Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports

Quote:
I wondered about not even being asked, what the hell the stuff in my bag (hand-luggage) is after Hugos BBQ. A bag full of electronic crap, empeg steel-cases, a top lid with sharp edges it cutted a hole in the bag, and this all with no identifiable sense. Noone even wanted to look ito the bag. And now the totally other direction, no hand-luggage allowed. I think, they are getting too lax, when nothing happened a while, and too strong for a short time if there is an actual threat.
Not that i am unhappy, not to have to explain, what empeg spare parts are and why i can't check this stuff in. (4 rio receivers in my back-pack was nearly too much, no space left...)
Lucky flying BBQ-attendees, that this didn't happen earlier...

cheers,
Thomas

I actually had the opposite experience. The UK version of the TSA was very interested in what I was carrying on to the plane. They disassembled my entire carry-on and swabbed each piece to be tested for explosives. In the process, the agent broke keys off my laptop keyboard. I later completely screwed it up when trying to snap them back on and broke the keys. Replacement keyboard only cost me $25, so it wasn't so bad.

Most of the crap from Hugo's shed was in my checked bag. I don't know if they tested that for anything, but the bag appeared to have never been open.

I flew to San Francisco with a brand new boxed empeg in my carry-on last weekend. In both NY and SF I was asked what it was and it was tested for explosives. They also tested my Karma for explosives in SF while they were at it.

Posted by: visuvius

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 10/08/2006 14:54

The most upsetting thing to me about this whole damn thing (the war on terror), is that it is never going to go away. Its just going to prepetuate itself till God knows when. Its like, our generations Communism, but more IN YO FACE (and more of a pain in the ass) via modern technology.

It just seems to me like the "terrorists" are never going to be pacified. Their actual gripes are never going to be addressed, and if that doesn't happen in one way or another, I doubt they are going to have some sort of epiphany. On the other hand, you have the West which is trying to protect itself but at the same time constantly poking a stick at the wasps nest. All of this is being driven by an incredibly profitable war machine. There are just way too many people making way too much money to want this thing to stop.

Maybe I'm just being really cynical and negative but I swear I feel like we're going to be dealing with this in 2056.

Posted by: Dignan

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 10/08/2006 15:05

Apparently security has really tightened in the US as well. We have an attorney flying today, and her secretary is already compiling a list of items she's going to mail to her while she's on travel that she wasn't able to take on the plane.

Posted by: visuvius

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 10/08/2006 15:18

What drives them is their religious leaders.

Its not just their religious leaders, its their leaders in general. The heads of pretty much all middle eastern countries disgust me. There is not a decent individual in that mix. Maybe, MAYBE the King of Jordan, and the President of Afghanistan (errr, Mayor of Kabul). Nothing is every done in the interest of the people.

However, these people have very real issues, and beating them over the head with Democracy is not going to solve their problems. We're constantly being told that they hate our freedom and all this nonsense. I honestly don't believe that is true. The taliban and a few other misguided assholes have massively distorted the image of muslims around the world. These people don't hate our freedom and a Caliphate from Spain to Indonesia is not exactly the number one concern at this point. But constantly saying that this is what we're fighting is a great scare tactic and makes for good copy.

Posted by: speedy67

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 10/08/2006 15:30

I wondered about not even being asked, what the hell the stuff in my bag (hand-luggage) is after Hugos BBQ. A bag full of electronic crap, empeg steel-cases, a top lid with sharp edges it cutted a hole in the bag, and this all with no identifiable sense. Noone even wanted to look ito the bag. And now the totally other direction, no hand-luggage allowed. I think, they are getting too lax, when nothing happened a while, and too strong for a short time if there is an actual threat.
Not that i am unhappy, not to have to explain, what empeg spare parts are and why i can't check this stuff in. (4 rio receivers in my back-pack was nearly too much, no space left...)
Lucky flying BBQ-attendees, that this didn't happen earlier...

cheers,
Thomas

Posted by: sein

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 10/08/2006 16:27

Whoa.

