UK Hand luggage restriction to be eased.

[spylaw4]

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I see from yesterday's security announcments (via the BBC website) that the one-bag-only restriction at UK airports is to be eased from 7 Jan 2008, under several conditions.

 

Airports have got to apply to have it lifted and show that they are using the latest equipment and have the extra capacity. Size restrictions on liquids and bags will remain.

 

Apparently UK is the only remaining country to operate this policy and it is "rapidly becoming a national embarrassment" (Shadow transport secretary) and "damaging the UK's reputation around the world" (CEO, BA); sentiments with which I can only agree.

 

Sense at last!

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[andybarton]

Currently, much depends upomn how busy the security area are, and the mood of the person checking.

 

When we departed from Liverpool John Lennon, to go to Berlin, we were fortunate to be the only people going through security. We had one piece of carry-on luggage each.

 

My wife had deliberately set up the plastic bag with contact lens fluids and other stuff, but forgotten that she had left it in the bag.

 

We both went through without question.

 

This would not have happened at a busier time, or airport, such as Manchester or any of the London ones.

 

It will be interesting to see which airports are elevated to this "Premier League" of security status, such that they allow their passengers to take on-board a handbag as well as a small piece of luggage.

[guywalder]

 

Apparently UK is the only remaining country to operate this policy and it is "rapidly becoming a national embarrassment" (Shadow transport secretary) and "damaging the UK's reputation around the world" (CEO, BA); sentiments with which I can only agree.

 

Sense at last!

 

a bit of typical political economy with the truth... some airlines insist on 1 bag, regardless of country.

what i cant grasp is why decades of IRA terrorism had so little apparent effect on security procedures, but a paranoia in the american administration has completely changed airport security in the UK (but only airports)

Seems to me that the germans sharpenened up in the 70s in response to the Baader Meinhof gang, and they are consistently more alert than their counterparts in the uk, meanwhile the japanese already have police on shinkansen trains, and shinkansen stations crawling with police during periods of high alert, and to use the subway in delhi everyone goes through a security check on every journey.

I've been through a, packed, heathrow transfer security check with fluids in my bag without comment, and seen the guy behind me dragged over the coals because he didnt take his toothpaste out of his bag.... its all down to the people doing the job at the end of the day

[andybarton]

what i cant grasp is why decades of IRA terrorism had so little apparent effect on security procedures, but a paranoia in the american administration has completely changed airport security in the UK (but only airports)

 

Because the IRA never went as far as deciding that blowing up passenger airlines was a good idea, that would further their political cause.

[bill]

When I flew back from Berlin I had all my toiletries in a clear ziplok bag that I had used on the outward flight. I had bought some aftershave and Clarins stuff in the main airport concourse, that the shop assistant put in a clear plastic bag.

 

When I got to security, they insisted on me having all fluids in a single clear bag. The attendant and I wrestled to get everything in my ziplok bag. If it hadn't fitted, I was told, I would have had to bin it.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[guywalder]

Because the IRA never went as far as deciding that blowing up passenger airlines was a good idea, that would further their political cause.

 

true, but attacks on trains/stations were made in Germany and Italy decades ago, and nothing much seemed to change in the UK, despite a real and specific threat, and how many years has it taken after the Madrid train bombings (specific to the current threat) for the UK to react?

I still dont see the connection between cause and effect

 

Bill, last time I flew out of Tokyo I was obliged to take my fluids out of the 'general' plastic bag, in order to put them into an 'official' plastic bag (the same size)....

[Guest stnami]

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Bill, last time I flew out of Tokyo I was obliged to take my fluids out of the 'general' plastic bag, in order to put them into an 'official' plastic bag (the same size)....

...............yea it sorta pisses you off when they close the toilets

[andybarton]

Guy

 

The Government here are on the road of increasing the peceived threat in the general population, for reasons best known to themselves. It's all about control.

 

Whilst we should not be complacent with regards to the current terrorist threat, I am of the opinion that English cities were far more dangerous places during the 70s and 80s than they are now.

 

I worked in London for 6 years and was in Hyde Park when the IRA blew up the mounted military band. I was working 100 yards from John Lewis in Oxford Street, when they blew up the gents toilet on the second floor, and I heard their bomb at Canary Wharf.

 

I am not convinced that stopping people taking a tube of Colgate onto an aeroplane is the right way to go about things.

[stunsworth]

If you are going to have more overseas military campaigns since the second world war, you have to keep people on their toes on the home front as a way of justifying them.

