"Qantas" Stole My Umbrella

[stryker]

I have just returned to SYD from a 3 week trip including Asia, the USA and Europe. This involved transitting at least 13 different airports, some more than once.

My last flight was CGK-SYD today on QF. When being security screened on entry to the gate at CGK, the screener found my small retractable brolly, which I carry everywhere, and declared that I could not have it in my carry-on bag due to "Qantas regulations". I was told that my carry-on could be placed in the hold and all would be well, but that wasn't acceptable to me (for obvious reasons). So my poor old brolly was confiscated.

Having carried this inoffensive brolly through countless airports (including CGK previously) over a ten-year period, I was at a bit of a loss to comprehend why this was happening.

Is anyone aware that this is now a Qantas policy (I'd like to know as I have a few international QF flights coming up) or was the screener making things up, in true Indonesian fashion?

Your thoughts would be welcome.

 

[nlagalle]

I have just returned to SYD from a 3 week trip including Asia, the USA and Europe. This involved transitting at least 13 different airports, some more than once.

My last flight was CGK-SYD today on QF. When being security screened on entry to the gate at CGK, the screener found my small retractable brolly, which I carry everywhere, and declared that I could not have it in my carry-on bag due to "Qantas regulations". I was told that my carry-on could be placed in the hold and all would be well, but that wasn't acceptable to me (for obvious reasons). So my poor old brolly was confiscated.

Having carried this inoffensive brolly through countless airports (including CGK previously) over a ten-year period, I was at a bit of a loss to comprehend why this was happening.

Is anyone aware that this is now a Qantas policy (I'd like to know as I have a few international QF flights coming up) or was the screener making things up, in true Indonesian fashion?

Your thoughts would be welcome.

I think you'll find it is Australian aviation regulations, which apply to Australian registered aircraft (and aircraft flying to/from Australia) as the reason behind it, not Qantas.

 

[Nigelinoz]

Just checked the Qantas website and this is what it says regarding carry on baggage,
"In addition to the allowances, personal articles such as an overcoat, handbag, umbrella, walking stick, small camera, duty free items and some reading matter for the flight may be carried in the cabin.!
Fly - Baggage - Carry-on Baggage - General
I've also checked the country specific regulations regarding carry on but have not been able to find a reference to umbrellas anywhere,mind you that doesn't mean it isn't there,just means I didn't see it.

 

[stryker]

Well, all I can say is that it has never happened to me before flying out of SYD on Qantas. I regularly fly over 250,000 km per annum and my umbrella lasted 10 years without even a murmur, so this is why I was so taken aback at CGK.

And are the Australian regs more stringent than those in the US? I wouldn't have thought so. The TSA isn't in the least bit interested in umbrellas in carry-on bags.

 

[nlagalle]

Well, all I can say is that it has never happened to me before flying out of SYD on Qantas. I regularly fly over 250,000 km per annum and my umbrella lasted 10 years without even a murmur, so this is why I was so taken aback at CGK.

And are the Australian regs more stringent than those in the US? I wouldn't have thought so. The TSA isn't in the least bit interested in umbrellas in carry-on bags.

I'd say it was an overzealous security guard... mind you i've seen all sorts of stupid things confiscated since 9/11... once they wanted to confiscate my partners keyring as it looked like a big safety clip. never mind it had no sharp points or even opened like a real one...

Some of the "safety" regs introduced since 9/11 are way over the top and in some cases worse than the US.

 

[Mal]

I believe, Security regulations in Australia allow hand carried umbrellas, but not ones with sharp points (ie golf style).

At security checkpoints, they may request that an umbrella is x-rayed separately (or opened) to prove that it's not hiding any prohibited weapons.

Havn't seen any malarky with confiscation of fold-up umbrellas though.

 

[serfty]

I usually carry an umberra that collapses to about 15cm long.

Quite a few times the x-ray staff has notice my umbrella and they need to check it - so they check it, opening it up and looking carefully at it.

Whatever they are looking for, it's not apparent with mine and I get waved through with it.

Seems a bit of bad luck that ...

 

[rwatts]

CBR and BNE always want to scan my umbrella separately but at ADL they say no need. I think in MEL and SYD I've just removed it for separate scanning to save time. Certainly it has no point as such - but the struts are a nice spring steel and I'm sure I could do a lot of damage if I removed one and shoved it up a nostril or through an eye socket.

A friend often wears her long hair kept up with a blunt piece of wood about the same size and shape as a pencil. A number of times she has been pulled up while they ponder the danger of her implement. Usually when she points out the similarity to a pen or pencil but sans any point they relent - but sometimes being allowed "just this once".

Richard.

 

[garyjohn951]

I usually carry an umberra that collapses to about 15cm long.

