Bristol Airport security detects toothpaste but not live bullets
A clay pigeon shooter boarded a plane with live shotgun cartridges in his pocket while his toothpaste and aftershave were seized as a security risk at Bristol Airport.
Four staff at green consultancy Carbon Managers were setting off for a tree-planting trip in Scotland from Bristol Airport on Wednesday when one of their number was singled out for a search.
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Bristol Airport said it was not aware of a passenger boarding a plane with live bullets
Account manager George Thomas, 19, had toothpaste and aftershave taken by the security guard but only realised when he reached Inverness that a handful of undetected live rounds were in his coat.
Geremy Thomas, director of the company which helps businesses become carbon neutral, said he could not believe the "lax" security had picked out his son's toothpaste but overlooked the live cartridges.
The airport said it had no record of the incident having taken place, but confirmed that ammunition was not allowed on board.
Mr Thomas, 48, from Frome, said: "The Carbon Managers team set off for Inverness from Bristol airport as we were heading up to the Alladale wilderness Reserve on a two-day tree-planting trip.
"The four of us flew with easyJet and only had hand luggage. We went through the scanner and my son George was pulled aside. His toothpaste and after shave were captured by the security guard.
"Once we arrived at Alladale, we opened our hand luggage in preparation for our first day's tree planting. George put his hand in his coat pocket and realised he'd inadvertently carried a handful of shot gun cartridges from a past day's shooting onto the plane.
"They were left over from a clay pigeon shoot. That was a mistake on his part and he'll learn from that. None of us could believe that they'd confiscated his toiletries but completely missed live ammunition.
"I find it worrying that security is so lax and that there are such bizarre double standards."
A Bristol Airport spokeswoman said: "Bristol International Airport is not aware of this alleged incident but can confirm that the airport is fully compliant with all DFT screening regulations. No ammunition is allowed on board a plane."
9 Comments
by James, Bath
Sunday, March 15 2009, 8:54PM
“Hi Sharon, having travelled with George I can assure you that these cartridges were indeed in his jacket pocket. The jacket was in his hand luggage and was put through the airport scanning machine. Why would he want to make up a story like this? There were 5 28 bore cartridges and 1 20 bore cartridge. They were only discovered when he put his jacket on later that day in the Highlands. We were only trying to highlight the fact that airport security is so obsessed with liquids and toiletries that the real dangers seem to be overlooked! All that was reported was 100% fact.”
by sharon, somerset
Friday, March 13 2009, 7:32PM
“I work for security at bristol airport and have done for many years and i am telling you that 5 shotgun cartridges weighing half a pound and extremely obvious on xray would not have got thru. may i suggest that the young man peeved at having being caught in direct breech of the liquid restrictions decided to get 5 mins of fame by fabricating this ridiculous story.If he was genuine and i am sure i would know if I had a half puond weight in one pocket then the photograph would have been taken in the departure lounge. He has now admitted to the world that he has broken the law and ignorance is no excuse. We are in the business of saving lives andI am sick and tired ofheadline grabbers trying to belittle what we get up at 1am to do. If you want I will take photo of xray picture of what mr thomas says he got thru. Rubbish absolute rubbish, that polite version of what I actually wanted to say”
by Jeremiah, Essex
Friday, March 13 2009, 2:36PM
“We are overpopulated in Essex as well, although not with clay pigeons - too many Ford Escorts and False Blonds. We even have more girls called chardonnay than bottles of wine, although the wine invariably has a better body on it”
by Josh Fisher, Storrow-on-the-Wold
Friday, March 13 2009, 1:02PM
“Mr. Fox asks, "What concerns me more is what was the purpose of taking shotgun cartridges being taken to Scotland. Is this so Mr Thomas can kill innocent creatures"
I believe if you read the article (or even the headline), you'll see that his purpose was to help with the clay pigeon overpopulation problem. As you probably know, these are not so innocent, but rather a bit devious.”
by Jeremiah Fox, Essex
Friday, March 13 2009, 12:33PM
“What concerns me more is what was the purpose of taking shotgun cartridges being taken to Scotland. Is this so Mr Thomas can kill innocent creatures like foxes (my namesake so that is one reason why I am partial to them) and turn their living, breathing bodies to lifeless carbon....”
by David, Somerset
Friday, March 13 2009, 10:14AM
“Anyone with a basic grasp of metalwork could fashion a rudimentary, fairly unobtrusive device that could be used to discharge those cartidges. In the enclosed space of an aircraft cabin, you'd have a primitive, but horribly effective weapon. BIA should be giving someone on their staff a good rollicking this morning - not pretending that if they didn't know about it, then it didn't happen.
As for sending a "Carbon Managers" team on a flight to Scotland to plant trees, well....surely anyone with any grasp of carbon management would have picked up a phone and hired a team of local labourers to do the job?
And I'm going to assume that Thomas the younger was the best qualified applicant for the job when the vacancy arose - I'd hate to think that he 's there just because his dad's on the Board of Directors.....”
by m, Downend
Friday, March 13 2009, 9:57AM
“"I find it worrying that security is so lax and that there are such bizarre double standards."
Double standards indeed. Like flying somewhere to plant trees. Fantastic double standards.
But I guess thats what we should expect of anybody caling themselves "consultancy" or "carbon managers"
Nice jolly at otthers expense, eh ?”
by Farmers Boy, Bristol
Friday, March 13 2009, 9:18AM
“The headline says 'Bullets', the report says Cartridges, another case of misreporting ?.
The man shows his lack of intelligence in carrying these cartridges in his pockets.
Just ban him from any type of flying for life.”
by Chris, Southville
Friday, March 13 2009, 8:54AM
“Not that surprising regarding the security at the airport, you can even get a bottle of milk through for your baby.
I find it slightly more interesting about the carbon neutrality of the trip. How many trees were they going to plant to justify the four of them flying up there and was that at the expense of thier clients.
Whats wrong with phone fax email?”