuff that isn't on their posters regarding your hand luggage, obtrusive questions, excessive body searches. Other airports seem to manage to be polite and allow enough time for a drink before you board!

Unfortunately security has to be a priority and people with any kind of disability can still pose a risk. DS is a wheelchair user and is always taken aside and searched, has hands swabbed etc. If you were an able bodied drug mule, whats a better way to get stuff through than by playing a protected disability 'card'.

Unfortunatly, as a body worn bag would be perfect for getting explosives or drugs through security they have to be checked.

When I was wearing a compression garment with gel padding for scar management I was always asked to take it off and it was swabbed. Not the most dignified process (more in getting it back on - medical compression is tight!), but the staff were always kind and considerate.

I don’t think that anyone could steal from the conveyor belt though. If their stuff went missing they’d be able to find who’s taken it?

My dsis is always searched/swabbed. She uses a wheelchair.

Blame the terrorists and drug trafficker.

Were they "hauled off" or taken somewhere more private so they could be properly searched? Are you suggesting people w stoma bags should not be searched- that seems a little open to abuse.

I get the security concerns but no other airport that they’ve been through does this so I think there must be other ways.

I stand by ‘hauled off’. They weren’t allowed to take their stuff or even say to the people they were travelling with that they’d be longer. It was dealt with in a completely undignified manner.

What do I think should be fine. Well I don’t think they should have been made to strip from the waist down. They could inspect the bag and beneath it without removing knickers. I think if they’re going to do this is should be clear up front. I think they could say bags must be empty.

It’s the way they do it, not just that they do it.

• be done (not be fine)

Well as long as people are trying to get drugs and explosives on a plane this will have to happen. Security have to check they aren’t trying to smuggle something on the plane. My friend is always stopped and her bags swabbed and sometimes taken for an additional search because of the medication she has to travel with, she knows this and leaves extra time so she’s not worrying about missing her plane, simple if you know it’s going to happen leave a bit earlier and then you’ll still have time for your drink. I agree with security on this one yabu l.

Stoma charity say it’s a private airport and they can do what they like

I don't think that's quite right ... might be an idea to see if there's some proper legal advice from somewhere.

That said, there are exemptions in all laws for security etc, etc.

What can be done? Local mp has written to Manchester airport but no reply so far.

When all else fails, the law is the last resort. But you need to know what you are claiming or charging first. Distress ? Inconvenience ? If you want to allege discrimination, you need to have clear evidence beforehand.

They were hauled off by two guards and made to strip to naked and take off the bag and show what’s under it

That sounds plain wrong. Not even the police could do that without some very serious reasons. I'd start by thinking it's an assault, and work from there. Especially if the airport were stupid enough not to allow the passengers a chaperone in a 2-on-1 situation.

I suggested other approaches above isithometime and these situations do t sounds comparable. My friends had to take their knickers off, the iliostomy bags don’t even touch the tops of their knickers. How is that proportionate? Especially when no other airport they travel through does this. They don’t mind bring searched but it’s how they are being searched I am taking issue with.

Thanks professor some food for thought there. I was wondering about asking the MP to ask a question in parliament. From what I can work out on the Internet, they may be a private airport but the department of transport still must regulate them.

Many smaller metro airports with international flights do in fact search stoma bag wearers. You won’t see it at larger international airports like heathrow or Gatwick because they have more advanced remote sensing and scanning technology in place.
It’s the same with smuggling in cash. Smaller airports with international flights have to rely on physical searches whereas the major hubs can all detect exactly how much cash you have on you with remote sensors and scanners.

There’s a reason they aren’t allowed to tell others they’re travelling with/collect bags.
Obviously if they were concealing something if there was more in their luggage the other people could take them/they could switch out something discreetly at a bag or drop something.

I don’t understand why they had to strip starkers though not justifying the whole ordeal, I know people wearing incontinence products have been asked to show them (obviously so your not stuffing a large adult nappy with coke)

People are so harsh. "Blame the terrorists and drug mules" Yeah, for stoma bag wearers having to be searched, but not HOW they are searched.

In my experience security at airports treat everybody who might possibly be suspect, disrespectfully. They operate on the fact you might be a terrorist and then can treat you like shit, because if you're a terrorist, then you are shit.

The problem is that they cause a great deal of problems for passengers. Problems people don't talk about. I've a friend with PTSD who can't travel any more because of something that happened to her at security. And heard stories of other people too. A rape or sexual assault victim with a stoma who had to remove their underwear would likely be retraumatised.

Most people don't have too much of a problem with security checks at airports, but then again, they're not queuing up to be strip searched themselves, I notice.

I put YANBU - not because I think they mustn’t be searched, but because it’s very unfair that they should have to leave their belongings unattended.

And I also agree that knickers off isn’t proportionate.

I agree it's discriminatory but security have to respond to threats and intelligence. My mum has an Irish passport in 70/80s and was always stopped and searched because of IRA activity. She understood why it had to be so. Unfortunately the same thing has happened to Muslims post 9/11. Bit essentially none of us can blame security for doing their job even when it feels a bit discriminatory

I always feel like a criminal going through security at manchester airport, far more so than others. They just have that way of looking at you and making you feel like you've done something wrong.

Agree colostomy bag wearers need to be searched but it could be done with more dignity and empathy.

They have body scanners at Manchester Airport. You'd only have a hand search if you refuse the body scan, and even then they only ask you to remove sufficient clothing to conduct the search.

Which MP is looking into this?