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?