FlyerTalk Forums - Foreign Secondary Screening?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mabuk dan gila (Post 16231065)

'Most' foreign countries with non-stop flights to the US have aggressive secondary searches for US bound pax because the US government has threatened to turn back their planes if they don't do as our government demands.

This seems to be true mostly for US airlines, not non-US ones, at least in Europe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mats (Post 16231095)

This is actually a US Federal Requirement, which long pre-dates September 11th. It applies to US-based carriers only. The foreign carriers have much more leeway.

In some cases, there is mandatory secondary screening: bag inspection and frisking for all passengers at the gate (this was the case at Brussels for quite some time.) In other cases (Frankfurt) there is sometimes a specific second checkpoint on the concourse for all US-bound passenger only. In most cases, (Paris, Sao Paulo, for example) there is random secondary screening at the gate for US-bound flights (frisking, bag inspection, explosive swabbing.) In all cases, there may be specific screening for selectees.

Note that this is usually only true when flying US airlines (e.g. UA or AA); it is not generally the case for non-US airlines (e.g. LH or SK). Yes, it is silly to walk past the line of people waiting to be searched and interviewed to get on the UA flight, before boarding the LH flight to the same city (otoh, you then have to sit in LH economy for several hours, so it's not clear who the joke is on...)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mats (Post 16231095)

All European and South American airports require passengers to undergo two interviews: prior to check-in and at the gate.

Again, this is generally true only for flights on US airlines; it is entirely possible to fly on LH to the US without any human interaction at all. (I can only speak for Europe, though).

And of course, flying intra-Europe (intra-Schengen), it's generally not necessary to show any ID or interact with anyone, unless you check bags. I think of my most recent half dozen flights or so, I've only been asked for ID once (BCN-ZRH -- go figure).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mats (Post 16231095)

Many foreign airports have 100% liquid screening (Tel Aviv, Hong Kong), but do not typically have frisking or explosive detection at the gate or on the Jetway.

I haven't seen this in Europe. I recall in HKG, the jetway security check involved opening and closing my rollerboard...

Quote:

Originally Posted by goback (Post 16231817)

As it has been said above, a US requirement on airlines with direct flights to the US.
Just the usual for the imperial demands on the provinces, oops, I mean other soveriegn nations

In Europe and (at least parts of) Asia, you can usually avoid this nonsense by giving your money to a non-US airline. (Also avoid the UK in this regard; SK and LH are both low risk in my experience).

Of course, the fatal flaw in this strategy is that once you get to the US, you still have to get back out of the US.:(