Can you beleive this? Airport security gone MAD!

[harrisey]

I understand that the govt feels there is a need to improve airport security/stop people carrying bottles of water/chewing gum etc on to flights.
But this weekend took the biscuit. We flew Glasgow - Belfast for MILs 60th Birthday do. Out on Fri, back on Sun.
On the way out, dd1's schoolbag (she came straight from school to the flight) which has a little clear sealed pocket with glitter and water in it to look pretty (present from my stepmum) was confiscated at security as there was too much liquid in it and they didnt know what it was! They wanted to pop it and let the water/glitter out but with some persuading allowed dh to run back down to check in to put it inthe hold (and a big huge thanks to Easyjet for reopening their checkin desk just for this!)
On the way back - they decided to bodysearch dd2. Dd2 is 2years 9months old. SHe was nice enough to let them do it, but it seemed just a little ott to me. Plus the fuss of taking off shoes for checking etc.
If youhad a bomb, would you not just pu tit in the hold and use your mobile to set off a remote signal to it whwn the time came? Rather than booby trapping a 6yo's schoolbag and a 2yo's body in some way?
Puts me off flying anyway, so probably good for the environment!

melpomene - AirFrance still used metal cutlery on their flights (at least, they did 18 months ago): don't let a potential security scare get in the way of the French enjoying their food!

i'm hoping we see a revival of British holiday-making from all this.

If only british holidaying could be done at the same cheap prices as going abroad! And the weather could be relied upin too!

Hmmm. Guess I've got a different vision for 'holiday'. Am used to going out in all weathers, as are the girls. Our activities usually involve visiting historical attractions for now and will probably be hillwalking-related later. We go to a self-catering cottage, so we don't need to eat out.

For us, at least, no cheap airfare is enough to entice us to go through the hassle of airports and flying.

Just been booking October half term holiday. It worked out cheaper for us to have a week in a SC cottage in Northern France, including the tunnel fare, than it did to have a similar property in the UK! We will cobine the journey down with visiting family, so save there too.

Not keen on going out in the wet have to admit. Nopt for my main summer holiday anyway. ilike it to be reliably dry and warm.

Mind you, had some fab British holidays as a child. But tried it as an adult and it was miserable and wet the whole time. Would have prefered to be at home in the end in too many ways.

There's a ferry that goes to France from here. Takes forever, though!

Might have to try it one day, though.

We normally go on the seacat to Ireland but this weekend was just too tight for time with all we had planned - was hectic birthday weekend for MIL with events going on all the time.
Never normally fly within the UK and agree with expat that the great scottishj all weather holiday (packing wellies, waterproofs, baucket and spade and gloves) is fab. When I was a kid we went to Nairn in August and it SNOWED!

How come there's never been a report on the news about babies being used as suicide bombers/'martyr's'???

Some time ago now but has certainly happened here

COOL, harrisey! We'd dig that! That would make our holiday.

Woohoo! The other day when it started chucking rain here I didn't bother pulling my hood up b/c the toggles on it are broken and it'd just have blown off in the wind.

It was glorious!

My smallest kid has been frisked since he started flying at 9 weeks.Now he's 2,he must have been done over well over 50 times.

Doesn't bother me.I am happy to go with the herd if it bmakes us allsafer,althoguh I can't help but think that if someone is prepared to blow themselves up along with their target,there isn't much anyone can do about it,despite hysteria over nail scissors and the like.

All that is just a psychological ply to make us feel better.

Was once on a plane years ago and two pissed blokes were arrested immediately prior to take off. Very dramatic.

Singapore too,so God knows what they did to them next.

Wheeee! I have never started such a popular thread! (except about shhhhh you-know-who)

I suppose I have a different take on it Moondog. I tto think it won't stop a committed terrorist - but thik that athe addtional secuirty measure are not just a psychological ploy to make us feel better, but to soften us up to accept the gradual erosion of our civil liberties. It is much easier to "control" the people in a police state, which each little civil libert lost takes us towrds.

We are now "grateful" that we can take on "more hand luggage than just the plastic bag. We accept that people can be locked up for 28 days without charge. That ID cards are going to be made compulsory after 2010 and that if you apply for a passport now, your names automtically go on to the National ID register. That the govrnment passes an act that allows it to change major laws without going thorugh parliament, as long as "it beleives it is in the country's best interests"........

I'm actually becoming ashamed of being British and afraid for the future of the country.

PB,what you say is valid and I have considered taking your stance,but I don't subscribe to it ultimately.

I have nothing to hide,so am happy to be ID'd fingerprinted and whathaveyou wherever and whenever.

The world is a different place these days.
People move about so fast,frequently and cheaply in a way that is unprecendented,that something has to be done.

Having lived abroad most of my life,I know that the British and their commitment to civil liberties are the laughing stock of the world.

The Saudis my father lectures to were wetting themselves during the Bosnia crisis at the thought that the British were intervening on bejhalf of Muslims.