Shooting video in LHR T5 Border Control
#46
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Programs: BA GGL, UA Plat, DL Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,380
I think any reasonable person would accept that the immigration hall and security lanes are sensitive areas in this context, and furthermore that 10 minutes of video is worth a thousand recces with Mk 1 eyeball. Hence the common prohibition on pictures and filming (and an indirect reason for banning the use of mobile phones). It's just one of those things that goes with flying unfortunately.
In terms of the staff behaviour, at the point he took your passport and made the comments, in a similar situation I would be whipping out my trusty little black book and starting to write. When dealing with civilian staff, politely stating that you are making a contemporaneous account of names, times, events etc. can be an amazingly efficient attitude adjuster I should point out that I would not recommend this approach with cops, border agents etc.
Personally I think the implementation of e-gates at the Border is a national disgrace. But sadly citizen journalism is not going to work in this case...
#47
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Mexico City
Programs: Life Miles, Miles and more
Posts: 518
An interesting future lies ahead as the generations who have grown up with social media, and conduct their entire lives through a screen, reach adulthood.
I've seen it said by psychologists/sociologists we're essentially conducton a mass experiment on the human brain. And it is unlikely to end well as it really wasn't designed for this kind of sudden shift in how it relates to the world and he amout of information it is asked to process. I'm in the in-between stage as a 35 year old where I grew up without it, but it arrived when I was young enough to adapt to it. I do fear when I see how people 10 years my junior seem to see their lives as merely a means to maintaining their social media presence.
Of course, other generations can be just as bad. What really irritates me is people plastering their children all over social media. These kids have not given permission for this and I really find it quite uncomfortable,I'm glad my sister keeps heer kids well off it all for their privacy. Some people have a warped idea about how interested anyone outside their immediate family/friends are in their kids...just send them pics on WhatsApp.
I've seen it said by psychologists/sociologists we're essentially conducton a mass experiment on the human brain. And it is unlikely to end well as it really wasn't designed for this kind of sudden shift in how it relates to the world and he amout of information it is asked to process. I'm in the in-between stage as a 35 year old where I grew up without it, but it arrived when I was young enough to adapt to it. I do fear when I see how people 10 years my junior seem to see their lives as merely a means to maintaining their social media presence.
Of course, other generations can be just as bad. What really irritates me is people plastering their children all over social media. These kids have not given permission for this and I really find it quite uncomfortable,I'm glad my sister keeps heer kids well off it all for their privacy. Some people have a warped idea about how interested anyone outside their immediate family/friends are in their kids...just send them pics on WhatsApp.
Last edited by nallison; Apr 16, 2018 at 7:50 am
#48
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 7,265
What we have here, is a failure to communicate... (sorry I couldn't resist)
Arrivals into US have lots of signs and indeed people as well ensuring you know that there is to be no use of phones or cameras of any sort in the immigration, baggage and customs areas. Devices can be confiscated if being used (though I've never actually seen that happen - just strong words not to use them). Many carriers also include during their announcement after landing (when you can use your mobile phones) that once you exit the aircraft, you are not to use them again until after clearing both immigration and customs. That's usually when I confirm with my ground transportation that I'm there, and that I'll be going rapidly through Global Entry, but will not be able to communicate again until I get out.
Arrivals into US have lots of signs and indeed people as well ensuring you know that there is to be no use of phones or cameras of any sort in the immigration, baggage and customs areas. Devices can be confiscated if being used (though I've never actually seen that happen - just strong words not to use them). Many carriers also include during their announcement after landing (when you can use your mobile phones) that once you exit the aircraft, you are not to use them again until after clearing both immigration and customs. That's usually when I confirm with my ground transportation that I'm there, and that I'll be going rapidly through Global Entry, but will not be able to communicate again until I get out.
#50
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,374
Quite often on Twitter you will see pictures/videos of queues at Border Control especially on a Sunday evening at Uk airports.. mostly Heathrow and T5 if I was to hazard a guess from disgruntled people trying to shame the airport operators on the lacklustre service.
