Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Security check at the airport

Thursday, May 06, 2010

Security check at the airport

I went through the security check at the airport. I had to remove my laptop, mobilephone, keys, coins and pen and produce my boarding pass for checking. After clearing through the metal detector, I had to put back the laptop into the luggage and collect back my other items.

As I was about to leave, the security guard said, "Sir, don't forget your mobile phone". It was kind of him to be observant and to remind me. If not, I would have lost my mobile phone.

I wished that the people in charge would find a better way to reduce the hassle faced by passengers in going through secruity. I believe that it should be possible to find a more effective way, without the hassle - if someone in authority look into this issue.

Tan Kin Lian

11 comments:

SD said...: I had once, the security officer even ask me to switch on my laptop. But i think is all right, is better be safe than sorry.; May 06, 2010 7:40 AM
Anonymous said...: In Fact since the big fiasco in respect of the case whereby the father took the son's passport and clear the immigration, now at the budget terminal, your passport is checked 4 to 5 times before u board the plane!; May 06, 2010 7:41 AM
Anonymous said...: If you have a laptop bag, and put all the stuffs into the bag, then you'll have no hassle. Just put the bag through the x-ray machine and collect it on the other side.

Just make sure no one else picks up your bag on the other side.

There is a scam at some airports. After you put your stuffs through, someone cuts in front of you to go through the metal detection gateway. That person would have some coins etc on him, thus setting off the alarm. You'll be delayed, while his accomplice picks up your stuffs from the other side, and vanishes.; May 06, 2010 9:00 AM
Anonymous said...: Me visited SATS Inflight Kitchen and Admin Office next to the Budget Airline Terminal and underwent the same security check like those departing SIN.

And there was where me forgot to collect back my mobile and it became a gone case.

What to do? Me was careless and NOT LUCKY LIKE YOU, THERE WAS AN HONEST SECURITY OFFICER.

And me thought security personnels are to protect our live and properties. What a poor understanding me has about security and safety. They are quite a threat themselves; sometimes.

patriot; May 06, 2010 9:46 AM
Ron said...: Hello Mr Tan
I used to work for an airline as a crew.
We are also subjected to these checks, and most of us have adapted to suit the environment.

This is what you and many other travellers can do:

A) coins - into a separate container
B) keys - in a see through plastic bag
Put these items into a zip lock bag

C) Mobile phones can be packed in at the same time

D) Metalic pens

Pack these items before you get to the boarding gates.

Check your pockets, jacket, wallet one more time and please go to the airport early. How early? at least 1 hour 30 mins, (even in SIN and even for KUL flights) before your departure time. If you are seasoned in SIN-KUL-SIN, then 45 mins is ok.

Most travellers seem to take too much with them. There are just 3 things you really need to travel:

1 - Passport
2 - Ticket
3 - Money or credit cards

Of course, in these modern times we need our phones and computers.

We also do not wear shoes that have a metal last ( some brands have them like Red Wings )
Wear watches that have synthetic materials
Belts with small metal buckles or plastic ones.
We also do not wear large gold necklaces or bracelets and rings.

If you have a laptop, and have space, the phone,keys,coins pens can be thrown into it.
I personally will use a small netbook, but my data will be in a USB or External Hard Drive. This is a precaution against losing my laptop.

Please use any tray, basket that is provided at the security points, this helps to keep all your personal belongings in one place.

The security measures are here to stay and I do not believe it will improve any better. Too much thinking required.

Thank you for sharing your views through your blog, always an enjoyable read!

Ron; May 06, 2010 10:01 AM
Anonymous said...: It is not safe to place your small items in the bucket provided as it is in the open and you wont know who has taken it. I normally take a ziplog bag and place everthing, wallet, pen, hp etc and put in inside the bag and let them scan. Since I only carry my paper passport, going through detector is not an issue esp now I also do not wear belt till I cleared.; May 06, 2010 11:51 AM
Anonymous said...: Ron offered very comprehensive and good advice. It would be excellent if there is a new and innovative way of checking without going through these hassle !; May 06, 2010 2:06 PM
Anonymous said...: Off- Topic - News Flash

May 5 (Bloomberg) -- James “Jimmy” Cayne, the former chief executive officer of Bear Stearns Cos., said he believes leverage at the company was too high.

“In retrospect, in hindsight, I would say leverage was too high,” Cayne said today in testimony before a panel mandated by Congress to investigate the causes of the financial crisis.

SOURCE:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a1O0dY1lKM3M&pos=4

- Ooops! Sorry! I made a mistake.
- Let's move on!
- Sounds familiar?
- I could do that too

- Pay me a million dollar salary(I'm probably asking for too little)
- Give me one year to screw up the company
- Apologise
- But still keep the salary I made while screwing up; May 06, 2010 10:15 PM
Anonymous said...: There are a lot of redundancy at Singapore Airport.

First, after getting the boarding pass, an officer will check your boarding pass name against your passport before allowing you to head to immigration. In most other airports I go to, the guard only checks that you're carrying a boarding pass.

Second, at immigration, they would check your passport. Pretty standard I guess. However, recently, I was going on a business trip from SG to a neighbouring country. I went through the automatic gates for Singaporean citizens, and was greeted by a security officer at the end. She wanted to check my passport. While it was not my first time, I decided to be cheeky. I told her - Why do you still need to check here, when they had already installed automatic gates? She was visibly irate, and just said everyone has to go through it. And I cheekily replied - then ICA has wasted too much money to automate a process, only to manualise the final portion! She almost glared daggers at me. Too bad, the truth hurts.

Third, the luggage scan at the boarding gates. First - waste. Most airports centralise this station, so you spend less on human resources and equipment. The decentralised method increases cost. But I guess it does improve the feel, and helps with DFS shopping? Who knows.

SCTan; May 07, 2010 2:36 AM
Anonymous said...: Hi, just to inform Ch U 财经追击 will cover on land banking on this coming episode, sat 7pm.
Lets see how they will report it.; May 07, 2010 8:17 AM
Vincent Sear said...: Many people inconvenienced by security measures don't understand what they're complaining against. They're simply complainining against being personally inconvenienced and feeling that these measures are redundant.

Example is checking passport and boarding pass several times before finally boarding the plane. Redundant? No, it's necessary. There could be switches of passports and boarding passes in the dutu-free shopping and waiting areas. For example, a potential suicidal terrorist or hijacker who couldn't get a visa to US, aided by someone else who has a visa, and therefore the ticket and the boarding pass. The one who passed him the boarding pass could simply exit the boarding area and airport by telling the police, he has an emergency and isn't boarding.

He could even do a double check-in for two boarding passes, one to US (to pass to his accomplice) and one to another country safer for him for his own getaway.

I live my life as a commoner, and also having been an ex-police (lowly junior officer). I can understand all these as matters of routine necessity. I can also understand gentlemen like TKL etc. who were used to all the conveniences of having everything arranged for them couldn't get used to all these. I don't blame them feeling discomfitted.

Terrorism and security risks could never be totally eradicted. These measures can only make it harder for them. Without these measures, and things get easy for them, I shudder to imagine.

A super efficient airport that clears all passengers in record time, suffers one terrorist attack on its premises or on a plane taken off from there, there'd a a host of mostly rich victims' families accusing suing both the airport and the airline for lack of security measures, no?; May 08, 2010 5:11 PM