2nd March 2018
Harrassment by security officers - we've all experienced it in the past and no doubt will again in future. Most of the time it is not justified, unfortunately however as with all walks of life there are on occasion individuals who spoil it for the rest. Following my most recent encounter with overzealous security at Oxford Airport on 22nd February, I figured I'd write this piece on contempt towards enthusiasts, something which has improved ten fold in recent years, but still leaves a lot to be desired.
One thing we must always remember is that airports and airfields are businesses first and foremost, and are not there to cater for enthusiasts. However that does not mean that they should not or cannot cater for enthusiasts - quite the opposite in fact, and as far as I can tell most airports that have reputations for being unfriendly have no real reason to be.
Enthusiasts can be an effective, efficient and cheap extra layer of security and a lot of the more friendly airports have realised this and embraced it. Below are six case studies of relatively recent examples of incidents involving enthusiasts at airports, some where the enthusiasts are in the right, and some where they are not. As a disclaimer a couple of the following examples are written from memory, I cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, but I believe them to be close enough. Some of the scenarios may also be out of date and hopefully things have already improved at these locations.
Case Study #1 - Oxford Airport
Scenario: Those of you who read my recent Oxfordshire and the Midlands trip report will know I ran into some trouble whilst visiting Oxford. It was my first time there and Internet research had provided little insight as to how best to spot from there, so I was largely 'using my nose' to find my way around, all the while keeping my eye out for any 'do not enter', 'no photography' or 'no spotter' signs etc (I saw none). I followed the perimeter from one end to the other and had covered four fifths of the parking/hangar areas when I was collared by security. The female operative told me no photos were allowed and I wasn't supposed to be there. Now based on previous run-ins with security normally that would be that and I would leave, however she took me to her vehicle (in full police markings except for "Security" titles) and she asked for ID, I handed over my drivers licence and she recorded details from it, before making me delete all of my photos in front of her. The problem was I'd (perhaps lazily) being photographing registrations instead of writing them down (I asked at the end if I could retrace my steps with my book and pen to record what I'd seen - she refused) so it was a double blow. She only allowed me to keep any of airborne aircraft that did not feature any airport buildings, branding or staff. As it happens, I have four useable photos that I managed to keep using sleight of hand, and at the time of writing I'm in two minds over whether or not to A) publish them against her orders and B) write a letter of complaint to Oxford Airport and/or PFT (the company who reported me).
In fairness to the security lady she was very polite and courteous, and apologised more than once for having to make me delete them and explained she was just following protocol; now because of this she earned my respect and therefore I was also polite and courteous - no point antagonising the situation! However my opinion of her lessened when after my complete honestly and co-operation she felt a need to watch me all the way back to my car from a position I assume she figured I could not see her from.
To some up my feelings afterwards, I was more bitterly disappointed at the airport than anything else, any anger I felt was directed exclusively at a company called "PFT", whom the security lady informed me were the ones who had reported me. My anger increased when a Google search revealed this to be a flying school because as a rule such operators are normally significantly more friendly than others. I would have been more understanding if it had been an FBO with their high-class clientele or Airbus Helicopters with their on-going military contract etc. I think my feelings were also compounded by the complete opposite experience I'd had prior at Turweston Aerodrome - I'd gone from the friendliest airfield I've ever been at to the most hostile!
That evening I would consult Stuart Reid given his recent history in airport security, to get his take on the situation. He initially told me she did not have the power to make me delete my photos, then clarified it may well be at an airports discretion as to whether they deem their property sensitive or not. One thing he did say with absolute certainty is that she did not have the power to record information from my drivers licence, and once again at the time of writing I'm in two minds as to whether or not I should follow up on this. I also used Google Earth to retrace my steps to ensure I had always remained on airport property, and had never strayed onto the private facilities of any one particular company - especially PFT, and sure enough I had not.
At fault: The
Airport (no justification for such excessive security on the
basis that 95% of their larger and busier counterparts are fine
with us).
Solution: The
enthusiast community local to Oxford need to approach the
airport as a group and open up a dialogue, as we did here at
DTVA.
Case Study #2 - Durham Tees Valley Airport
Scenario: When I first started getting involved in aviation our own Durham Tees Valley Airport was considered unfriendly and sure enough I would go on to have a couple of minor confrontations with security, nothing on the scale of fellow photographer Aidan Williamson mind, who now famously in the aptly-monikered 05 "Aidansfield" was made to step from private farmers property (who's permission he had to be there) over the fence to airside and taken to the terminal via taxiway delta and grilled by a couple of CID-types! Back then enthusiasts seemed to report incidents on an almost weekly basis and the general feeling was that security had nothing better to do and viewed us as a means to curing their boredom. The incumbent Security Services Director at the time even had the gall to call us pests to our faces during a meeting. If memory serves the Aidan incident was the turning point and a couple of enthusiasts including Dave the founder of this website then grabbed the horns by the bull and sought to do something about it, resulting in the enthusiast ID card scheme which expired last September. No known problems have occurred since.
