Of course GA is a factor at EDNY and similar places, because they have so little commercial traffic that every airplane counts. I bet it’s several thousand GA landings at EDNY … and they better not destroy their image as a good airport.
I can report that I just received an email from Claus-Dieter Wehr who is CEO of Flughafen Friedrichshafen GmbH.
He promises to see what can be done to improve. He explains that the main issue is with mixing people from different contexts and the fact that one has to pass through what is designated as a secure area.
In my reply I told him that people like myself just want to get “from the street to the aircraft” and the easiest solution would be to have a separate door where a person checks the license and takes the party (pilot and passengers known to and with the pilot) to the aircraft. That airport person can stay with them until they have boarded. That’s a bit courtesy and bit supervision.
They already have the separate “door”. I posted a photo of the gate here some time ago. It is next to the aeroclub, IIRC. But last time I tried it, April 2016, the man in there told me it is for pilots only, no passengers allowed!!!! I had 1 passenger… Totally brainless. They have a luggage scanner in there too. So a lot of money has been spent on that Grade A portacabin, the gear in there, and the man’s salary.
Yeah, I had the same experience. A good example how you can render expensive equipment totally useless by employing the wrong bains to run it.
On a funny note, this was taken 2 days ago on a really baking hot day at Cambridge, on the street (pavement) outside the airport
You just know you will be safe at Cambridge International Airport!
Flyer59 wrote:
Most people have zero idea what security finds in hand luggage there: Several handguns per month, for example. Most from people who have a carry permit, but not all.
And do they have to strip me to achieve that? I have a wonderful holster, you can’t tell I’m carrying a weapon with my jacket on. But there is no way I could get it through a (properly working) metal detector. For me, the line is really shoes. Taking the jacket off is really bad enough, I was taught one does not take off a suit jacket and it stuck (just as I was taught that it’s not polite to ask your guests to take off their shoes; at least some places, it’s expected in e.g. Japan). I guess etiquette is just too old fashioned.
Best are those who ask you where your uniform is when you tell them you’re a private pilot. Walnuts for brains (that goes for the management too since their training must be defective). Another funny situation is when you have a proper big suitcase and they take you to passenger checkpoint with just an x-ray machine for hand luggage (as one does not check baggage for private flights). One could go on.
So I ask about security screenings and I also ask about the possibility of a minder that will accompany us to the plane (or to pay landing fees, etc.) instead of a screening. I’m willing to pay for that.
Peter wrote:
Yes, but he/she applied for the job in the first place because the job description attracted them. … Personally, if I needed to earn money but had no skills, I would never apply for an airport security job because I would totally hate screwing people around, and putting up with people who will mostly hate me too.
Not necessarily. Some of them do hate it. Sometimes they just have to go to that interview unless they want to lose support. And if they’re unlucky to be chosen, they’ll have to do it. I would hope airports don’t hire this low in the pool but security is sometimes outsourced and security companies certainly shop even in the lowest of the low ends.
Aviathor wrote:
The unfortunat truth is that they probably do not care about your business because it is a drop in the ocean and more a nuisance than anything else.
But it’s the only thing we can do. Complain, complain, complain and not give them our business. Situation won’t improve by taking it laying down.
