Seems to me security at YOW try their best to make people as miserable as they can? Trying to emulate LHR perhaps?
Some months back, they kep of corkscrew of mine (or was it a nailcutter?) that had gone through security numerous times in various parts of the world (and which I had forgotten about still sitting in my bag).
Today, while waiting in line, behind a painfully slow customer, some guy comes behind us, with, having gone in, out and wanting back in, nothing to have scanned through the X-ray. Since there was nobody waiting to go through the people scaning thing, he asks whether he can just go through while the guy in front of us is unpacking. "No sir. You have to wait." When he mumbled some comments between his teeth, they almost called the police.
The worst thing about YOW security is that the bins and tables are outside the door. When it's busy, you are compelled to "bin up" outside and carry your loaded bins through the door. When it's not busy, you can do the binning inside the door.
I have noticed over the years that YOW magnetometers seem to be set to the the highest sensitvity possible. It's almost as if the pin in a poppy can set them off.
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13F
Actually, I think that's called smart and efficient. You can begin taking your things out/off before you get to the security machine instead of doing it all at the station.
I've never come across jokers in security like I've met in YOW. On one trip last year, I was picking up my bags from the conveyor and one of the guards at the exit waved me over, pointed at his screen, and asked, "Is that your bag?" The screen was showing an x-ray of a bag which contained a very large dildo. I did a double-take, blinked at the guy, and then he and his buddies started to crack up. I laughed nervously (who expects that?), shook my head, and then walked towards my flight with the sound of laughter behind me. I wonder how long those guys lasted? (BTW, it was not my bag, heh.)
I've never come across jokers in security like I've met in YOW. On one trip last year, ... I wonder how long those guys lasted? (BTW, it was not my bag, heh.)Perhaps they are still there...
On Nov 2 this year, we passed security (perhaps the same guys). My 12-year-old daughter was carrying stuff to do her homework over the weekend at grandma's house, so she had included her laptop, books, pencil case, etc.
The security guard asked permission to search, and pulled out her scissors. He showed them to the supervisor standing there, who said to my daughter "If I stab him [the guard] with them and it doesn't hurt, they are OK." Everyone laughed and he returned them to her bag and let her pass with them.
No, I've seen worse.
Back to the original point I never found YOW security any worse than anywhere else!
Recently, I walked through the WMD and while the male agent signaled for me to get my computer, etc. a female agent slightly behind me said I needed to be patted down. Since I never set off the WMD I asked if it was random or had I set it off (so I could change my clothing choices for next time.) She said it was random.
She asked if I had any recent surgeries or areas she needed to careful of. I do and she was very, very, good and very, very, thorough. When she asked me to turn around so she could do by back, I was thrilled the 'massage' was going to continue. By the time it was over, I was much less stress-filled than I was 3 minutes before.
When I mentioned this, she grinned and said, "I'm a massage therapist for my other job, that's why it felt so good." It was just the right level of pressure with a flowing motion that really did relieve the negative energy I had.
I hope I get her in the future!
Everytime I travelled through YOW, I have a sense that there aren't enough passengers for the numerous security agents there. I once travelled at 6pm and there are 10 agents and 2 security lines waiting for me as the lone passenger. They were very thorough - carryon scan, bome detection, x-ray, hand padding. They just want to prolong the time the passenger spent there so to keep their jobs :O
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My opinion....
I find that there aren't enough lines open during the busy times. But then again, YOW traffic peaks are strange and not constant.
Having more time to bin up is fine, but they need to do something about the doors. Non FFers struggle with the bins, or they don't bin up until through the door, which slows everyone down. There is no space airside (unless Tim Hortons could be moved elsewhere). Longer tables would be useful as you could push the bins rather than carrying them through the doors.
I see your point. Well, in theory, they could in theory redesign the PBS station by pushing it out, but I don't see them doing that.
And frankly, this is no worse than at any other airport I've been through in the last couple of years. (Doesn't mean it shouldn't be better though!)
Try YYZ T1......
... every time I go through, they've got clipboard wielding supervisors / management consultants checking-up on things.
...
It's a government town.
I start all my trips @ YOW and compared to YYZ, SFO, ORD, IAD, LGA, EWR, JFK, LHR, FRA, MUC, ORD, CDG, NRT, SIN, PEK, HNL, SYD and others I've frequented the past couple of years I'd have to say YOW stands out.
YOW is the most thorough but also the most annoying with their silly bag size rules and insistence on excessive (IMHO) bag searching.
One could argue flights from YOW are safer as a result, I would dispute that. I have a hard time believing LHR, IAD or the NYC airports take security any less seriously - yet they manage to do it with far less inconvenience to passengers! :mad:
I remember coming back from LAS to YVR earlier this summer. They did a "36" on me aka secondary inspection. I realized it when they pointed me to the secondary inspection area just after where you hand the form in. The officer was very courteous and professional. Asked me if I worked for a living and what I did then looked through my digital camera and my laptop as well as my baggage too.