A couple of months ago I went to a Lighting and Construction exhibition in Frankfurt with two of my cousins. At the end of the day we had lots of shiny plastic bags with brochures, samples, CDs, and one company gave us neat miniature Leatherman-a-likes. Little gadgets with an extremely sharp flip-out blade, a mini torch, pliers, mini saw etc.

So, three asian guys, Hussein, Salim and Aziz just walk straight through customs and onto a plane to London with these things in their carry-on luggage. Not a beep from anyone.

Posted by: speedy67

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 10/08/2006 16:28

I wonder if the size of the airport does matter or the flight-destination. Me flying from Stansted in the area of the EU, you from Birmingham to the US. It doesn't make sense, either.

Posted by: RobotCaleb

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 10/08/2006 17:25

TSA just banned liquids.

Posted by: Mataglap

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 10/08/2006 18:04

So that means that having a bottle of water at a security checkpoint is illegal?

It's seriously eff'ed up.

Posted by: Robotic

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 10/08/2006 18:15

I'll drop one more note about my 'english-born' comment...
The news is too fresh to trust. Other stories I've read state that the aprehended individuals were English residents.

Posted by: sein

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 10/08/2006 19:09

Quote:
TSA just banned liquids.

Courtesy of Boing Boing

Posted by: tfabris

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 10/08/2006 19:34

LMAO

Boy, that was fast.

Posted by: g_attrill

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 10/08/2006 20:51

When flying back from the US I left my laptop in my carry-on bag when it went through the x-ray machine - I was sharply asked why I didn't take it out and put it the tray - "because no signs or people told me to". A more pleasant man then swabbed it (no disassembly required), and was apologetic when he took my wallet from the tray and accidentally tipped all my loose change onto the floor, we had a good laugh scrabbling all over for it.

Posted by: altman

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 12/08/2006 01:01

Excellent!

I'm flying back from Hong Kong to LHR today, and have been told by Virgin that it'll be the no carry on routine... so I'm boxing up most of my luggage in a cardboard box and putting my hand luggage (which is not very check-innable) into my bag. Sigh. At least it's an overnight flight, so no PSP and no Karma means I won't have anything to do but sleep

Love the liquids on a plane poster

Hugo

Posted by: ninti

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 12/08/2006 04:35

And now they are saying this might be this way for good. And since I can never sleep on airplanes and a 12 hour flight is hell even with all the MP3 players, snacks, and books that I used to be able to bring, I guess I won't be going anywhere anymore.

You know, the terrorists would have been happy with an explosion, but I would have to surmise that putting an end to usable world air travel has to leave them pretty pleased.

Posted by: hybrid8

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 12/08/2006 05:05

Hmmm, I suspect some dear friends of Tony Blair and/or GW may just be in the X-Ray/Screening-Machine business. Just another day in the middle of manufactured war/terror.

Posted by: thinfourth2

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 12/08/2006 05:47

I was flying into aberdeen and looked at the website for aberdeen airport and they had a very worrying statement

"all liquids will be removed from passengers"

That would hurt

Posted by: matthew_k

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 12/08/2006 05:48

Code:

The form you have submitted is no longer valid.

Damn. I guess you all will be spared my diatribe.

Short Summary:
1) Air travel with baggage will never be safe
2) Airport Secuity as we know it is a charade to make us feel safe.
3) The UK's current rules are obvious proof that they know their screening doesn't work.
4) Air travel without carryon baggage will not be profitable without huge restructuring of the air travel bussiness.

Matthew

Posted by: DWallach

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 12/08/2006 11:50

Quote:
2) Airport Secuity as we know it is a charade to make us feel safe.

Otherwise known as "security theater". I love the photo of soldiers posted in airports with large, impressive weapons at hand. That will certainly have a great impact on terrorists dressed like business executives.

I almost hate to say it, but the only security measure that would have a strong chance of working would be something like El Al's practice of interviewing every flyer. It's terribly intrusive and obnoxious, but they've never had a security issue, and I imagine that's not for any lack of trying.

Posted by: JBjorgen

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 12/08/2006 12:18

Quote:
Hmmm, I suspect some dear friends of Tony Blair and/or GW may just be in the X-Ray/Screening-Machine business. Just another day in the middle of manufactured war/terror.

Dude?! Are you really that stupid?

