My experience flying out of London Gatwick two weeks ago (so just five days before that Christmas Day incident) was odd - security didn't ask me to open my laptop (though it was in a separate bin for the scanner), they didn't ask me to take off my shoes (which, for the record, were four-inch high platform boots) and they practically ignored me as I went through the metal detector, which didn't beep, despite the piles of metal on my boots. No pat-downs, no nothing, even though I was also wearing bulky clothing (coat went through the scanner, but I was wearing four layers besides it).
You'd think they would have sent the boots through the x-ray scanner, because hell, boots like that would be the perfect place to try and smuggle stuff, but they didn't. I was confused about that too. I was expecting to have to take them off and have them go through the scanner, and have them poked at a bit more just to make sure they were solid. But nope. Meanwhile, people wearing canvas sneakers did have to have them put through the x-ray scanner. Go figure.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-01-06 03:36 pm (UTC)You'd think they would have sent the boots through the x-ray scanner, because hell, boots like that would be the perfect place to try and smuggle stuff, but they didn't. I was confused about that too. I was expecting to have to take them off and have them go through the scanner, and have them poked at a bit more just to make sure they were solid. But nope. Meanwhile, people wearing canvas sneakers did have to have them put through the x-ray scanner. Go figure.