Knife blade inside the lining of my handbag - scary airport security story!

jap200

This is going to sound a little unbelievable - but it has actually just happened to me!

I was travelling back from Spain via Malaga airport last Saturday night when a security guy noticed something odd about my handbag on the screen. I knew that I didn't have any liquids or anything else at all that might cause a problem, so was quite relaxed.

However, they man spent a good 10 minutes examining every single item in the bag and re-scanning the empty bag in different positions. He pointed something out to me on the screen. It was sort of rectangular about the size of 3 postage stamps and apparently made of metal (shows up as blue). I just shrugged as I had no idea what it was.

The bag is made of very tough crochet/knitted stuff with a lining and he showed me that he was able to feel the object in the base of the bag (between the layers) but it could not be seen. As the bag is not very precious to me I considered suggesting that they could slit the lining to get it out, but decided against it, and fortunately after another few minutes of consultations with colleagues he just waved me on.

I then forgot all about it until a couple of days later when I decided to investigate it and carefully unpicked the lining of the bag. Lo and behold, between outer layer of the bag and a rectangle of stiffening material in the base, was a large section of knife blade. It looks like a piece of snap-off blade from a Stanley knife. It can only have got in there during the manufacturing of the bag.

I'm sure you can imagine the horror that I felt having discovered this - and all the what-iffs that went through my mind - particularly as I used the same bag to travel on 4 flights in the USA earlier this year. Just what would have happened to me if the blade had actually been discovered by airport security in the USA - or anywhere else for that matter, doesn't bear thinking about! How could I have possibly persuaded them that I was not smuggling a weapon onboard a flight!

Aiadi

and who is this bag manufacturer that should be avoided at all cost???

You were very lucky in a way, but I would seriously consider reporting this incident to the police and see what they have to say as it could have landed you in real deep trouble.

jap200

The manufacturer is an American company called The SAK. I have sent them details and photos. They were suitably horrified and have offered me a free bag. If I was American, I would probably have sued I suppose.

I bought the bag from TK Maxx and only realised this morning that I also ought to let them know, so have sent an eamil with photos to them too and await a response.

I hadn't thought of informing the police as it is really a what-if story, so I don't think they would be interested. If I had actually been arrested, then that would be very different of course.

Aiadi

What about your local news reporter or something like Metro newspaper? I think they would be interested with all the pictures and the events in the airport.

saveapenny

more like the Sun will pick this one up mainly because of using the bag on 4 US flights and it not being discovered.
I would hold out for a full set of luggage from this company

hammy_the_hammer

the americans are measuring you up for an orange jump suit as we speak

Backbiter

A year ago I was flying to Amsterdam from Birmingham. I always take my Swiss Army knife with me on my travels, and on this occasion had it in my jeans pocket, intending to transfer it to my case to go in the hold. I forgot all about it and actually walked through the scanner at the airport - and no alarm sounded. It was only when I bought something in WHSmiths that I discovered the knife, so I went back and 'declared' it. They let me post it back to my home address.

StaceyAKelly

it really is so worried, the thought of getting seen as a criminal lol, I panic when I spot my tweezers in my bag or something like that. It is very difficult for security to assess whether you are a honest in saying, I didnt know, or I forgot it was there, or are we pretending!!

Furthermore, it has to be mentioned, but security at the airport let you through whilst carrying a knife, now thats a little worrying!

asea

it's really worrying that you have flown four times without it being stopped

jap200

asea wrote: »

it's really worrying that you have flown four times without it being stopped

Actually I fly a fair amount on business and this year have done Heathrow-Berlin return and Heathrow-Manchester return in addition to the flights to and from the US and 2 internal US flights + outward flight from Gatwick to Malaga without it being detected.

9 flights with the same handbag without the blade being detected (including flights leaving Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Berlin, Los Angeles, Denver).
1 flight out of Malaga where they queried it, but did not follow it through.

Also despite being held up in Malaga over my handbag, my hubby realised that they has let him through with a very large tube of suncream sticking out of the side pocket of his backpack and my mum also found a bottle of hand sanitising gel in her back that she had forgotten about - neither of these were queried.

All rather worrying.

SomethingWitty_2

Scary Story!! I'm surprised and glad nothing happened!

I have been in a similar situation flying from heathrow where i took my swiss army knife on board post 9/11 without security staff noticing, and indeed without myself even noticing! It was in my back pocket. Very strange... Still, when i discovered the knife midflight, i hid it well so as not cause any alarm, though it did prove useful opening a product i bought from duty free!