BBC expose security lapses

I don’t think that the aircaft was unattended at all – since the cabin lights were on I think that it was, in fact, being prepped for service.

Aircraft parked up overnight do not have their internal lights left on, do they?

And its not just over here. See:- http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.cfm?ContentBlockID=d0f5ccdc-84ea-4006-a3a4-7a0e032c6f78&Dynamic=1
mmitch

The whole point of the programme was that the ‘whistle blower’ had expressed his concerns with the airport management and had been fobbed off. So he decided to go to the BBC. The BBC then sent their reporter undercover to confirm what he alleged was true. She obtained evidence that it was.
During her time there it seemed the management were spending more time trying to conceal faults than curing them. The sight of a manager walking to and fro waving a 9″ knife at the scanner and failing to set it off until he actually touched it (while waving passengers through it) summed up for me what was wrong. What I would have expected was the detector be fenced off until a repair was made and passengers diverted through another one. No excuse.
The ramp rules were that unattended aircraft had to be sealed up and/or the stairway pulled back. they were not. If she found them why didn’t the security find them?
mmitch.

Well said, skypilot62!

I shall be watching the programme very closely this evening. As I said, its a good job we have journalists like this, otherwise we the travelling public would never know.

Fine Danairboy, so how has it changed you life now that you know hmm? What are you now doing to ensure security is better? Probably the same as me, nothing.

I hate this type of reporting voyeurism with a passion. As I have said eleswhere, if there was genuine concern then the report could have been sent to the authorities instead of scare-mongering the public. I mean, shock horror, aircraft parked at airport, further shock, horror, security cleared staff able to access aircraft. Isn’t that what the passes are for? I’m not excusing those who don’t follow the procedures – I have enough horror stories I could relate but they would be of no benefit. Aviation is a fragile industry and I don’t feel this type of reporting helps anyone other than to sell papers and get viewers. If I see security issues/problems I report them to the authorities, not try to tell everyone and their dog and make a few quid out of it.:mad:

If you want my concerns as one who drives some of the planes from MAN, what about the lovely viewing park with raised hills – perfect for firing an RPG or lobbing a hand grenade from. Or the pub gardens at The Airport pub at the threshold for 24R? Personally i think there is a much greater risk from these areas, but I’m sure you wouldn’t like these to be closed off. The whole point of TERRORists is to cause chaos and fear. As has been shown, nothing can stop anyone determined enough to cause damage or destruction. All you can do is take reasonable steps. Who checks the checkers? The only fool-proof security would be to stop flying aircraft which is of course absurd.

I just wonder now how many people may be inspired by this expose’ to “try” the security for themselves? 😡

Thats the thing, when they do something like this, they may be proving something but they’re just making it worse by telling everyone!!

The reporter should be thrown in prison for getting such a sensitive job under false pretences. Airport security should be taken seriously by everybody who works at one, but the only way to make an airport 100% secure is to ban all personnel & aircraft from it. In the end these people just make it harder for honest folk to go about their business.

I totally agree. Imagine if some terrorist was watching, and they learnt about security lapses at Manchester, or what ever the airport is.

Journo’s exposing security breaches at Airports or on Airlines, seems to have become a regular occurrence all over the world

I get many of my photos from that hill and I must say the fence is very low so its easy to get great photos!!

Yes I want to know where that hill by the runway is too. They did use some very choice long lens shots that made it look like people were standing next to the taxiway. Only later did they reveal there was a fence at the bottom of the hill.
Having worked airside at LGW reciently staff security certinally leaves a bit to be desired. I arrived with all my tools including a knife and other sharp objects and although my bag was x-rayed was not searched. I could have easily passed those on to a passenger when airside or left them somewhere. Although my main complaint was that the office I was working in only had a view of a brick wall! 😡

Without wishing to express an opinion either way on what the reporter claimed to uncover…

I did think it was interesting that at NO point in the whole programme did we see the faces or mouths of the people whose voices we were allegedly hearing.

I didn’t understand her big fuss about aircraft overnighting with stairs in place.

Likewise the fuss about aircraft not being sealed. Whilst most airlines do seal aircraft when left for any length of time, I am not aware of any requirement for them to do so.

As for her getting onto an aircraft, I have no problem with anyone holding an airport ID getting onto the aircraft I work on. The fact that they have an ID shows that they have been security checked. In her case, twice.

I have always found the security ay MAN to be very tight when I work out of, or travel through there. Almost to the point of being anal!

1L.

Who was hot? The woman who did the programme?

That was a really shocking programme, especially the part where they so easily gained access to the a/c themselves when they werent even meant to be on the tarmac!

I need to find that spot where all the spotters were next time I go though 🙂

boy was she hot!!!

The bit that amazed me was the lack of proper fencing near the taxiway/runway. The airport operator stated it was up to required standards. 😮 When Manston in Kent was RAF it had a 5 bar fence and low hedge (but also RAF Police dogs!) When it went civilian a 10′ high chain link fence with barbed wire top was erected. This include closing two laybys used for years by the public and this was before 9/11.
mmitch.

If the journalists claims can be substantiated then the security staff who knowingly used faulty metal detectors and suchlike should be named and shamed. The jobsworths.

I shall be watching the programme very closely this evening. As I said, its a good job we have journalists like this, otherwise we the travelling public would never know.

This makes the airport sit up and listen, it keeps them on their toes, which is no bad thing.

Bring back Roger Cook, he wouldnt be afraid to confront the airport authorities or indeed the Department of Transport head on.

And on what basis do you make that particular sweeping assertion?

Not all that long ago, I was in a car containing four large and suspicious-looking men that drove (purely by accident – we were searching for a very exotic Central African Republic Tu154) through an unmarked, open and unmanned gate onto the apron at Heathrow. In broad daylight, I might add.

Nobody at all noticed, and we retraced our path with alacrity. At no point were we stopped and questioned by either Police or Security.

On another occasion at Heathrow I was one of a group of spotters standing open-mouthed at the end of Cains Lane (some of you will know where I mean) while someone dashed across a busy road, climbed a double fence and made for an airliner holding for takeoff.

Several simultaneous mobile phone calls alerted the authorities and the miscreant was apprehended by Police before he could do any harm.

As I mentioned earlier, this reporter had already lied to obtain the job in the first place so how can we now rely unquestioningly on the complete veracity and accuracy of her work?

Well done to the journalist for exposing this. We travelling public need to be made aware of these apparent lapses in security. I strongly believe that security at regional airports is not taken with the same seriousness as at LHR and LGW, LCY!

This isn’t the first time flaws at Manchester have been exposed. Ok, so undercover journalism impedes most honest folk, but I don’t think we can trust everyone in the world today.

They seemed to have taken a particular dislike to my family when I flew from there! 😀

My mum got frisked despite not setting the metal detector and my dads bag got searched!

Will be a very interesting programme.