Security chaos at Brussels last night

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JoskeDR
Posts: 14
Joined: 11 Aug 2008, 14:18

Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by JoskeDR »

Is there any legal way to demand an alternative to your personal shoes to pass through the scanner? I suppose they can impose it but I remember a commander demanding an alternative because he didn't want to 'dirty' his socks...

134flyer
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Joined: 11 Apr 2007, 15:07

Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by 134flyer »

JoskeDR wrote:Is there any legal way to demand an alternative to your personal shoes to pass through the scanner? I suppose they can impose it but I remember a commander demanding an alternative because he didn't want to 'dirty' his socks...
Last time I went through security at the B pier, I 'beeped' (although I had absolutely nothing in my pockets), so I received a second screening (patted down & complete hand search of hand luggage). When I asked if I had to take of my shoes to pass them through the scanner, the (very friendly) security agent said 'no' and I just had to put my feet (shoes still on) one by one on a special scanner. However, I don't know if you can demand this procedure if they ask you to take of your shoes and you don't want to...

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Vinnie-Winnie
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Location: London

Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by Vinnie-Winnie »

Don't you guys realise that BRU airport is running a business with a captive audience, not some kind of shop that relies on reputation to get customers to come and come over again!

Bru ain't the best airport but not the worse either. And face it competent and incompetent workers u get them everywhere! Will bru airport act in response to individual customer complaints? I don't think so: It won't. The only way BRU will do something about it is when airlines will start complaining. And I don't see this happening anytime soon.

Some of u should really start thinking sa bit more deepl about the economics of running an airport. U'll see that pretty much all costs are fixed, and that therefore airports have an incentive to get as many customers through their airport to decrease the cost of operations per terminal pax.

My opinion is that BRU is a good airport. Not excellent not crap, just good! Some of u should really travel more often departing from different airports....

Air Key West
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Location: BRU

Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by Air Key West »

Well, I agree that BRU is still a good airport. If it weren't for the current "inconvenience" at the security check points, I would even say it is (not the best) but one of the best airports in Europe. Only, we who travel regularly around Europe, notice that BRU is probably the only airport in continental Europe where you have to take off your shoes, which is (at least to me) a major inconvenience, and it cannot be a compulsaroy security mesaures, as other airports on the continent do not require it. I wished someone could tell me why we have to take off our shoes at BRU and not, for instance, in MAD, MUC, ZRH, SXB, STO etc...
In favor of quality air travel.

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Conti764
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Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by Conti764 »

Air Key West wrote:Well, I agree that BRU is still a good airport. If it weren't for the current "inconvenience" at the security check points, I would even say it is (not the best) but one of the best airports in Europe. Only, we who travel regularly around Europe, notice that BRU is probably the only airport in continental Europe where you have to take off your shoes, which is (at least to me) a major inconvenience, and it cannot be a compulsaroy security mesaures, as other airports on the continent do not require it. I wished someone could tell me why we have to take off our shoes at BRU and not, for instance, in MAD, MUC, ZRH, SXB, STO etc...
You don't have to take your shoes off... Remember, it's not the TSA in the US, they won't deny you access to the plane if you don't want to pass the security bare foot. If you ask your shoes to be scanned with the special footscan, they will normally allow it.

SmilingBoy
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Joined: 22 Nov 2008, 13:22
Location: BRU

Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by SmilingBoy »

Air Key West wrote:Well, you were an hour early, but avoided any stress. I made my calculations on a "worst case "scenario : no access to the fast lane and a very long queue (45 mn) at the other security checks. If you are sure you will get access to the fast lane, of course you can reduce "my" 45 minutes waiting at security to 10 minutes, just in case an idiot of a security agent lets ten or more pax into the fast lane just before you enter it which happened to me last week.
You said "no shoes off". If this is true again in the future, it is definitely a progress. I'm flying on Sunday. I'm anxious to see how things go.
Hope you had a good flight.
Yes, flight was good. Didn't mean to complain about your advice - it just seems like you can't win currently - either you are stuck in a long queue, or you waste time at the airport, or there is a chance that you miss your flight... It was shoes on in the fast lane security, but shoes off in the lane next to it. (Almost starts to sound like the UK, where always 50% of lanes are shoes off.)

Stij
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Location: Belgium

Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by Stij »

SmilingBoy wrote:(Almost starts to sound like the UK, where always 50% of lanes are shoes off.)
Security at BRU is a dream compared to, for example, LHR.

My BRU experiences (3) over the last month:

- Lines between 10 and 20 minutes
- Always shoes off
- Scanner ALWAYS beeps on me and they NEVER find anything. Hand luggage is however never searched.

Cheers,

Stij

P.S. A bit of topic, but Saturday I beat my own time on the A-pier -> Railwaystation race: 7 minutes from my seat in the plane to my seat on the train!!!!

Coppelia
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Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by Coppelia »

Concerning security in the UK, last month I passed crew security at BHX, I didn't have to take off my shoes, nor my belt or my hairclip... and I didn't beep.

At BRU crew security I always beep.

And, I find it also a pain in the arse to have to take off shoes as a pax in BRU. They don't give you the choice, you HAVE to do it, event if you wear Converse. I had to do it last week. Tomorrow I have to catch a flight as a pax, I will wear my ballerina shoes and see if I have to take them off, in that case I will asphyxiate everyone around me :mrgreen:
Tame birds have only longings. Wild birds fly

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sn26567
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Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by sn26567 »

Security screening

The extra security measures unexpectedly imposed upon Brussels Airport by the EU a few weeks ago have resulted in delays at the security screening. Please be assured that we are making every effort to minimize waiting times.
Please allow us to inform you:
• Extra checks of carry-on luggage and shoes, which is why all passengers are asked to remove their shoes and pass them through the screening machine. (plastic foot covers are available upon request)
• While we would like to open extra screening points when necessary, this is not always feasible at current staffing levels. Employees staffing the security checkpoints go through special training. 75 new, additional employees are hired and are being trained for a number of week to be certified to perform the security check-related tasks.
• Since Saturday, extra employees are deployed to inform and advise people before they reach the security screening, and to ensure optimal utilization of the various screening platforms.

