Unbelievable stupidity

[Mark Powell]

I was at Zurich airport yesterday. All the usual safety checks - anything sharp in hand luggage sir? metal detectors, x-rays of hand bagagge, lots of posters showing banned items in your hand luggage, etc, etc.

Then in the lounge, just before you get on the plane, is a shop selling Swiss Army Knives!

One guy bought one and walked on the plane with it in a carrier bag. The BA steward almost had a fit!

What is the point of confiscating your nail scissors when you can buy a knife in the departure lounge.

[Juz]

<font color='#32CD32'>What a hoot.

What did the BA guy do?

Juz

[Mark Powell]

He refused point blank to let it on the plane. Not that I blame him.

[Juz]

<font color='#32CD32'>So the guy just loses his money, one assumes it's too late to go get a refund.

I'd have thought they would have been able to at least confiscate it for the flight or have it put into cargo somehow.

Guess he should have realised tho!

Of course, had he put it inside his hand luggage, the steward would never have known, thus putting (in theory) everone on the plane at risk.

Mad situation. Someone really should make a complaint, hopefully BA might take it up with the swiss Equivalent of the BAA.

[Noel Johnson]

I've been reading quite a bit of Michael Moore's &quot;Stupid white men&quot; and after looking on his website I found something that was equally strange. After the attacks on September the 11th lots of things were banned on planes. The next attempt after the twin towers was Richard Ried (The shoe bomber). Interestingly all of the airlines in America still have NOT banned matches or lighters on planes as they fear it will upset the American tobacco industry - Lunacy.

I had a similar conversation with a check in girl at Gatwick. My pony bottle was not allowed on the plane as hand luggage as it could be used as a weapon but they'll still sell me a bottle of something on the plane which could do just as much, if not more damage.

[Paul Beal]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]but they'll still sell me a bottle of something on the plane which could do just as much, if not more damage

As can your fist,

Or some an old ladies walking stick....

I don't think bans on either of those items are particularly iminant!

Paul

[Jay]

You know the big perspex boxes they now have at the baggage X Ray department with all the 'contraband' in it like nail files, cork screws etc - was flying back from Belfast and saq a 3 ft long child's plastic sword in there. Can just picture the big brave customs man wrestling it off a screaming five year old. No f**king sense these people.

[Dr Stevil]

What about the female student currently residing &quot;at Dubya's pleasure&quot; because she joked there were three bombs in her rucksack &nbsp;Mind you when asked what she said , she repeated the same &quot;joke&quot; twice more, so I think it's an abject lesson in not f***ing off people who are renowned for having no sense of humour, silly, silly little girl... &nbsp;But... She'll probably make a packet out of it, courtesy of the tabloids, when she get back to Blighty

[Rob Evans]

Sorry about this, but the dipstick bought a knife and tried to take it through in his handbaggage?  Yes, the Swiss sold him it in duty free but...like....DUH? He knew he was getting on a flight, so why did he buy it?
Just out of interest, when it was confiscated was there a Swiss shop assistant standing by with the original packaging, ready to put it back on the shelves?
I agree it's wrong for the shop to be selling them, but the Swiss haven't had any ethical issues over making a quick buck or three for about... oh, the last 60yrs or so.

[JohnD]

<font color='#F52887'>I heard some guy on the radio the other daysay that he had something confiscated before he boarded his plane but the maeal was served with METAL cutlery! It must have been a business class or an expensive airline. I only ever had plastic cutlery.