Tighter security for flights to the USA

worldtraveller

Security is being tightened at airports with direct flights into the US - including some in the UK - in response to US warnings of a "credible threat".

The UK transport department confirmed airport security was being stepped up.

Neither UK nor US authorities specified what new measures would be involved but the UK said most passengers should not experience "significant disruption".

BBC News

rustyboy21

I can see it affecting All flights to All places, it wont just be to US destinations. How are they going to differentiate between Europe/Asia pax and US ones whilst queuing up? Apart from having people going through queues checking boarding cards and separating people off, which will cause more aggro.


Just leave extra time for security at the airports

Doshwaster

Yes, it will be all flights to all destinations as the airports don't have the ability to screen people differently at security based upon where they were going. Anyway, someone on a flight to Amsterdam, Paris or Frankfurt could be connecting on to a destination in the US.

jackieblack

On the news this morning they were talking about extra checks at the gate in case of anything being passed between passengers airside.

worldtraveller

rustyboy21 wrote: »

I can see it affecting All flights to All places, it wont just be to US destinations. How are they going to differentiate between Europe/Asia pax and US ones whilst queuing up? Apart from having people going through queues checking boarding cards and separating people off, which will cause more aggro

Doshwaster wrote: »

Yes, it will be all flights to all destinations as the airports don't have the ability to screen people differently at security based upon where they were going. Anyway, someone on a flight to Amsterdam, Paris or Frankfurt could be connecting on to a destination in the US.

Security do though have the option to do further checks prior to boarding a U.S. destined flight at the gate though (eg. pat down, carry on bags searched and laptops, etc. powered up). There is also the possibility of increased use of air marshals on these flights. I well remember being security checked again at the gate at LHR, along with every other passenger due to board a flight to BOS a few years ago, on the day of one of the past threats. This procedure may now become more general.

Mr_Wang

In a lot of the worlds airports you go through security to enter departures, then security at the gate where you are then isolated from anyone not on your flight.

We'll probably start doing that soon enough.

peachyprice

Mr_Wang wrote: »

In a lot of the worlds airports you go through security to enter departures, then security at the gate where you are then isolated from anyone not on your flight.

We'll probably start doing that soon enough.

Just what I was about to say. It's no biggie if it keeps us safe.

PompeyPete

Do all airport staff pass through strict security every time they clock-on for work? Makes sense to me.

jackieblack

Mr_Wang wrote: »

In a lot of the worlds airports you go through security to enter departures, then security at the gate where you are then isolated from anyone not on your flight.

We'll probably start doing that soon enough.

I remember this happening flying from LGW on VS 2008/9/10?

peachyprice wrote: »

It's no biggie if it keeps us safe.

Totally agree

Heliflyguy

Doshwaster wrote: »

the airports don't have the ability to screen people differently at security based upon where they were going.

Positive boarding might be used to do that although how you would process the passenger after could be a problem.

peachyprice

PompeyPete wrote: »

Do all airport staff pass through strict security every time they clock-on for work? Makes sense to me.

Yes, they do.