At fault: The
Airport (same reasons as Oxford above).
Solution:
Opened a dialogue with airport MD which led to the enthusiast ID
scheme. Resolved.
Case Study #3 - London Stansted Airport
Scenario: Stansted Airport has recently seen controversy that saw - after plenty of warnings - the entire north side ruled off limits to all enthusiasts, following on-going complaints from resident companies that enthusiasts were trespassing on their properties and possibly damaging facilities (I'm not fully up to speed on what happened but I recall someone was reported as climbing on a bench and putting their foot through it).
At fault: The
Enthusiasts (no excuse whatsoever for entering a companies
private property or abusing facilities, especially when there is
so much neutral ground in the area in question that you
shouldn't need to enter someones property!
Solution:
Target the offenders specifically not everyone, the Stansted
Enthusiast scheme is a police scheme therefore presumably their
members are CRB-checked like we were, and therefore should be
trusted, otherwise what is the point of the scheme?! Thankfully
the ban has been partially lifted, though strict conditions
remain in place, and kudos to the authorities who gave more
warnings than they needed to pior to taking the action.
Case Study #4 - East Midlands Airport
There are some rules that don't get enforced, East Midlands Airport recently caused controversy amongst their enthusiast community by creating a 'no airside photography' policy, now I would suggest this is just a SOP, as we have such a policy (as do most if not all other airports) but here at DTVA airport management are happy for us to take photos from airside so long as we let the duty manager know we're there. The same principle often (but not always) applies to 'no spotter' signs. Perhaps airport staff just have better things to be doing than to enforce such policies, perhaps they're just box ticking exercises to keep the CAA happy, or I would prefer to believe they just understand that we're doing no harm.
At fault:
No-one (a non event).
Solution:
N/A.
Case Study #5 - London Southend Airport
Scenario: I know of one instance at Southend Airport where an enthusiast asked a company to move an obstacle so they could get a photo, but asked in a less than tactful manner, reportedly aggresively suggesting they shouldn't be putting stuff there because there are plenty of other places for it to go!! Now the company in question deliberately stores all of their junk in this location out of spite.
At fault: The
Enthusiast (manners cost nothing).
Solution:
Sufficient time has passed that perhaps the company in question
should reassess their policy. Another example of everyone being
tarred with the same brush, but it also reinforces the line at
the top of this article about airports being businesses first
and foremost.
Case Study #6 - London Biggin Hill Airport
Scenario: I have only ever flown from Biggin Hill and have never visited exclusively for spotting, but I nearly did about a year ago and after an enquiry on the Internet it became very clear that their security are much the same as Oxfords and not only jump on enthusiasts on foot, but are also quick to pull up any vehicles (that is to say moving ones...not stationary!). I also read a couple of years back complaints from pilots (mostly light aircraft pilots) based at Biggin Hill that the airport operator was making their own lives difficult!
At fault: The
Airport (once again, the vast majority of others can be civil,
so why can't they?).
Solution: I
think the enthusiasts need to team up with the pilots as it
sounds to me like no one party would make a difference!
What I would like to see is all of the individual airport spotting schemes being replaced by a single nationally recognised scheme, leaving airports with no choice but to accept enthusiasts. Mind you that would do no favours for their treatment of us, it would merely mean they could not stop us doing what we do. Obviously that won't happen anyway so a more practical solution is for spotting circles to get together and approach their respective airports to create schemes like we did. If then they don't play ball - find loopholes, ways around their policies, get photos they don't want on the Internet everywhere and anywhere you can get them, because at the end of the day, they can't make you take them down, they can't take your details as they did with me, and they possibly (hopefully) can't make you delete your shots on the spot either. The primary factor for both ourselves and more importantly the airports to remember is that (99.9% of the time):- we're doing no harm!
After my experience at Oxford, that airports operator ought to be ashamed of themselves, moreover PFT should be. If most airports can accept and tolerate enthusiasts then not only do Oxfords policies hold no foundation they are null and void and perhaps, discreetly and within reason, should be cautiously overlooked. I'm considering writing to both Oxford Airport and PFT, not that it will change anything.
Am I wrong? Let me know your thoughts.
Chris Smith