Very Long Queues At Liquids Screening Checkpoints

[Soju]

I just went through BKK and saw the longest queues I've ever seen at the security checkpoints, just before the x-ray machines, due to the new liquids screening checks being done. Add at least 30 minutes extra to your time for this. Hopefully they'll improve the process as time goes by.

[cclub75]

I just went through BKK and saw the longest queues I've ever seen at the security checkpoints, just before the x-ray machines, due to the new liquids screening checks being done. Add at least 30 minutes extra to your time for this. Hopefully they'll improve the process as time goes by.

Indeed. However, we can rely on our experience in Europe. The first weeks were... hel_l. Not less, not more.

And then.. easier. And then, even more easier (no control 2 weeks ago in Charles de Gaule airport !)

I guess the thai officials are going to catch the trick very quickly...

[bendix]

I came across this enroute to Singapore last week. In fairness, the queues weren't long.

Point of information, if you don't have any liquids in your carry-on, you can just walk through no problem. No need to queue.

[Prakanong]

I went through BKK and it was long queues also.

They implemented it in singapore last month and there were queues there too but now they do not have a separate check.

I flew out of BKK- Heathrow and back the week the plot was uncovered in the UK last summer. Massive queues and shoes off everyone as well as all backs unpacked in front of a guard after x-ray.

The best bit though was the Arab guy in front of me with his wife in full garb. They unpacked his back and it has some La Senza lingerie carrier bags in there which were opened - full of skimpy's and lacy bra's.

[Soju]

I came across this enroute to Singapore last week. In fairness, the queues weren't long.

Point of information, if you don't have any liquids in your carry-on, you can just walk through no problem. No need to queue.

How is it doing any good if you just tell them you don't have any liquids and can just walk through? The whole reason for the screening is to check to see if you have any liquids. The only people who could just walk through when I was there were those without any bags. If you are carrying anything you need to wait in line to be screened.

If there aren't many other flights leaving from the same concourse at the same time, then I doubt there will be that much of a queue. The problem is when many flights are leaving around the same time from the same concourse / security checkpoint.

[bendix]

I dunno. Just telling you what happened. I had a bag. I said to them I have no liquids. They said, go on through. I walked past the people putting their liquids into those bags.

Actually, thinking about it, I dont think the process is a screening. It is a couple of tables at which they provide you with the special bags to put your liquids in.

After that comes the screening. If the radars find you have some liquid, I assume they will just send you back to the table to get 'bagged up'.

Edited June 6, 2007 by bendix

[Prakanong]

I dunno. Just telling you what happened. I had a bag. I said to them I have no liquids. They said, go on through. I walked past the people putting their liquids into those bags.

Actually, thinking about it, I dont think the process is a screening. It is a couple of tables at which they provide you with the special bags to put your liquids in.

After that comes the screening. If the radars find you have some liquid, I assume they will just send you back to the table to get 'bagged up'.

I told them I did not have any liquids but they still went through everything.

They did seem to let some just walk past if they were occupied with someone else though.

[IMA_FARANG]

I just went through BKK and saw the longest queues I've ever seen at the security checkpoints, just before the x-ray machines, due to the new liquids screening checks being done. Add at least 30 minutes extra to your time for this. Hopefully they'll improve the process as time goes by.

Just out of curiosity.....suppose I'm willing to check all my luggage...and have no carry-ons.....are they leting some one like that bypass the queue? Or is that too logical for Thailand?

[Soju]

Just out of curiosity.....suppose I'm willing to check all my luggage...and have no carry-ons.....are they leting some one like that bypass the queue? Or is that too logical for Thailand?

I saw a number of people without any bags bypassing the queues, but I think you have to take the initiative and cut to the front. Nobody was there to inform the passengers without bags that they didn't have to wait.

[bkkandrew]

What is the baggage restriction now? I always take a briefcase and overnight bag (cabin size). LHR ban this, I have to check my overnight bag..., BKK have (hitherto) had no problem with both.

Also, do they simply X-ray the bag, or actually unpack everything to check for liquids? I can see that the latter approach would casue mayhem!

[PeaceBlondie]

When I flew out of BKK around May 25, the queues seemed no longer than they used to be.

LIQUID MEDICATIONS can be vital to your health. Some airports allow up to 100 milliliters. I left mine in the luggage, and they arrived 3.5 days late. Take your meds with you in a carryon bag.

