[IP] more on Flight experience yesterday (Thursday) at Heathrow
Begin forwarded message:
From: Earle Jones <earle.jones@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: September 1, 2006 7:20:53 PM EDT
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Cc: ip@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [IP] Flight experience yesterday (Thursday) at Heathrow
I landed at Heathrow (LHR) yesterday from Prague via Dusseldorf on
Lufthansa at 11:35 AM local time with a connection via United to SFO
scheduled for 2:15 PM. The two-hour, 35-minute layover was just
barely enough time to make the flight. When I finally arrived at the
United gate, the flight had already begun to board.
At LHR Lufthansa uses Terminal 1 and United uses Terminal 3. This
compounds an already significant problem. Arriving and departing the
same terminal would only be a miserable hour-long security check
line. But departing from a different terminal substantially
increases the difficulty.
The line through baggage check made six "loops" of about 50 feet each
and was painfully slow-moving. Hand carried baggage was allowed,
provided there were no liquids in them.
I was amazed at how many people just didn't get the word about taking
liquids in their hand-carried baggage. Women were complaining about
losing their expensive lipsticks (some of which were purchased just
moments before in the Duty-Free shop). "Use it now and then get rid
of it", commanded the young security woman standing over a rapidly
filling plastic bag of disallowed stuff. In went not only the
shampoo, hair spray, toothpaste, ChapStick, hand lotion and liquid
medications (without Rx), but I saw a couple of bottles of some
interesting looking French wines and many, many bottles of water.
Lap-tops, cell phones, PDA's were ok, but had to be removed from the
hand baggage before scanning. I could have taken the plans for an A-
Bomb through on a hard disk, but a two-dollar ChapStick -- no.
Ironically, the United flight left on time and arrived in SFO a
couple of minutes early.
Security at the smaller airports: Prague, Dusseldorf, even Berlin
seemed almost normal. Frankfurt was hectic. Hotel security was
obviously turned up a notch in most cities, with military-looking
guards making the rounds in the Budapest and Warsaw hotels.
Flying used to be fun, but no longer. Most believe that it is only
going to get worse.
Happily retired,
earle
*
On Aug 14, 2006, at 9:50 AM, David Farber wrote:
Begin forwarded message:
From: Bob Hinden <bob.hinden@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: August 13, 2006 10:27:02 PM EDT
To: David Farber <dave@xxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Bob Hinden <bob.hinden@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Flight experience on Saturday from Nice-Frankfurt-San
Francisco
Reply-To: bob.hinden@xxxxxxxxx
Dave,
For IP, if you find relevant.
I flew from Nice to Frankfurt to San Francisco on Saturday with two
colleagues. When we arrived at the check-in for our Luftanza
flight to Frankfurt, we were told that we could not take our normal
carry on with laptop, electrics, keys, camera, etc. as carry on.
This was a surprise as I had been reading the news reports and the
United site and was assuming that this was only happening at the UK
airports, not in France. I had assumed that only liquids were
being restricted and had planned to check my larger bag (I had done
all carry-on for the trip over). We were only allowed to bring
prescription, passport, wallet, papers, money, and glasses. We
were told these restrictions were only being applied to people
traveling to the US. They checked us in and sent us over to a
customer service center to get a plastic bag and resort and pack
our stuff. I was charged four euros for a plastic bag. I made a
quick call to my wife telling here I was going to not have my cell
phone for the trip. I shut down my laptop, put my cell phone in my
laptop bag, and removed the stuff on the list above. I then
returned to the check in area, but was able to go the front of the
line where I checked my laptop bag as luggage. I did not lock it.
Going through security in Nice was about normal, but they did look
at my prescription medications. Liquids were being restricted for
all passengers. The flight was a little late, but we arrived in
Frankfurt with plenty of time to catch our United flight to San
Francisco.
Security in Frankfurt was more attentive then usual (and it's
pretty extensive normally). I had to remove my belt and shoes that
I normally don't have to do there. They do a pat down with metal
detector and hands. They were restricting liquids, but other
passengers with laptop bags were OK.
When we got to the lounge, I noticed most people had their laptop
bags. There were a few people with plastic bags like us, but some
of these people had laptops in the plastic bags. I asked at the
counter and was told that at this station (e.g., Frankfurt) only
liquids were being restricted. They were not able to give me any
explanation as to why Lufthansa in Nice had told us that we could
not bring our laptops, keys, and electronics onboard. They were
able to tell me that both of my bags were in the system and one had
been loaded on the plane to San Francisco. They could, of course,
not tell me which bag it was.
Security at the gate was normal and the flight left on time. We
were one of the very few passengers who had plastic bags. There
was a passenger who I talked to who had arrived in Heathrow on
Thursday and his luggage was still in Heathrow somewhere. He was
wearing the same clothes since he left the USA.
Flight arrive on time in San Francisco. My laptop bag arrived
intact and my Powerbook seems to be fine. I did let it come to
room temperature plugged into the power adapter just to be safe.
When I took out my cell phone, I realized I forgot to turn it off
in Nice. Somewhere in the trip it had received a message with the
status of the Frankfurt-San Francisco flight :-)
While this was no fun, it turned out OK. Had the laptop bag been
lost or the stuff in side damaged, I would be unhappy. But the bag
and the stuff inside are replaceable and I had backed up the laptop
before the trip. I am not replaceable and I am very glad that they
caught these people. Note, I was in the air during 9/11 flying
from Frankfurt to Helsinki.
I do hope that the airlines and airports get a consistent set of
rules together soon.
As I finished writing this, I note that UK has just downgraded it's
threat level, so I suspect that the restrictions on hand luggage
will be gone soon.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4789169.stm
Bob
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