"Excuse me Sir, You've tested Positive for explosives."

[OzEire]

Japanese travel pram that folds up as small as a briefcase. You sling it over your shoulder up the stairs or skybridge and it goes in an overhead locker.

Nice! Can it be xrayed - ie. fit into the machine and not containing metal that blocks xray penetration?

 

[Renato1]

Back when I used to work, my staff were very annoyed at the time that there was no paperwork that officially declared them to be employees stationed at an explosives factory. They kept wondering what would happen if they were checked at airports for explosives, and failed the test - since they often had to go into buildings where explosives were manufactured.

I told them not to worry about it.
And indeed, they were never tested despite numerous flights.
Regards,
Renato

 

[JohnK]

I thought the airline would treat a pram as checked luggage and substitute an airline (or airport) supplied pram after the security barrier (ie. pre-cleared).

Our stroller when folded can go through the xray machine. We've done this in SYD/BNE with VA and SQ who both allow the stroller to be checked at the gate.

 

[N860CR]

How can contracted airport security tell the difference between a real pilot in full uniform and someone who bought the gear online? Anyone working airside (baggage handler, private pilot) would have the passes, or these could be stolen, forged/copied.

An ID check will suffice. This is what is done in most countries.

It's been a long long time since I worked on Australian domestic duties, but I always used to laugh when the crew would rock up at an outport in the morning and go through the whole security show, while the baggage handlers would just open the side door and walk right out to the plane, totally unscreened.

 

[Strategic Aviation]

New airport security measures for workers labelled a 'joke' - Sydney Morning Herald

Baggage handlers, caterers, engineers and maintenance staff will undergo random testing for explosives in a new security crackdown.

The federal government announced the new measures on Sunday, just months after an alleged plot to smuggle an explosive onto an international flight from Sydney Airport was foiled.

"Airport workers, together with their vehicles and belongings, will be randomly selected for explosive trace detection testing and other screening when entering or working in secure airside areas at major airports," Mr Chester said in a statement on Sunday.

"Other measures being introduced include stronger access controls and additional security awareness training for aviation workers."

Pilots, terrorism experts and the Transport Workers Union have lobbied for strengthened screening of workers including casual staff and sub-contractors.

But Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says the changes are a "joke" which don't go far enough.

He wants a US-style agency to be responsible for airport security and vowed to pursue the matter during Senate estimates this week.

 

[IceMan007]

I've always been concerned about filling up petrol for my hire car and then getting selected for this test. Wondered if I had splashed any petrol, would I be given a second inspection?

Once I was in a hurry while returning a car to SYD domestic, and splashed some petrol on my shoes. Of course, I was selected for the swab test at the Virgin Lounge priority entry, and before the lady even started I told her I had some petrol splash on my shoes, her response was "That's unfortunate, the shoe shiner over there will fix that for you". The machine didn't pick anything up, and the lady was quite lovely

 

[Natalie_B]

The baby carrier I was wearing in HNL tested positive to explosives a few years ago. The carrier came off and went through the X-ray machine and the baby got swabbed. She or I (or something else) tested positive again. I had to ID my bags and the baby and I were ushered into a room while my two year old started to lose his mind that I had disappeared. The insides of my bags tested negative while I got a good touch up. Eventually they decided we weren’t that interesting and let us go. Think Mr Natalie was just relieved he didn’t have to look after the two year old by himself for the flight to Sydney!

 

[Simsy85]

I used to live in Darwin - I often travelled down to Alice Springs - Every year the NT has cracker night, where you literally can buy fireworks anywhere. We'd always let off 20-30, surrounded by many people doing the same. 3 or 4 times i've had to head down to ASP the next day and always tested positive. They just look at you and ask if you've been to cracker night the night before, then let you go...