KEY POINTS:
Air travellers in Canada who make comments about bombs and guns will from now on only be arrested if it is clear they are making a serious threat, say officials.
The Canadian Air Transport Safety Authority, trying to clamp down on screeners who alert police every time they hear alarming words, has issued a bulletin urging staff to show more discretion.
Here is the latest selection of your views:
Frank
Good point Alan, now if you could please tell me how many armed security personnel you saw the last time you went to Auckland airport (excluding police)? Without the added security that our government and airports are required to provide then there would be no flights from New Zealand to the USA. If it means kicking off 1-2 people for being idiots so that the other 300 people onboard the aircraft and exporters can have their goods shipped to the USA safely then so be it. Don't knock AVSEC, they are a great bunch of people just doing their job and making an honest living like most other ordinary NZers.
Nate Dawg
Who thought an event such as 9/11 could ever happen? I certainly did not and you'll be hard pressed to find someone that did. The world stood in shock on that day. Horrified at what was unfolding before their very eyes. Mystified, asking "Who could... Why would..."? Crying "Oh my God! Oh my God!". Then we all asked "What happened? How was this possible?". Well the answer is simple (If the generally accepted argument with regards to 'responsibility' is true). What happened?
Terrorists walked onto four planes with weapons. They killed the pilots and hijacked the aircrafts. They then flew them towards four targets, reaching three, with no remorse, compassion or qualms about their "goals".
How was this possible? Security measures in place were obviously not stringent enough. The terrorists merely waltzed onto the planes with knives in their pockets. The airports concerned were also targets. They were weak. So. Should Security measures at any airport be reduced? Don't be stupid. Give terrorists an opportunity like this and they will take it. I know you're all thinking "But it's been so long since 9/11. They wouldn't do it again". Well. We all thought it would never happen in this first place. Come on people. Let's not be so naive. Let's stay safe. This cannot happen again. The value of life cannot be measured by money.
Chris C
It's a dangerous move by Canada. I applaud the powers that be in the draconian new anti-terrorism rules with air travel. Just recently I returned from Italy. And mistakenly had a 125ml bottle of moisturiser in my see through plastic bag. The limit is 100ml bottles. I had to bin it even though it was only half full. I apologised profusely, because I am aware that the world needs to be on the alert for blonde haired blue-eyed moisturised terrorists. Once my carry on luggage was electronically scanned, I walked to my seat, wondering how the scanner hadn't picked up the corkscrew and 200ml liquid bottle in my carry on luggage!
Alan Wilkinson
Frank, I'd be far more worried to fly with a bunch of people who didn't have a sense of humour - far more likely to be religious fanatics or paranoid security personnel like those who shot and killed an unarmed but panicking psychiatric patient in the US.
Frank
So the Canadians are able to laugh and joke about bombs now, sounds like a good idea. Although if you were standing next to someone on a US bound flight who joked and said they had a bomb in their bag would you personally want to travel on that same flight? As former airport staff I was happy to ask the extra security questions and had no problem to call the police if a passenger said they had a bomb. Sure it's been almost 6 years since 911 and as yet the terrorists have yet to hijack another plane, however, didn't some guys try to blow up an airport the other week? Our security in NZ is one of the best in the world and we should be proud that we can fly safely and know there are many hardworking folk at AVSEC who go unappreciated to help that happen.
Mel
I travel frequently and have to say that the comments about unfriendly security staff at airports certainly stands for many international airports I travel through, however I have always found the local security people (both here and in Australia) to be extremely friendly and most helpful. I most certainly don't think we actually need to 'lighten up' here in New Zealand as I think that our Airport Security Staff already do a great job and have never caused me any 'grief'. I have seen on the odd occasion, some 'stupid behaviour' by passengers on the same flight as myself and have always noted the professional and courteous way the security staff here handle these situations (unlike many cases I have seen at other International Airports abroad!). I must say I am very happy with the way things are and certainly am only too aware of how quickly security threats can change in this day and age! Airport Security, keep up the good work, anything that makes me feel safer flying can only be good!
Tony
Hooray for Canada. The first country to throw out the ridiculous over-reaction to (admittedly childish) jokes about bombs. Hopefully NZ will show some common sense and follow soon.
Vik Olliver
Terrorism works because it is virtually unstoppable, and goads authority into making blatantly fruitless and inconvenient steps to assure the public that they're working on it. This, of course, drives down the public's respect of the authority and spreads paranoia. Mark my words; every time the West puts in another daft restriction on what people can do at airports, Osama bin Laden is laughing his beard off.
Alan Knight
Finally! Some common sense prevails. Since 2001 we've been in thrall to the cowardice of Americans over the perceived threat of 'Terrorism'. The old image of the American tourist abroad used to be the portly chap in the loud jacket complaining about everything. These days it's the nervous looking fellow in Paris or London or wherever, standing shamefaced in a puddle of wee because a car backfired in the next street. America, Please face it! The terrorists already won! They got you so frightened that you practically brought your airports to a bad tempered standstill. And just because you are frightened, the rest of us are obliged to be as well. Congratulations to the Canadians for finally taking the first steps towards normality.
Malones
Please, the only reason they are pinching a few points is because a bunch of welfare folk finally paid their telephone bill instead of buying some smokes or Sky subscription for the month and were able to be reached for the poll. Labour equal drop outs, losers, Cullen, need I say more.
Alan Wilkinson
It was shameful that our courts ever allowed this oppression of free speech to occur. It shows how totally useless the law is at defending New Zealand citizens against our moronic bureaucracies.But so long as the majority of our population prefers an illusion of security over freedom this kind of lunacy will continue.
Lucia
Congratulations to the Canadians for finally realising that they have no need to embrace ridiculous US security rules. About time!
jean
Canadians don't have much of a sense of humour, and the airport at Malton is the worst I have come across in all my years of travel.
Murray M
I have travelled to the USA 3 times since 9/11, and I can say that on each occasion I have been treated with utmost courtesy and friendliness by USA staff. The longest it took be to be processed was 29 minutes. Why, because I was co-operative and had the maturity to understand what was going on. Anyone who is stupid enough to make a statement about a bomb etc, deserves what they get. I have no sympathy for them. If you can't handle the security checks, don't travel.
Jmattx
Well halleluiah, finally some common sense has arrived ... the current black and white treatment of bomb comments from passengers at airports is stupid situation that wastes more time and resources then if an official had taken the time (and some intelligence) to gauged the situation first and then act. Airports are very unfriendly places these days, the US takes the cake on this, having travelled there 4 times last year I can say with some authority that US border control does not have 'friendly' as their middle name, you're treated as terrorist from the moment you start passport and security processing and guess what ... people react to this and sometimes make silly comments ... more out frustration then any reality.Terrorism is real but lets face it, some common sense and a little thought by an official would go a long way to lowering the extremely unfriendly atmosphere that you now encounter at most airports, and probably speed processing up a bit.