 

The hypocrisy of those in charge is breathtaking. They bang on about 'ethical' business, democracy and human rights, and then lay out the red carpet for a visit by the Saudis after blocking an investigation into the huge back handers given to them.

 

And no, I don't think the other lot would have done anything differently.

[wattsy]

The Government here are on the road of increasing the peceived threat in the general population, for reasons best known to themselves. It's all about control.

 

Agreed. The erosion of civil liberties in recent years is of far greater concern to me than the small risk of being in the wrong place when a bomb goes off.

[bill]

I've just read the item on the BBC about terror-proofing public buildings - I was amused by the reference to the "death of architecture".

 

BBC NEWS | Magazine | How to terror-proof shopping centres and other buildings

 

The siege mentality that has blighted our children's lives, leading to them being cossetted and chauffeured because of the hysteria over "stranger danger" is in danger of being repeated. Fear is a powerful force to keep people in their place. But you cannot maintain a heightened state of fear for long - you have to reinforce it. The government works hard to talk up the danger - in frightening but non-specific ways - in order to justify increased "vigilance", increased control.

 

Was Eric Arthur Blair any relation, I wonder, to our dear departed, but not forgiven, warmongering leader?

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[Angora]

I had a gift (that I received) to be opened right in the airport because it contained liquid... nice, I hoped to open it myself at home as a normal person would do, but no.

 

So I had to go back, make it pack and travel with normal luggage then go through the security check again.

 

All this for a single little honey pot.

 

Thank you, f... "counter-terrorist measures".

[earleygallery]

There are a couple of issues. No matter what the Govt say the airports can do, some airlines will still keep tighter restrictions if it suits them. Don't expect Not That Easy Jet to relax their baggage restrictions so quickly - I may be wrong of course.

 

As for so called security controls, I think its more a case of 'seen to be doing' than any real strategy to guard us against terrorists. It should be all or nothing. What's the point of having thorough searches for example when I flew out from Gatwick recently and then the next time you just walk through unchecked.

 

Interestingly, they asked me to open my rucksack (which had the M2, lenses, film and light meter in) on the way from Berlin. I expected it to be honest. Bag pulled off to one side then "can I see your camera?" - I thought it would be the f4 Elmar and the light meter which would cause them alarm when they saw it on x ray. The guy just gave the camera a cursory glance then waved me on.

 

I hate air travel now, its such a pain.

[stunsworth]

Well in fairness to Easyjet, they don't have a weight limit on carry on baggage - provided you can carry it easily they don't care.

 

I'd not flown in ages before the trip to Berlin, and to be honnest at Liverpool - which I admit isn't a large airport - it didn't feel much different than before the regulations came in.

[Ronazle]

I do believe that those of you crediting the idiot like procedures to government deviousness credit the government(s) with exercising more intelligence than they normally can muster up.

 

I offer you two quotes; the first from Dune: "fear is the great mind killer" and the second from The Story of Civilization by William Durant (in that its from memory, it is slightly inaccurate): "more than corrupting, power is dementing". Perhaps most answers as to why governments do what they do lies within the concepts covered by those two quotes.

[guywalder]

 

Thank you, f... "counter-terrorist measures".

 

the trouble is NONE of the 'new' proposals are counter terrorism, at best they are only damage limitation.

Where are the policies to address the causes of extremism and terrorism? where is the recognition that decades of proping up dubious governments, or 'freedom fighters' in the name of anti-communism (or some other national interest excuse) was, surprise, surprise, not such a great idea after all??

[wattsy]

I offer you two quotes; the first from Dune: "fear is the great mind killer" and the second from The Story of Civilization by William Durant (in that its from memory, it is slightly inaccurate): "more than corrupting, power is dementing". Perhaps most answers as to why governments do what they do lies within the concepts covered by those two quotes.

 

How about this quote from Leica-loving Nazi Hermann Goering: "Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

[Ronazle]

Ian, no argument. But Herman and his friends power were a product of the people's fears in regard to basic issues. Governments seldom originate the fear that at least occassionally drives most of us. Without a doubt government often feeds our fears, but only rarely do they completely create the fear situations out of nothing.

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Hallo,

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[jmr]

Benjamin Franklin -

 

"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

[marknorton]

I gave up travelling to the US - on business or vacation - some years ago because of the horrors of US Immigration; flying out of a UK airport now makes I it doubly worse so I avoid air travel like the plague.