Heathrow

Entries Tagged as 'Heathrow'

Fingerprinting Domestic Passengers at British Airports

8 March 2008 · Comments Off

Travel / Transportation

As annoying as Americans’ paranoid security theater has become, it’s perhaps some small relief to know that it could be worse.

For example, consider the U.K., which is increasingly looking like a police state. From the Telegraph:

Millions of British airline passengers face mandatory fingerprinting before being allowed to board flights when Heathrow’s Terminal 5 opens later this month.

For the first time at any airport, the biometric checks will apply to all domestic passengers leaving the terminal, which will handle all British Airways flights to and from Heathrow.

The controversial security measure is also set to be introduced at Gatwick, Manchester and Heathrow’s Terminal 1, and many airline industry insiders believe fingerprinting could become universal at all UK airports within a few years.[...]

The company said the move had been necessitated by the design of Terminal 5, where international and domestic passengers share the same lounges and public areas after they have checked in.

So, because of a poorly-designed terminal, everybody will be treated like a criminal. Great.

Tags: Privacy · Travel / Transportation · · ·


About That Airport Security

26 February 2008 · 1 Comment

Airlines / Aviation

So, tell me again about how that impenetrable airport security is supposed to keep us safe?

From the BBC:

Four people were arrested after unfurling a banner from the top of the British Airways Airbus A320, which had arrived from Manchester.[...]

The move came as protesters were gathering in Westminster on Monday to oppose plans to expand the airport.[...]

Greenpeace said protesters put a banner reading “Climate Emergency - No Third Runway” over the plane’s tailfin at about 0945 GMT.

Is it wrong I feel a sudden urge to hop across the pond to see the site of this nefarious deed, thereby aggravating the problem the protesters were protesting against?

Tags: Airlines / Aviation · · ·