UK Airport security and a VHF handheld.

[Goodall_M1]

In October I set out for a charter in Greece via London Gatwick.

I had my portable electronics in my carry-on luggage, as I have always done.

At the security check I was told that my hand-held VHF "could interfere with the aircraft's communications" and was given a choice of losing it, or being escorted back to ground-side to check my hand-luggage in as a hold bag.

It turned out that the airline check in desk had already closed, so I decided to deposit it in the Lost Property office, and then went back through security and luckily just made my flight despite the delay.

(Those of you who know LGW will know that you may have to walk (or in my case run) up to half a mile to get to your gate)

I managed to retrieve the hand-held on my return (for a payment of £10!).

Has anyone else had similar problems?

I have never seen any mention of radio-transmission devices being seen as dangerous in hand-luggage.

They tell us that our mobile phones and laptops should not be used during periods of the flight and expect us to leave them in flight mode or turned off.

So what is different about a hand-held VHF?

[S/V Illusion]

No difference other than unfamiliarity. I’ve taken a handheld on many trips to Europe including Greece and when asked about it, they simply wanted me to turn it on to show it is a radio.

[Goodall_M1]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

No difference other than unfamiliarity. I’ve taken a handheld on many trips to Europe including Greece and when asked about it, they simply wanted me to turn it on to show it is a radio.

Yes, like you, I have never had any problems before.

It seems to just depend on the security staff on duty when you go through.
And they have total control!

I just wanted to alert other members of the potential for trouble.

I think my hand-held will travel in the hold in future.

[Wotname]

Did you tell 'em it was already in flight mode

It's a shame that they can't employ thinking security staff but it is the way of the world now!

And interesting to hear that Lost Property now attracts a service fee - I guess going to sea helps to maintain one's sanity!

[a64pilot]

God don’t get me started about airport security types. I was trying to get an airport security pass to work on an airplane in Cyprus.
Probably at least two hours and after going through several different ones I finally got to the person in charge of the whole thing.
His big question was why does my FAA licenses have someone else’s picture on them. I replied smiling that’s a picture of the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur.
I mean for Gods sake it was two different people dressed in not period clothes and a black and white photo, and he thought I was trying to use someone else’s photo?
That didn’t help at all, eventually I made him understand that it was not a photo ID by showing him my Drivers license and Passport, but he was still real suspicious.
He nor anyone else had every heard of Orville and Wilbur Wright, and they worked at an airport?
Then I know for a fact I was on some kind of list, because when coming back into the US from delivering an aircraft I had a transponder, a radio, flight instruments, a PLB and Sat phone in my carry ons, and I never could get TSA to understand why, I’m sure they didn’t in fact know what they were looking at.
But every single time I would fly I would get special attention, the hand pat down, the pad swabbed on everything looking for explosives and the personal interview, every single time.
They stole my O2 bottle, were supposed to ship it, but never did.

I won’t fly Commercial anymore, just won’t do it.

[hpeer]

Dulles one day. Perverts made me take off my shoes and sniffed my feet THREE times in 3 different locations. ???????

I was thinking Candid Camera?

Workfare: Quantitative Easing for the masses

TSA
Thousands
Standing
Around

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Goodall_M1

Yes, like you, I have never had any problems before.

It seems to just depend on the security staff on duty when you go through.
And they have total control!

I just wanted to alert other members of the potential for trouble.

I think my hand-held will travel in the hold in future.

You could try emailing the carrier in question well in advance of travel date and asking their position. If they have no problem, copy the email and check in early, advising the clerk of the radio and presenting the email, doing the same for the muppet at security. You may be lucky and have no trouble.

[fabgo]

I would avoid going through London at all costs. I hear horror stories all the time and it's the only place in the world where I have personally found security personnel to be unreasonable.

[boatman61]

I have flown into and out of Gatwick a few times with all my electrics (hh VHF, Spot, etc) and never had a problem..
The only thing I take out is my laptop the rest stays in the bag as it goes through the scanner.

[mikedefieslife]

Airport security in the UK (and the EU to a less extent) is a proper pain in the ass. Can't do this, can't do that, can carry this, can't carry that. Sometimes you can message them in advance along with the airline and get told "yes no problem" only to turn up at the security and be told "no you can't cary that".

It's daft. Oh there was once a plot to blow up a plane with some liquid, so now there's all that rigmarole with 100ml bottles in plastic bags. Yet outside of the EU you can happily carry litres of liquids. In Isreal (where threats are obviously much greater) there is no messing around taking computers out of bags, taking belts and shoes off or any of that none-sense.

[Auspicious]

I've generally found that for electronics and PFDs politely asking for a supervisor helps.



I did have a MaxProp in my carry-on once. Got through security at Dulles fine, but at Heathrow they made me check it. They were afraid I would hit someone with it. *sigh*

[undercutter]

In Japan, they stole a solenoid for a Vetus bow thruster because it had 'pos' and 'neg' markings on the terminals. Still do not understand what the problem was but I know it cost me $750.00.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

You may be lucky and have no trouble.

Or not. That's the whole point. The individuals at the security station are very often completely clueless, and even if you do eventually find a supervisor who can see reason, you may have missed your flight by then!

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

In Israel (where threats are obviously much greater) there is no messing around taking computers out of bags, taking belts and shoes off or any of that none-sense.

That is because in Israel they screen for dangerous people. In Europe and America, we are afraid that that might be considered "discrimination," and so we screen for dangerous objects. The Israeli method is far more effective, while simultaneously being far less intrusive. Unfortunately, it is not quite as "politically correct," and so we won't consider it over here.

[sv Grateful]

On the way to do deliveries, I've been escorted to the baggage handling area of two small Caribbean airports to explain the harness / PFD in my checked luggage
On both occasions I had to politely decline the request to demonstrate the inflation feature :-/

[S/V Illusion]

Don’t get why people complain about tight (described as “unreasonable) airport security.

I went through security in Portugal last month and they didn’t look at my passport, didn’t X-ray me and walked out the door with my luggage with no security.

That’s what you (we all) should be complaining about!