It’s not often we see outbreaks of common sense, but following my comments yesterday about (among other things) airport security, it seems that the chairman of BA agrees with me.
The chairman of British Airways has said some “completely redundant” airport security checks should be scrapped and the UK should stop “kowtowing” to US security demands.
Indeed. It is about time we stopped kowtowing to the US in everything – including aggressive wars in foreign countries, but that’s another matter.
Practices such as forcing passengers to take off their shoes should be abandoned, Martin Broughton said.
Yes, because one person tried to hide explosives in his shoes, we have the indignity of travellers being asked (nay, demanded) to remove their shoes before going through what is laughably called airport security but which is, in fact, theatre that serves little real purpose. The terrorists, having tried and failed to get explosives through in a shoe have long since moved onto something else, just as they will not try to hold up an aircraft with a nail file or blow one up using underpants or soft drinks. Shoes are so 2002, darling. So, we all have to go through this indignity for no purpose, while the terrorist who did try has succeeded in his aims without causing any explosion at all. Well done.
And he questioned why laptop computers needed to be screened separately.
Quite simply, they don’t. But…
The Department for Transport said there were no plans to change rules on checking laptops and shoes.
Of course not. To do so would involve actually engaging their brains and thinking about the matter. It would also mean having to accept that we face risks and cannot be made absolutely safe every single time.
All that said, it is refreshing to hear the voice of reason above the paranoid cacophony of the security services and the media who trot out their press releases unquestioningly and the politicians who willingly trample on our liberties and dignity with barely a thought beyond their own electoral survival.
Prospective new brother in law came in from Norway last week and walked straight through with his expensive swiss army knife in his pocket. Guess he would make the perfect terrorist!
I get stopped every time I come into the UK – maybe I just have one of those “IRA” faces.
The tiny and cute Mrs M! always gets frisked, which stops half way through as soon as she starts giggling and reduces the entire customs section to a state of gooiness normally found in wee girls who encounter puppies. Another perfect underware bomber gets through.
Common sense emigrated a long time ago. At some point, somewhere in the world, a suicide bomber is going detonate a bomb (or even just attempt to) actually at airport security. When that happens what will the security circus do then? … pre airport security? lf an attack then happens there … pre pre airport security?
Admittedly, we have had a terrorist attack but these were not foreign nationals. Remind me again where this attack took place? … ah yes, the Tube! Lots of security there nowadays isn’t there? No travellers taking large suitcases etc onboard then???
Don’t worry though, when you get to the airport everything will be checked to make sure you’re ‘safe’ and if there’s any suspect liquids … they’ll be confiscated and all thrown together in a big box!
What about travelling on the Inter-City trains? Surely there’s security comparable to airports there? … No, sorry … afraid not.
Ferries then? Like the P&O ferries that travel daily/hourly to and from mainland Europe? Surely there’s tight security there? … No, sorry … afraid not. You can get a bus (literally) onboard a ferry with no checks whatsoever except for passport checks.
But don’t panic because all suicide bomber terrorists (foreign) are totally stupid and have OCD about aircraft and so will get caught at airport security. They won’t detonate before they get on the aircraft because … because … because … errrrr?
Flying as much as I do, you get to see those countries which have adopted common sense. The Russians could f*** up a wet dream, but their airport security is nailed down pretty well. No taking off of shoes, no scanning laptops separately, no taking off your watch. Just tkae off your jacket, empty your pockets, and walk through. Then you get to Incheon, Korea and find yourself having to take out cameras, separate laptops, remove belts, etc. Some consistency would be nice, if nothing else.