@althegeordie
You're absolutely correct about airport security being just a matter of "being seen to be doing something".

I work at Heathrow, and in our offices we have knives and scissors. Furthermore, I am responsible for searching passengers' *checked-in* luggage, where I may take out any item I wish - then I have direct access to aircraft. I once confiscated a machete.

The joke is, however, that I still have to take off my shoes while going through "security", in case I might have a razor blade concealed in the sole!

I mean, seriously. If I wanted to take sharp items onto a plane then I could... as you can plainly see. But the Department for Transport still wants to maintain a façade that they are secure. In all honesty, the only thing they achieve is to piss off the staff members when we're forced to submit to pat-down searches.
(EuroSong I love horse meat: best of all the animals, Mon 21 Jul 2008, 13:40, Reply)