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At Heathrow airport I was offered the option of switching my laptop on to show them it worked, plus a full body x-ray, or "the other option" (man waves a pair o

At Heathrow airport I was offered the option of switching my laptop on to show them it worked, plus a full body x-ray, or "the other option" (man waves a pair of gloves insinuating a full body cavity search). So, you can see what (mostly) everyone would choose there. The only bonus was that security man managed to walk me around the 2-hour long security line.

gruez 2y ago
>switching my laptop on to show them it worked That seems... fine? They're not asking you unlock your laptop, just to turn it on, presumably to prove it's actually a laptop and not a bomb in a laptop's case.
- tavavex 2y ago
  Can't they determine this based on the x-ray scan alone? I mean, what's the other option - would they arrest a person carrying non-working/for-parts hardware?
  - gruez 2y ago
    >Can't they determine this based on the x-ray scan alone? Not a bomb expert, but a laptop is just a bunch of electronics next to a solid mass (for the battery). A bomb is also just a bunch electronics next to a solid mass (for the explosive). >I mean, what's the other option - would they arrest a person carrying non-working/for-parts hardware? I doubt they'll arrest you, but I vaguely remember airline websites saying that any laptops you bring MUST be able to turn on so they might confiscate it.
    - sebzim4500 2y ago
      IME british airport security is more understanding than most, they'll probably try to find a way to do some test or let you check it. If it doesn't turn on then you're hardly going to be using it on the flight anyway.
sebzim4500 2y ago
I don't think proving the laptop turns on is an unreasonable request. You just have to show them a log-in screen to prove it isn't a bomb.
- Hizonner 2y ago
  It would be easy to build a bomb that could show a login screen.
  - queuebert 2y ago
    It's amazing how much security policy relies on the bad guys being dumb.
fractallyte 2y ago
The gloves are standard, for hygiene purposes during a pat down - emphatically not a cavity search! I was manually searched on my last trip because I refused to go through the millimeter wave scanner.
- qingcharles 2y ago
  Whatever the guy said, it was clearly insinuated, without saying it specifically, that his hands would be taking a trip into my butt :p

gruez 2y ago

>switching my laptop on to show them it worked That seems... fine? They're not asking you unlock your laptop, just to turn it on, presumably to prove it's actually a laptop and not a bomb in a laptop's case.

tavavex 2y ago
Can't they determine this based on the x-ray scan alone? I mean, what's the other option - would they arrest a person carrying non-working/for-parts hardware?
- gruez 2y ago
  >Can't they determine this based on the x-ray scan alone? Not a bomb expert, but a laptop is just a bunch of electronics next to a solid mass (for the battery). A bomb is also just a bunch electronics next to a solid mass (for the explosive). >I mean, what's the other option - would they arrest a person carrying non-working/for-parts hardware? I doubt they'll arrest you, but I vaguely remember airline websites saying that any laptops you bring MUST be able to turn on so they might confiscate it.
  - sebzim4500 2y ago
    IME british airport security is more understanding than most, they'll probably try to find a way to do some test or let you check it. If it doesn't turn on then you're hardly going to be using it on the flight anyway.

sebzim4500 2y ago

I don't think proving the laptop turns on is an unreasonable request. You just have to show them a log-in screen to prove it isn't a bomb.

Hizonner 2y ago
It would be easy to build a bomb that could show a login screen.
- queuebert 2y ago
  It's amazing how much security policy relies on the bad guys being dumb.

fractallyte 2y ago

The gloves are standard, for hygiene purposes during a pat down - emphatically not a cavity search! I was manually searched on my last trip because I refused to go through the millimeter wave scanner.

qingcharles 2y ago
Whatever the guy said, it was clearly insinuated, without saying it specifically, that his hands would be taking a trip into my butt :p