UK Airport security and a VHF handheld.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

I did have a MaxProp in my carry-on once. Got through security at Dulles fine, but at Heathrow they made me check it. They were afraid I would hit someone with it. *sigh*

Going to Cyprus I wanted to dive on the Zenobia a ferry that sank and is a good dive, I weighed my luggage to find that it was overweight so I took some of the lead soft weights out and put them in my carry on that isn’t weighed.
Well security didn’t like those bags of bird shot, couldn’t figure out what they were for, didn’t understand why I had them even after explaining several times, luckily the supervisor understood.
But what the heck could I have done with 3lb bags of bird shot? I don’t see how you could make that into a weapon, boot laces or a belt certainly, but a small bag of bird shot?

[Ghostrider421]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

No difference other than unfamiliarity. I’ve taken a handheld on many trips to Europe including Greece and when asked about it, they simply wanted me to turn it on to show it is a radio.

All they asked me to do this last time was remove the battery. Which I did.

[hpeer]

Illusion

Don’t get why people complain about tight (described as “unreasonable) airport security.

Because there are many other venues where the same amount of security would make as much, or as little sense.

Subways and trains, sarin attack and Madrid bombings and English attacks
Sports stadiums or concerts
New Year’s Eve celebrations

Just to make a few.

Not saying NO security, but something that makes sense.

IIRC TSA has NEVER found a bomb. But they did steal my laptop. And they do have an on-line form to fill out in case of a “wrongful death” incident caused by them.

I don’t think anyone is against security. What annoys is the mindless bureaucratic application of state harassment in the guise of security.

Yet, if significant portions of TSA officers can no-show without compromising efficiency or safety, is the TSA still necessary to ensure aviation security?

In 2017, Homeland Security inspectors were able to transport facsimile firearms, explosives and knives through TSA checkpoints an appalling 70 percent of the time. This is not only unacceptable, but calls into question the effectiveness of the TSA. Many experts, in fact, have long criticized the TSA as “security theater,” noting that body scanners are largely ineffective at detecting common explosive materials. Further, there’s been very little evidence that measures such as the liquid ban are in any way essential or effective, and even the European Union has been trying to eliminate liquid restrictions for years. Numerous studies have found that the TSA has consistently mismanaged security investments and that private screeners perform as good or better than TSA screeners.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.for...necessary/amp/

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Don’t get why people complain about tight (described as “unreasonable) airport security.

I went through security in Portugal last month and they didn’t look at my passport, didn’t X-ray me and walked out the door with my luggage with no security.

That’s what you (we all) should be complaining about!

I have Never experienced this when boarding a flight..
But on arriving after a flight is a whole different thing.. disembark, go to luggage collection then choose the red or green exit.
Security should be done at departure point.

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Don’t get why people complain about tight (described as “unreasonable) airport security.

I went through security in Portugal last month and they didn’t look at my passport, didn’t X-ray me and walked out the door with my luggage with no security.

That’s what you (we all) should be complaining about!

Most of the world isn't a dangerous place where we are scared people are trying to harm to harm us. Airport security in the Europe (I can't speak for the USA though the USA does seem afraid of most things too) is over the top in some instances and uncalled for in many other. Especially when other developed countries happily allow you to take a 2l bottle of water or whatever onto a flight, or aren't making people remove belts or shoes.

[taxwizz]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

Airport security in the UK (and the EU to a less extent) is a proper pain in the ass. Can't do this, can't do that, can carry this, can't carry that. Sometimes you can message them in advance along with the airline and get told "yes no problem" only to turn up at the security and be told "no you can't cary that".

It's daft. Oh there was once a plot to blow up a plane with some liquid, so now there's all that rigmarole with 100ml bottles in plastic bags. Yet outside of the EU you can happily carry litres of liquids. In Isreal (where threats are obviously much greater) there is no messing around taking computers out of bags, taking belts and shoes off or any of that none-sense.

That is because with all the threats against Israel, the security officials are taught to THINK

[sailone3032]

the handheld has batteries which are not supposed to be checked due to the fire hazard according to the FAA

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

The individuals at the security station are very often completely clueless ...

That is because in Israel they screen for dangerous people. In Europe and America, we are afraid that that might be considered "discrimination," and so we screen for dangerous objects. The Israeli method is far more effective, while simultaneously being far less intrusive. Unfortunately, it is not quite as "politically correct," and so we won't consider it over here.

