Airport Security, Immigration & Border Control

[Aviador]

Related topics can be posted here. Please be reminded that this is a public forum. Do not post things that could hinder airport or airline security.

 

[Aviador]

Muslim protester at Luton Army homecoming is airport baggage handler

One of the Muslim protesters who shouted abuse at soldiers returning home from Iraq is a baggage handler at Luton airport.

Jalal Ahmed was photographed holding a placard as members of the 2nd Bn The Royal Anglian Regiment marched through the streets of Luton.

A small number of people waved banners at the soldiers returning from Iraq, branding them killers, rapists and terrorists.

Mr Ahmed works for Menzies Aviation and has access to secure areas within the Bedfordshire airport.

Company spokesman John Geddes said: “Jalal Ahmed has a contract with Menzies Aviation. He works as a baggage handler and has an airside pass.

“He works on a zero hours contract which mean he is not a full-time employee and we would contact him at peak times and holiday times.”

Mr Ahmed is understood to have worked for Menzies for about two years and lives in Luton.

Mr Geddes said the baggage handler had been at Tuesday’s demonstration and was identified from photographs.

He said Mr Ahmed had passed all the necessary security checks to secure his job as a baggage handler.

“To get air side, he had to go through a five year criminal record check and the airport also carried out checks.

“Every time he goes to work he has to pass through the same security as passengers and he works in a supervised environment.”

The row over the over the soldier protest escalated earlier this week when a Muslim preacher who was formerly a member of a now-illegal organisation accused the troops of being “cowards” and “brutal murderers”.

Anjem Choudary, a Muslim preacher and a former member of al-Muhajiroun, posted a message on an extremist Islamic website in which he called the march past a “vile parade”.

Families of soldiers have been appalled by the protests, which they described as unnecessary and wrong. A march through Watford a day later saw no protests.

Source

 

[Aviador]

London Luton Airport introduces (paid) security priority lane to 'enhance passenger experience'

Print Email UK. London Luton Airport has launched a new Security Priority Lane, a new paid service offering passengers rapid access to the security search point.

The airport operator described the service as "a fast and efficient option for those passengers looking to take the quickest possible route through to security". It added: "The facility has been designed to give an executive lounge feel and enhance the flying experience”.

Tickets for London Luton’s Priority Lane cost £3.00 per passenger and are available from kiosks in the terminal building or online at www.londonluton.com.

Source

 

[Aviador]

Border officer 'smuggled migrants with false passports'

An immigration officer at Luton airport has appeared in court accused of smuggling migrants into Britain with false documents.

Anthony Quarco, 44, who used to work for the Metropolitan Police, was arrested after 13 fake passports were found in his desk at the airport.

It is understood that colleagues had alerted the authorities after becoming suspicious about his behaviour.

Jersey care home: Michael Aubin appears on sex abuse chargesQuarco, who is half Ghanaian and half Liberian, used to volunteer as a part-time Special Constable and is also a church minister.

He told magistrates at Croydon Crown Court – where he faced 15 counts under the Identity Cards Act – that the passports belonged to people in his congregation. The documents reportedly come from Kenya, Ghana, France and Switzerland.

Quarco, from Croydon in south London, was refused bail at the hearing and remanded in custody until the end of the month.

A UK Border Agency spokesman told the Daily Mail: "It would be inappropriate to comment as this investigation is ongoing. The UK Border Agency expects the highest levels of integrity from its staff and the majority of our staff carry out their roles with professionalism and integrity.

"Any allegations of corruption and misconduct are thoroughly investigated and we will take action swiftly where we find members of staff who we believe have acted inappropriately."

Source

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Police seek help from Luton Airport spotters

Plane spotters and aviation enthusiasts are being asked by Bedfordshire Police to help make Luton Airport safer. Police said as the ‘eyes and ears of the police and the airport community’, plane spotters should report any suspicious activity seen.

The 550 members of the Luton Airport Aviation Enthusiasts Scheme were invited to met at Bedfordshire Police Headquarters yesterday to be taught about the work carried out by officers at the airport. The scheme was set up after the 9/11 terrorists attacks to ensure airport enthusiasts are security checked, with a similar scheme already in place at Gatwick.

A police spokesman said: ‘The group provides hundreds of extra pairs of eyes and forms an extra layer of security for the airport. Its hundreds of members provide invaluable information on security issues and have helped in a number of potential security situations.'

