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Old Jul 21, 2005 | 8:29 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by Snoopy
Then there's the one about the Nigerian we found sleeping in the x-ray machine after having missed his flight to Lagos (same check-in area)...ah but that really would be OT.
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Old Jul 21, 2005 | 8:33 am
  #17  
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Originally Posted by chartreuse
That is odd, as when you go through the first/business door you should be directed round to the front of the gate area, where the same moat dragon will look at your stub & decide whether or not to send you off for a 2ary.

That said, I've only ever been hassled at LHR when in coach. At LGW on the other hand
This was Gate 22 in T3 yesterday. It's as the very end of the hallway, perhaps it's a different configuration that other gates. I think it is, but I am not sure.

The Elite line enters you into the middle of the room. The regualr line enters you all the way from the back.

What was also amazing were the number of "riflers," a steady stream of about five or six of them, passing each bag on down to the one furthest at the end of the line who is unoccupied.
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Old Jul 21, 2005 | 10:11 am
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Originally Posted by LessO2
This was Gate 22 in T3 yesterday. It's as the very end of the hallway, perhaps it's a different configuration that other gates. I think it is, but I am not sure.

The Elite line enters you into the middle of the room. The regualr line enters you all the way from the back.
Yeah, 22 is a pain - the longest walk in the terminal

Still, IME they put up one of those stretchy elastic barrier things to guide you back to the regular moat dragon.

Originally Posted by LessO2
What was also amazing were the number of "riflers," a steady stream of about five or six of them, passing each bag on down to the one furthest at the end of the line who is unoccupied.
Those guys are super! I remember one insisting I remove all metal from my jacket, then passing it *around* the WTMD before handing it back to me and taking no further interest
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Old Jul 21, 2005 | 10:49 am
  #19  
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In my experience, Air France does the following for all US-bound flights:
1. ICTS/Securicor interview prior to check-in
2. Random hand inspection of checked bags
3. Passport and boarding pass check at gate. Provision of US entry documents.
4. Random or less-than-random pat downs and shoe inspections for some flights. Sometimes it's all male passengers (I'm not kidding.), sometimes it's every 4th or 5th passenger, sometimes it's totally random.

The US carriers at Charles de Gaulle:
1. ICTS interview prior to check in
2. Random or non-random inspection of checked bags
3. Second interview and document inspection prior to boarding.
4. Random or less-than-random VERY THOROUGH pat downs and bag inspections, first with wand and then without, including hair inspection, shoe inspection, and detailed inspection of hand baggage.

And--I agree-things seem to be MUCH more thorough at Gatwick than Heathrow. I can't imagine why.
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Old Jul 21, 2005 | 10:59 am
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Originally Posted by Mats
And--I agree-things seem to be MUCH more thorough at Gatwick than Heathrow. I can't imagine why.
Not more thorough, just more intrusive and annoying. Not the same thing at all.
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Old Jul 21, 2005 | 11:02 am
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Mats
And--I agree-things seem to be MUCH more thorough at Gatwick than Heathrow. I can't imagine why.
More US airlines there, and thus they have more "influence" on "security"?
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Old Jul 21, 2005 | 4:30 pm
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Once at Gatwick for an AA flight the security contractors wanted to inspect my rollaboard as I was checking in. I told them it was to be carried on, not checked, but they inspected it anyway. Not only was it a really cursory check, but of course this was all outside security, so I could go from the security check to put all kinds of stuff in my suitcase after that if I had wanted to. Totally senseless.
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Old Jul 21, 2005 | 5:26 pm
  #23  
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Originally Posted by grouse
Once at Gatwick for an AA flight the security contractors ....
I've been out of the business for a while and I don't know the current situation but AA used to be the ONLY international US carrier that used its' own security staff rather than a contractors on a systemwide basis. They took it REALLY seriously too with regard to customer service and quality of staff. Has that changed now? It would be a pity...
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Old Jul 22, 2005 | 10:50 am
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Originally Posted by Snoopy
I've been out of the business for a while and I don't know the current situation but AA used to be the ONLY international US carrier that used its' own security staff rather than a contractors on a systemwide basis. They took it REALLY seriously too with regard to customer service and quality of staff. Has that changed now? It would be a pity...
They appeared to be contractors to me at the time, but I cannot be certain.
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