Airport protection Shambles - Has Terrorism Won the War?

If the intention of international terrorism is to bring disruption to air travel and a decline in passengers, they may have achieved their aim beyond their wildest dreams. A Uk Government priest recently pointed out: 'Anti-terrorism measures are de facto adding to the threat.' The point he was making? Why go to the trouble of placing an explosive gismo on an aircraft when beforehand passengers are conveniently lined up in security-related queues?

It is a sobering conception that the dumb mindset behind Heathrow's terminal 5 debacle is the same as that managing most airports throughout the world. To check safety Slovak police loaded an airline passenger's luggage with explosives but forgot to take them out before the unwitting passenger boarded his flight. Slovaks found it hilarious. Luggage labels are now appearing which carry the message: 'Danger: Luggage Checked by Slovak Police'.

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It has been said that when you enter a hospital you leave your dignity outside. When you enter an airport, you leave commonsense behind. It is in the departure lounge that citizen become sheeple; herded in droves from pen to pen, their markings endlessly scrutinised by self-important attendants. The whole ritual rests upon moronic law and the infinite tolerance of dispirited passengers.

Airport Absurdities

Few demand the absurdity of the check-in law where no one seems to be accountable. To complain would ask trouble, the least of which might be a missed flight. The attitude of employees can best be described as indifferent, at worst obnoxious; an abuse of power because they are in the driving seat.

As we have already seen, passenger trains are as vulnerable as aircraft but how sufficient railway travel by comparison. Within minutes the label is acquired and identities checked; bags tossed through the screen and off you go. At one of Spain's busiest airports passengers queued from 7.20pm - 9.45pm to do what train passengers do in a few minutes.

You Can't Fix Stupid

Budget airlines advise passengers carry hand luggage to sell out the carbon footprint, lower costs, and speed turn round. Very sensible but this interesting idea is immediately sabotaged by airport safety restrictions; often ludicrous, of what one may carry in cabin baggage. This procedure forces travellers to carry hold luggage so that they may take with them vital fluids.

Fluids in hand baggage are a no-go: palpate lens cleaner, after shave, medicines; shampoos; perfumes and deodorants; all have to be ditched. A waiter's friend bottle opener is likely to draw the attentiveness of the scanner operative. It has a corkscrew and is confiscated by a smirking employee. You can't demand their actions. Your right to disagree is no more than that of a prisoner in a gaol's exercise yard.

Most of us carry reputation cards. In the wrong hands these cards they can be as deadly as an open razor but there are no restrictions on their being carried on board an airliner. The bunch of keys I habitually carry with me raises not an eyebrow; with a finger through its ring it can turn into a flesh-shredding knuckle-duster. Unarmed servicemen were once taught how to use the stub end of a rolled up newspaper or magazine as a lethal weapon. After taking away my tiny corkscrew safety staff handed me, with compliments of the airline, a newspaper and a magazine. A baseball bat is not allowed; a well aimed elbow can enforce as much damage. Maybe elbows should travel in the hold too?

Fly First Glass

A passenger says: "It always amuses me that you cannot take with you sharp items such as a nail file yet if you fly first or business class you have your wine served in glass and the bottles too are glass. You even get a accepted knife and fork." She adds; "I assume our clever intelligence citizen think anything reasoning of committing such a horrendous crime will only fly economy."

Another frequent flyer says: "If they can't be sensible, how do they expect us to help them and be sensible? It has become a contest of idiocy and as you know, you never argue with an idiot: He will just drag you down to the bottom level of idiocy and beat you with experience."

This isn't without its touch of humour and one is reminded of Concorde's maiden flight for which the marketing posters chortled: 'Breakfast in London, lunch in New York.' Underneath this message a wit had scrawled, 'Luggage in Tokyo.' Air travel is still a joke but not a very funny one for most air travellers. Sadly, it is difficult to see the funny side of airport staff. A passenger recalls a group of young men queuing in front of her at security. They were good humoured though a dinky the worse for wear after a stag party weekend.

She says: "None of their stuff was in plastic bags. The airport staff seemed to take unnecessary delight in digging out their after shaves, toothpastes, deodorants; even things that were obviously within the limits. They were not just placing them in the receptacle sympathetically but throwing them into the bin from a distance while smiling happily." What other aid could treat its paying customers in such a way?

Airport Abuse and Bullying

We have all seen examples of cold-blooded abuse, bullying and the humiliation of passengers by airport staff. At London's Gatwick Airport passengers witnessed an elderly gentleman being publicly scolded and humiliated because he could not prove the medicines he was carrying were his. He did not have his curative prescribe with him. Is it any wonder then that millions are opting for less stressful and problematic ways of holidaying; taking cruises; even staying at home?

Airline operators might reflect that if there are empty seats on the aircraft it may have dinky to do with the reputation crunch. Hoteliers, restaurateurs, those renting apartments or selling asset abroad might well look for a reason other than retreat when they are left finding out for non-existent incoming customers at airport arrivals. The reason for too few customers is probably wearing an airport uniform and wearing a dunce's hat. ©

Airport protection Shambles - Has Terrorism Won the War?