Security Check Before Flight.

[NoshowJones]

7 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

I went to Karachi Pakistan, just a few says after a US reporter had been kidnapped on the street in Karachi. Aircraft parked about 150 meters from the terminal building. Passengers had to use manual basic stairs and carry cabin luggage with them and claim a 1M marked square on the tarmac.

 

Then the co-pilot opened the cargo doors and lowered 2 giant check-in bag bins to ground level. Passengers had to claim check-in luggage and take it to the square on the tarmac where they had already deposited their cabin bag.

 

Then numerous sniffer dogs sniffed everything. Nothing found by the dogs, dog team changed, nothing identified. 

 

Local people who had been waiting for family, staff, visitors then walked out and took their arrival(s) to their vehicle which had already taken to a designated area and thoroughly searched. 

 

Departing 3 days later had to alight from the vehicle about 150 meters from the building,  walk to a spot a little closer then dogs arrived and sniffed all bags and me. 

 

Got to the check-in desk, all documents thoroughly scrutinized then given a pass with name  etc., printed in a designated colour. About 50 meters further on there was another thorough check and new card issued, printing was in a different colour. Colour changed 4 times. 

 

Then final check completed and a boarding pass issued with a seat number. Then in batches of 4 passengers had to hand over check-in bags and get in an armoured car at an unmarked small exit door and driven to the aircraft, about 500 Meters away. 

 

Walk up the outside simple stairs, then sniffed by 4 or 5 dogs. Eventually all passengers on board, pilot asked if every passenger on board was travelling to Bkk. 

 

Arrival in Bkk normal.

 

Then quickly received an email from the Pakistani conglomerate that my consulting company had won the large contract on offer. I called my boss in Singapore and informed him that we had won the contract but also informed that I refused to go back to Karachi and advised him that we should not ask any of our consultants if they wanted to go. Boss in SIngapore confirmed to forget the contract / project. 

 

That sure was something, but I don't think that would happen in Pakistan or any country all the time, they probably got word of a big consignment of drugs then.

[josephbloggs]

On 5/31/2025 at 2:04 PM, FlorC said:

Thanks for letting us know.

Dubai and Emirates are off my list to fly.

You would cross off one of the world's best and most convenient airlines because someone on an internet forum once had to pass two security checks when they changed terminals?

[Yellowtail]

8 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

You would cross off one of the world's best and most convenient airlines because someone on an internet forum once had to pass two security checks when they changed terminals?

I do love Emirates, and their lounges are the bomb. 

[FlorC]

14 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

You would cross off one of the world's best and most convenient airlines because someone on an internet forum once had to pass two security checks when they changed terminals?

Last year here on AN , there was more about Dubai airport.

It was more risky when carrying certain meds.

 

So 2 strikes and Dubai is out .

Emirates is usually more expensive too.

 

With all the wars going on , choice of an airline / stopover is limited.

[FlorC]

8 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I do love Emirates, and their lounges are the bomb. 

Try shouting that they are the BOMB , in their lounges 😄

[Yagoda]

On 5/30/2025 at 4:26 PM, NoshowJones said:

Anyone else ever experienced this?

Yes

Korea

Singapore

Istanbul

 

Planes going to the USA have a transit security check, sometimes at the gate

[treetops]

18 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

No. They have automatic trains between concourses and also between Terminal 3 and Terminal 1. If you are going to a completely different terminal you're on a bus.

 

There is also a little used bus connecting Concourse A to Concourse C in T3.  Normally you would use the train between A and B and then walk to C, but the OP could have got on or been directed to this bus.  However, I think he corrected himself upthread and it was actually a train in which case there should have only been one security check.

[scorecard]

7 hours ago, NoshowJones said:

That sure was something, but I don't think that would happen in Pakistan or any country all the time, they probably got word of a big consignment of drugs then.

They were frightened of kidnap of foreigners. Does very big damage to the reputation of the country re security etc.

 

One point I missed earlier; on arrival at Karachi and up the time up to I was collected by the Pakistani conglomerate who had requested I give them a presentation about organizational efficiency (also very concerned about providing security for any foreigners they employed in Pakistan - seriously concerned about kidnap and assassination of such foreigners), and the time at the airport to go through various security checks, during moving around the airport, then during boarding to depart and until the aircraft had taken off dozens of soldiers with weapons everywhere.