01 : 09 : 2004 – airport security

I'm pretty new to the whole flying thing, having only flown 6 times (there and back on 3 holidays). I find the experience fun and enjoyable, always (said as though a frequent flyer!) opt for a window seat if possible. There I stare at the clouds (not the reason for the corporate logo by the way) and the beautiful planet passing by below in miniature. A totally wonderful and awe inspiring way to travel around I think.

In saying that I was a little alarmed by my previous trip abroad.

I have a rucksack that I use when I go hiking in the country side. Not too big, just the right size for my digital camera and other bits that I wanted to take on as hand luggage.

The night before the flight, I pack all my personals and camera into this rucksack, having emptied it of all the walking contents. I check the weight and hope it's not too heavy. As I said I haven't flown much and would hate to have to take something out or pay extra.

My partner and I arrive at the airport to check in. All goes well, a little wait, but nothing major and then we depart for the check-in lounge. We arrive and show our passports and tickets. the gentleman asks: is this your hand luggage?", to which I reply "Yes". He continues "did you pack it yourself and no one, to your knowledge, has tampered with it?", I say "yes I packed it myself and no one has touched it since". He takes it off me and puts it onto the conveyor belt to go through the x-ray machine. We walk through the metal detector and go to retrieve our belongings.

Apart from dropping my passport, un-knowingly, onto the floor between two chairs, panicking and running back to check in to see if it was left behind at the check-in, the flight over was uneventful and pleasant.

On arrival we pick up the hire car at the airport and drive off to meet our friends at a beautiful villa we all hired in Duras. We go up to our room, which had amazing views out into the country side, and start to unpack.

Having not had my camera for long, the first thing I unpacked was my rucksack, so I could start taking photographs for which to bore family and friends with later. I take all the contents out of the main chamber and then proceed to empty the side pockets.

To my amazement and my partners horror, I pull out my swiss army knife. A knife that had about 16 different tools, including a 3 inch blade. This knife went undetected through the securities x-ray machine! This knife, unknowingly, was in my possession throughout the flight!

Obviously because the tools all fold into the handle, the individual items do not show up as a recognisable 'Dangerous Object'. Perhaps because of my camera in the rucksack, it was some how disguised.

What ever the reason, this could be a serious flaw in the x-ray machines detection or the operators failure to recognise the shape.

What also concerns me is what happened on the return flight. We were sat at the very front by the cockpit and entrance door. The only thing that prevented everyone from seeing the hostess opening the cockpit door was a curtain she pulled across. More often than not it wasn't pulled properly and I could see into the cockpit as she conversed with the captain.

If I was still in possession of my knife (obviously it was buried deep inside my suitcase for the return flight!) I could have ran easily into the cockpit.

I am in the process of writing to the airport to inform them of this mistake, including photographs of the knife. Then they can purchase a similar type and make themselves familiar with it's shape and style as it passes through an x-ray machine.

So security at airports isn't as tight as we'd hoped for. How many other dangerous weapons are so easily missed!

Just thought!

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