To think there must be a special qualification in grumpiness for airport staff?

[poorchurchmouse]

My brother died last week. Had to fly north to be with my family as he managed to pick the weekend when there were no trains in or out of King’s Cross. Everyone in both airports has been so grumpy ( and they don’t even have the same rules- phone stayed in my bag on the way north, they want it in a tray at security on the way south. Shoes on heading north, off going south. Eye-rolling and huffing because I didn’t instantly know they want different things.)

I’m feeling extra fragile so it’s getting to me more than it normally would, but I don’t want to be here in the first place, I’ve spent the last few days supporting my DM and doing death admin, and it’s so bloody miserable when everyone clearly regards the passengers as a hateful inconvenience.

Was it Newcastle Airport? If so, they're all under threat of redundancy again after job losses last year further job losses have been announced. They also get endless shit from many passengers (not necessarily you) about green/amber/red, testing rules, passengers detail forms, covid rules within the airport, and so on. I'm very sorry for your loss but can you see why they might be feeling a bit demoralised right now?

I’m at Newcastle, but it was the same at Heathrow on Friday.

Agree with pp - I feel for anyone who works in an airport right now after the year they have had. The uncertainty day by day if they will have a job this time next year

Saying that though I do get your frustration about the differences in airport security. About five years ago I used to travel weekly for work all over the UK and I think every airport did something slightly different. When I challenged it, they said they are only following CAA regulations - well you can’t all
be doing that if it’s different everywhere

And no, I’m not giving anyone any grief about anything.

DSis works for an airline so I get the uncertainty, but treating people so they vow to get the train next time if humanly possible won’t help!

I used to travel often for work and the differences between airports is irritating as often there's no reason for it. The electronics in/out of bags does have a reason though. Heathrow changed its rules a couple of years ago when they got new scanning equipment. There were posters up at the time as most people were well-used to fishing out all of their electronics.

While their are security standards set by the by CAA and the government, individual airports can also add their own security policies on top of these and might also have differences in equipment/staffing etc which is where variances in things like shoes on/shoes off, phone out/phone away comes from.

YANBU, and I'm sorry for your loss. In addition to the things you mention, I am of Middle Eastern appearance and always get 'randomly' selected for extra checks at security. I wish they wouldn't pretend it was random.

I don't think the OP was asking about the reasons for the different policies, just objecting to the eye-rolling and huffing that came with it.

You can feed it back if you want to:

If you wish to give us feedback about any aspect of your journey through Newcastle International Airport, please use the contact details below:

Telephone: 0871 882 1121
Email: [email protected]

So sorry for your loss.

I've always found airport staff polite, but doctors' receptionists totally live up to the stereotype.

It's crazy how each airport varies. Birmingham Airport is actually my idea of hell. They insist you use their plastic clear bags , no idea why and then the security staff are really unkind. I've a physical disability and they were incredibly nasty when I took a while to remove and put on my shoes. Told me I should have worn different shoes and then they lost my walking stick. This was pre pandemic and I'd travel hundreds of miles by train just to avoid there. I flew out of Newquay on Friday just gone and they were honestly so lovely and friendly.

YANBU to be annoyed. Consistent rules at all UK airports would not be a difficult thing to do.

Though if ground staff are treated in the way Ryanair treated customers, I doubt if we'd be particularly pleasant towards anyone.

I've always found the staff at Newcastle airport to be incredibly friendly and jovial. It's the current circumstances, theirs and yours, which are both awful.

I’ve found this exact thing at Newcastle and Stansted especially over many years. Grumpy, rude staff. It’s even worse in the US though - there they seem to just bark orders at passengers and treat them like they’re something they scraped off a shoe

, @romdowa. That’s shocking.

Why oh why can they just not specify what their rules are. Phones / laptops / shoes/ etc. Just put the damn rules on the screens that you see in the queue.

And @poorchurchmouse so sorry to hear about your brother. Hope you are ok

I've never flown from Newcastle but pre covid Manchester used to drive me scatty. Staff who had perfected the eye roll and huff were standard. And the rules were inconsistent from week to week.
I nearly always flew with hand luggage only with roughly the same stuff in. One week face powder was classed as a liquid and should have been in the clear bag. Another time adaptor plugs were deemed an electronic device and should have been taken out. And so on and on.
Leeds Bradford and Liverpool were far nicer and more consistent in the rules.

for you and your family

My blasted passport photo had to be without my glasses - fine - so I have to take them off to go through the screening, trouble is I can't see what the screen is saying or when its finished ... not the same but I was told I had to do this (you have to be there to imagine this, it was like a skit, I am seriously short sighted!) & yes my dh is always "randomly" picked at passport control so he is never around to help (he is Asian)
My sympathy for your loss op

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I used to work at an airport, on check in, many years ago. I have never experienced abuse or just general difficulty/unpleasantness like it. Passengers are stressed/rude/other and it really brings out the very worst in people. In addition to that, airports operate on ridiculous hours, most shifts start between 2 & 4am, it's like there is no time in there, so you'll get an email saying that there's a staff meeting, it's at 3:30am and you're all expected to be there. So in essence, people are massively rude to you and you're permanently exhausted, it's a hard job!

I can’t comment as I haven’t flown for a while but just wanted to say sorry for your loss and that you were treated unkindly

Yes, there must be I'm sure! My condolences to you - having to navigate all this stuff when recently bereaved is just the worst.

Never been to Newcastle airport but here's a special mention for Bristol in the worst airport ever category, especially if you're disabled. Among other things, apparently my foreign prescription was categorically NOT a prescription (only the NHS can write them, who knew ) and therefore I could not take my liquid medication through security. I hate the way the rules vary so much.

I had a 'final straw' moment when they took my medication away AGAIN at Gatwick when I was flying home after my Dad died (luckily I had taken a dose before going through security) but the much-maligned easyJet staff were really kind and gave me free hot chocolate on the flight... so there is hope!

Some of these experiences are a lot worse than mine. The treatment of people with disabilities is shocking.