Curious about Zurich Airport Procedure
 

We were flying from Zurich to NY this past Saturday and encountered what we thought was extraordinary hightened security. I wanted to know if this is usual for this airport or if something was up concerning our flight. We have flown from this airport before and have never encountered this type of security. We arrived in Zurich via a Swiss flight from Budapest. Once at the Zurich airport passed through security and then had about an hour before our American Airlines flight to NY. HOwever, when we landed in Zurich we were told, via loud speaker announcement, to report to the gate early for security. We reported directly to the gate were there were temporary desk type stations set up (many of them - on wheels - so not a normal fixture) and were were interviewed about our luggage (in our possession, did anyone give us anything, etc) then we had our passports inspected and were told that our checked luggage was going to be inspected and "sniffed" by dogs. We then boarded the flight and here is where it got really strange. Out the window of the plane we could see an armoured vehicle - a tank - following us as we taxied our the runway. The vehicle moved with us and stopped when we stopped. If followed us until we took off. So what was up? Is this the new protocol in Zurich or, as we think, was something going on?

It's just a heighten security alert. All the security agencies around the world exchange info and when the info is somewhat verifiable, each airport/city/country reacts as ii needs to. Many times you will see armored cars around London Heathrow's airport, roadblocks leading to the airport, with police units fully armed stopping cars and doing a quick inspection. Frankfurt airport is the same. In your case the procedure was applied to Zurich airport. It's not a regular thing and as soon as the alert level drops the extra security goes away as well.

Do remember that any terrorist/criminal tha has plans for some kind of attack/crime does not have all the time in the world to wait around till the security level drops. They are also limited as to budgets, invisibility factor, operational feasibility, etc., so if they suspect that the security agencies know something about their plans, they retreat to their secure hideouts to plan a different attack/crime. That's why we in the US also have different levels of alerts. If it goes to the higher levels, you will see fully armed National Guard units at the airports, train stations, public gatherings, etc, but when it's at the lower levels, they disappear. Same thing.

Also, if you think that it was flight specific info (highly unlikely) the flight would have been cancelled. It does happen, remember the Paris/London flights to US some time back?

This was more of a general thread alert. Maybe all US owned airlines, maybe any flights going to US or quite possibly all the flights from Zurich on specific dates.

When the info is verifiable about specific flight, nobody wants to take a chance that a terrorist will slip through all the security procedures and thus they will cancel specific flights.

I just flew from ZRH to ORD less than a week ago. I did not notice any heightened security such as what you described. Makes one wonder...

When we flew back to the US from AMS in February, there were about 6 or 7 podiums set up at our gate where all passengers were interviewed. I believe this has been ongoing at AMS (and I've been told at other European airports as well) for quite some time now for US bound flights. And apparently it's only for flights operated by US carriers, so if you fly KL, you don't get interviewed.

I went through this exact same process when I was going through the Zurich airport in 2002. I thought it was the normal procedure, so it's interesting to learn it is only for heightened security. I have gone through this same process at the airports in Brussels and Paris.

They've been doing the early security checks and interviews at the gates in Amsterdam since at least 2003 -- at least for KLM flights bound for US and Aer Lingus to Dublin (that I can vouch for).

I was not talking about the interviews and secondary searches.

My post was more about the armored cars/fully armed military units at the airports.

I flew Zurich-ORD on Monday and they asked those security questions and put the security sticker on my passport & luggage (United).

I did the same flight in March with SWISS, and they did not ask the 'who packed you luggage' etc questions. No stickers.

It seems random.


Also, there is a military base adjoining the airport, operating parallel to some runways. I see tanks there all the time. But seeing a tank actually on the runway following a plane is unusual here.

You never know exactly what warnings have come through various channels. Security is also changed on an irregular basis to foil any terror attempts.

In Milan (from JFK) we were once met by a troop of armed soldiers as the plane stopped at the end of the runway. these soldiers - about 50 of them - ran alongside the plane all the way from the end of the runway to the jetway. there were also troops at the inner end of the jetway - and dogs - examining everyone coming off. Our luggage took a very long time coming out - obviusly it was getting some extra scrutiny.

Another time going from Lisbon back to New York we were all questioned three diferent times during check in and then held in a separate area - away from all the shops and facillities before the flight. Finally - there was a fourth questioning as we boarded and about 10 people were turned away from the flight. We then boarded buses and were driven out to the plane - in a distant area of the airport - surrounded by military vehicles and troops. the vehicles followed us along the runway as we taxied and we only left them behind on liftoff. (This happened the day after several car bombings in Israel.)

I think this is just the price of safety in the world we live in now.