Posted by: g_attrill

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 12/08/2006 13:58

Quote:

You know, the terrorists would have been happy with an explosion, but I would have to surmise that putting an end to usable world air travel has to leave them pretty pleased.

Current news is that anything bought in the airport lounge can be taken on board now (good business for the snack shops!).

I suspect the hand luggage restriction will be lifted for non-US flights before too long, with extra checking (you will have to taste any liquids!). Not sure what will happen in the long-term for US flights though.

Gareth

Posted by: tman

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 12/08/2006 14:44

Quote:
extra checking (you will have to taste any liquids!)

Bring a bag of miniature alcohol bottles and have a party in customs

Posted by: hybrid8

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 12/08/2006 23:00

What part do you have a problem with? There's a lot going on that's wrong, and it has nothing to do with airport security.

Posted by: SE_Sport_Driver

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 13/08/2006 01:42

Quote:
Why are they so bent on hating everyone?

Why do they hate airplanes so much?

I worry for the UK.

Quote:
Almost a quarter of British Muslims believe the July 7 terror were justified because of Britain's support for the war on terror, a poll has revealed.

And nearly half said the 9/11 attacks on New York were a conspiracy between the US and Israel.

The survey found Muslims under the age of 24 were twice as likely to justify the 7/7 attacks as those aged over 45.

It found 24 per cent across all age groups either agreed or tended to agree that the 7/7 bombings were justified, although 48 per cent said they "strongly disagreed" and 17 per cent said they did not know.

A third of those questioned said they would rather live under Sharia law in the UK than British law.

The survey also reveals concerns among Muslims about Britain's moral standards, with 40 per cent saying it is a country of bad moral behaviour, and 66 per cent saying parents allow their children too much freedom.

I only have a link to the story, but not to the actual survey they are referring too. I heard the survey only interviewed 1,000 individuals, so I wouldn't swear by the numbers but it's still troublesome. Link

Posted by: tahir

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 13/08/2006 05:22

Quote:
Why not just anaesthetise passengers for the entire flight? They'll take up less space lying down, you don't need to provide a meal or inflight movie, and there's no way that they're going to get bored when they're asleep.

It also means that the most a terrorist can do to disrupt the flight is snore loudly.

Excellent idea, no screaming children either. What would that do for jet lag though?

Posted by: tahir

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 13/08/2006 05:48

Quote:
They don't hate everyone. Just those who they feel are responsible for allowing infidels to occupy their holy land and attack their brothers.

What drives them is their religious leaders. What drives the religious leaders is the same thing that drives all religious leaders: Power.

If only the individual terrorists truly understood what pawns they were.

I disagree with the first piece, it's not about infidels occupying holy lands as far as I understand it, more a sense of frustration at being unable to affect the west's foreign policy towards the muslim world. The rest is broadly true.

I'm not about to get drawn into an argument over why they feel this or how much truth there is in their understanding, all I'd say is that as a Londoner who lived through the long period of Christian extremist terrorism in the UK it's just something that we'll have to deal with. (That may seem casually said, but I've been close enough to IRA bombings, and the 7/7 ones were virtually on my doorstep, my brother in law spent a week down the tunnels at Aldgate searching for human remains)

To me it's angry young men being given plenty of reasons to be angry about. Are the perpetrators going to achieve anything by these acts? Well no, nothing positive anyway, but the one thing I know that it's doing is waking your average Joe Muslim to the idea that these people don't just parachute in from a different planet, it's their own sons, brothers, cousins etc, not some poor Arab or Afghan 1000s of miles away.

The UK muslim community is hurting in a big way over this and 7/7, we need to educate*** our youth, something which I think is being understood much more widely now, even by our government. Have we adequately and convincingly told the rest of the world that? I don't think so, most of the "muslim leaders" trotted out in front of the TV cameras on occasions such as these bear about as much relevance to me as Mickey Mouse, there isn't a real theocratic structure in Islam the way there is in Christianity/Judaism, it's not like the Anglican church that can have an "official" view, they're all just individuals and most are extremely poorly equipped to deal with the modern media machine.

