Airport security returning home to the u.s.

[Mura]

I don't know if our experience last week was unusual, but just in case it wasn't I thought I'd mention what we encountered on our return from Lisbon on TAP on June 20th.

 

We were surprised to see that boarding time was shown as 1330 with departure set for 1500. When we got to the gate we discovered why: they were having all the passengers go through another security check.

 

Because I was using a cane we didn't have to stand in line with the other passengers. Instead, an officer came over to us and checked our passports, comparing our names to a list she had on a small piece of paper. Because we were sitting right by the inspection point, we could observe what was going on.

 

(It was ironic that the officer had said to me that I obviously couldn't walk well since my husband had asked me to slow down while we were going to the gate ... we'd both been using the cane at various points on our trip through Portugal, but mainly for stairs and difficult footing.)

 

What I saw was that most passengers just showed their passports as we had, and then came back into the gate area to find a seat. A fair number of passengers were asked to present their carry-on items which were carefully gone through by other officers. It was impossible for me to figure out just what they were looking for -- well, I'm clearly not a trained officer. But no passengers looked ominous to us, just everyday people. The vast majority of people that underwent further inspection had U.S. passports. Of those, a smaller number -- for the most part, slender young women -- were patted down.

 

No one was turned away from our flight and it was uneventful.

 

I thought I'd mention this to you all because I have no idea how prevalent it is these days. It will be interesting to hear if this is a common experience or if there was just some alert directed at our flight.

 

We weren't delayed by the process and our flight did leave on time.

 

Mura

[Paulchili]

Were laptops and/or iPads allowed on your flight?

[Mura]

No problem there, Paul. I had my laptop (although I didn't use it on the flight) with no problem. They saw it and didn't blink when I went through the first security inspection. We had the usual warnings about turning things off during takeoff and landing ...

[Idofacials]

We experience this on July 2014, also coming back from Lisbon on a TAP flight. I think there were some sort of a terrorist alert at that moment in USA. But in June 2015 there were not extra security check at the gate.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[ronrick1943]

I found that to be true in other airports in that area. It really doesn't take that long. Also if you buy a bottle at Duty Free be sure it's in one of those special sealed bags or they won't let you on the plane with it.

[easyboy]

Inconvenient but good for safety and security.

 

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Forums mobile app

[Paulchili]

No problem there, Paul. I had my laptop (although I didn't use it on the flight) with no problem. They saw it and didn't blink when I went through the first security inspection. We had the usual warnings about turning things off during takeoff and landing ...

 

Thank you. I hope that this will last unlike from the Middle East. When we flew home from Abu Dhabi, I had to put my iPad into the checked luggage - didn't like the idea for a number of reasons.

[urlaub]

We are Europeans and travel often from Frankfurt to US. US homeland security has stuff at most European Airports. After security they do another security at the gate They want to see the passports and sometimes the cabin luggage ( not from everybody) it seems like random.

We feel not good with this, because American officials should not do this in foreign countries. It is Europe and not USA

[Noxequifans]

At times traveling from Europe to the US we have encountered extra security measures. Sometimes it is hard to fathom what is going on but that is probably the intent. In Paris once the security agent was apologetic and we said we fully understood and that his job was important. Subsequently we were upgraded to business class .... an appreciated gesture.

[floridatravelersforlife]

We are Europeans and travel often from Frankfurt to US. US homeland security has stuff at most European Airports. After security they do another security at the gate They want to see the passports and sometimes the cabin luggage ( not from everybody) it seems like random.

We feel not good with this, because American officials should not do this in foreign countries. It is Europe and not USA

 

if the aircraft crashes on US soil then it is a problem for Americans and Europeans! I don;t mind the security, it's your life. And it's not for the eyes of the terrorists. This thread should never have been started.

[MarkieMarkNYC]

if the aircraft crashes on US soil then it is a problem for Americans and Europeans! I don;t mind the security, it's your life. And it's not for the eyes of the terrorists. This thread should never have been started.

Why should the thread never have been started?

[Harters]

I've absolutely no problem with whatever security checks an airline or airport implements. That said, I'm not sure I understand the purpose of a second security check. At my local airport, cabin bags go through the xray machine and, randomly, bags are selected for further scrutiny - opened and looked through by a security officer who will also swab the bag and test for explosives. Similarly passngers go through the metal detector and, randomly, some are selected for a pat down. Seems to cover all the bases without a second check, unless I'm missing something.

[urlaub]

I have absolutely no problem with security but I have problems with officials from another country in my country.

Americans should do their job in America and Europeans in Europe.

[Mylisa]

I have absolutely no problem with security but I have problems with officials from another country in my country.

Americans should do their job in America and Europeans in Europe.

 

I believe that this is just for flights entering the U.S. and that using U.S. people ensures that they have full control over the procedures used. On a personal note, I find all of this just for show, in other words its to make us all feel safer but in reality doesn't really do much. Unless of course we strip naked (that would be horrifying) and carry nothing on there is no way to make us completely safe. On a flight out of Atlanta TSA missed a 6 inch switch blade in my husbands carryon that was hidden inside when he bought the luggage. (We didn't know it was there). TSA caught it on our return flight out of St. Louis to our shock and horror. Personally Id rather have the electronics in the cabin rather than underneath due to batteries starting fires down there. So many batteries so little space. Also, I'm sure the 9/11 highjackers looked perfectly normal and didn't stand out in any way. Having said all of the above we will all just have to put up with the dog and pony show and be respectful to the people trying to do their jobs. I will in no uncertain terms give in to terrorism and change my life and where I go and what I do. Then those low lifes win without lifting a finger. That's exactly what they want and why it's called terrorism. NO WAY!

