28 May 2005, 22:54
EXPRESSMelbourne Airport security not up to scratch(and Singapore)
<<<UPDATE>>>
It wasn't until now that I realized the same daypack also had 5 rounds of .375H&H ammo in some little pen holder type pockets!
I just flew out of Melbourne airport on Thursday to come back to Italy, a much put off but neccessary move.
While I was in Singapore I decided to repack my backpack, the same one I used for my hunting trips in a more orderly fascion to burn a few nimutes.
Well, halfway into it I find a hunting knife I remembered looking for at home and assumed was in my hold luggage.
I considered approaching someone at the gate and hoping to have the knife put aside for me, since I knew there would be another xray machine there anyways and didn't like chances of it going unobserved twice.
I decided that it would probably do me more harm than good and disposed of the kife in a rubbish bin in the toilets.
Then, Imagine my surprise when I got back to Italy and discovered ANOTHER knife, a thick Swiss Army in the the bottom of my daypack.
I was quite sure that I had put both of these into my hold luggage, but since I missed one flight and consequently re-packed I must have used them again and forotten to take them out.
All this paranoia in the airports and they still can't get it right?
I'll also add that this is not the first time something like this has happened to me.
Last year I was travelling through an German airport when I found a small folding knife not unlike a Spyderco in the pocket of my jacket which had gone through the xray machine.
I approached a copper of some description and started telling him about it, I was already through security, again having gotten through twice, once in Italy then here again. He interrupted me, put his finger up to his mouth and said "shhhh" I put it back into my pocket and wondered onto the plane...
Mate.
Your interest in sharp pointy things is gonna get you in trouble one day!

Catch ya soon - the Roe over here are approaching plague proportions!

Rgds Ian
I came through Brisbane a couple of weeks back , returning from a cartridge collectors meeting and the explosive swabbing machine that they checked my luggage with didnt pick up anything . You would think that my bag would get a reaction over anyone elses - but no...
I might add that I had airline and airport authority approval to carry ammunition ,plus all the import /export documentation so had no worries on the legality of it , but you have to wonder what else gets through the security checks....
29 May 2005, 03:41
BwanaBobAnd in contrast, when I came back through Cairns last year they picked up a small pair of tweezers in the bottom of my computer bag and wouldn't let me through with them.
But I guess that is fair - Imagine if I got hold of the Captain's nose hairs with my tweezers and gave them a good yank I could get him to fly anywhere I wanted and crash into any building that I told him to....nose hairs can smart!
I just hope I haven't given Bin Laden any ideas!!!!
Years and years ago I had a fake projectile key ring that came with a Sporting Shooter mag. The security guys at Canberra made me take it off my keys as it was a danderous item

This was after a long argument where I bought up the fact that I don't have reloading equipment/case's/powder/primers or a bloody rifle to shoot it in

Last year we flew to visit my sister in law in Texas, and on the plane waiting to come BACK home my wife went through her purse for something and found not only a pocket knife but a can of mace she had forgotten about!
I can get several deadly weapons on virtually any flight I want, anywhere. Want to bet $1000 I can't?

29 May 2005, 17:19
Sambar 9.3Funny (peculiar, I mean), "They" can take away the knives, combs?, tweezers??, scissors, but I am still allowed on board a plane with a ball point pen (lethal!) and 20yrs of martial arts experience? Go figure!
Cheers, Dave.
Non Illegtium Carborundum!
I got on a flight with a dog shock coller and transmiter. They found it in my carry on when the swab was set off, maybe from the handling of ammo. Anyways this thing looks more like a detonater than anything I have ever seen, even when I would explain what it was they could not fully understand.
Unfortunately , wearing a uniform and holding a swab sniffer gizmo all day doesnt make you intelligent when you are faced with a situation that is outside "normal" . Most airport staff dont have the knowledge to back up their roles - thats what supervisors are for, so trying to explain whats in your bag to the frontline staff is time wasted . And there doesnt seem to be much consistancy at different airports either .
Guess we all have to be carefull what we pack and where we pack it .