Christina, CDG (T1) and Frankfurt have the same screening equipment before a group (not individual) of gates. Its not just "hand screening" of some people, its full sceening of all pasengers and all handbaggage. Not the same thing at all. I have never encountered that at any UK or US airports.

What shocks me is how different procedures are at every airport - notebook in or out of the bag, shoes off or on etc. LHR only started the "notebook" out policy this year and it caused no end of problems at the security lineups as most passengers were not used to it.

I should have mentioned that I flew United out of CDG. Maybe the airline has something to do with where the screenings take place. Ours was definitely at the gate. The only things between the security and the doors to the Chicago and WDC flights were the chairs in the waiting area. If you wanted to use the restrooms, you had to be re-searched to get back to the waiting area.

kwren - It's because of the recently elevated security level issued by the FAA for flights to the US. It's an extra screening, and doesn't replace the general one.

It's the same for basically all flights flying into the US from various airports in the world. For example, at Hong Kong, all US-bound flights now are concentrated in one wing of the terminal with a secondary screening to get to those gates. It certainly wasn't like this a week ago.

That makes sense. It really was well organized, and people didn't seem to get bent out of shape at all with the added waiting.

Two years ago when we flew United from LHR to LAX, there was gate screening in addition to the general screening.

Yeah,t hat's what I mentioned in a previous thread--LHR always does that, and they have the 7 times I've flown out of there (on three different airlines, American, BA and Virgin)

I was thinking just the opposite: Why not have security checkpoints at the doors to every airport? And then do away with security at the gates.

Then, to get to the boarding gates, you'd just have to show a valid ticket.

L_99,

Because then you could only have ticketed passengers inside the building - no people greeting people arriving. I won't even get into the problem with mixing with airport and airlines personnel, including baggage handlers.
Departing passengers should be separated from everyone else before being screened and boarding a plane. There needs to be a gate check as well as the security screening, or everyone working in an airport, including in the concessions, needs to be screened. There are many, many holes in the current system IMHO.

Maybe I didn't make myself clear.

Having security at the door DOESN'T mean you only allow ticketed people to enter. It means anyone who enters must meet security criteria -- no weapons, explosives, etc.

You would need a ticket only if you went to a boarding area. So, everyone passes security and ticketed people enter the boarding area without further security checks.

CDG Terminal 2 only has gate screening. You go through Immigration first, and then go through gate screening before you board the flight.

I think a number of Turkish airports (Ankara and Istanbul come to mind) have security screening as soon as you enter the airport (before check-in) and then gate screening (or screening for a small group of gates). Of course, Turkey has security screening upon entry into most public places (shopping malls, banks, hotels, some restaurants, etc.)

I honestly don't recall gate screening at the halls I've departed out of (2C and 2F1). Screening to enter the hall yes, screening at the gate no. I assume by "screening" you mean xray/metal detector and not just hand searches. Are you sure it's not just specific halls at CDG 2?

I've encountered gate screening at AMS for non-Schengen flights and at LHR for flights to the US.

My experience at CDG and AMS are the same as Patty.

I just flew out of CDG a couple weeks ago on Air France, Terminal 2 (C), and they didn't have any gate screening. I've flown AF a lot, always out of Terminal 2, and have never had gate screening. There are always a few people they do special searches on at the gate (whether random or targeted, I don't know), but everybody on the plane isn't having their carryons screened in any way.

Now I am beginnign to wonder if I'm remembering wrong, but I could have sworn they had baggage screening machines at the same place you have passport control. On the ground floor, before you go up the stairs to the gate area. They must have it there, as otherwise they wouldn't be checking carryons at all, and I can't believe they'd do that.

A year or two ago when there was some high alert for flights to Washington DC from France, they were hand searching every single person's bags at the checkin, but that was unusual. And that was at the airline checkin desk (really a place to the side of it), before they would tag it and check it in.

I usually fly out of CDG 2B (British Airways) and occasionally 2A (Air Canada). I suppose I should be a little more precise. The security screening at those gates occurs after you pass through the duty-free shopping area, restaurant sections and airline lounges but before you enter the specific waiting lounge allocated to your flight. If you need to use the toilet after going through security, you have to leave the secure area and be re-screened. (But you don't get screened immediately prior to boarding.) This is different from a lot of other airports, where, once you've passed through a screening area used for all flights leaving from a particular terminal, you're on "airside" where the shops, airline lounges and restaurants are. I use the word "gate screening" to mean screening just before you enter your departure gate/lounge, not screening just before you get on the plane.

Kate,
I know what you're talking about and it's not at every hall at CDG 2. The gate screening I've experienced at other airports is like that. Once you and your carry on baggage have been screened, you enter a secure waiting area for your flight and if you have to leave the area, you need to be re-screened upon return.