Kiosk Check-in GIANT SECURITY HOLE

[N860CR]

I've heard a lot of people say the same thing before. When I was telling someone how to use Web-Checkin, they said seemed shocked and said "you could be a terrorist". That's right, I could be. A terrorist could just as easily show their valid drivers licence at check-in and be handed their boarding pass with a smile (provided they aren't flying Qantas ) and let right onto the plane.

 

[Gazza]

The reality is that all the security “enhancements” are a giant PR exercise to convince the traveling public that flying is now safe and that a 911 type event won’t happen again.

This of course is complete bollocks as if people are so inclined they can easily circumvent the security and get weapons on commercial passenger aircraft.

What will prevent another 911 is the passengers will not be passive and hope that the plane will land and their release be negotiated. They (the passengers) will rush the terrorists and match their fanaticism with sheer will to live.

Freight aircraft are another issue, with no passengers ready to act in defense of the aircraft.

Incidentally I would love Osama to be in close proximity to me (my godfather was a NYC Fire Captain)

Gazza

 

[bigjobs]

I've used the kiosk check-in system in both Cairns and Brisbane recently.

Worked great, selected good seat, printed boarding pass.

Fully expected that someone at the gate would ask to see some picture ID to verify that I'm me.

NOPE.

No one ever checks the passenger to see if they're the same as who was ticketed!

You can fly on your brother's ticket, no problem!

And even Osama could check-in and board, no worries!

Talked to various security officials at the Cairns airport, as well as Canberra. Their answer?

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO CHECK IDENTITY OF THE PASSENGERS, ONLY INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS!

Does this seem scary to anyone?

Nah, that's not scary mate ... what's scary is a fully laden 747-400 travelling from ORD - LHR and the guy who is just past the end of the runway in his car or house with his rocket propelled grenade/shoulder launched missle that he has stolen from the local army base and is pointed at said 747. when he scores a direct hit all hell breaks loose and no one knows who did it.

i reckon that scares the s*** out of me cause i reckon that is what will be next.

besides, if i want to hijack a plane i could get on board easily - i have all my valid id's available for inspection ... id inspection stops nothing, it's window dressing.

 

[Maca44]

I have a bigger risk of being attacked by a shark / run over by a car / winning lotto over being on a plane with a terrorist.

After being through two divorces, I don't thing anything scares me any more.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

2 more domestic flights today using check in counter and no photo id - my FF card sufficient

 

[bigjobs]

when i left MQT this morning there were only 12 of pax on a ER4 jet. there were 3 TSA agents, a couple of AEagle ground staff and a few others ...

when i checked in the lady who checked me in for the flights did the id thing with my passport ... then when they called the flight and we all went through the securty checkpoint (just before the TSA) and guess who was checking my id again ... i just laughed, she said that she has to look at my id again cause thats the rules.

cause that makes the air world safer ... no wonder we are paying more in fees, charges, taxes and fares and getting less and less ...

 

[Soundguy]

I have no problem with the lack of photo ID, this is how it should be in fact. Just spent a week and a half travelling around Malaysia. They are Passport crazy, multiple checks thoughout the airport and everytime you check into any hotel; no other form of photo ID accepted.

You can't even book an Air Asia flight (desk or online) without entering every passengers passport number, expiry date and date of issue - this is for domestic flights. I did a domestic internet booking on Air Asia and couldn't remember my wifes passport number so I just made up a number. This didn't seem to upset the system but we still had to present each persons passport multiple times at the airport.

BTW, don't think I would recommend Air Asia all that much; our flight was delayed almost 3 hours which we found out later was quite the normal thing. And the KL LCC terminal is just a tin shed.... But the biggest problem was their 15kg per ticketed passenger limit, rigidly enforced. Travelling with a baby it would have been cheaper flying Malaysian Airlines after paying more than A$80 for the extra luggage (3 bags totalling about 50kg from memory). At least Virgin Blue are more flexible with excess generally.

Chris

 

[NM]

When recently checking in for AA71 FRA-DFW all passengers were put through the 3rd degree Q&A process before being allowed to progress to the check-in desk. There was another row of pedestals placed between the pax queue and the check-in desks (must have been at least 8 of them). At this pedestal I was asked about how long I had been in Germany? Why I was there? How long I will be in the USA? Where I stayed in Germany, including wanting to see the hotel receipt. What company I work for and could they please see a business card. The agent even wanted to see a printed agenda for the conference I was going to attend in USA.

This was in addition to the usual questions about packing my own bags and am I carrying anything for anyone else etc.

After passing this "interview" (or interrogation depending on your perspective) I was permitted to move up to the check-in desk where my passport was requested, boarding pass issued and bags checked.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

That sounds very different from my experience SQ FRA-JFK.

