Reply to: Heathrow T5 security being pleasant.

[Paddy]

Are you having a giraffe??

The one (and only) time I've passed through MAN, it was a complete zoo. The security staff were rude, they were shouting at people accusing them of having banned items in their hand luggage as pretty much everything was going to secondary search. It took an age to get through. My stuff was pulled for a check and despite them tipping the entire contents out and rifling though every pocket, they found NOTHING and still had the audacity to say being selected for secondary was my fault. Reading experiences of people who regularly use MAN, this is BAU.

This was when returning from a CUK Christmas Do, so maybe there was reasonable suspicion...

Had similar at Gatwick, security were targeting white males and females only. Whilst having a full check it was so predictable who would be let through and who would be checked.

[Lance]

Are you having a giraffe??

The one (and only) time I've passed through MAN, it was a complete zoo. The security staff were rude, they were shouting at people accusing them of having banned items in their hand luggage as pretty much everything was going to secondary search. It took an age to get through. My stuff was pulled for a check and despite them tipping the entire contents out and rifling though every pocket, they found NOTHING and still had the audacity to say being selected for secondary was my fault. Reading experiences of people who regularly use MAN, this is BAU.

This was when returning from a CUK Christmas Do, so maybe there was reasonable suspicion...

he was probably using T3 which is mostly domestic and business travel. I've only used T3 a couple of times and it was like a different aiport.
T1 is just awful with knuckle draggers at security.

[ladymuck]

Always found Manchester security reasonably pleasant.
I used to use LGW - MAN (2005-2010) like most people use the London Underground.

Are you having a giraffe??

The one (and only) time I've passed through MAN, it was a complete zoo. The security staff were rude, they were shouting at people accusing them of having banned items in their hand luggage as pretty much everything was going to secondary search. It took an age to get through. My stuff was pulled for a check and despite them tipping the entire contents out and rifling though every pocket, they found NOTHING and still had the audacity to say being selected for secondary was my fault. Reading experiences of people who regularly use MAN, this is BAU.

This was when returning from a CUK Christmas Do, so maybe there was reasonable suspicion...

[CoolCat]

Luton confiscated a tiny can opener I had. I asked the chap to turn his ID card around (the side with his name and photo was hidden) and wrote his name down, didnt say anything else. His boss came chasing after me, threatened to throw me off the flight, I said nothing at all, he gave me the can opener back.

They are mixed up, confused, and clearly not sure what to do when.

[courtg9000]

Manchester and Stanstead?

Always found Manchester security reasonably pleasant.
I used to use LGW - MAN (2005-2010) like most people use the London Underground.
Not used Stansted in a very long time (1995 from memory).
Not a big fan of security/customs at Geneva Airport. Always seem to get a stop there.
Prague Airport Security are funny though. I swear their security staff have a communal laptop fetish.

[Lance]

I've always found UK airport security people quite friendly and normal, with a couple of exceptions. Compare that to the TSA where most of them treat you like a criminal.

Manchester and Stanstead?

[Zigenare]

Yes, water is available for when one tires of champagne

"Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right." – F. Scott Fitzgerald

[Uncle Albert]

You, sir, are off my choccy list.

At T5 there are signs asking you to empty your water bottle and a promise you can fill it up the other side. I never found the filling up point.

https://www.wateratairports.com/

HTH

[ladymuck]

The bar staff in the Concorde Room do it for me.

I’m told the BA Gold lounge has a tap.

Yes, water is available for when one tires of champagne

[WTFH]

At T5 there are signs asking you to empty your water bottle and a promise you can fill it up the other side. I never found the filling up point.

The bar staff in the Concorde Room do it for me.

I’m told the BA Gold lounge has a tap.

[NotAllThere]

Clearly had training on how to help old people more. I say help, probably more like how speed things up when doddery old bastards turn up so they don't hold everyone else up.

You, sir, are off my choccy list.

Most odd one was that security insisted they confiscate an empty 300ml water bottle. Their reason, you could fill it up with liquid.
I answered, but, I can buy a 300ml water bottle air-side and fill it up.
No response

At T5 there are signs asking you to empty your water bottle and a promise you can fill it up the other side. I never found the filling up point.

At Basel airport my wife got pinged for the key ring. She couldn't find her house keys so took our daughter's. Unfortunately the key ring was a souvenir from Compagnie, France, and was a bullet. Very serious violation - munitions smuggling. The chief guy came over and was enormously relieved I speak French. We explained. My wife filled in a form and we were on our way.

My boss got pinged at Basel airport too. A large bowie knife. At that time, there was the option of storing it for a small fee and picking it up on return.

[WTFH]

Got stopped going through security at Geneva a few years back, we'd skied all morning then got the taxi to the airport. Going through the scanner my backpack pinged because there were two hip flasks in it, both more than 100ml. Security guy took them out and was about to pour them into the bin when I asked if it was OK if I drank them in front of him. My wife drank the Amarula and I had a rather fine rum, drunk at a rather common pace.

[ladymuck]

I got picked up at Bilbao airport for having a corkscrew in my bag. Had bought a small one for opening some wine and forgot I'd chucked in my bag. The officer found it straight away, waggled his finger at me and tutted, then put it back in my bag and sent me on my way!

[northernladuk]

True story. Last Tuesday, flying to Tenerife, going through security in Glasgow. I had a laptop rucksack for my hand luggage, a targus one with multiple compartments that zip open/closed to make larger or smaller internal compartments. Everything goes in the grey box, through the machine. Wife gets her stuff back and I get pulled back. Guy starts pulling my lappy rucky apart and taking stuff out and puts it through the machine another 3 times, sticking his hand in and rooting around all the wee compartments repeatedly. Fourth time, he stickes his arm in, finds another internal zip, dives in and pulls out.......a junior hacksaw (f**k know how it got in there). He laughs and looks at me and says 'You canny take this mate'....

Reminds me when we flew out of Warsaw once. Some airports have the clear plastic box full of lighters, nail clippers and other trivial things people forgot they had. In Warsaw airport they've got a huge one and it was jam packed with tools. I mean like everything from screwdrivers, saws, pliers you name it. Nothing else. Kind of made sense to see all the tools coming out of Poland if you think about it but not something we expected. In the front of it was a 3 foot general purpose hand saw. Which nobber carries a 3 foot saw thinking they are going to get it past security. Unfortunately we found it so hilarious one of the handymen types in our group though it would be funny to take a picture. The minute he did he got accosted by 3 security gaurds who made him scroll through every photo in his phone to delete it (no photos in security of course).

[SueEllen]

Nice to know on the way out of the UK if there is going to be plane rage with a bladed item it will be an