MH370 and PEK security
Mar 15, 2014, 6:11 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 208
MH370 and PEK security
With everything that's going on with MH370 is PEK making security stricter. I plan to pass through PEK and i've already read horror stories about it being a nightmare there.
Last edited by wordsew; Jul 6, 2014 at 10:38 pm
Mar 15, 2014, 9:30 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 208
Sorry no bibliography and footnotes with my posts.
Last edited by wordsew; Mar 15, 2014 at 9:45 am Reason: Tempered
Mar 15, 2014, 10:37 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
Programs: various
Posts: 6,710
There are plenty of posts out there that talk about long que lines and general disorganization at PEK. Just want to know if they have bolstered up security and passenger scutiny as well they should have considering the recent events and how it has effected processing and transit times as I will be subject to it soon enough.
Sorry no bibliography and footnotes with my posts.
Sorry no bibliography and footnotes with my posts.
I've always found PEK security (regardless of terminal) reasonably quick and professional, fairly polite, and certainly not slipshod or "disorganized". Quite the contrary. Queues or lack thereof are more a function of being there at busier times of day...or not. My main issue with PEK security has always been that their WTMD's (walk through metal detector) are set so sensitive that even walking through without any metal on one's person seems to set them off...meaning huge numbers of people are then hand wanded.
We'll have to get more reports in the near future from those passing through (preferably with a lot of prior experience at PEK to compare against), to see if procedures have changed in some way. But my guess is that any noticeable change in procedure would be more likely to stem from the recent Kunming railway station attack than from MH370.
Mar 15, 2014, 12:08 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 208
Then these "plenty of posts out there" with no links or sourcing don't lend credibility to your claim.
I've always found PEK security (regardless of terminal) reasonably quick and professional, fairly polite, and certainly not slipshod or "disorganized". Quite the contrary. Queues or lack thereof are more a function of being there at busier times of day...or not. My main issue with PEK security has always been that their WTMD's (walk through metal detector) are set so sensitive that even walking through without any metal on one's person seems to set them off...meaning huge numbers of people are then hand wanded.
We'll have to get more reports in the near future from those passing through (preferably with a lot of prior experience at PEK to compare against), to see if procedures have changed in some way. But my guess is that any noticeable change in procedure would be more likely to stem from the recent Kunming railway station attack than from MH370.
I've always found PEK security (regardless of terminal) reasonably quick and professional, fairly polite, and certainly not slipshod or "disorganized". Quite the contrary. Queues or lack thereof are more a function of being there at busier times of day...or not. My main issue with PEK security has always been that their WTMD's (walk through metal detector) are set so sensitive that even walking through without any metal on one's person seems to set them off...meaning huge numbers of people are then hand wanded.
We'll have to get more reports in the near future from those passing through (preferably with a lot of prior experience at PEK to compare against), to see if procedures have changed in some way. But my guess is that any noticeable change in procedure would be more likely to stem from the recent Kunming railway station attack than from MH370.
Mar 15, 2014, 1:33 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 1999
Programs: AA EXP, SPG PLT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton GLD
Posts: 974
I was through PEK security last Saturday morning just as the news broke on the missing Malaysia flight. In my opinion, the security was quite thorough. All passengers set off the metal detector as the sensitivity was set very low. All were thoroughly checked with a hand held wand. All computers had to come out of bags and were sent through separately and there was a very vigilant check for both water bottles, liquids and lighters. I could see them regularly emptying bins full of bottles, toothpaste, deodorant, cosmetics, etc..
Mar 15, 2014, 4:27 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: China and Canada
Posts: 1,886
I was wondering about your source as I have traveled through this airports too many times to remember and your comment certainly does not match my experience. It is fairly well organized and certainly quicker than in the US. So I have no idea where you heard of horrors stories.
The experience of GB above is quite normal and standard in most airports in the world.
The experience of GB above is quite normal and standard in most airports in the world.
Mar 15, 2014, 9:14 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PEK and BOS
Programs: BA - Blue
Posts: 4,532
I was through PEK security last Saturday morning just as the news broke on the missing Malaysia flight. In my opinion, the security was quite thorough. All passengers set off the metal detector as the sensitivity was set very low. All were thoroughly checked with a hand held wand. All computers had to come out of bags and were sent through separately and there was a very vigilant check for both water bottles, liquids and lighters. I could see them regularly emptying bins full of bottles, toothpaste, deodorant, cosmetics, etc..
However, we're flying on a family holiday on Friday, and the OP sufficiently 'spooked' me that we've booked our cab a little earlier than I would normally, painfully early as it is.
tb
Mar 16, 2014, 12:00 am
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,136
Laptops no longer need to be removed from bags (but, don't blame me if the security people are unaware of this new directive). Furthermore, you don't have to take off your shoes. Just be sure to take everything out of you pockets because the metal detectors are extremely sensitive.
Mar 16, 2014, 3:25 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Shanghai and Bavaria
Programs: Spire RA, 1865 Voyager, Bonvoy Titanium, FB LP, LH SEN.
Posts: 3,104
This sounds like a normal day at PEK to me. The metal detectors, as stated, are the biggest pain since it really slows the security queue down.
However, we're flying on a family holiday on Friday, and the OP sufficiently 'spooked' me that we've booked our cab a little earlier than I would normally, painfully early as it is.
tb
However, we're flying on a family holiday on Friday, and the OP sufficiently 'spooked' me that we've booked our cab a little earlier than I would normally, painfully early as it is.
tb
Mar 16, 2014, 7:25 am
#12
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,136
Mar 16, 2014, 9:56 am
#13
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7
Security check point in major ap in Asia including those of PEK, SHA, PVG, CAN and HKG are the most offective one around if you ask me. Compaired to the ones in US or CA they are "fast track" but yet very thorough. The only change or "upgrade" I noticed in China including PEK, is when President Shi came into power. Other than that, business as usual.
Mar 17, 2014, 12:14 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 5
SHA/PEK Security
Came through SHA and PEK on Sunday, March 16. Unlike previous trips, I had to empty everything out of my briefcase into bins for separate scanning at both airports. All in all, it added maybe two minutes to the entire process of getting through to the gate.
Mar 17, 2014, 1:20 pm
#15
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 506
Security check point in major ap in Asia including those of PEK, SHA, PVG, CAN and HKG are the most offective one around if you ask me. Compaired to the ones in US or CA they are "fast track" but yet very thorough. The only change or "upgrade" I noticed in China including PEK, is when President Shi came into power. Other than that, business as usual.