Your AA experience is almost like the security at TLV for outbound pax, but not as heavy or well structured.

 

[NM]

That sounds very different from my experience SQ FRA-JFK.

Your AA experience is almost like the security at TLV for outbound pax, but not as heavy or well structured.

I am sure its an AA thing. I expect they do it for show. Or perhaps they roll out the pre-checkin interrogation stations when the USA security level is raised. It was Orange (Elevated) at the time.

Thankfully I was there just before they opened check-in and as such was second in the queue for F check-in. The Y crowd were herded along a long winding pathway awaiting their turn at the US/German Interrogation experience.

 

[ksthommo]

Article appearing online titled "Qantas admits ID not needed to fly"

Qantas admits ID not needed to fly | NEWS.com.au

 

[Dave Noble]

Still don't see it as a security risk. Don't need id. to travel on trains or busses etc; why should there be a need for id. to travel on a plane. As far as showing id , I don't know what I would do if asked to produce that part of my unconscious mind to the airport staff

Dave

 

[oz_mark]

One would assume from this thread that Virgin Blue has the same alleged security hole. I note that they state it is a security hole, without actually specifying what the potential problem is. They travelled under the name ticketed by the travel agent, they went through the security checks at the airport, what does it matter their ticketed name was wrong?

 

[Commuter]

Not needing to show a photo ID is nowhere near the risk of not screening checked-in luggage. That's where the true risk lies, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Mal]

I really don't care if the passenger next to me is Mr Smith, Mr Jones or actually Mr Smithers trying to cover up an affair.

As long as his/her baggage has gone through security screening I'm not worried.

When my time comes to die, it comes. Whether that is a result of being hit by a bus, being involved in a traffic accident, being blown out of the sky by a terrorist, or a heart attack, then my time is up.

Driver's licenses can easily be forged. So can other identification cards - unless there are central checks as to their validity. The Checkin agent (or ID checker at US airports) is not going to be easily be able to tell that a driver's license is fake.

Screen all baggage and hand luggage properly and I'll be happy. Just stop worrying about who is flying. Profiling on race and name is more of a U.S thing, with lots of effects that may not actually stop the bad people.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I am sure its an AA thing. I expect they do it for show. Or perhaps they roll out the pre-checkin interrogation stations when the USA security level is raised. It was Orange (Elevated) at the time.

Thankfully I was there just before they opened check-in and as such was second in the queue for F check-in. The Y crowd were herded along a long winding pathway awaiting their turn at the US/German Interrogation experience.

Someone recently explained to me the rules are different for US-based airlines. Yes - odd I know.

 

[BiziBB]

Hello everyone,
Barring any further incidents, are normal-sized carryons still allowed this week on domestic Oz flights? Barring suspicious liquids of course

Just a flight to the Whitsundays so it shouldn't be a drama, but would DJ / JQ want to conveniently have a ban to enable faster boarding?

Sorry if this has been done to death.

Anyway I'll use the excuse this is my first AFF post!
Cheers

 

[oz_mark]

Hello everyone,
Barring any further incidents, are normal-sized carryons still allowed this week on domestic Oz flights? Barring suspicious liquids of course

Just a flight to the Whitsundays so it shouldn't be a drama, but would DJ / JQ want to conveniently have a ban to enable faster boarding?

Sorry if this has been done to death.

Anyway I'll use the excuse this is my first AFF post!
Cheers

Welcome to AFF. There has been no change to domestic carry-on allowances, or what you can take on board.

 

[GoldCoastGuy]

Tonight's Chaser has Al Kyder and Terry Wrist being announced at the gate for being late to board a Virgin Blue flight this week.

ABC TV: The Chaser's War on Everything - Video

Al Kyder's Virgin on the ridiculous - National - smh.com.au



Evan

 

[robertz]

My 2 cents.

ID should be presented going through security. Not to confirm that the person who has been issued the boarding pass is the person on the ticket, but to run pre-screens before that person has been issued the boarding pass and that person knows he needs ID to get through.

If you have no idea who that person is before a boarding pass is issued, you have no chance of finding out if they are a problem.

They should start to employ people with higher IQ's to do a short personality profile when you get through the first check.

What pi_ses me off when people are on TV saying, "Well if it makes me safer, then its OK". What a load of rubbish. If 99% of the people are normal and just 1% are sus, then the 1% should have additional checks. Grandma and grandpa going through with a tube of toothpaste, are hardly a intelligent use of resources. (here in the US)

Wouldn't it be interesting if somebody got a QFF / VB card issued in the name of O.B.L and used that to get a boarding pass and get through security and on a plane. The media would have a field day..

Rob