What annoys me me is the safety/security card gets pulled on you like a threat if you have a grumble about some things at airports .. where’s the I’m just giving feedback about this shambles...
What annoys me me is the safety/security card gets pulled on you like a threat if you have a grumble about some things at airports .. where’s the I’m just giving feedback about this shambles...
#51
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: All over the place often South Wales and Lake District
Programs: BA Gold for Life Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,552
stating that only a small number of available e-gates are open with the vast majority of them closed wouldn’t have been an uninformed opinion. It would have been a fact. Complaining about it would have been an opinion but, like I said, IMO is valid. Dude not everything on social media needs to be entirely factual...
I asked a member of staff and was given the reason that Globaliser and others gave you.
#52
Moderator, Emirates
Join Date: Oct 2012
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Posts: 3,385
You would be surprised at the information that can be gleaned from a seemingly innocuous photo by some nefarious individuals or groups.
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#53
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
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Posts: 7,265
#54
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: All over the place often South Wales and Lake District
Programs: BA Gold for Life Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,552
In my experience there is always someone in a purple coat guiding people. While they are employed by the airport and not by BF they would have a good idea of the answer.
#55
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 9,120
In many countries there is no law against it.
Under UK law I understand that the airport operator can restrict filming is you are on private property. I also think police can ask you to stop filming but are not able to view/delete video or take your equipment.
Under UK law I understand that the airport operator can restrict filming is you are on private property. I also think police can ask you to stop filming but are not able to view/delete video or take your equipment.
#56
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: London, Babylon-on-Thames
Programs: BAEC Blue (back to Earth)
Posts: 1,504
My main issue with HAL in this space is the Purple Blazer brigade. One's welcome to the UK seems to have English as a second language, and ironically given the subject matter, spends way too much time on their phones.
#58
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
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Posts: 42,941
most uk airports are pragmatic about general photography and filmimg, but require you to seek permission if it’s being done for commercial reasons.
#59
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Lemonia. Best Greek ever.
Posts: 2,271
I am Ancient. My reaction to only having 3 electric gates open is to mutter, swear FFS to myself, and then people watch. I am too old to think about taking a video.
People watching at Border points is nearly as much fun as people watching in FF lounges.
There is always one individual or group who just want to push in. There is always a self-important business lady, (sometimes a man) who just HAS to get through before you. There is normally someone talking on their mobile with the loudspeaker on.
People watching at Border points is nearly as much fun as people watching in FF lounges.
There is always one individual or group who just want to push in. There is always a self-important business lady, (sometimes a man) who just HAS to get through before you. There is normally someone talking on their mobile with the loudspeaker on.
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,046
Sorry but that completely misses the point. The reason why filming is usually not allowed in sensitive areas such as border areas, military areas, etc is to minimise the risk of people looking for information that they can use to prepare for a criminal course of action, not to protect a process from the public eye. The fear is criminals noticing a weakness in the system such as a poorly guarded passage which could be avoid legitimate controls, inferring the identity of agents who could be targeted for a whole range of wrong things, or even preparing full scale armed attacks.
One is of course perfectly entitled to think that this is unnecessary, that we live in a safe and peaceful enough world to not worry about people trying to cheat borders or foment terror attacks etc, but to say that the no photography is aimed at hiding the existence of queues etc simply misrepresents the reason why those no filming instructions are enforced in virtually all such sensitive areas worldwide, including in countries with fantastically efficient border processes.
One is of course perfectly entitled to think that this is unnecessary, that we live in a safe and peaceful enough world to not worry about people trying to cheat borders or foment terror attacks etc, but to say that the no photography is aimed at hiding the existence of queues etc simply misrepresents the reason why those no filming instructions are enforced in virtually all such sensitive areas worldwide, including in countries with fantastically efficient border processes.
Back in the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact countries lots of people would also really have believed that there was a legitimate reason to worry about foreign spies taking pictures of bridges, churches in the Kremlin and so on. In the west we have always had a laugh about this as we know it was just paranoia and simply not true. And I suspect that the same is true these days with airport "security". I believe that in the future we will laugh at the paranoia around today.