UK airport security ..................
Aug 20th, 2006, 11:18 PM
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UK airport security ..................
Hi
just an update on the current position.
Wednesday Nimes-Luton :
Arrived 2hr 30 min before take off, and the check in queue was very long.
Security was quick, no special restrictions other than no liquids and a body search. All hand luggage was sniffed by a dog in the departure lounge, then another rapid body search before getting on the plane.
The plane was 45 mins late.
Sunday Luton-Nimes :
There was a document check and briefing for all passengers entering the check in area. I arrived 2hr 30 min before take off and the check in had not opened. After buying a newspaper and coffee, the check in was open and I was behind 100+ people.
Plenty of announcements and notices covered the new rules. A precheck before security put mobile phones into a clear plastic bag. Security was quick. Laptops were x-rayed separately. All shoes removed and x-rayed.
The plane was 15 minutes late.
Note for smokers :
No lighters or matches allowed, but the shops airside had lighters for sale.
The staff smoking area near the departure gates was in use by staff who were happy to provide a light !
Peter
just an update on the current position.
Wednesday Nimes-Luton :
Arrived 2hr 30 min before take off, and the check in queue was very long.
Security was quick, no special restrictions other than no liquids and a body search. All hand luggage was sniffed by a dog in the departure lounge, then another rapid body search before getting on the plane.
The plane was 45 mins late.
Sunday Luton-Nimes :
There was a document check and briefing for all passengers entering the check in area. I arrived 2hr 30 min before take off and the check in had not opened. After buying a newspaper and coffee, the check in was open and I was behind 100+ people.
Plenty of announcements and notices covered the new rules. A precheck before security put mobile phones into a clear plastic bag. Security was quick. Laptops were x-rayed separately. All shoes removed and x-rayed.
The plane was 15 minutes late.
Note for smokers :
No lighters or matches allowed, but the shops airside had lighters for sale.
The staff smoking area near the departure gates was in use by staff who were happy to provide a light !
Peter
Aug 22nd, 2006, 10:03 PM
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Aug 22nd, 2006, 10:44 PM
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Flew from Stansted Sat 19 Aug, arrived 2+ hours before flight departure, airport was chaotic, difficult to see where queues start or if you were in the correct queue as they all merged, took an hour to reach the check-in desk. Security took no time at all. Flight was an hour late departing.
On the return, no queues at the aiport (Malmo) but then it is a small provincial airport, flight was 45 mins late due to late departure from UK. On arrival at Stansted, took half hour to disembark, huge queues at passport control, another hour to retrieve baggage. In my experience, this seems to be usual situation with flying lowcost and from Stansted.
On the return, no queues at the aiport (Malmo) but then it is a small provincial airport, flight was 45 mins late due to late departure from UK. On arrival at Stansted, took half hour to disembark, huge queues at passport control, another hour to retrieve baggage. In my experience, this seems to be usual situation with flying lowcost and from Stansted.
Aug 23rd, 2006, 03:20 AM
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Our family flew home from Gatwick on August 20 and 21.
We flew to the UK before the new luggage restrictions. We flew into Glasgow, and were part of a large group attending a bagpiping competition. On the way to the UK, my daughter carried her pipes on the plane as always, along with a book bag type back pack with her laptop. I had a large-ish backpack with me as a carry on bag that contained my laptop (3 years old and heavy/large), my notebook with itineraries and reservations, my film camera and lenses in a padded camera case, my digital camera, a pair of sandals and reading material for the plane.
My husband came over to the UK on the first day following the new restrictions and had packed very light. He brought a briefcase with him and a small empty day pack in his checked suitcase. For the return trip, he took my laptop in his briefcase and gave me the day pack as my carry on. My daughter took her bagpipes apart and packed the drones in her carry on bag, and checked the bag and case in the hold. I lightly wrapped my film camera and lenses with some cloth in my day pack and I put the camera case in my checked luggage. I also carried my daughter's small laptop and my digital camera, and a pair of sandals for the flight. I was concerned that my pack wasn't the exact measurements specified; a little thicker than 6" but not as wide as 14" or as long as 18". Others in our group had returned to the US earlier and I had heard from them that the security was very strict about the size of the packs, and that they had to shift items around to make the hand luggage conform to the exact size.
My husband flew Delta out of Gatwick on Sunday (August 20), arriving 4 hours before flight. He reported that he had to work hard to get his briefcase to fit the measurement box. He found long lines at airline check in, at security, and at the gate security.
