Heathrow T5 Security - Watch out !
#31
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: London, UK
Posts: 8
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!
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!
#32
Join Date: May 2012
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hotels.com Gold
Posts: 384
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.
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.
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.
#34
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Perthshire/Cardiff
Programs: Clan Loganair, BAEC (Blue4life), AMEX
Posts: 48
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
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
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
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
#35
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Surrey, UK
Posts: 494
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.
#36
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 129
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.
#37
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: BA GGL, TK E (*G), ITA exec
Posts: 4,023
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
#38
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
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.
#39
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
Time to go to a Bangkok night market to buy a dozen of Rolex watches to make the tales into test...or not.
#40
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,888
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.
#41
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: London
Programs: Mucci Blue, BAEC Gold, Blockbuster Video card
Posts: 1,378
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.
#42
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: London UK
Programs: BA Gold/Marriott Titanium Lifetime/UA/JetBlue
Posts: 618
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.
#43
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,083
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!
#44
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Perth WA/ UK
Programs: BA Gold, Priority Club Gold, Accor Silver, Virgin Australia Gold
Posts: 1,739
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!! 😁
#45
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold / OW Emerald
Posts: 753
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.
I found that very odd... but now it makes sense.