[scary!]Airport confiscates a soda, but not a 7" knife

[Klorox]

LINK

AIRPORT CONFISCATES DRINK - BUT NOT KNIFE Date : 07.06.07 A holidaymaker managed to take a seven-inch knife on board a plane, moments after his 13-year-old daughter had a bottle of fizzy drink confiscated by security staff. Nick White realised that he had the lock knife in his pocket as he reached the security gate at Birmingham Airport. So he put it though the scanner with the rest of the contents of his pockets - and to his surprise, security staff failed to spot it. But his daughter, Shannon, was not so lucky because they confiscated a soft drink from her as part of increased security measures at the airport. Mr White, 45, from Ladle End Lane, Walton-on-Trent, said: "I'm a joiner and use my knife for work. I just forgot it was in my pocket and when I realised, I didn't want to give it up. "It was a 40th birthday present and I didn't want to lose it, but I thought I would be honest and put it in the tray and see what they said. "I couldn't believe it when my knife got through the scanner. Staff didn't even seem to be looking properly. "It wasn't in a case and doesn't look like anything else. You can tell it's a knife," The pair were travelling to Fuerteventura with Mr White's friend, Owen Stanley, when the incident happened. Once they boarded the plane, the party took photos of Mr White posing with the knife to show to friends. Mr Stanley, 20, of Main Street, Walton-on-Trent, said: "The air stewards were walking past and saw me taking the pictures. We were talking and laughing about it, not trying to hide it. "They didn't say anything." Mr White said he would not travel with the airline, MyTravel.com, again and would think twice before going to Birmingham airport. A spokeswoman for Birmingham International Airport said the airport had state-of-art security systems similar to those at other major UK Airports. She said: "Both the airport company and airline partners feel that Mr White's actions were incredibly foolish and cautions against anyone thinking of copying such behaviour. "There will always be people who either act recklessly and endanger others, or seek attention through the media." Mr White, who denied he was testing security or seeking attention, said: "I only came forward after I saw an ITV documentary on security at Birmingham Airport. "They were caught out then and I realised mine wasn't a one-off."

This really is some scary stuff!

[VulcanRider]

Sounds like airport security screeners in the UK are just like those in the U.S. -- bored civil servants who may or may not be paying attention.

[wellard]

News ... not! seeing as I work at an airport

Everday I get into work past bored security guards who dont check your bags properly much less my ID. Infact most days I still have my motorcycle helmet on when I go through the checkpoint so how can they check my ID to my face?

In fact this morning like every morning it is raining no one had there ID checked or bags inspected because the guards dont like getting wet and stayed inside thier cars instead.

Oh and just as a side issue I would reckon that 80% of the security guards employed since 9/11
at Sydney airport are young muslim men

[Beaumanoir]

An airport confiscated my mum's Paté.

Really can't figure that one out...

[Firestormalpha]

maybe they missed their lunch break?

[Bungleau]

Depending on where they were going to or coming from, there may be restrictions on importing meat products. A friend of mine was asked if he had any meat products. He replied he had pate... and they said, "Fine, but do you have any meat products?"

They ended up letting him through... par for the course.

[Callum]

Originally posted by wellard: Oh and just as a side issue I would reckon that 80% of the security guards employed since 9/11 at Sydney airport are young muslim men

Point being?

[wellard]

Originally posted by Callum: quote: Originally posted by wellard: Oh and just as a side issue I would reckon that 80% of the security guards employed since 9/11 at Sydney airport are young muslim men

Point being? [/QUOTE]Ever noticed a few terror attacks by youg muslim men around the world these last few years, there may have been something about it on the news.

Who checks the security guards?. In light of the recent plan by muslims to blow up JFK you would think we all would be on high alert.

[Callum]

But of course. I forgot all Muslims were terrorists.

[Klorox]

Nobody's saying all muslimes are terrorists. But all terrorists (at least the ones we're worrying about) ARE muslimes.

I hate political correctness with it's refusal to racially profile people. My wife is Polish-American, and I'm a mutt with mostly norse and italian heritage, but we get stopped at the airport every time.

If people worried less about feelings and more about saftey, less bad things would happen out there.