Cranfield Posted November 22, 2007 Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 I collected my No 2 daughter from Gatwick Airport today, when she flew in from Dublin for the annual Cranfield Clan pre Christmas gathering (50+ in a village hall tomorrow night - great fun ). Her plane was 45 minutes late, or as she was flying RyanAir it was 45 minutes early and I had to wait around. About every 10 minutes for over an hour, they kept asking for the passenger that has left a hessian style bag by the car park lift, to return and claim it, then there was the usual warning about unaccompanied luggage being destroyed etc. I met my daughter and as we were about to head for the short term car park, all exits from the airport were closed. No passengers were allowed to enter, or leave. When I asked what was happening, I was told that there was a security alert at the car park lift area. It was the hessian bag that they had been trying to find the owner of. We were stuck there for almost 2 hours, while it was carefully put into a bomb proof container and taken away (thats what we were told they were doing). Now I know that security is important and we have to be sensible about things, but I can't understand why they waited over an hour to do anything and why we were not allowed to leave by the other exit (well away from the "danger" area). The people preventing us exiting were airport information staff, not security personnel and when other travellers asked what would happen if there was a fire, how would we get out, they said they didn't know. It was not altogether a very impressive example of a well oiled policy swinging into action. They really did seem to be making up as they went along. People missed buses and trains and poor old me incurred an additional £5 car park charge. Still, I don't suppose I should really complain, at least we weren't blown up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Outlaw Posted November 22, 2007 Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 I collected my No 2 daughter from Gatwick Airport today, when she flew in from Dublin for the annual Cranfield Clan pre Christmas gathering (50+ in a village hall tomorrow night - great fun ). Her plane was 45 minutes late, or as she was flying RyanAir it was 45 minutes early and I had to wait around. About every 10 minutes for over an hour, they kept asking for the passenger that has left a hessian style bag by the car park lift, to return and claim it, then there was the usual warning about unaccompanied luggage being destroyed etc. I met my daughter and as we were about to head for the short term car park, all exits from the airport were closed. No passengers were allowed to enter, or leave. When I asked what was happening, I was told that there was a security alert at the car park lift area. It was the hessian bag that they had been trying to find the owner of. We were stuck there for almost 2 hours, while it was carefully put into a bomb proof container and taken away (thats what we were told they were doing). Now I know that security is important and we have to be sensible about things, but I can't understand why they waited over an hour to do anything and why we were not allowed to leave by the other exit (well away from the "danger" area). The people preventing us exiting were airport information staff, not security personnel and when other travellers asked what would happen if there was a fire, how would we get out, they said they didn't know. It was not altogether a very impressive example of a well oiled policy swinging into action. They really did seem to be making up as they went along. People missed buses and trains and poor old me incurred an additional £5 car park charge. Still, I don't suppose I should really complain, at least we weren't blown up. I have already had my say on airport security in another post on this forum, I used to work at Heathrow and have seen really bad cases of slack security. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustyfox Posted November 22, 2007 Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 The reason why they shut all entrance's and exit's is to contain the bomber if s/he is in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Jane Posted November 22, 2007 Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 I recently went to Copenhagen from Heathrow Aport (to the BOYS! - Take That) as you may of read! However what interested me was a few things. Everyone had to take their shoes off and put through machines. All liquids/creams had to be put in a plastic bag and then in the tray, I could not take my water bottle through. However, on the back. No one had to take shoes off, no liquids/creams were bagged and I set the bleeper off ( I was frisked ) and it was thought to be my Talisman SOS Bracelet although I did not have to take it off and walk through again. What is all that about! Why so tough going out and not so coming back. Also no-one was to be seen at customs but got interrigated from passport control at heathrow. I do not get why so strict going out but not coming back at the other end! CJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted November 22, 2007 Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 After working from 07-30 to 24-00 for the last two days I would have set the fire alarms off Cranfield. I'm not joking. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted November 22, 2007 Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 After working from 07-30 to 24-00 for the last two days I would have set the fire alarms off Cranfield. I'm not joking. LB no hes not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 The stupid thing is, if keeping people inside the building is to contain the bomber, then why spend an hour asking someone to claim the bag before reacting. That's just insane... Surely you'd just assume that, after 10 minutes of not returning, the bag was suspect and _then_ acted. I sometimes think that some people are a little short of basic common sense when it comes to some things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating Chamber Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 The stupid thing is, if keeping people inside the building is to contain the bomber, then why spend an hour asking someone to claim the bag before reacting. That's just insane... Surely you'd just assume that, after 10 minutes of not returning, the bag was suspect and _then_ acted. I sometimes think that some people are a little short of basic common sense when it comes to some things. In these troubled times, what is the 'right way'? Take the HSE. (As far away as possible!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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