Can airport security staff assault passengers?
Is it possible for security staff at airports to assault passengers?

This is a question that needs to be answered urgently by the UK Department of Transport. Millions of passengers travel through UK airports each year and every one of them is subjected to security searches. Every passenger who triggers the metal detector is 'body searched' which means that a security person of the same sex feels them.

How is the passenger to complain when they experience innapropriate pressure on parts of their body or fingers and other parts of the searcher being placed within their clothes?

This is a serious matter that needs immediate clarification.

How many passengers are being assaulted will never be known, but if you believe that you have been the victim of such an assault by airport security staff then you should contact your Member of Parliament and tell them immediately.

Here is how one passenger complained to London Heathrow Airport LHR about being assaulted and the response that was received from LHR London Heathrow Airport.

The letter of complaint to London Heathrow Airport LHR

The General Manager
Heathrow Airport
234 Bath Road, Hayes
Middlesex, UB3 5AP
United Kingdom
2 April 2009
Dear Sir or Madam:
Airport security and assaults
Last year my wife and I travelled through Heathrow, where we needed to change flights. My shoes triggered the alarm so I was examined by the staff. At the time I said something like ‘You are making a very thorough job of this', I cannot recall the exact words. However, whatever the words the way that I was touched, pressed, the method of search and the way that the hands and fingers of the searcher were placed within my clothes leads my to one conclusion, which is that I was assaulted. I  cannot be the only person who feels that they have been assaulted.

In a couple of months I have another similar journey to make, so I want some information beforehand.
Is it possible for airport security staff to assault members of the public whilst carrying out their search duties? By that I mean specifically have these people been granted some special immunity from prosecution for acts which would normally be regarded as serious assaults upon the person?

What should I do if I consider that I have been assaulted? Who should I ask to speak to, how do I know that my complaint will be taken seriously and that I will not be victimized? Specifically that the staff will not make sure that I miss my flight?

What measures are in place to ensure that homosexuals or lesbians are not employed in this sensitive duty where they could abuse their position and derive sexual gratification from mistreating members of the public who might not want to complain especially as they know that they will be delayed in doing so?

The North American screening method uses small hand-held metal detectors - why are these not used in the UK and more widely in Europe as this would virtually eliminate the possibility of assault, are quicker and much less stressful?
In general airport security staff are unpleasant and treat the travelling public very badly. I do not believe that the current level of prohibitions is justified or necessary. In particular I can see no good reason for asking people to remove belts or, as was the case at Heathrow, for making everyone remove their shoes after passing through the normal security.

I will look forward with interest to your comments and guidance regarding assaults.

Yours sincerely,

[name removed]

Read response from BAA Heathrow Airport LHR

Comments (4)Add Comment
0
Theft by BAA
written by jasminewok, 11 December, 2009
I was going through the ridiculous security checks at Gatwick airport when the security officer removed my scarf from round my neck. They did not return it to me and I did not remember until I was about to board the plane. On my return I went to the Lost property office and asked for my scarf back, which was there. they wanted £5 for it. As the loss was because they took it off me and failed to put it in a tray or return it to me and as it is mine, i refused to give them £5 the scarf is not worth much more than that. They refused and have now stolen the scarf off me. Bearing in mind that with their removal of aerosols they have also removed a tin of suede cleaner, do they ever actually need to buy anything or do they just swipe it off holidaymakers.
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Feedback
written by RAC, 27 November, 2009
MF - you need to get a grip on reality, read around and take note - like the comment from FPB. Security staff generally have a chip on their shoulder - these people are the true jobsworths. They enjoy harrassing travellers and many passengers believe they see it as a perk of the job. Here are some facts - 1800 old people a year die in the UK simply because of un-necessary prescribing of anti-psychotic drugs to keep them quiet and compliant. 20 children a MONTH die in accidents in the home. The most dangerous part of any air travel is the journey to the airport. The UK alone kills a jumbo jet full of people every month of the roads. No-one is even telling you about those things and yet you are glad of airport security!
In the UK you are guilty until proved innocent, every aspect of government policy shouts it, just one example - the Independent Safeguarding Authority, and if you need another try Contact Point.
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Harassment at Security LHR
written by FPB, 27 November, 2009
I would like to know whether there is some online method of making the following complaint, instead of by post :

I would like to register a formal complaint against the lady of Asian origin, at the Security checkpoint, for undue harassment on 25th November from Terminal 4 at approx 6:15 am. Can you please advise the procedure to make the complaint?

While we can all appreciate the need for vigilance and thoroughness at airport security, this Security Agent's sole aim appears to have been passenger harassment. While saying she was searching for liquids, she seemed to be more interested in checking every piece of paperwork and other quite obviously non-liquid contents of my handbaggage! Surely some commonsense needs to be exercised by security?

I was quite stunned to discover later that due to her excess zeal in examining the paperwork for liquids she had complete missed a new bottle of scalp medication which had been forgotten in the washbag!! I think she missed the actual purpose of a security check, choosing to harass rather than 'secure'.

It must be noted that the same bag was rechecked at CDG airport in Paris, probably for the same reason that the bag was flagged at LHR. However the totally different attitude of security there, who chose to ask a straight question, and received an immediate verification meant that the bag was opened and cleared in under a minute compared to more than 15 minutes at LHR. Apparently a small plastic bag full of loose change was the article of interest, and had come up on the monitor as a black mass.

Clearly the French have more commonsense and courtesy.

Please advise the correct channel to address the above complaint to.

Thanks and regards
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Can airport security staff assault passengers?
written by MF, 20 August, 2009
First off, how do you know your shoes triggered the activation on the machine? You may have been one of the Department of Transport randoms. The body searches carried out at airports are to detect ANY weapons that may be carried on a person. Hand held wands as you have seen at N. American airports would not pick up say a carbon fibre knife or say some form of triggering device. Hence several weapons made it onto a UA flight on the 11th.
Secondly, do you think that BAA would be open for liable cases if they did not employ homosexuals and lesbians in the security officers role? Next think you will be demanding that you are only searched by WASPs, White Anglo Saxon Prodestants, or are you only homophobic and not racist? As for taking your shoes off to be screened I suggest you google 'Richard Reid' the 'shoe bomber' it was 2001, how quickly you forget. If you feel you have been victimised, then do as BAA suggested in their reply to you and complain, you seem good at it anyway.

But although security seems to be an incovience to you I for one am glad to some it is their job and they do it thoroughly.

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