With the vacation exodus fast approaching, may we ask you to pass on the following information to passengers:
• Travel light, putting as much of your belongings as possible into your checked luggage. Limit carry-on luggage to a minimum.
• No liquids and gels in carry-on luggage; only strict essentials, in containers of no more than 100 ml. (information about bagage allowance can be found on www.brusselsairport.be)
• Wear shoes that are easy to take off and put back on.
• Make sure you arrive at the airport on time; check-in opens 3 hours in advance for intercontinental flights and 2 hours in advance for intra-European flights.
• If possible, use your airline's website to check in; they have special luggage drop-off counters.

Thank you for your support and understanding; they are highly appreciated.

Brussels Travel News, June 2009
André
ex Sabena #26567

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Atlantis
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Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by Atlantis »

And may we also saying something positive: today 34.000 pax at the airport and NO long queues

regi
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Location: Bruges

Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by regi »

confirmative:
was at noon time at the airport and everything was normal. Pretty busy. Many people of muslim background travelling to the families , probably on a bit cheaper tickets just before July.
Plenty of space still available at the parking. ( Nr 3 still had + 800 places but I must say that the glass walking corridor was very hot )

summersso
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Location: Vienna, Austria

Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by summersso »

Sorry but can someone elaborate on the "extra security measures unexpectedly imposed upon Brussels Airport by the EU"?

I didn't realise "the EU" could unexpectedly impose addition measures on a specific airport (eg BRU). Normal legislative procedure dictates that the Commission propose, the Parliament and Council debate before enacting legislation applicable across the EU, rather than to one particular airport...

FLYAIR10
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Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by FLYAIR10 »

we who travel regularly around Europe, notice that BRU is probably the only airport in continental Europe where you have to take off your shoes
Other airports in Europe are also applying this rule.Last year in ZRH,on my way to Dubai I had to take my shoes off,...and a lot more actually after the scanner continued beeping... Also my laptop was put in a special "sniffing-machine" which , according to the employee ,was used to determine whether the one using the laptop(me) had been in touch with explosives...(I passed the test :lol: )
Also this year,on our way to CAI, myself and some of my colleagues had to take off our shoes in ZRH . So BRU-airport is definitely not alone...
grtz.

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9vsmu
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Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by 9vsmu »

Last week I passed NEXT to the metaldetector (after walking thru and being screened) and guess what ?

The machine beeped :shock: :shock: :shock:

I must add : I was on duty and wearing safety shoes.

On other occasions, when I start my shift, sometimes the metaldetector beeps, and sometimes not ............. and I'm always wearing same clothes when getting to work (and yes, they do get washed ;)

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zteven
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Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by zteven »

9vsmu wrote:On other occasions, when I start my shift, sometimes the metaldetector beeps, and sometimes not ............. and I'm always wearing same clothes when getting to work (and yes, they do get washed ;)
Same here.

Sometimes it beeps, sometimes it doesn't. ;)

Greetz!



Steven

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sn26567
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Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by sn26567 »

summersso wrote:Sorry but can someone elaborate on the "extra security measures unexpectedly imposed upon Brussels Airport by the EU"?

I didn't realise "the EU" could unexpectedly impose addition measures on a specific airport (eg BRU). Normal legislative procedure dictates that the Commission propose, the Parliament and Council debate before enacting legislation applicable across the EU, rather than to one particular airport...
The European Commission can impose measures in some areas without approval from the Council or the Parliament.

But the EU is often taken as an excuse for unpopular measures...
André
ex Sabena #26567

JOVAN
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Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by JOVAN »

sn26567 wrote:
summersso wrote:Sorry but can someone elaborate on the "extra security measures unexpectedly imposed upon Brussels Airport by the EU"?

I didn't realise "the EU" could unexpectedly impose addition measures on a specific airport (eg BRU). Normal legislative procedure dictates that the Commission propose, the Parliament and Council debate before enacting legislation applicable across the EU, rather than to one particular airport...
The European Commission can impose measures in some areas without approval from the Council or the Parliament.

But the EU is often taken as an excuse for unpopular measures...

the EU, the EU...., probably the best excuse for unpopular measures.
You really hit the point there.

Air Key West
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Location: BRU

Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by Air Key West »

About having to take off your shoes at ZRH (Flyair10's post yesterday), I flew from ZHR in April this year and didn't having to take off my shoes. Anybody else any recent experience at ZRH ? (there is a difference between wearing regular shoes and wearing boots or "boot-like" shoes ; the latter have to be taken off at all airports I have used).
In favor of quality air travel.

summersso
Posts: 172
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Location: Vienna, Austria

Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by summersso »

JOVAN wrote:[The European Commission can impose measures in some areas without approval from the Council or the Parliament.
Yep, they're Commission regulations. But has anyone ACTUALLY seen this "unexpected recent additional security measures" document. There should be a something from the Commission (aka EU) and I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT!!! :D

... or at least be directed to where it is..., if possible!

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9vsmu
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Re: Security chaos at Brussels last night

Post by 9vsmu »

It is regulation 820/2008. Check out the Eur-lex website and have fun.


http://eur-lex.europa.eu/Result.do?T1=V ... mit=Search

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