*** I mean education in a broader sense, not in terms of qualifications, god sakes my first 2 nephews that went to Uni passed their degree courses with honours, it's about political and social justice, how to affect change within and without the society that we live in etc.

Posted by: tahir

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 13/08/2006 05:59

Quote:
Its not just their religious leaders, its their leaders in general. The heads of pretty much all middle eastern countries disgust me. There is not a decent individual in that mix. Maybe, MAYBE the King of Jordan, and the President of Afghanistan (errr, Mayor of Kabul). Nothing is every done in the interest of the people.

However, these people have very real issues, and beating them over the head with Democracy is not going to solve their problems. We're constantly being told that they hate our freedom and all this nonsense. I honestly don't believe that is true. The taliban and a few other misguided assholes have massively distorted the image of muslims around the world. These people don't hate our freedom and a Caliphate from Spain to Indonesia is not exactly the number one concern at this point. But constantly saying that this is what we're fighting is a great scare tactic and makes for good copy.

Excellent post, I agree. I don't know a "muslim" government that isn't corrupt or abusive of human rights, there is no exemplar muslim regime that can be upheld as a model for others to follow. I'm of the firm belief that the change has to come from within the muslim community, enocouraged, maybe nurtured by the west, but from within. (That's supposing that what we want is peace and stability in the muslim world)

Posted by: tahir

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 13/08/2006 07:43

The wife and kids are supposed to be off to the Algarve tomorrow from Stansted. BAA site says check with your airline re delays/cancellations, EasyJet site makes no mention of anything at all...

Posted by: larry818

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 13/08/2006 11:43

Quote:
Excellent post, I agree. I don't know a "muslim" government that isn't corrupt or abusive of human rights, there is no exemplar muslim regime that can be upheld as a model for others to follow.

How about Indonesia? It's the world's largest muslim country, and allows religious freedom. They've also gone a long way on fighting corruption since the excesses of Sukarno.

Posted by: tahir

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 13/08/2006 11:56

Quote:
How about Indonesia? It's the world's largest muslim country, and allows religious freedom. They've also gone a long way on fighting corruption since the excesses of Sukarno.

Although there are plenty of positives to Indonesia there's still plenty of stuff going on there, all politically motivated, but it is a "muslim" country and as such is not an example to anyone. Ditto Turkey, until they deal with their appalling human rights issues it's not a regime I'd be happy living under (secular extremism?).

Posted by: andy

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 13/08/2006 16:30

Quote:
The wife and kids are supposed to be off to the Algarve tomorrow from Stansted. BAA site says check with your airline re delays/cancellations, EasyJet site makes no mention of anything at all...

From the news coverage it sounds like it is onlt Heathrow now that is suffering cancellations.

Neither the Ryanair or Easyjet sites had anything to say about the new restrictions even on the day they were bought in.

Posted by: tfabris

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 13/08/2006 16:59

Quote:
I don't know a "muslim" government that isn't corrupt or abusive of human rights,

It's unfortunate to hear that phrase, and think about how my own government doesn't stand up to those same measures, either.

Posted by: andy

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 13/08/2006 20:03

Quote:

From the news coverage it sounds like it is only Heathrow now that is suffering cancellations.

Though looking at the Stanstead departures on baa.com there are definitely still some cancelled EasyJet flights.

Posted by: g_attrill

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 13/08/2006 21:56

Last news is that the threat level has been "changed" (not downgraded apparently) from Critical to Severe, and hand baggage restrictions lifted, but with the liquids rules still in force.

Posted by: tfabris

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 14/08/2006 07:54

I agree there.

But is it wrong of me to want my government to be completely free of both of those things?

Posted by: CrackersMcCheese

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 14/08/2006 08:24

So in a few years when these ethanol fuel cells are common place in our laptops.... are we going to be allowed to use them on an aircraft? The first reports (months back) said "yes" but now I'm not so sure!

Posted by: tahir

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 14/08/2006 08:24

Quote:
It's unfortunate to hear that phrase, and think about how my own government doesn't stand up to those same measures, either.

Sad but true, I suppose what I'm talking about is their attitudes to their own people. The US & UK tend to give their own citizens all kinds of privilege and freedom, they tend to export their corruption & humans rights abuses.

