PVG security was nuts
#16
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: VPS, previously SEA and PIT
Programs: DL Diamond/1MM, Hilton Diamond, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 1,203
I felt the same at PEK last year; completely shocked they wanted all chargers, batteries, wires, electronics out and inspected (without using gloves even!). They tried to confiscate my portable cell phone charger, which led to a decent fight over it and having to demonstrate what it was for. The worst part of security there, however, was the extra security line after you've started walking down the jetway. No gloves searching your bags, and taking all liquids. So if you buy a water in the terminal, you can't take it on. Ridiculous, especially since your throat gets scratchy breathing the air there and you're prepping for a 13 hour flight.
#18
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: MPC,CA,MU,AF
Posts: 8,171
When in China, I always carry a bag for all items that will cause a re-scan:
* Adapters, wires
* Keys, coins, my thick watch, my phones (they don't like anything blocking the view
* LAG, of course
* Power banks, of course too - they must be properly labeled. They sometimes have instructions posted and sometimes verbally communicated to remove power banks for inspection.
* Cameras (if any, but I don't use cameras these days).
* Adapters, wires
* Keys, coins, my thick watch, my phones (they don't like anything blocking the view
* LAG, of course
* Power banks, of course too - they must be properly labeled. They sometimes have instructions posted and sometimes verbally communicated to remove power banks for inspection.
* Cameras (if any, but I don't use cameras these days).
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,417
The lines weren't bad but the digging through everything was annoying, especially as we didn't have time to properly repack at the time.
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,417
You said in your original post, "every bit of electronic" which includes iPad and iPhone, cameras, etc. I always have to take these out everywhere. Batteries for sure as well. wires, I don't think so.
Maybe something happened earlier that day and they were more nervous. Or somebody warned them you were coming ;-)
Maybe something happened earlier that day and they were more nervous. Or somebody warned them you were coming ;-)
#21
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: VPS, previously SEA and PIT
Programs: DL Diamond/1MM, Hilton Diamond, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 1,203
The flight was to America, and America allows liquids that are purchased or filled after you've gone through security. So that wouldn't be the case here.
#22
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: San Jose, California, USA
Programs: AS 100K, UA MM, AA MM, IC Plat Amb, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 3,146
The only issue I had with my departures from PEK and PVG are with my power banks: Tbh there are signs warning about maximum size and such, but I had no idea whether mine were compliant or not. Thankfully they were.
#23
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,091
#24
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
Programs: various
Posts: 6,710
China is also ultra-sensitive and paranoid that any explosive might slip through on a US carrier or US-bound flight, maybe more so than with most other countries.
#25
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,091
Yes, it is the case in China for US-bound flights and is quite purposeful. While the US relaxed its post 9-11 rules on allowing liquids purchased past security to be boarded, China decided not to roll back the restriction. I'm sure it's because it's easier to have a clearly-defined, though severe, rule that the staff can uniformly apply to everyone, rather than get into endless arguments with passengers and have to make judgment calls case-by-case a thousand+ times per day on which liquids originated airside and which didn't. As if the gate secondary staff did not have full trust that the primary security screening would catch everything.
China is also ultra-sensitive and paranoid that any explosive might slip through on a US carrier or US-bound flight, maybe more so than with most other countries.
China is also ultra-sensitive and paranoid that any explosive might slip through on a US carrier or US-bound flight, maybe more so than with most other countries.
#26
Ambassador: China
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Malibu Inferno Ground Zero
Programs: UA AA CO
Posts: 4,836
As a result of the failed 06 transatlantic plot targeting US, involving soft drink cans..batteries..wires..cameras, doesn't seem unreasonable for China to spend extra money on security proceedures or make airlines pay.
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,417
And it certainly doesn't explain what happened this time. This is by far not my first time through PVG since 06.
#28
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,091
1. somebody attempted to bomb a US bound airplane using liquids
2. the US responded with 3-1-1
-for a short spell, this applied to US bound flights (in addition to internal flights)
3. apart from dutifully respecting the "US bound flights" policy, China implemented its own version of 3-1-1 for domestic flights
4. the "US bound flights" policy is no longer a big deal for the US, but enforcement still happens in China (sometimes)
#29
Ambassador: China
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Malibu Inferno Ground Zero
Programs: UA AA CO
Posts: 4,836
I don't have the energy to research the exact timeline of the liquids ban saga today, but I am certain of the order of events:
1. somebody attempted to bomb a US bound airplane using liquids
August 10, 2006 made public
2. the US responded with 3-1-1
announced 3-1-1 on September 26, 2006
-for a short spell, this applied to US bound flights (in addition to internal flights)
3. apart from dutifully respecting the "US bound flights" policy, China implemented its own version of 3-1-1 for domestic flights
March 15, 2008
4. the "US bound flights" policy is no longer a big deal for the US, but enforcement still happens in China (sometimes)
1. somebody attempted to bomb a US bound airplane using liquids
August 10, 2006 made public
2. the US responded with 3-1-1
announced 3-1-1 on September 26, 2006
-for a short spell, this applied to US bound flights (in addition to internal flights)
3. apart from dutifully respecting the "US bound flights" policy, China implemented its own version of 3-1-1 for domestic flights
March 15, 2008
4. the "US bound flights" policy is no longer a big deal for the US, but enforcement still happens in China (sometimes)
#30
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Stockholm
Programs: EuroBonus Diamond
Posts: 171
I always have my Style PS with me on a ring with a Gerber Shard and a house key, so I have learned that China and South Africa have rules prohibiting tools (pliers) in carry-on luggage. The Shard has never raised an eyebrow anywhere, and the Style PS has made it through PVG and JNB (but not PEK or CPT).