Heathrow T5 Security - Watch out !

Old Aug 2, 2018, 5:49 am
  #31  
 
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The crown goes to London Stansted's security, I got asked last sunday at stansted security to take off 2 hair bands (fabric like elastic with no metal content) off from my wrist explaining that they set off the xray scanner!

Just goes to show how stupid that scanning machine is if not bordering on pathetic!

Good job I am not a nursing mother any more else I would not recall which eh hem was last used to ehhem-feed my little boy!
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 5:53 am
  #32  
 
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Originally Posted by Lefly
I thought watches, like belts, had always to be removed and placed in the trays at security screening using metal detectors.

I do not have a watch, but I have a silver bracelet and a necklace that can set the alarm off, so I put them in a pocket of my bag while queuing and wear them back on as soon as I am on the other side.
This leads me to a question I had thought of but forgotten until now: what is the threshold for precious metals setting off the scanners?

Until recently I had not had a problem with gold, silver or even titanium jewellery when going through scanners - I have never bothered to take off rings and so on even though I do take off my watch, belt etc. My (probably erroneous) assumption was that Au/Ag are not magnetic and presumably it was because non-magnetic metals do not set off that type of alarm.

However recently at T3 Fast Track I had the dreaded beep and was told off (in a fairly good natured kind of way) by the agent for keeping on a 1 inch wide solid silver cuff "because it's metal so of course you can't wear it through here". I know it is real sterling silver because it was made by my mother with metal purchased from a reputable Hatton Garden dealer and then hallmarked for her at the Assay Office, so it wasn't because it is fake.

So were my previous experiences just because the pieces were smaller? Do silver and gold pieces both set off the scanners if large enough, and is it nothing to do with magnetism? Is it because larger pieces will contain enough of the non-Au/Ag elements to be picked up, or would even 100% Au/Ag set it off too?

I'm talking about the old-style scanners, not the wave type ones...

Back on topic: what I do take off I put into my bag though this is mainly to save time in picking everything up once I'm through and stop me forgetting small bits. I'll put all that back on properly once I'm in the lounge.
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 6:10 am
  #33  
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Originally Posted by simons1

If you are seeing sarcasm and rudeness that's a shame but when posters come here and make thinly veiled accusations one should expect to receive equally robust comments back.
As should those who come on here making accusations against BA.
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 6:27 am
  #34  
 
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I always put my valuables in a specific pocket in my bag that way if I get a bit flustered going through security, I know exactly were it is.

However, a couple of months ago I didn't put my Breitling (which I've had 15 years since a teenager) in the usual pocket, got stuck behind a family, got randomly selected to go into the x-ray booth, got patted down, all this time my bag was sat sitting on the conveyor. Collected bag, opened the pocket, no watch! Panic! I emptied the bag, couldn't find it, had the contents strewn over EDI security socks, pants, toothbrush, the lot - still no watch. I was distraught, tears welling up, didn't know what to do, only to find it in the mesh bottle holder on the side of the bag!

Be consistent in your valuable placement!

One thing I don't understand is they want you to remove all metal items regardless of size but the bones of my shirt collars never set it off. I have sets made from different materials brass, silver, stainless and CoCr but never an issue
Originally Posted by waldorfmuppet
Indeed - had the same problem with a 5 belt at T5 security.

The only reason I was so keen to get it back was that my trousers were falling down.


I was travelling last year and lost a fair bit of weight but despite walking through the scanner with my legs stretched in a fashion reminiscent of a pantomime cowboy, they ended up round my ankles when walking through the scanner

Last edited by sjrk1; Aug 2, 2018 at 6:33 am Reason: splleing
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 6:29 am
  #35  
 
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So a thread from a British Airways employee accusing Heathrow Airport staff of stealing valuables from British Airways passengers on a public forum... I think something like that should be addressed more privately personally, at least while there is limited to no evidence of any wrongdoing.
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 6:57 am
  #36  
 