Posted by: tahir

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 14/08/2006 08:28

Quote:
If you lived under a Muslim government, you would realize that there is no comparison between the two types of corruption and human rights abuse.

Agree, I think I've at least partially answered that in respose to Tony.

Posted by: g_attrill

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 14/08/2006 09:25

Quote:
So in a few years when these ethanol fuel cells are common place in our laptops.... are we going to be allowed to use them on an aircraft? The first reports (months back) said "yes" but now I'm not so sure!

Probably only if you buy it from an authorised airport shop....

Posted by: frog51

Relaxed from Critical to Severe - 14/08/2006 10:17

From the DFT:

Each passenger is permitted to carry ONE item of cabin baggage through the airport security search point. The dimensions of this item must not exceed: a maximum length of 45 cm, width of 35 cm and depth of 16 cm (including wheels, handles, side pockets etc.).
Other bags, such as handbags, may be carried within the single item of cabin baggage. All items carried by passengers will be x-ray screened.

well - it's an improvement...we have 'lost' a number of laptops in the last 3 days from checked luggage. Thank goodness for encrypted filesystems!

Posted by: Dignan

Re: Relaxed from Critical to Severe - 14/08/2006 11:22

Quote:
The dimensions of this item must not exceed: a maximum length of 45 cm, width of 35 cm and depth of 16 cm (including wheels, handles, side pockets etc.).

Considering the gigantic "carry-ons" that I see some people with (and that take up all space in the overhead bins), this might be an improvement.

Posted by: Tim

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 14/08/2006 12:27

Quote:
So in a few years when these ethanol fuel cells are common place in our laptops.... are we going to be allowed to use them on an aircraft? The first reports (months back) said "yes" but now I'm not so sure!

There has been talk about 'restricting' (whatever they mean by that) laptops on flights for some time. There is an article in the Wall Street Journal about that today. It starts by describing the incident prior to Lufthansa 435 when a laptop caught fire before it started taxiing.

Apparently there has been 'documented 339 cases of lithium and lithium-ion batteries for portable electronics overheating, emitting smoke and fumes or exploding since 2003'. On top of that, the FAA has documented 60 incidents since 1991.

We might not have to wait for the ethanol fuel cells to have our laptops banned

Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Relaxed from Critical to Severe - 14/08/2006 13:18

Quote:
Each passenger is permitted to carry ONE item of cabin baggage

That seems like a good solution. A terrorist couldn't possibly put a bomb in that one bag; if they did, where would they put their clean underwear?

Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 14/08/2006 13:31

Quote:
there isn't a real theocratic structure in Islam the way there is in Christianity/Judaism

There is a theocratic structure in only a few denominations of Christianity: Catholicism (which is quite large, obviously) and a good number of other orthodox churches, Anglicanism/Episcopalianism, and Lutheranism -- maybe Methodism. I don't believe that Judaism has a hierarchical structure at all.

It may seem that there is are a few "universal" spokespeople in England, where I imagine that the vast majority of Christians are Anglican or Catholic, but go up to Scotland and ask the Presbyterians about it, and I bet you'll get the same feeling about religious spokespeople from them as from the Muslims where you are. A good portion of common American Christian denominations are the same way, notably baptists, which is the largest denomination in the US (although that's really being changed by the Southern Baptist Convention). And now I'm waaay off topic.

Posted by: tfabris

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 14/08/2006 13:32

Quote:
Apparently there has been 'documented 339 cases of lithium and lithium-ion batteries for portable electronics overheating, emitting smoke and fumes or exploding since 2003'. On top of that, the FAA has documented 60 incidents since 1991.

If you ask me, I'd rather have that happen in the cabin where a fire extinguisher could quickly be brought to bear upon the problem, instead of in the hold where it could burn out of control.

Posted by: mlord

Re: Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports - 14/08/2006 13:48

It's pretty obvious where this is leading to -- notebook batteries will be banned from carry-on, but not the computer itself. One can decide to trust the in-flight power (or not) if use of the machine is desired.

The batteries are very hard to distinguish from other forms of explosive materials, and even a stock battery could be utilized in a dangerous way.

Cheers

Hand baggage currently banned at UK airports