They're pretty through about those things as well. Oh well, I respect their job but if it gets annoying it'll have to be figured out.
Sanosuke!
My routes always include a overnight in Ottawa so I have been through YOW security a couple dozen times.
The worst i had at the security line was a young guy that questioned me about a RFID security key fob i had on my key chain.
They are thorough i had a sealed video card that they did swab on even though the screener recognized what it was and asked me about it's performance.
Another time i had a framed certificate in my carry on and they opened the bag and saw that it was from the military so they closed the bag and wished me a pleasant trip.
On the whole I have found my screening to be professional, quick, and efficient.
YOW is the most thorough but also the most annoying with their silly bag size rules....
LHR....manage to do it with far less inconvenience to passengers!
You are kidding, right? I haven't found anything more useless or inconvenient than LHR's system: "as long as you can cram everything into one bag for the 10 foot zone around the security, we don't care how much you have"
YOW is an airport I transit 3-4 times a year.
I find security there to be efficient and friendly.
I think the YOW security issues are noted by CATSA (workforce management to balance load, the apropos level of secondary searches, etc)... Because every time I go through, they've got clipboard wielding supervisors / management consultants checking-up on things.
I just don't think they've figured out the right answer yet... I hope they do!
My favorite thing about when I lived in YOW and traveled often was seeing the dude at security with the Elvis hair and the lambchop sideburns! I wonder if he is still working security there! I was going to ask to get a picture taken with him but didn't want to make him feel like a celeb!
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Elvis!!! Last I saw him was in August. I couldn't stand the guy though.
The first time I noticed him was in March 2006 -- my boss and I saw him and we looked at each other and laughed. I still laugh each time I walk past him. :D :D :D
I don't really recall a problem with the security people, but I ALWAYS get pulled into secondary for customs (off the NWA flight from DTW). Immigration ask me what i'm doing in Ottawa - I say I go to school here. Then they glance in passport and see its full of visas and they ask why I go to Asia so often...I've tried various answers, but I alway get the little not at the top of the customs form and then I get pulled in for secondary.
Once, on the 11pm flight from DTW I was in secondary for 2h15m while the agent went through everything in my bag one by one, then went through my computer. He searched for every photo and movie on the harddrive for, I quote "child porn". I was 18 at the time.
That's a truly disgusting and chilling assault on our already-limited "freedumbs". When will it end.
I don't really recall a problem with the security people, but I ALWAYS get pulled into secondary for customs (off the NWA flight from DTW). Immigration ask me what i'm doing in Ottawa - I say I go to school here. Then they glance in passport and see its full of visas and they ask why I go to Asia so often...I've tried various answers, but I alway get the little not at the top of the customs form and then I get pulled in for secondary.
Once, on the 11pm flight from DTW I was in secondary for 2h15m while the agent went through everything in my bag one by one, then went through my computer. He searched for every photo and movie on the harddrive for, I quote "child porn". I was 18 at the time.
Could not disagree more on this specific point YOWkid... The small tables outside the doors require you to then carry whatever carry-on you have in addition to the minimum one - likely two bins if you carry a laptop - around the barrier and you always feel as though you need to move out of the way so the next person behind you can begin which leads to you standing just inside the door while the people in front of you struggle to put their items on the x-ray... the whole experience feels a bit like my last sentence - long and unnecessarily awkward.
Overall I love the "small airport" feel of YOW and have never had a problem with security (save for that small detail). In fact I have had a couple exceptional experiences. Just hate that layout!
I totally agree about the awkward arrangement with the tables and having to (usually) carry two bins around the barrier. Somebody wasn't thinking when they came up with that idea.
However, compared to YYC, I find YOW security a much more pleasant experience. To be honest, though, I find TSA employees in the U. S. are far more friendly and helpful.
Just my humble experience...
I found YOW better than YYZ
Last time I went through YOW I was joking around with the security guys, it was actually one of the better experiences...
Apparently the YYZ metal detectors "detected" metal on me when i was walking through the detectors and it didn't beep... weird
The worst thing about YOW security is that the bins and tables are outside the door. When it's busy, you are compelled to "bin up" outside and carry your loaded bins through the door. When it's not busy, you can do the binning inside the door.
I have noticed over the years that YOW magnetometers seem to be set to the the highest sensitvity possible. It's almost as if the pin in a poppy can set them off.
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13F
Last christmas I was carrying a unwrapped, but still sealed in the box, PS3 and Wii. They asked if they were gifts, I said yes, and they did not open the boxes.
No, I haven't noticed a particular problem with YOW security. That being said, I will always set off the metal detector in YOW, and almost never in YYZ.
