My disgust with BA & Heathrow

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I wish to comment on my disgust towards both Heathrow and Alia.

There's common sense, there's security, and there's invasion of privacy, discrimination, harassment & damage of property.

Please discuss in the forum, or read on.

The trip back from Jordan was horrible. Alia was sent a 'new policy' from Heathrow saying (and i quote from the check-in lady) that we are to check in a day before for security reasons. They told us we weren't allowed to take sun glasses boxes that are hard, mp3/cd players, keychains with electronics, cameras, back packs, mobile phones, simcards, laptops... basically you're only allowed your wallet, your keys, your ticket, and that's it. I told Alia that on the way here i was allowed to carry at least half that, but they insisted that i don't.

In the airport the next morning, i notice almost everyone carrying their mobile phones, laptops, sunglasses boxes, etc.. Furthermore, i sure as hell was NOT going to stick my two memory cards (that contain all the holiday pics we took) and my sim card in the luggage. I've heard of the tens of thousands of bags they lost, and come rain or snow i was not going to let that risk happen to me with these sticks. So i stuck them in my wallet.

Security checks start in the airport, with me not emptying my pockets fully.. Why? It's simple.. i wasn't told to. They told me to stick my bags into the X-ray machine, and so i did. But my belt was still on me, and my wallet in my pocket. The metal detectors rang of course, i was searched by the person with his hands, and that was it. So if i were to carry a knife, or a pure silver knife with me, it would have passed easily... But of course i wouldn't do that... despite the fact that i'm muslim, and despite the eyes of the American government, not all muslims are terrorists.

And i wish to point out another thing while i'm at this.. All these security checkpoints are USELESS.. totally USELESS wherever you are. If a terrorist wants to blow himself up, he WILL regardless of what the security level is... which is really scary and really a big shame (and a concern to my safety and myself because i travel a lot). Remembering the trip outside the UK ~10 days ago, i wasn't properly checked until i went up the escallators into the area where they x-ray you and you enter the duty free shops. And the lines there were SERIOUSLY long and twisted, like the lines in Alton Towers going one side, then another, then the same side, then the other again.. So you end up with A LOT of people at the same place, crowded, waiting to be checked. (at least in Jordan, the first thing they do when you enter the airport to travel is that procedure, hence reducing the 'target area' to be damaged by terrorist acts). So my point is, if ,God forbid, a terrorist of ANY religion, culture, part of the world, sex, cause decides to blow him/her/its self up for the sole reason of causing mayham, killing innocent people, they could easily do so without even going deep into the airport or the airplane...

It's as simple as networking.. wherever you stick a firewall, or in terms of reality, a checkpoint, bottlenecks and congestion occur. And instead of one causing damage at the end point, they just do it there.. And the thing is, whether a terrorist act happens inside, or outside, or at the security checkpoint, they will still get to satisfy their sick minds and kill a lot of innocent people.

Of course, you could argue that such security protects those inside the airport, but at what cost? Heathrow airport is risking the lives of many more that are stuck in that small corner waiting to be checked, that could be a target.

Anyway, back to my trip.. After another security point inside the airport (which asked me to remove my belt and wallet), there was a person checking for forgery passports before we enter the plane.. The plane was overbooked, and was delayed an hour before takeoff on the runway (and i quote from the captain) "due to a few passengers being late". So what kind of a silly excuse is that? Seriously, do they think we're dumb enough to fall for anything? If you're going to lie, then at least put in a bit more effort to make a good excuse, otherwise, give a little bit more information on what you're saying so that it makes some slight sense.

When arriving, we had to fly in circles for half an hour in the sky close to the airport because heathrow was overfilled with airplanes. The moment we go out of the plane, we were told to have our passports in our hands for security checks. 10 meters after that, there's yet another security check.

When we finally got our bags (that took much longer than usual to go out) they searched through our bags completely, opened up her perfume and makeup boxes, broke her new Eternity bottle. Seriously.. why.. And no i highly doubt it was from the pressure or rough handling, because there were other mugs and glass cups in there that were undamaged. The Eternity bottle was in its own protective bag. They cut through and sampled every herb and pepper bag i had, opened up the tea bag (loose), and of course didn't bother to close it, hence having a 2Kg open bag of tea, spilling inside the suitcase and all over the books and clothes. They also broke a mug and a tea making mug. (three others were unharmed, but i think these might be from pressure or rough handling because they were big and round, even though protected with newspapers and clothes wrapped around them).

Finally, for every person, British citizen or not, that has a name that sounds Arabian, or has the word 'muslim' in his/her passport, they stuck a 'security check' sticker on the baggage slip so that i have to lift it up on a table for the final security check point (in the 'nothing to declare' section) to be checked yet again. Out of disgust and exhaustion, i just ripped off the slip, threw it on the floor, and just walked out.

All i can say to the airports .... You should feel ashamed of yourselves, and no before you say it, this has NOTHING to do with your 'security and safety of passengers' crap.. don't even bother.

Please discuss in the forum