[LHT28]

Mura

When you got to NY were you able to just go straight out of the airport or did you have to go through Immigration ?

 

When we fly to the USA we go through U.S. immigration in Toronto then when we arrive in the USA we just walk out of the airport & are on our way

[thinfool]

We had the secondary screening in Lima last December. It was conducted by flight and gate personnel of American Airlines, not airport security.

[RJB]

I have absolutely no problem with security but I have problems with officials from another country in my country.

Americans should do their job in America and Europeans in Europe.

Bottom line is that you are flying to and landing in the US. If it is a problem you should stay home or go somewhere else. We need to say as safe as possible.

[MarkieMarkNYC]

I believe that this is just for flights entering the U.S. and that using U.S. people ensures that they have full control over the procedures used. On a personal note, I find all of this just for show, in other words its to make us all feel safer but in reality doesn't really do much. Unless of course we strip naked (that would be horrifying) and carry nothing on there is no way to make us completely safe. On a flight out of Atlanta TSA missed a 6 inch switch blade in my husbands carryon that was hidden inside when he bought the luggage. (We didn't know it was there). TSA caught it on our return flight out of St. Louis to our shock and horror. Personally Id rather have the electronics in the cabin rather than underneath due to batteries starting fires down there. So many batteries so little space. Also, I'm sure the 9/11 highjackers looked perfectly normal and didn't stand out in any way. Having said all of the above we will all just have to put up with the dog and pony show and be respectful to the people trying to do their jobs. I will in no uncertain terms give in to terrorism and change my life and where I go and what I do. Then those low lifes win without lifting a finger. That's exactly what they want and why it's called terrorism. NO WAY!

I agree that much of what is done in the name of security in US airports and on US airlines is basically theater.

People see and experience the multiple searches and they feel safer. That doesn't mean they actually are more secure. I work in public safety and in talking to my security colleagues they recognize this.

There really should be no need for secondary screenings if the initial screening was done properly.

Flying El Al at any airport and any airline within and leaving Israel is a great example of what security should look like - which is to say largely invisible. Passengers and visitors are observed before they even arrive at the terminal building and continually observed surreptitiously. I'm always struck at how professional and polite the visible security agents are in Israel - no barking, yelling, etc. Yes, they do profile but they are upfront and honest about it. The difference is that those security people care very deeply about their mission and don't have to rely on poorly paid, undereducated TSA people like we have in the US. I'm sure we all have experienced many times TSA agents who are distracted, focused on jacket and shoe removal at the expense of actually watching people, etc.

[Mura]

A few things ...

 

I started the thread as information for people who may not be expecting a second security inspection. I wasn't complaining about it -- but we would have liked knowing in advance that this would happen -- not because we would have behaved any differently, we'd just like to know. For us this procedure was a big surprise. It didn't happen when we flew home from Heathrow last July.

 

Yes, Lyn, we went through immigration at JFK. It was a little different this time, however. There were machines to screen our passports and take our photos. We then gave the print-out of this along with our immigration form (no plants, fruit, etc.) to an officer. That was it. We then picked up our luggage and walked out.

 

For the record, the people doing the second security check at TAP were Portuguese police. From the various comments it seems like these checks are not uncommon these days and may be performed by a variety of personnel.

 

Now we know and can be prepared is all.

 

Mura

[Harters]

[quote=urlaub;53436514

Americans should do their job in America and Europeans in Europe.

 

I tend to agree with this. Is it just with American airlines (in which case I don't have a problem), or does American security also double check on flights to the US by, say, Lufthansa, British Airways or KLM (in which case I agree with you)?

[LHT28]

Yes, Lyn, we went through immigration at JFK. It was a little different this time, however. There were machines to screen our passports and take our photos. We then gave the print-out of this along with our immigration form (no plants, fruit, etc.) to an officer. That was it. We then picked up our luggage and walked out.

 

Mura

Thanks Mura we have those machine in Toronto when we fly into the USA & also when we return home from outside of Canada

 

Maybe just extra security precautions in Lisbon

 

I know at Amsterdam they do the security check before you go to the gate to board but this was on connecting flights so not sure if they do it before you get airside as well

[njhorseman]

I've been subject to extra screening at the gate twice, once when returning from Cancun and once when flying home from Buenos Aires. In neither case were all passengers subject to the extra screening, at most a handful were, and my wife was not on either flight. I can't say whether I was profiled or just selected randomly.

[njhorseman]

I have absolutely no problem with security but I have problems with officials from another country in my country.

Americans should do their job in America and Europeans in Europe.

 

I tend to agree with this. Is it just with American airlines (in which case I don't have a problem), or does American security also double check on flights to the US by, say, Lufthansa, British Airways or KLM (in which case I agree with you)?

 

If you don't like it, stay home. When you're entering any foreign country it's up to that country to set the standards and procedures it uses for screening passengers. As I noted in my previous post, I, as US citizen born in the US, have twice been subjected to additional screening when returning to the US. If it can been done to me it certainly can be done to foreign nationals entering the US, or any other country for that matter.

[Harters]

If you don't like it, stay home.

That works both ways. If you can't trust the German security at, say, Frankfurt airport, to do a proper job, then don't visit Germany. Job done!

 

Presumably, you'd have no objection to, say, German police officers being based at your local airport in America, doing a second search of passengers flying American Airlines to Frankfurt, because American security officers couldnt be trusted to do a good job?

Edited July 2, 2017 by Harters

[MarkieMarkNYC]

Not all of us feel that "if you don't like it, stay home".

I personally feel that it's ok to have opinions and still not stay home. It seems rather un-American to say that you must like something or else avoid it. Sometimes we choose to deal with certain barriers in order to enjoy a broader experience.