"Security Check Baggage" - Yellow Label?

[Mike Myers]

Hi,

Can anyone point me to some online source which explains this, I noticed today
that my flight from Berlin to Humberside, via Amsterdam that when I got to
Humberside I noticed my luggage had been marked.

The yellow ticket read "Bundesgrenzscutz - BGSI - Flughafen Berlin-Tegal,
Sicherheitskontrolle Reisegepack, Security Check Baggage"

When I got to Humberside, while I was waiting for my luggage I noticed I was
eyed up by the customs officials (This was before I actually had got my luggage
and before I noticed the yellow label).

Anyway I gets my bag and low and behold as I am walking out the collection area
I am approached by one of the customs guys who says he wants to search my bags
and such. I am fine with this, and then leads me to the check area and then
proceeds to ask for my ID (why he didn't ask for my passport when I was quite
obviously in an Airport and just come through immigration was kinda odd :o)).
Anyway. The area is really busy with all kinds of peoples stuff being checked.
(I notice mainly people who I had seen and travelling alone). He asks me a few
questions, then tries to be nice by asking if I had a nice trip. (Yeh it would
be much nicer if I could go on my way). So just as I am about to hand over my
luggage another customs guy comes over (his boss) and whispers to this one, and
then he says "Oh, its ok. We don't need to check your bag now, just the
document check was fine". I am then allowed to leave.

I was kinda hoping I could have asked him a few questions but he hurried off.

So, was I stopped because of this yellow label? Did it mean simply because my
bag was locked that it should be looked at? Or had it already been examined in
Germany? Did they know my luggage had been "security" flagged hence knew who I
was before I even got to the baggage collection area? Did the 2nd guy notice
the yellow thingy and then decided on the sudden non-search? Or did they notice
it and then decide to search. Was it all just a coincidence because I was mr
suspicious or something? You decide :o)

Odd.

Seriously. Anyone know the real reasons. I am sure there are 100
interpretations of the theme but what's the official line? :)

Thanks

Mike

[Roland Perry]

Post by Mike Myers
Anyone know the real reasons.

Difficult to say, but sounds like they were waiting for a specific
person, and you were originally mis-identified as that person. Whether
the tag had anything to do with it - who knows? Isn't it just saying
that Tegel security had already examined the bag? (which should surely
lower its suspicion quotient).

[Mike Myers]

Post by Roland Perry
Difficult to say, but sounds like they were waiting for a specific
person, and you were originally mis-identified as that person. Whether
the tag had anything to do with it - who knows? Isn't it just saying
that Tegel security had already examined the bag?

Yeh, the whole episode leaves lots of questions. Thats why I was just
intrigued. Security at Tegel would not have been able to get access to the bag,
it was padlocked.

Mike

[Roland Perry]

Post by Mike Myers
Security at Tegel would not have been able to get access to the bag,
it was padlocked.

X-rays? (And airport security are quite good at picking locks,
allegedly).

[Mike Myers]

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Mike Myers
Security at Tegel would not have been able to get access to the bag,
it was padlocked.

X-rays? (And airport security are quite good at picking locks,
allegedly).

X-Rays yes I agree but why flag the bag then? Where there was bugger all inside
that could have possibly looked dodgy on an X-Ray.

I doubt they would pick the lock on the bag to be honest, although who knows.

[Miss L. Toe]

Post by Mike Myers

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Mike Myers
Security at Tegel would not have been able to get access to the bag,
it was padlocked.

X-rays? (And airport security are quite good at picking locks,
allegedly).

X-Rays yes I agree but why flag the bag then? Where there was bugger all inside
that could have possibly looked dodgy on an X-Ray.

I have had my checked bag flagged at about 10 different airports worldwide
and never been stoped by customs. I think the two are unrelated, it is just
an indication that it has been checked, also I noticed that they usually put
the 'flag' over the opening of the bag so that it acts like a seal that gets
broken when you (or anyone else) open the bag.

I guess if they have a security alert and want to recheck the bags (or a
sample of them) its good to know which have been checked before.

(It seems to be that a well used bag gets flagged more often than a newer
looking one).

[Malcolm Weir]

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 16:07:31 +0000, Mike Myers

Post by Mike Myers

Post by Roland Perry
Difficult to say, but sounds like they were waiting for a specific
person, and you were originally mis-identified as that person. Whether
the tag had anything to do with it - who knows? Isn't it just saying
that Tegel security had already examined the bag?

Yeh, the whole episode leaves lots of questions. Thats why I was just
intrigued. Security at Tegel would not have been able to get access to the bag,
it was padlocked.

Security at Tegel would have been able to open the padlock without
batting an eyelid...

Post by Mike Myers
Mike

Malc.

[Mike Myers]

Post by Malcolm Weir
Security at Tegel would have been able to open the padlock without
batting an eyelid...

They also packed my bag again perfectly then ;) so well done to them.

[Lansbury]

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:59:27 +0000, Mike Myers

Post by Mike Myers
They also packed my bag again perfectly then ;) so well done to them.

hardly much point in doing a covert search if you leave a trace that you
have done it.

[Lansbury]

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 16:07:31 +0000, Mike Myers

Post by Mike Myers
Security at Tegel would not have been able to get access to the bag,
it was padlocked.

A padlock in no way stops a bag from being opened searched and re-locked

[Mark Hewitt]

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Mike Myers
Anyone know the real reasons.

Difficult to say, but sounds like they were waiting for a specific
person, and you were originally mis-identified as that person. Whether
the tag had anything to do with it - who knows? Isn't it just saying
that Tegel security had already examined the bag? (which should surely
lower its suspicion quotient).

