Weapon allowed on plane

[Meridian]

These things are showing up in more airports I see... 

Not sure how sensitive they are, but they appear to be setup to detect even minute traces of explosives.

SMITHS IONSCAN

Went through one in IND.

http://www.smiths-aerospace.com/News/Archive/2003/Orders-approaching--3M-received-for-Smiths-IONSCAN--France-I/index.asp

 

[TCBF]

Of course, if we sacked all of the baggage handlers with criminal records, we'd be loading the baggage ourselves.  But, no security issues there.  Nope.

 

[Meridian]

Sorry,

I guess the 400B is the baggage screening.

I went through the Sentinel II in Indy.
http://www.smiths-aerospace.com/News/Archive/2003/Smiths-earns-major-contracts-for-additional-airport-screenin/index.asp

 

[danchapps]

With regards to the lighters bit. My family flew from Ottawa to Vancouver. My stepmother, who is a very avid smoker was scanned by security, where they found she had 5 lighters in her purse. (When I say avid I mean HEAVY) She was informed that she was allowed only 3 lighters on her person while in the restricted area, and she needed to give up 2 of the lighters. Now, I'm no rocket scientist, but we have 2 hands, which means that if she did try to set the seat on fire, if 1 goes dead, she still has a back up! They should have kept 4 of them.

 

[portcullisguy]

One of the people I was traveling with from smithers BC, took his bear spray accidently on board, they never found it despite search all the baggage before boarding.

Bear spray on an airplane is a really stupid idea.  Aerosols such as OC and bear spray have been banned from passenger cabins for a long time, long before 9/11 and heightened security.

The reason is, if the container leaks, then everybody on board (including the pilot) will potentially be affected, which could cause a crash.  Even uniformed mounties have to remove their OC spray and place it in a sealed box in a cargo area of their small planes, when they fly to remote locations.

Airline safety trumps all.

 

[Meridian]

The weird thing is that, while passing through the US recently, they really harped on making sure you took out liquids from your carry-on while in the lineup, but if you didn't do it (I was with colleagues who decided to be dumb),  they didn't raise any fuss at all.    I suppose if the sensors don't go off / they can see it clearly in the baggage from the scans, its ok, but seemed weird to me.    He got pulled to the side for other stuff, and she didn't even mention the lotions and stuff he hadn't taken out.


Also, found it interesting here at YUL that plainclothes were essentially questioning a man and his clearly middle-eastern family in the middle of the hallway in departures, past the security gates....

Ahh airtravel.

 

[IrishCanuck]

How about the top notch airport security protecting us and our loves ones being paid by the lowest bidder at minimum wage?

Organized crime gets things onto planes all the time...human security is still only human and things are going to slip past.

My father in law was a commercial airline pilot and they had to wear their photo id tags going into the restricted area. His coworker taped a photo of his dog onto his picture for giggles. For years, nobody even looked and he retired with his dog's picture still on the card.

Brian

What?!?! You don't think CATSA is cutting it??











I don't either.

 

[Meridian]

What?!?! You don't think CATSA is cutting it??


I don't either.

Problem is, it isn't CATSA.  CATSA is just the administrative body that writes up the rules.  An old elementary school buddy's dad was Exec Director or DG or whatever the head position is over there... lots of politics IIRC.

In any event, its lowest-bidder contracting.  GARDA here in Montreal.

 

[Simon]

old lady in front of me last week had her knitting needles and wool confiscated, they were afraid she would knit an afghan during the flight

sorry ;D

 

[George Wallace]

old lady in front of me last week had her knitting needles and wool confiscated, they were afraid she would knit an afghan during the flight

sorry ;D

Interesting.  My sister flew back from Australia.  They confiscated a paper clip that she had in her bag.  Meanwhile, midway across the Pacific, the obnoxious Canadian woman next to her pulls out twelve inch knitting needles and proceeded to knit for the rest of the flight.  Obviously there is no standard for security in many nations.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Bear spray on an airplane is a really stupid idea.  Aerosols such as OC and bear spray have been banned from passenger cabins for a long time, long before 9/11 and heightened security.

The reason is, if the container leaks, then everybody on board (including the pilot) will potentially be affected, which could cause a crash.  Even uniformed mounties have to remove their OC spray and place it in a sealed box in a cargo area of their small planes, when they fly to remote locations.

Airline safety trumps all.

He didn't intend to bring on, however you can get airtight cannisters to carry them which could be used in the luggage compartment, the purpose of air travel is to get you somewhere, people still have to carry out their tasks when they get there. I think airlines forget that point.

 

[medic65726]

The thing that really galls me is the lack of consistency and thought behind what is permitted on-board and what is not.
A few months ago I had to take a commercial flight home after a Medevac flight as our aircraft had to leave without us (that is a whole other story though).
I as in my Civillian Paramedic Flightsuit, stethoscope around my neck etc with a large backpack full of a wide variety of needles, syringes, controlled drugs, narcotics, and enough sedatives and paralytics to knock out the entire crew for hours. The bag they ran through the x-ray machine and didn't even open it to check out the obviously dangerous contents. The trauma shears (blunt nosed scissors for cutting clothing etc) in my leg pocket however were quite the issue and were going to be confiscated or I couldn't fly.
Makes no sense to me really. At least usually when I fly we deal with our own security issues and there is no problem with me carrying my scissors and survival knife etc.
Just my 2 cents.