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Just another odd occurance of setting off the scanners. At MCO, I was holding my passport that was in an RFD cover. The RFD cover set off the scanner. TSA couldn't figure out what was setting the scanner off. TSA kept asking me if I had an artificial hip....etc. FINALLY another TSA guy from another lane and came over to help as he knew what the problem was. He asked for my passport and sent me back through the scanner....Voila, problem solved. He said some sleeves do this and some don't. Normally I put everything in the carry-on but was told to hang on to the passport for a secondary screening. Next time, sleeve and passport stays in the carry-on, I will pull it out for the next screening.
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 7:30 am
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by gingerlucy
This leads me to a question I had thought of but forgotten until now: what is the threshold for precious metals setting off the scanners?
In my experience, small/medium silver earrings, 2/3 silver rings +1 gold and a thin silver necklace usually don't set the alarm off. When I add the (thin) bracelet and the more thick and long necklace chain with pendant 95 out of 100 the alarm goes off. I always thought it was a calibration thing, and some metal detectors were more sensible. I never thought silver and the like could be treated differently by the metal detector, as they are metals anyway
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 7:33 am
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by Howard Long
This happened to me at FRA, laptop went missing. Turned out another pax had picked up my laptop but left their own. Thankfully they returned to the security point fifteen minutes later having realised their mistake..
Slightly different scenario. In one a traveller made a genuine mistake and left their own laptop behind.

The post you were responding to was (like the OP) implying criminal intent to steal.

In a different scenario still I took a laptop out to Dubai this week for a member of a Facebook group who left it behind at LGW having got flustered at a full bag search. It was handed in to lost property.

Unless the OP has a bit more to substantiate the allegations it's probably best to move on.
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 7:47 am
  #39  
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Time to go to a Bangkok night market to buy a dozen of Rolex watches to make the tales into test...or not.
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 7:59 am
  #40  
 
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I vaguely remember that magnetism is something to do with the way electrons orbit in atoms so even non-magnetic materials exhibit some characteristic that can be identified in scanners.
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 8:10 am
  #41  
 
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Originally Posted by Great_circle
Straight after check in I put wallet/watch/smartphone inside hand luggage in one go and take the plastic bag with liquids out, problem solved..
Yup mee to.

I actually have a hip replacement which I know for certain will set the detectors off unless they're defective. So there's no point in me having that stuff on anyway as it's always gonna get taken off me and rescanned.

So small stuff in carry on, and belt / shoes etc always off and into the crates too. Doesn't stop the machine going off, but it does cut to a bare minimum, irrespective of the airport I'm passing through, the time taken to get through whatever their second stage checks are.

Per the OP, I too agree that stealing seems implausible given the level of surveillence. But I guess nothing's for certain.
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 8:12 am
  #42  
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Originally Posted by JFX1764
So a thread from a British Airways employee accusing Heathrow Airport staff of stealing valuables from British Airways passengers on a public forum... I think something like that should be addressed more privately personally, at least while there is limited to no evidence of any wrongdoing.
If you have read my OP you will note I have not accused anyone of anything. If it seems that way to anyone I apologise as the intention was to give others the heads up and to be aware that things like this happen, and to see if anyone else had similar issues,.
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 9:12 am
  #43  
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Originally Posted by markzz2
If you have read my OP you will note I have not accused anyone of anything. If it seems that way to anyone I apologise as the intention was to give others the heads up and to be aware that things like this happen, and to see if anyone else had similar issues,.
I see exactly where you were coming from markzz2. The bottom line, as I read and interpreted your post was that your MIL put a watch through, it never came out the other end and then quite rightly she complained as any other right minded person would do. Very logical in my book.

The interwebby, by it's very nature draws various viewpoints from largely anonymous posters and I think you done the right thing posting the 2 incidents here which in some useful posts reinforces the right thing to do is for folks to pack your watches etc in your rucksack/handbag etc so thank you for that. (as well as the many, many of your previous very helpful posts)

There is a thief in Terminal 5 who is sneaky but hopefully they will get caught!
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 10:16 am
  #44  
 
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Bit off topic..but I kid you not. At PER they got excited about an umbrella within hand baggage and wanted it out for a second scan. yes the brolly was not required in Perth but rather at OSL for overnighter .no one at PER wanted to steal my brolly!! 😁
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Old Aug 2, 2018, 10:33 am
  #45  
 
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Interestingly the folks in GVA know about this and instruct you to put any loose or valuable items in a bag or coat before pushing the tray in.

I found that very odd... but now it makes sense.
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