xyz123

Finally somebody with a pair of you know whats. The head of BA today criticized the British government for going along with many of the idiotic so called security screenings being imposed by the US government at UK airports. He spoke of th eidiocy of removing lap tops from their cases, of making people take their shoes off and of some of the other indignities that don't increase security one iota inmposed on foreign governments by the US government. Also the idiotic random searches of hand luggage at departure gates for US bound flights after the security of the foreign airport has done a thorough search like the US government is saying we don't trust you.

And it looks like the eu is finally opening its mouth about the way the US government makes foreigners fill out a security questionaire on line in advancde of a flight to the USA. It's about time somebody put these nincompoops and paranoids in their place.

rkkwan

Good for him.

AnthonyGA

Unfortunately, I don't think the US government cares what anyone in the UK says.

xyz123

...and Anthony, that is the problem. When you're finished alienating one of the few true friends this country has, where are you going to turn for support of all your foreign entanglements.

flanneruk

" head of BA today criticized the British government for going along with many of the idiotic so called security screenings"

And the British government - rightly - told this self-important buffoon to take a running jump.

It's not my government's job to tell a foreign government what security controls it should impose on flights into that government's territory. London-USA flights have to be the assumed to be top of the terrorists' list of prime targets - and, frankly, if the US wants us (Britons and Americans) to strip naked before we get on a US-bound plane, so be it. And that's what Philip Hammond, the Transport Minister, has said clearly in reply to BA's self-interested whingeing. Most Britons would prefer BA to spend less time telling the US government how to defend itself and rather more time keeping its planes running.

No doubt some US requirements owe a great deal more to bureaucrats; attempts to cover their arses than to real security analysis. That's for Americans, under their democratic process, to challenge.

The real problem isn't what Broughton thinks. It's the complete lack of accountability in the US. If Americans put the energy into challenging their government's absurd rules, they're frittering away on bullshit about how Obama's really a Kenyan Muslim, we'd all be a great deal better off.

xyz123

All well and good flanner but....I think what the guy was referring to was not so much the requirements for a UK-USA flight alone, and one would have to agree with you that while it is idiotic and does not contribute one iota to real security, the US has the right to dictate terms on flights coming into the USA....one might not like it but they have the right.

The problem, I believe, he was referring to is the extra stuff the BAA is forced to do for all flights, even UK domestic flights, because of USA requirements such as taking off shoes (although frankly, I'm not always asked to take off my shoes when going through security at LHR), taking lap tops out of the case for visual inspection, liquids (although it is interesting to note this originated with Britain after the foiled attempt to blow up the planes a couple of years ago).

And I think he's right on that.

CarolA

I am now considering flying BA.

I support anyone who realizes the Thousands Standing Around are USELESS. It's a 'jobs program" not "security" (Or maybe it's a "security sitcom")