Would security at an outgoing airport flag bags which should be checked at
customs at the destination airport? i.e. Outgoing is looking for items such
as bombs which may threaten the safety of the flight but destination customs
are looking for items which shouldn't be brought into the country, or should
be paid duty, such as cigarettes. Do they work together on such matters?

[Roland Perry]

Post by Mark Hewitt
Do they work together on such matters?

I doubt it.

[Derek Salt]

Don't know about this but I had a similar experience coming back from Spain
to East Midlands last year. It was only when I got home that I saw my case
had a red tag labeled security Alicante.

The woman in front of me coming out of the East Midlands airport also had
her baggage checked. She did a runner while they were checking it. Left
her hand baggage as well as hold cases. Left the airport with security and
police in pursuit!
Derek

Post by Mark Hewitt

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Mike Myers
Anyone know the real reasons.

Difficult to say, but sounds like they were waiting for a specific
person, and you were originally mis-identified as that person. Whether
the tag had anything to do with it - who knows? Isn't it just saying
that Tegel security had already examined the bag? (which should surely
lower its suspicion quotient).

Would security at an outgoing airport flag bags which should be checked at
customs at the destination airport? i.e. Outgoing is looking for items such
as bombs which may threaten the safety of the flight but destination customs
are looking for items which shouldn't be brought into the country, or should
be paid duty, such as cigarettes. Do they work together on such matters?

[Mike Myers]

Post by Derek Salt
Don't know about this but I had a similar experience coming back from Spain
to East Midlands last year. It was only when I got home that I saw my case
had a red tag labeled security Alicante.

Hmm, interesting. I wonder if you Red tag meant you where more of a threat with
me and my Yellow :o). I am really supprised there is nothing on the net about
this.

I have tried searching all over the place to no avail :o(

[Lansbury]

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 14:38:22 +0000, Mike Myers

Post by Mike Myers
I am really supprised there is nothing on the net about
this.

I would be even more surprised if there was. Airports tend to keep
there security arrangements close to the chest. The yellow stick just
meant the bag had been subjected to extra random screening in Berlin,
unless all the bags had yellow stickers on in which case they were using
them to indicate the bag had been screened.

[Malcolm Weir]

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 11:40:05 +0000, Mike Myers
<***@despammmed.com> wrote:

[ Snip ]

Post by Mike Myers
I am fine with this, and then leads me to the check area and then
proceeds to ask for my ID (why he didn't ask for my passport when I was quite
obviously in an Airport and just come through immigration was kinda odd :o)).

You don't need a passport to travel internally within the EU, just ID.
So had he asked you for a passport, and you were traveling using some
other kind of ID, you may have been flustered...

Post by Mike Myers
Mike

Malc.

[Mike Myers]

Post by Malcolm Weir
You don't need a passport to travel internally within the EU, just ID.
So had he asked you for a passport, and you were traveling using some
other kind of ID, you may have been flustered...

KLM told me I had to. *shrugs*

[AJC]

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:58:59 +0000, Mike Myers

Post by Mike Myers

Post by Malcolm Weir
You don't need a passport to travel internally within the EU, just ID.
So had he asked you for a passport, and you were traveling using some
other kind of ID, you may have been flustered...

KLM told me I had to. *shrugs*

That could of course have been a KLM requirement rather than a
requirement of any immigration authority. Whatever is written down in
assorted European treaties aside, in practice, UK citizens need a
passport to travel without problems within the EU. Some countries do
issue alternative identification documents which are accepted as
travel documents throughout the EU, the UK does not.
--==++AJC++==--

[Air]

Post by Mike Myers

Post by Malcolm Weir
You don't need a passport to travel internally within the EU, just ID.
So had he asked you for a passport, and you were traveling using some
other kind of ID, you may have been flustered...

KLM told me I had to. *shrugs*

UK citizens *are* required to have a passport to step outside the UK or
Eire. If you are from one of the other member countries of the EU you
can travel to member countries using your identity card instead of your
passport.

[AJC]

Post by Air

Post by Mike Myers

Post by Malcolm Weir
You don't need a passport to travel internally within the EU, just ID.
So had he asked you for a passport, and you were traveling using some
other kind of ID, you may have been flustered...

KLM told me I had to. *shrugs*

UK citizens *are* required to have a passport to step outside the UK or
Eire. If you are from one of the other member countries of the EU you
can travel to member countries using your identity card instead of your
passport.

Only if your country issues identity cards, and if you possess one.
--==++AJC++==--

[Malcolm Weir]

Post by Air

Post by Mike Myers

Post by Malcolm Weir
You don't need a passport to travel internally within the EU, just ID.
So had he asked you for a passport, and you were traveling using some
other kind of ID, you may have been flustered...

KLM told me I had to. *shrugs*

UK citizens *are* required to have a passport to step outside the UK or
Eire. If you are from one of the other member countries of the EU you
can travel to member countries using your identity card instead of your
passport.

Yup. The point being that the customs official didn't know whether
you were a UK citizen or not until he saw the ID...

Malc.

[Lansbury]

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:58:59 +0000, Mike Myers

Post by Mike Myers

Post by Malcolm Weir
You don't need a passport to travel internally within the EU, just ID.
So had he asked you for a passport, and you were traveling using some
other kind of ID, you may have been flustered...

KLM told me I had to. *shrugs*

You had to because we don't have ID cards. The rest of Europe has them
so the request is for a form of ID to be produced.