[Dawn]

When we were heading home to the UK in Feb we bought a bottle of vodka and tequilla in King Power to take home as presents. We didn't even think about the liquids thing back in the UK. King Power weren't checking which destination you were heading for and subsequently weren't sealing duty free bags. So, when we arrived in Amsterdam and then tried to get on our connecting flight back to Newcastle, the 'friendly' (cough) chaps on the baggage check informed us that we couldn't take the bottles through even though they were in a King Power bag and we had the receipt. The duty free at Amsterdam airport wouldn't/couldn't seal the bags for us for fear of losing their jobs. So, it was either drink the whole bloody lot and get on the plane trashed, or put the bottles in the bin for them to dispose of. Sorry, I meant to say 'fish out and drink later on with their mates' at a free party at our expense

Anyhoo, safe to say I got 'on one' and after realising that we had to drive when we got back, to pick up our dogs from the kennels, there was no way that we could drink the stuff. And in order to make sure the b*****ds didn't get their party, we took the tops of each bottle, took a swig and then poured each one into the bin and chucked the empty bottle in after it. The place stunk but we didn't care

I know, I know, the guys were only doing their job and they couldn't let us on with the booze in case we decided to rig up some kind of bomb in the toilet and blow the plane out of the air using a concoction of vodka and tequilla......

I'm getting to the point.....honest.....rant over.....

Are King Power now sealing bags when you buy liquids? Is the facility there if you ask? After going through this in my head at the gate, whilst trying to calm down, the trail lead back to them and the fact that the buggers were selling the booze to us without checking where we were going knowing fine well that we couldn't put the stuff in our hold baggage as it had already been checked in and that we were going to have to hand it over when we got to Europe. I know the responsibility also lies with me to remember about the new rules but after 6 weeks on a beach I wasn't really thinking about good old Blighty and her new ridiculous rules. I stupidly thought that a duty free bag and receipt would do. It was down to me AND King Power and both of us just didn't give a toss.....

Do King Power now give a toss?

Will they kindly remind me of the rules and offer to seal my bag when I come back home after our next trip?

[boxingbeauty]

I too returned from BKK to LHR in February, but via Kuwait. I bought two bottles of Sangsom in the airport, and asked them to bubble wrap them. I took them on as hand luggage and when they went through the scanner in Kuwait, they didn't look like bottles, so the bag was just handed to me - they could have looked in the carrier, but didn't bother. However, I also had a bottle of water that I bought from Kuwait airport, that was still sealed, and they said that I couldn't take it through! Again, it was still sealed and bought in their airport! Anyway, I said I was gonna drink some first, then they turned away and carried on with the next passenger. Left me with the bottle ... I then borded the plane with it ... naughty I know, but if I can get away with it, what can those wishing to cause harm get away with? It makes you wonder ...?

[Cuban]

The whole issue is one of being seen to be doing something - the liquid bomb plot in the UK showed the world there is a new method of taking down aircraft. The 9/11 plot showed the use of planes as the bomb. The next event will be different again.....

If I were planning an event, to cause maxium disruption - simple - just blow up the X-Ray scanning machines! Do the same thing in the US, Europe and Israel at the same time, easy to plan with a global confrence call and world air travel is stopped for a few days.

It's not if it's when !

[Crossy]

Flew out today (to India).

Asked about liquids by the check-in lady (all mine was in checked bag).

25 minute queue to passport control. BTW the immigration eyeball cameras have arrived from Don Muang.

Minor queues at the liquid check / x-ray machines nothing more than previously.

[bluebear]

So, when we arrived in Amsterdam and then tried to get on our connecting flight back to Newcastle, the 'friendly' (cough) chaps on the baggage check informed us that we couldn't take the bottles through.............So, it was either drink the whole bloody lot and get on the plane trashed, or put the bottles in the bin for them to dispose of.

which screws up anyone not on a direct flight from their own airport. as many as 50% of travellers?

Are King Power now sealing bags when you buy liquids?

My mate had the same experience a few weeks ago. from what he was told a sealed bag would make no difference whatsoever!

Are Heathrow doing the same for domestic connections?

[IMA_FARANG]

I just went through BKK and saw the longest queues I've ever seen at the security checkpoints, just before the x-ray machines, due to the new liquids screening checks being done. Add at least 30 minutes extra to your time for this. Hopefully they'll improve the process as time goes by.

