jackal

I'm surprised at the number of airports that require you to reclear security on an international transit connection. My only previous experiences connecting internationally were in MUC, which was ridiculously easy--as easy as a domestic connection (and the MCT times reflect that).

So, two questions:

1) Is not having to reclear security really the outlying case?
2) Is there a list of airports that require one to re-clear security and ones that don't?

I'll start:

No (that I can recall): MUC, SIN (that I can recall), BOG, LIM, PTY
Yes: ICN, BKK, HKG, DOH, all airports in US/Canada/Mexico as there is no such thing as an international transfer without entering the country
Can't recall: LHR (it's been 12 years!)

It's rather frustrating as it's a) yet another step to go through and b) I've had to throw beverages, etc. away that I've acquired en-route because of an unexpected security checkpoint.

Oh, and a third question: why? As mentioned, there are several airports that don't require this, and it seems logical that you're already in the sterile area and can't have acquired anything that is a dangerous good (unless these countries simply don't trust other countries' security procedures)...

wrp96

LHR you absolutely have to reclear security.

GUWonder

At least most major hub airports for the Big 3 alliance airlines require re-clearing security at the international transit point for at least some international trips. But this all comes down to specific circumstances in terms of things like country of originating airport, transit airport, country of destination airport and even sometimes operating carrier. Sometimes the rescreening is a function of regulation; other times it is a function of layout; and other times some combination of both.

For example a trip from the US to Sweden via DUS often won't generally involve security rescreening at DUS. However, a UAE to Sweden via DUS will most frequently involve security rescreening at DUS.

If you fly India to Munich to the US, there is rescreening at MUC.


Most international airports to which I've been have at least some international transit rescreening, at least if it's an airport that has immigration/passport control.

seawolf

I think most airports require rescreening. FRA CDG TXL MXP ZRH

GUWonder

Sometimes FRA has not. I've had some IAD/EWR/JFK/ORD-FRA-DEL trips where I was rescreened and some where I was not rescreened. On the return from DEL, I have always been rescreened at FRA.

Aviatrix

The way it is meant to work EU and Schengen-wide is that if you have cleared security at an airport that is within Schengen, or within the EU, or on the "approved list", then there is no requirement to re-clear security.

Some countries (like the UK) have decided to do their own thing - in the UK you always have to re-clear Security on international transits.

At some airports (like AMS) some international passengers have to re-clear security for reasons of airport lay-out. At AMS you can do Schengen-to-Schengen transfers without re-clearing security but not transfers to and from non-Schengen destinations. This is due to change next year (building work for the change is now in full swing)

At some airports, like FRA, it's luck of the draw - i.e., it depends on which gate you arrive at and depart from.

Mats

Frankfurt changed so that passengers arriving from the US into the "Z" gates do not have to re-clear security. It's great.

Kiwi Flyer

Definitely re-screened at SIN and LHR.

Not re-screening for international to international transits is the exception, not the norm.
Some I can recall with no re-screening are
- some South Pacific islands (but not others eg NAN, RAR, PPT require re-screening)
- travel wholly within EU schengen zone (ie AAA-BBB-CCC where all 3 are in Schengen), but this is not universal
- CGK and DPS (hit and miss if transfer security is manned)
- some Middle East airports (eg RUH)
- some African airports

However, most do re-screen.

catandmouse

Rescreening during international transit is normal practice. After all why should the transit TSA, or equivalent, trust what has been done at the departure airport?
The only exception is flights completely during the Schengen area (not the EU), where there usually is no security check in transit (sometimes when airport layout doesn't allow it you may end up going through security).

jackal

Well, up until my recent adventures in the Middle East and Asia, all of my previous experiences had avoided rescreening (except for a departure to the US from PTY, once, where they rescreened us at the gate to US standards, including removing shoes and tossing liquids). Granted, my experience with connections at international airports was limited, but it just surprised me to find that I was now having to reclear security where I had gotten used to not having to do so before.

Aviatrix

There are set standards for security screening that have been agreed by the EU (not just Schengen) and that are being implemented EU-wide. If a passenger has cleared security according to the set standards then it is not mandatory for them to re-clear security at other airports in the combined EU/Schengen area... but as I said in my earlier post at some airports the lay-out of the airport requires another security screening, and the UK has taken a unilateral decision not to conform to what's been agreed by the rest of the EU. (It is not mandatory for UK-originating passengers to reclear security elsewhere in the EU, but the UK insists on another security screening)

The USA and one or two other countries are deemed to have standards that are equivalent to EU standards, and these countries are now on the safe list - i.e., it is no longer mandatory for passenges to re-clear security on arrival from the USA (this is a fairly recent change)

B747-437B

The sticking point is the ability of crew and airport staff to carry liquids above 100 ml to the airside. Many countries permit this, but the UK strictly does not. Therefore, the UK cannot guarantee that a passenger or crewmember arriving from outside the UK is not in possession of a liquid container containing more than 100ml and hence the UK has to screen them again.

When the UK finally abandons the enforcement of the 100ml regulation (for staff/crew at least), the standards will be common again and the rescreening may no longer be required.

Aviatrix

Thanks, B747-437B, for explaining why the UK is insisting on being different from everybody else in the EU - I didn't know this was because of water bottles carried onboard by aircrew, and I bet very few other people do. I assumed it was simply the usual thing of being awkward for the sake of being awkward...

jaymar01

I believe in the United States this was addressed as part of the TSA Full Employment Act.

alanR

Exactly.

It is common for countries to receive flights from several different countries at the same time into the same terminal making it impossible to distinguish passengers from "trusted" countries from those from "untrusted".