Quite a few times the x-ray staff has notice my umbrella and they need to check it - so they check it, opening it up and looking carefully at it.

Whatever they are looking for, it's not apparent with mine and I get waved through with it.

Seems a bit of bad luck that ...

Yes, same here, it has been scanned separately and a couple of times opened up, but always returned wi8th a smile.

 

[Durin's Bane]

Late last year I had my small sunglass screwdriver confiscated at Perth airport. I've been travelling with such an item in my sunglass case as carry on luggage for years, including numerous trips through Perth.

Being a sharp object perhaps it's not allowed onboard... but I reckon more damage could be inflicted with the numerous pens and other stationary I carry in my laptop bag than this object of 4cm length!!

 

[Skyring]

CBR and BNE always want to scan my umbrella separately but at ADL they say no need. I think in MEL and SYD I've just removed it for separate scanning to save time. Certainly it has no point as such - but the struts are a nice spring steel and I'm sure I could do a lot of damage if I removed one and shoved it up a nostril or through an eye socket.

Yeah, but you could do that at home. Why on earth would you spend a lot of money to do it on a plane? You got to wonder what is going through the mind of some of these security gibbons.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I think that consistency is the name of the game. My dad got a nail clippers set through at Perth the other week. But, got one confiscated at Brisbane?!?!?
Even the 100ml liquid ban on international flights is a little bit to far IMO.

 

[MrHyde]

Security guards do seem to not like small umbrellas. I don't remember which airport, it was Canberra, the security screeners were asking people to take umbrellas out so that they could be scanned separately. I normally carry a small portable scanner in my laptop bag, which came up as an umbrella on the scanner and had to take it out and have bag rescanned. I haven't heard of umbrella's been confiscated though.

 

[serfty]

I just remembered that I was told one time that knifes or sharp weapons could be concealed in brolly when xrayed.

 

[Chicken or Beef]

The only umbrellas that are not allowed are golf umbrellas. I have never had a problem carrying my very small brolly.

I'd say this security guard is new and wants to make sure he is doing what 'he thinks' is right.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I think that consistency is the name of the game. My dad got a nail clippers set through at Perth the other week. But, got one confiscated at Brisbane?!?!?
Even the 100ml liquid ban on international flights is a little bit to far IMO.

The liquids thing is a joke.

Out of my ~ 10 intl flights last year to all corners of the globe I've taken a 150ML can of rexona deoderant in my carry on. Only last week departing Auckland was it confiscated.

Clearly the 'do you have any liquids, put it in a clear plastic bag' thing is only to make it look like they're protecting us. Even more of a scam in Nadi where you need to *purchase* those clear plastic bags!

 

[Mal]

I just remembered that I was told one time that knifes or sharp weapons could be concealed in brolly when xrayed.

Fold-up umbrellas have way too much metal packed together which may make x-ray analysis harder... altho, surprisingly they're rarely challenged in other countries (eg the U.S). So not sure why we're particularly sensitive in Australia...

 

[Skyring]

Fold-up umbrellas have way too much metal packed together which may make x-ray analysis harder... altho, surprisingly they're rarely challenged in other countries (eg the U.S). So not sure why we're particularly sensitive in Australia...

It would be easy to conceal a blade in amongst the folded spokes and ribs, and very difficult to see it on the scanner.

My darling wife is in the habit of taking lunch to work, and she also takes some cutlery to eat it with, which of course she carries in her handbag. As a result, when she goes flying, our household cutlery gradually disappears into the treasure chests of the security guys.

We popped into the QC yesterday to have a cuppa while awaiting the arrival of the inlaws, and security identified a bread and butter knife as a dangerous threat. We had to go back out and put it in the car.

 

[Commuter]

Security at one of the Australian airports had a really close look at my Filofax because of the metal spine/binder bit. So I'm not surprised that they had a close look at an umbrella. But to confiscate it sounds quite inappropriate. I cannot think of anywhere that says a fold-up umbrella cannot be carried.

I'd be seriously pissed off if they confiscate my Filofax!

 

[pblackm]

It would be easy to conceal a blade in amongst the folded spokes and ribs, and very difficult to see it on the scanner.

My darling wife is in the habit of taking lunch to work, and she also takes some cutlery to eat it with, which of course she carries in her handbag. As a result, when she goes flying, our household cutlery gradually disappears into the treasure chests of the security guys.

We popped into the QC yesterday to have a cuppa while awaiting the arrival of the inlaws, and security identified a bread and butter knife as a dangerous threat. We had to go back out and put it in the car.

The knives thing fascinates me every time I do a DONE4. Qantas - plakky knives. BA - say LHR to JFK - proper metal knives! I asked an FA about this a couple of years ago and he said that Qantas had purchased enough plastic knives for a decade or two.