Left on the 14th of June at 0035 to Athens. Queue for liquids check is before security check. I had no carry-on luggage and was just told to pass thru the liquids queue. So if you don't want to wait, just carry nothing on board. Your choice.

Secondly, seems the policy is now not to open the departure gates until about 30 minutes before flight boarding time. I got there about an hour early. By the time the gate was opened there were at least 100 people sitting outside the gate in the walkway. Not even one tenth that amount of chairs to sit in. Had a lot of people sitting on the floor outside in the walkway.

[scrunchielaura]

I just flew from Bangkok to Los Angeles using the Thai Airways direct flight. I had to go through a liquids screening "twice". The first checkpoint was at the X-ray machines that all departing passengers go through. The second was at the top of the ramp down to the gate. At this second checkpoint glove wearing security personal partially unpacked all my carryon items. Afterwards, they urged me to quickly repack my stuff. The "helpfulness" of the Thais slowed me down. They also insisted that everything go back into my luggage. I ended up having to repack my stuff my way once I got onto the aircraft.

The same setup existed at the end of last year. At the time it made sense because of the more restrictive liquids rules for USA bound flights. Now that the same liquids rules apply to all passengers, I didn't expect to have to go through the second checkpoint.

[Maestro]

...King Power ...arrived in Amsterdam and then tried to get on our connecting flight back to Newcastle...we couldn't take the bottles through even though they were in a King Power bag and we had the receipt...

Do King Power now give a toss?...Will they kindly remind me of the rules and offer to seal my bag when I come back home after our next trip?

Sealed or not, that bag of King Power could not be allowed to go on the flight from Rotterdam to Newcastle. When in transit at an EU airport, liquids exceeding 100 mL per container, total maximum 500 mL, are allowed to be hand carried on the plane only

– if they were bought and sealed in a shop at a European airport, or

– if they were bought and sealed on the incoming flight and if this flight was operated by a European airline.

There was another topic a couple of months ago with a post quoting the official rules, but I cannot find it anymore. Instead, I now found this.

--------------

Maestro

[lazeeboy]

...King Power ...arrived in Amsterdam and then tried to get on our connecting flight back to Newcastle...we couldn't take the bottles through even though they were in a King Power bag and we had the receipt...

Do King Power now give a toss?...Will they kindly remind me of the rules and offer to seal my bag when I come back home after our next trip?

Sealed or not, that bag of King Power could not be allowed to go on the flight from Rotterdam to Newcastle. When in transit at an EU airport, liquids exceeding 100 mL per container, total maximum 500 mL, are allowed to be hand carried on the plane only

– if they were bought and sealed in a shop at a European airport, or

– if they were bought and sealed on the incoming flight and if this flight was operated by a European airline.

There was another topic a couple of months ago with a post quoting the official rules, but I cannot find it anymore. Instead, I now found this.

--------------

Maestro

lost a perfectly good bottle of after shave as already check my baggage so if you smell polo sport on a thai customs officer think of me ,its probably mine

[bkkandrew]

I just went through BKK and saw the longest queues I've ever seen at the security checkpoints, just before the x-ray machines, due to the new liquids screening checks being done. Add at least 30 minutes extra to your time for this. Hopefully they'll improve the process as time goes by.

Left on the 14th of June at 0035 to Athens. Queue for liquids check is before security check. I had no carry-on luggage and was just told to pass thru the liquids queue. So if you don't want to wait, just carry nothing on board. Your choice.

And then be left with just the clothes you stand up in when they lose your bags - your choice...

[tartempion]

I just went through BKK and saw the longest queues I've ever seen at the security checkpoints, just before the x-ray machines, due to the new liquids screening checks being done. Add at least 30 minutes extra to your time for this. Hopefully they'll improve the process as time goes by.

Indeed. However, we can rely on our experience in Europe. The first weeks were... hel_l. Not less, not more.

And then.. easier. And then, even more easier (no control 2 weeks ago in Charles de Gaule airport !)

I guess the thai officials are going to catch the trick very quickly...

I left thru Charles de Gaulle on June 5th terminal 1 and it was hel_l....

[JonnieB]

Left today (early morning) through gate F and no delay at all at luggage/liquids screening station. If you have liquids in carry-on, have them in a plastic "Glad" bag and plop the bag into the basket along with your mobile, keys, and wallet. Afterwards, slip it back into your bag and that's it.

Now, if we could only get that immigration officers to smile Maybe a refresher course in politeness in in order all ready.