It's little to do with political correctness; it's because for the all the post 9-11 pearl-clutching over threats, we are doing airport screening using the cheapest possible labour and a set of arbitrary rules. The Israeli screeners are professionals, trained to read people, not "stuff".

[dennismenace111]

Gatwick security is always a nightmare!

[kas_1611]

You should have seen the fun I had with my water pump in my hand luggage and I even took it out and put it in the tray on its own so they could see it clearly.

Thought they were going to take it off me but thankfully when I explained I needed to rebuild my engine the security guy spoke to his supervisor who accepted it.

I'm sure they see all sorts and lets face it there are still idiots who try to take carving knives on the plane despite them not being allowed for a century. Just don't start on knitting needles!!

[George DuBose]

Hey, don't knock the TSA. It solves a great problem of finding jobs for people that otherwise would be working at McDonalds.

I am an American and a US Navy vet, but I was born in Morocco where my father was a USMC major stationed there, I live in Germany.

Who took down the WTC? Moroccans living in Germany.

Boy! Do I get hassled every time I fly to, from or in the USA.

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

In Isreal (where threats are obviously much greater) there is no messing around taking computers out of bags, taking belts and shoes off or any of that none-sense.

I live in Israel and fly several times a year. You are asked to take your laptop out of your handbag, take off your belt if it has metal clasp, but not to take off shoes.
No problems with VHF, full sized EPIRB (I was asked what it is, short explanation and that's all), Satphone, etc.

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by Goodall_M1

In October I set out for a charter in Greece via London Gatwick.

I had my portable electronics in my carry-on luggage, as I have always done.

At the security check I was told that my hand-held VHF "could interfere with the aircraft's communications" and was given a choice of losing it, or being escorted back to ground-side to check my hand-luggage in as a hold bag.

It turned out that the airline check in desk had already closed, so I decided to deposit it in the Lost Property office, and then went back through security and luckily just made my flight despite the delay.

(Those of you who know LGW will know that you may have to walk (or in my case run) up to half a mile to get to your gate)

I managed to retrieve the hand-held on my return (for a payment of £10!).

Has anyone else had similar problems?

I have never seen any mention of radio-transmission devices being seen as dangerous in hand-luggage.

They tell us that our mobile phones and laptops should not be used during periods of the flight and expect us to leave them in flight mode or turned off.

So what is different about a hand-held VHF?

There is nothing special about VHF. You just fell by chance on a dumb security officer.
I flew with an handheld VHF at least 4 times in the last 2 years without any hassle from Dusseldorf to Tel Aviv, from Tel Aviv to Athens etc.

[FabioC]

Airport security is inconsistent at best and most definitely depends on the individual officer who is examining your carry on.
There is no general rule for electronics for sure, but other things as well. When I go to a scuba diving trip, I carry the fins as carry-ons because they do not fit in the luggage. At each check-in, it is a different story, sometimes they are fine with them, sometimes there is no way to go through with them, in Japan they made me go through a line to get a permit to bring them aboard, etc.

Heathrow is one of the most erratic airports in this respect. Some years ago, I was even "detained" for several hours and missed the plane because they did not "recognize" my Italian passport (I have dual citizenship). At the time, Italian passports still had the picture "stapled" on the passport, with some special staples that could not be tampered. Newer passports had the picture printed on the page, but older, yet still valid password did not. The official at custom apparently did not know that (I found it amazing that he would not recognize such a feature) and actually pulled on the picture until it ripped off, thus invalidating the passport. They had to call the Embassy (it was on a Saturday, nobody was there, so it took a long time) to verify that it had been a legal password (true story).

I had trouble with a VHF handheld in India. They did not recognize it and it took a good couple of hours to convince them of what it was. I asked Eventually, they let me through. Taking the antenna off may help, since it makes it look more like a bulky phone than some kind of suspicious radio. I would say the VHF goes through 95% of the times, but a small chance of being blocked is there. The PLD is problematic sometimes too. They may ask you to activate it, to which you have to politely refuse and explain what would happen if you do so. Often, they have no idea of what it is and the explanation does not go well, so PLDs better go in the checked in luggage.

[BugzyCan]

Could a device listed as VHF actually be something else?

Would the airport security team have tools to prove this will not interfere with airline traffic or electronics?

If the battery is removed, would that increase the comfort level?
If VHF radio is a transmitter as well as receiver, that opens up a can of worms. I could see security not being sure what to do about it, and throwing it out. It is not something they see a lot of, so it becomes a threat.