Source[/textarea]

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Pensioner carried axe in hand luggage

A pensioner managed to board a plane with an axe in her hand luggage, the Telegraph reports. Pat Palmer, 74, carried the rusty tool in a beach bag as she passed through security for a flight from Luton Airport to Menorca after forgetting to put it in her hold luggage. She only realised she had the axe, which she intended to use for breaking up wood at her second home on the island, once she landed in Spain.

Mrs Palmer, from Fordham, near Cambridge, told newspaper: ‘The scanner man must have been looking up in the air when my bag went through.’ An airport spokesman said: ‘Luton Airport maintains the highest standards in its security checks on passengers and luggage boarding flights from the airport. If true, Mrs Palmer's claim would cause grave concern, but remains at the moment entirely unsubstantiated.’

Source[/textarea]

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Smoke alert closes Luton Airport

Passengers at Luton Airport were evacuated from the terminal yesterday amid reports of armed police and emergency vehicles at the scene following a security alert, the Herald reports. The airport was later given the all-clear.

The terminal was evacuated, and armed police and emergency vehicles were called in as a precaution after smoke was detected in an upstairs area. The cause of the smoke has not been revealed.

Source[/textarea]

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Luton Airport confiscate ‘plastic explosive’ marzipan

A passenger had marzipan sweets confiscated by Luton Airport security staff over fears they could be plastic explosives, Bedfordshire on Sunday reports. Mark Leverkus, 23 was on his way to a skiing trip to France when chocolate marzipan given to him as a Christmas present was taken by security without explanation. The 6ft 9in tall trainee solicitor texted his mother joking that security checks were now tackling obesity at the airport !

He told the newspaper: ‘I’ve heard of liquids being banned but not confectionery. I understand it’s a security issue and safety is a must but I wasn’t aware you couldn’t pack confectionery in your hand luggage.'

A Luton Airport spokesman said: ‘In the past marzipan has been flagged up as an item which can resemble plastic explosives, such as semtex. With any items of concern, security officers are entitled to ask passengers to surrender it, and that may have been the case in this instance.’

Source[/textarea]

 

[Aviador]

Unfortunately there are known explosives that look and smell very much like almonds. Most airports will however have the necessary equipment to test such items for the genuine substances.

 

[karnov]

Airport phone security check (?) - curious

Hi everyone,

I often fly to/from Luton and I noticed something unusual when flying recently - during the security check they have send my tray aside and the security officer has asked me to take out my iphone from my jacket (that was on the tray) - I could not see well as that was pretty quick but I think the officer would brush my iphone quickly with a small brush and then put it on some device that produced a slip of paper - my iphone has then been returned to me and I was free to go :] I am just puzzled what was the purpose of it...

Regards,

Lee

 

[Aviador]

Re: Airport phone security check (?) - curious

Welcome to Forums4airports karnov

Basically Lee, they're looking for explosives. Here's a link to a Wikipedia page which might explain it further.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explosives_trace_detector

 

[karnov]

Re: Airport phone security check (?) - curious

Thanks a lot for the quick answer :] That was what I kind of suspected but when I started looking I found some info about phone vendors planning to add some technologies that would "leak" user information to airport security - it did seem very unlikely to me but I got curious anyway...

 

[Aviador]

Re: Airport phone security check (?) - curious

That's interesting can you tell us more?

 

[evabosh]

Re: Airport phone security check (?) - curious

Hi, I suppose this is not a really appropriate thread for what I am about to ask, but I have no idea where to put it, so here it goes.

This summer I have been traveling through the UK and on my way back home I met one of the Luton employees at the security check. We exchanged a few words and I liked him a lot, but unfortunately, I had to leave to catch my flight and I didn't manage to get any contact info of him. I would really like to get in touch with him, so do you maybe know what the easiest way to find him would be? Thanks a lot!

 

[Aviador]

Re: Airport phone security check (?) - curious

If you don't even know his name your chances of finding him are going to be slim.

 

[Aviador]

Luton airport has had a security alert this afternoon causing disruption to flights.

“London Luton Airport has evacuated the terminal building after a suspicious item was found in the security search area."

A number of flights were diverted to alternative airports.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Sky News was on at the swimming baths and the scrolling text said there had been a controlled explosion!

 

[Aviador]

Yeah that's correct. So whatever it was, there was enough suspicion to warrant carrying out such drastic measures. If it proves to be nothing I guess at least we know the system works.