Had to taste *ALL* food/milk at security at Gatwick

I'm absolutely disgusted. We have had a fab holiday to Menorca but it was nearly spoiled on the way out of the UK by a total idiot security woman at Gatwick.

I'm all for stopping people getting onto planes with bomb making chemicals and explosives and drugs but this was ridiculous.

She got me to open EVERY jar/tin of food I took (I had 3 for the flight and in case of a delay) and a carton of milk and try them all. Apparently this was because they were over 100ml - 125ml to be precise for the jars/tins and 200ml for the milk.

This has NOTHING to do with security. This was some child hating security woman. Why do I think this? Easy, I had some liquid in a container from the doctor which was under 100ml which could have been anything. She never asked me to check that. She never asked me to check the Calpol - I could have put anything in the bottle! The list goes on. Yet baby food and milk were the most serious threat - all being sealed.

Suffice to say, a strong letter is going to my MP and BAA. This was nothing to do with airline security - this was one womans personal vendetta.

Rant over.

However, to anyone else going through security at Gatwick - be warned. I thought this only happened in the USA where it was highly criticised and the practice stopped.

They have to do this with all liquids over 100ml, even cream based make ups and face creams as well, at all UK airports, this rule has been in place for over two years now. I did tell you before you left that you have to taste all liquids over 100ml. If you have a liquid medication over 100ml, you have to get a note from your doctor and inform the airport in advance, so the airport doctor can sign you note.

Samuel said:
They have to do this with all liquids over 100ml, even cream based make ups and face creams as well, at all UK airports, this rule has been in place for over two years now. I did tell you before you left that you have to taste all liquids over 100ml. If you have a liquid medication over 100ml, you have to get a note from your doctor and inform the airport in advance, so the airport doctor can sign you note.

They didn't check any other liquids and I had no note about the liquid from my doctor. They took no notice of anything else at all.

I don't care what they say - this has nothing whatsoever to do with security. If it was such a security issue with liquids, gels and creams, NONE would be allowed in hand luggage not just ones over 100ml.

I'm livid...

yuk

kristag said:

Samuel said:
They have to do this with all liquids over 100ml, even cream based make ups and face creams as well, at all UK airports, this rule has been in place for over two years now. I did tell you before you left that you have to taste all liquids over 100ml. If you have a liquid medication over 100ml, you have to get a note from your doctor and inform the airport in advance, so the airport doctor can sign you note.

They didn't check any other liquids and I had no note about the liquid from my doctor. They took no notice of anything else at all.

I don't care what they say - this has nothing whatsoever to do with security. If it was such a security issue with liquids, gels and creams, NONE would be allowed in hand luggage not just ones over 100ml.

I'm livid...

You said yourself the other liquids were under 100ml, these regulations have been in place for a very long time now, I did tell you before you left you would have to do this, you can't just ignore the rules then get angry when you have to conform to them. The reason the limit is 100ml is due to the fact that a liquid explosive has to be over 100ml vol to be able to cause damage.

I agree with Samuel Krista. Also baby food is a very easy way to slip liquid explosive through.

Samuel said:

kristag said:

Samuel said:
They have to do this with all liquids over 100ml, even cream based make ups and face creams as well, at all UK airports, this rule has been in place for over two years now. I did tell you before you left that you have to taste all liquids over 100ml. If you have a liquid medication over 100ml, you have to get a note from your doctor and inform the airport in advance, so the airport doctor can sign you note.

They didn't check any other liquids and I had no note about the liquid from my doctor. They took no notice of anything else at all.

I don't care what they say - this has nothing whatsoever to do with security. If it was such a security issue with liquids, gels and creams, NONE would be allowed in hand luggage not just ones over 100ml.

I'm livid...

You said yourself the other liquids were under 100ml, these regulations have been in place for a very long time now, I did tell you before you left you would have to do this, you can't just ignore the rules then get angry when you have to conform to them. The reason the limit is 100ml is due to the fact that a liquid explosive has to be over 100ml vol to be able to cause damage.

I think you've missed the point here. Yes the other things were under 100ml but we had *lots* of them! If you can take on 20+ small containers under 100ml of shampoo/conditioner/lotions/creams, etc then you could easily fill these with what you needed to blow a plane out of the sky! As I said, it's farcical and nothing to do with security. You're not going to try and tell me that you can't take on multiple things of 50ml Samuel and combine them to cause a terrorist act? Of course not, so, I have to say again, it's a joke!

I did not ignore the rules - I adhered to what they said but if you look at BAA's website, it clearly states you only have to sample 50% of anything you take on for baby food - not EVERYTHING. It's a pure and simple con to get you to buy it all the other side.