We arrived at Gatwick 4 hours early for our 10:30 Continental flight. I was shooting for 3.5 hours, but the driver got us there quickly. Continental's check in line was long and the check in started right when we arrived. Agents came down the line and took passports for scanning. We then went to the counter to receive boarding passes. This was maybe 30 minutes. There was a measurement box for carry on luggage (mine was indeed too fat) but I saw no airline employee was actually checking size. I asked about my pack, as at that point I could remove the sandals and put in my suitcase, and was told my pack would be fine.
From there we went through airport security. Long line, but moved quickly. Maybe 15 minutes. Despite clear indications about nothing in the pockets, people still arrived at the machines and then had to empty pockets. Sigh. I don't remember a body search at that point.
Our boarding passes had the gate number on them, so we headed to the gate figuring there would be food that way. The gate was closed, not to open until 9:00. We went further down the hall and rejoiced to see a lone Costa coffee stall. Bought our breakfast and sat in those seats until close to 9:00 when we went back to the gate area.
We were pretty much near the beginning of the line when the gate security began. Hand luggage checked and a body pat down. We were then in the secure gate area until boarding.
We ended up with about an hour extra time at the airport, but I was glad I arrived when I did. I suspect the lines got longer for everything as the morning wore on. The flight was 15 to 30 minutes late.
As for the carry on bags, I saw all kinds of things being carried. Some were obviously too large, but seemed to get by the security just fine. Nobody had anything as big as the formerly permitted size, however. I will say that boarding and leaving the plane were much quicker since everyone had much less luggage to stow and retrieve.
We flew to the UK before the new luggage restrictions. We flew into Glasgow, and were part of a large group attending a bagpiping competition. On the way to the UK, my daughter carried her pipes on the plane as always, along with a book bag type back pack with her laptop. I had a large-ish backpack with me as a carry on bag that contained my laptop (3 years old and heavy/large), my notebook with itineraries and reservations, my film camera and lenses in a padded camera case, my digital camera, a pair of sandals and reading material for the plane.
My husband came over to the UK on the first day following the new restrictions and had packed very light. He brought a briefcase with him and a small empty day pack in his checked suitcase. For the return trip, he took my laptop in his briefcase and gave me the day pack as my carry on. My daughter took her bagpipes apart and packed the drones in her carry on bag, and checked the bag and case in the hold. I lightly wrapped my film camera and lenses with some cloth in my day pack and I put the camera case in my checked luggage. I also carried my daughter's small laptop and my digital camera, and a pair of sandals for the flight. I was concerned that my pack wasn't the exact measurements specified; a little thicker than 6" but not as wide as 14" or as long as 18". Others in our group had returned to the US earlier and I had heard from them that the security was very strict about the size of the packs, and that they had to shift items around to make the hand luggage conform to the exact size.
My husband flew Delta out of Gatwick on Sunday (August 20), arriving 4 hours before flight. He reported that he had to work hard to get his briefcase to fit the measurement box. He found long lines at airline check in, at security, and at the gate security.
We arrived at Gatwick 4 hours early for our 10:30 Continental flight. I was shooting for 3.5 hours, but the driver got us there quickly. Continental's check in line was long and the check in started right when we arrived. Agents came down the line and took passports for scanning. We then went to the counter to receive boarding passes. This was maybe 30 minutes. There was a measurement box for carry on luggage (mine was indeed too fat) but I saw no airline employee was actually checking size. I asked about my pack, as at that point I could remove the sandals and put in my suitcase, and was told my pack would be fine.
From there we went through airport security. Long line, but moved quickly. Maybe 15 minutes. Despite clear indications about nothing in the pockets, people still arrived at the machines and then had to empty pockets. Sigh. I don't remember a body search at that point.
Our boarding passes had the gate number on them, so we headed to the gate figuring there would be food that way. The gate was closed, not to open until 9:00. We went further down the hall and rejoiced to see a lone Costa coffee stall. Bought our breakfast and sat in those seats until close to 9:00 when we went back to the gate area.
We were pretty much near the beginning of the line when the gate security began. Hand luggage checked and a body pat down. We were then in the secure gate area until boarding.
We ended up with about an hour extra time at the airport, but I was glad I arrived when I did. I suspect the lines got longer for everything as the morning wore on. The flight was 15 to 30 minutes late.
As for the carry on bags, I saw all kinds of things being carried. Some were obviously too large, but seemed to get by the security just fine. Nobody had anything as big as the formerly permitted size, however. I will say that boarding and leaving the plane were much quicker since everyone had much less luggage to stow and retrieve.
