I am sure it's just because the Aussies love to get one over on us Brits, but there was fisticuffs down under today as they insisted on searching Prince Andrew!!

Like the British Royal family are going to suddenly be suicide bombers or aircarft hijackers!!

Madness!!

He's just as likely as me, as far as I'm concerned. I just cost the average citizen in my country a heckuva lot less.

They just wanted a chance to touch the royal family's jewels.

^ ^ ^

Kah-****ing ching! @:-) :-: ^

Even so, why should anyone just be excused because of their status? You either screen everybody, or nobody. I think it's ridiculous that certain people are (or should be) allowed to skip security, it completely defeats the purpose of security, and why? Because you TRUST them to do the right thing?

Many airports have VIP sections to avoid embarrasing overseas VIP's like this. I have only used it once, ironically in Pakistan, and I was not screened. You simply cannot screen the likes of Bush, Bliar, Brenda etc... its stupid!!

It most certainly is not stupid, and it's ridiculous for you to even think so. Yeah, sure it's unlikely that someone who is considered to be a VIP with such a highly public life is going to be a terrorist or anything, but what the hell is the point of having a "secure area" such as airside when it's not really secure if people are able to bypass screening? I don't care who they are, if you start letting people through security, what the hell is the point of security?

Because there are a select few who, e.g. travelling heads of state, the Pope, Manchester United etc... where they are high profile guests of the governments of the country they are visiting. These people should just be waived through without having a sniffer dog checking whether they have fresh undies on!

Hello,

I was the Orlando Airport (MCO) recently, and there's a huge sign that says "FEMA Workers" this way -- and it leads them past security -- just show your FEMA badge and you're on your way.

Which I don't think is fair. Heads of State I can understand about bypassing security, but *all* FEMA workers get a bye? It's not fair.

David

Actually the sign for FEMA Workers at MCO was at the entrance to the Clear Scam Line, which still requires the FEMA workers to go through security screening. It just means that they go to the front of the screening line and maybe get a little less hassle.

In regards to screening Prince Andrew, is the world any safer for doing it? I seriously doubt it. Just another dog and pony show for security's sake.

I am all in favor of "politicians" (and royal tools are lumped into that category) being subject to the same dog and pony show as the general population. Otherwise, they are far less likely to internalize the extent of idiocy that is demonstrated by the shoe carnival and the like (more the latter than the former given we are talking about Australia and not the United States).

Actually this is the best comment on this thread!! If we had Mrs Bush's bush being sniffed by dogs every time she flew anywhere normality might be resumed!!

Yes GUWonder - agree that by subjecting the politicians to the rules they might think twice about them!

However - in response to other posters - there is a considerable difference between VIPs / CIPs / Celebs (who I think SHOULD all be screened - and usually are - for example Diana Ross' search at Heathrow) and those travelling on Diplomatic Passports.

The latter category should not be searched, and indeed are exempt under international law. I would think Prince Andrew would almost certainly have been travelling on a diplomatic passport?

Regards

WG

Yes you are correct in that it is highly unlikely that the members of the British Royal family will try anything crazy while traveling but look at cases like Saudi Arabia or Nepal where members of the royal family resorted to killings. King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was killed by his nephew Prince Faisali bin Musad and King Birendra of Nepal and most of his family were shot dead at a banquet by none other than the heir to the throne. Security screening may perhaps prevented the killings.

The last Iraqi tyrant ruler Saddam Hussein's older son murdered his father's cook in Egypt! He probably traveled on a diplomatic passport and perhaps carried guns.

Granted that these people did not commit their crimes while traveling IHMO the fact that they are members of a Royal family or travel on diplomatic passports should not exempt them from security screenings.