Originally Posted by SealBeach

Several of us flew FRA-IAD last night and was surprised at the level of security.

We were screened for our connecting flight in Italy, then screened again in FRA at the entrance to the concourse. Then just before the gate, we (and everyone else) got the most intense hand-held magnetometer re-screening and VERY thorough pat-down (i.e. just about everywhere with palms, none of the usual back of the hand stuff like TSA) any of us could recall. All pockets had to be emptied of EVERYTHING, they examined of the inside of watch bands, opened ball-point pens, and repeated x-rays of several carry-ons that had too much stuff in them. Then at the gate we got questioned about control of our belongings, etc., including whether we'd purchased anything at shops in the concourse. Before we left they had to unload several unaccompanied pieces of luggage from the hold. Aboard the plane, security seals were on just about every panel that could be removed (I never have been quite sure how this keeps some cleaning person from hiding something in a seat cushion or something). Interestingly, they didn't ever examine shoes, look behind belt buckles, or do ETD at any point in the process, which seems common in the US, especially for people with laptops or other electronic gear.

The process was a little disturbing because it obviously revealed that someone considered the threat level very high (as I recall the Pan Am 103 trouble got started at FRA), but in a way it was also reassuring because it was so thorough for everyone.

The way it was set up, it looked like only passengers on UA flights were getting this treatment. Is this par for the course at FRA? Are things this tight at other UA stations?

On the ^ side, I have to say I loved the plastic bin return ramps they had at the main magnetometers and wondered why these couldn't be installed in the US to save some TSA person from having to carry a 5 foot stack of bins back out to the front of the screening line.