I'm sorry but none of you will get me to change my opinion on this - it's nothing whatsoever to do with security or ALL liquids, gels and creams would be banned from hand luggage.

kristag said:

Samuel said:

kristag said:

Samuel said:
They have to do this with all liquids over 100ml, even cream based make ups and face creams as well, at all UK airports, this rule has been in place for over two years now. I did tell you before you left that you have to taste all liquids over 100ml. If you have a liquid medication over 100ml, you have to get a note from your doctor and inform the airport in advance, so the airport doctor can sign you note.

They didn't check any other liquids and I had no note about the liquid from my doctor. They took no notice of anything else at all.

I don't care what they say - this has nothing whatsoever to do with security. If it was such a security issue with liquids, gels and creams, NONE would be allowed in hand luggage not just ones over 100ml.

I'm livid...

You said yourself the other liquids were under 100ml, these regulations have been in place for a very long time now, I did tell you before you left you would have to do this, you can't just ignore the rules then get angry when you have to conform to them. The reason the limit is 100ml is due to the fact that a liquid explosive has to be over 100ml vol to be able to cause damage.

I think you've missed the point here. Yes the other things were under 100ml but we had *lots* of them! If you can take on 20+ small containers under 100ml of shampoo/conditioner/lotions/creams, etc then you could easily fill these with what you needed to blow a plane out of the sky! As I said, it's farcical and nothing to do with security. You're not going to try and tell me that you can't take on multiple things of 50ml Samuel and combine them to cause a terrorist act? Of course not, so, I have to say again, it's a joke!

I did not ignore the rules - I adhered to what they said but if you look at BAA's website, it clearly states you only have to sample 50% of anything you take on for baby food - not EVERYTHING. It's a pure and simple con to get you to buy it all the other side.

I'm sorry but none of you will get me to change my opinion on this - it's nothing whatsoever to do with security or ALL liquids, gels and creams would be banned from hand luggage.

Actually, you aren't allowed loads of small liquid containers, the amount is 500ml of non-viscous and 500ml viscous. It is not a con to buy at the other side, even in schools we cannot make explosive liquids in amounts above 100ml for the very reason of safety! Not only that, if I made the same explosive in say ten seperate amounts of 100ml, then mix them, nothing will happen due to them needing stability in mixing, something you can do by a simple shake of a bottle. Or if you take 5 100ml bottles and explode them all at once, they wont even break the bottle as their mass is too small. So, as a biochemist, yes I can say, that you cannot combine them to cause a terrorist act.

Sounds like they were doing the job they were asked to do, Airport security is so tight these days, I would think that if the person you encountered did'nt ask you to do this, then someone else would have, and plus it could mean they lose their job for not doing what they are asked to do.

We were asked to dispose or finish drinks that were obviously safe ( as we were stood there drinking them ) on entry to Sweden, all security guards were stopping people and asking them to check and taste jars that were over the limit, this is not uncommon.

Specific restrictions on liquids

Restrictions on the quantities of liquids, gels or pastes are:

*
they must be held in individual containers not exceeding 100ml
*
the containers must be carried in a separate, clear-plastic, zip-top or re-sealable bag
*
the bag must not exceed 20cm x 20cm (8ins x 8ins) in dimensions
*
the bag must not exceed one litre (1.75 pints) capacity
*
the bag must be completely closed
*
the items must fit comfortably in the bag
*
the bag must be x-ray screened separately from other hand baggage at airport security points.

( From the British Airways site )

The definition of liquids includes:

* Gels, pastes, lotions, liquid/solid mixtures

* The contents of pressurised containers, eg toothpaste, hair gel, drinks, soups, syrups, perfume, deodorant, shaving foam, aerosols, etc

The following liquids are also permitted through the airport security search point:

* Prescription medicines in liquid form sufficient and essential for the flight (eg diabetic kit), as long as verified as authentic

* Baby milk and liquid baby food (the contents of each bottle or jar must be tasted by the accompanying passenger)

Once through security, passengers can buy items in the departures lounge and take them on board.

To help with the security process, passengers are also encouraged not to include items which could contain liquids (eg bottles, flasks, tubes, cans, plastic containers etc) in their cabin baggage.

I think it's best to be safe than sorry, even if it does inconvinience passengers. These airports do state quite clearly the liquid restriction per bottle/jar etc.

If you feel that strongly, make a complaint, but I'd bet the bottom line they tell you that the person was doing what was instructed of them by Airline regulations.