Although..., last week I went through and I was hand-screened by a trainee. Patting down the rivets on the jeans pockets. Patting down the button on the front of the pants, patting down my poppy. He scanned my trunk like mowing a lawn (down the left side, up the centre-left, down centre-right, up right side -- and I'm not that big, the wand is long enough to cover 3/4 of my width in one go). To make it go even more slowly, he asked for permission to do every single, painfully slow step of the process (can I scan you, can I pat you down here? I'll use the back of my hand, is that okay? Can I pat you down here? Repeat X 3)
He even scanned the top of my head (thankfully, the metal plate had been removed earlier ;) ).
Could not disagree more on this specific point YOWkid... The small tables outside the doors require you to then carry whatever carry-on you have in addition to the minimum one - likely two bins if you carry a laptop - around the barrier and you always feel as though you need to move out of the way so the next person behind you can begin which leads to you standing just inside the door while the people in front of you struggle to put their items on the x-ray... the whole experience feels a bit like my last sentence - long and unnecessarily awkward.
I guess I always try to go off to the right side where the table is so I never really give it too much thought. But to come and think of it, you are right -- there is definitely not a lot of room.
My favorite thing about when I lived in YOW and traveled often was seeing the dude at security with the Elvis hair and the lambchop sideburns! I wonder if he is still working security there! I was going to ask to get a picture taken with him but didn't want to make him feel like a celeb!
My vote is for Kamloops. They are hard core.
You wanna experience the bottom of the barrel? Take a trip out of EWR.
LAX has some bad ones too.
While I can agree that YOW security is annoying at times- it is nothing compared with the nonsense of LHR- if they are wanting to emulate that they have a lonnnnnnnnnnnng way to go still :)
Actually, I think that's called smart and efficient. You can begin taking your things out/off before you get to the security machine instead of doing it all at the station.
Could not disagree more on this specific point YOWkid... The small tables outside the doors require you to then carry whatever carry-on you have in addition to the minimum one - likely two bins if you carry a laptop - around the barrier and you always feel as though you need to move out of the way so the next person behind you can begin which leads to you standing just inside the door while the people in front of you struggle to put their items on the x-ray... the whole experience feels a bit like my last sentence - long and unnecessarily awkward.
Overall I love the "small airport" feel of YOW and have never had a problem with security (save for that small detail). In fact I have had a couple exceptional experiences. Just hate that layout!
My favorite thing about when I lived in YOW and traveled often was seeing the dude at security with the Elvis hair and the lambchop sideburns! I wonder if he is still working security there! I was going to ask to get a picture taken with him but didn't want to make him feel like a celeb!
He was there last week.
as to the topic at hand, I don't find YOW any worse than the others.
Everytime I travelled through YOW, I have a sense that there aren't enough passengers for the numerous security agents there. I once travelled at 6pm and there are 10 agents and 2 security lines waiting for me as the lone passenger. They were very thorough - carryon scan, bome detection, x-ray, hand padding. They just want to prolong the time the passenger spent there so to keep their jobs :O
My opinion....
IApparently the YYZ metal detectors "detected" metal on me when i was walking through the detectors and it didn't beep... weird
Next time you go through, look back at the next person. Lights go up the back of the metal detector showing where latitudinally it is detecting metal. It looks to me like it is on a scale, the more lights, the closer you are to a beep.
A strange one from YOW - sir while your liquids are all under 100 ml, your clear plastic bag (ziploc) is not acceptable, you must use the bag we supply - talk about stupid.......
You wanna experience the bottom of the barrel? Take a trip out of EWR.
Everytime I travelled through YOW, I have a sense that there aren't enough passengers for the numerous security agents there. I once travelled at 6pm and there are 10 agents and 2 security lines waiting for me as the lone passenger. They were very thorough - carryon scan, bome detection, x-ray, hand padding. They just want to prolong the time the passenger spent there so to keep their jobs :O
My opinion....
You wanna go back to the old system at YOW where it was guaranteed your security wait would be at least 45 min+? Light years better now, IMO.
I have noticed over the years that YOW magnetometers seem to be set to the the highest sensitvity possible.
That's why I even take my belt off when going through... I tend to wear belts with thick buckles (not cowboy style).
Would be funny to try stripping down to a speedo and flip-flops to go through screening. :D
Actually, I think that's called smart and efficient. You can begin taking your things out/off before you get to the security machine instead of doing it all at the station.Having more time to bin up is fine, but they need to do something about the doors. Non FFers struggle with the bins, or they don't bin up until through the door, which slows everyone down. There is no space airside (unless Tim Hortons could be moved elsewhere). Longer tables would be useful as you could push the bins rather than carrying them through the doors.
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13F
Living in Ottawa, all my trips start at YOW. I have never met an unpleasant security agent. They are sometimes thorough, but always polite and, in my experience, efficient. I have often heard and participated in light-hearted joking with them, and cannot agree that they are the worst of all. When travelling with my son, they always joke with him about his cars as they show up so well in the x-ray. Sometimes he has a dozen of them or so.
I have never had one of them return politeness with anything but politeness.
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Isn't YOW security the worst of them all?