Nearly lost a Rolex at Madeira Airport

[jobseeker]

I always put my watches in travel pouches tucked well into my hand luggage for airport security and there's never been a problem.

On this occasion, I recovered my hand luggage in the usual chaos of people trying to get their shoes back on and get their phones and laptops and was walking away. My wife suddenly shouted, 'is that your watch case?' I looked back and saw a black travel pouch alone on a tray just coming out of the x-ray machine, way back from the end of the line where you collect your stuff.

Being afraid of an accusation that I was trying to steal someone else's property, I tentatively went to check. Sure enough, it was mine with my Rolex Hulk inside, having clearly been removed and hastily put back. I checked my hand luggage and found the contents to have been disturbed and the other watch case also having been clearly removed and put back.

I could have walked away so easily and haven knows what might have happened. I never saw any of it going on and this is at a relatively quiet airport. Scary.

[JFW]

I travel with valuable items from time to time and we are very twitchy around the screening zone. They are concerned about their 'process' and consider that paramount.

sadly it does not take into account items a traveller may equally have concerns about.

I never take my eye off a bag and will not enter a screening arch until my bag has entered the xray tunnel.

I will not face away from the baggage belt. And you fail screening you can refuse to have your bag opened and searched in public, there will be facilities for private screening.

Unfortunately at provincial airports this happens rarely, so the commotion caused by requesting it raises a fair bit of attention.

Busy international airports are familiar with it as routine.



Sent from my Crystal using TZ-UK mobile app

[gcleminson]

So, it was one of the x-ray machine operators..? I presume there was nothing under-handed, as it came out again the other side, so why would they open the bag? They usually just divert or mark a bag if there's something inside they want checked out??

[Boss13]

Recent trips through the airport, I have just kept it on my wrist and they have been fine. I know in the past I have had to remove, but now I just keep it on and hope for the best!!

[jobseeker]

I'd lost my track of the bag, as I 'bleeped', so had to do the shoe removal and hand-search routine. My wife was focused on the tray with the phones/ipad etc, but I'm still amazed that we missed it somehow.

[JFW]

It can get tricky. I have had engaged dialogues with screeners on many occasions. It feels precarious as they awake from their monotony and bristle defensively. However, well trained staff are used to it, City Airport is excellent as they see it all the time.



Sent from my Crystal using TZ-UK mobile app

[stelmo01]

I try and stay with my items until they enter the X-ray and make sure I’m there to collect them when they emerge. Travelling frequently, I don’t have a huge amount of confidence in the quality of front-line personnel employed at airport security check-points having encountered too many rude jobsworths in the role. At least with the amount of security cameras watching us in the security area, that if something does go missing at least it’s easy to identify and catch the culprit in such a small area.

This article did spring to mind:
https://www.independent.ie/irish-new...-35290666.html

[Jel999]

Why wasn't it on your wrist, the safest place ?

[haberdashery]

Why wasn't it on your wrist, the safest place ?

Probably because they make you take your watch off at most airports?

I travelled through Manchester and London Heathrow last week, twice, and on all four occasions I had to remove my watch.

I also travelled through LAX and Las Vegas the week before and I didn't have to remove my watch.

Different countries and airports have different rules. But where I know I will have to remove mine, it's always stuffed in the bottom of my hand luggage safely stored in a travel case.

[barreti]

A quick tip for those of you wearing your watch through the scanners:
Clasp your hands in front of you as you walk through.
This keeps your watch away from the sensors in the walls so they don't get high readings and set off the alarms.
I was told this by one of the security guys and it seems to work most of the time, though some of the officious arses at EMA will make you take the watch off if they spot it. I'm sure they are aiming to be the first airport in the world where you have to be naked to get through scanning.

[prexelor]

Why wasn't it on your wrist, the safest place ?

At Dubai Airport I forgot to take my Seiko off and was asked to remove it and put it in the tray as my hand luggage had already travelled up the belt. I did get worried despite it being only a Seiko!

I think in a bag is generally safer.

[jobseeker]

Yes, I got sick of being instructed to remove it and then it being sent exposed in the tray

[blackal]

Edinburgh airport 2 weeks ago:

Got to security x-ray, and put everything In two trays. Picks up the two trays after scanning and go to one of the desks to get it all back together again. Then discovery NO wallet and NO phone ! Head back with my bag to the collection point and then see a third tray with my wallet and phone on display! Told the girl there that this is a recipe for disaster where people pick up the trays they loaded only. How are they to know that security have added a tray????? She couldnt care less. (Seems typical from my experience of flying from EDI). So - looks like every time I will be hogging the collection point until I am sure that I have everything, and no added tray.

GRRRrrrrrrrrrr. !!!!!

[robcuk]

Had to take off my BLNR when travelling through Schipol by the guy at the X Ray tunnel.

He was happy to pop it on his wrist ‘for safety’ whilst I was patted down by his colleague .
Returned it with a smile and was told “Thanks, you made my day”

[Kingstepper]

So, it was one of the x-ray machine operators..? I presume there was nothing under-handed, as it came out again the other side, so why would they open the bag? They usually just divert or mark a bag if there's something inside they want checked out??

Maybe they'd wait for passenger to leave, see they'd got away with it and would then pocket watch.

[verv]

I always keep my watch on when going through security.
They have to search me anyway cos of the underwiring in my bra so I just let them check wrist and note it on their way.
Never been asked to remove.

[walkerwek1958]

The whole security process is a mess. Usually I’m with my wife so I put all valuables in her handbag which is fastened. We keep an eye on the tray and get the bag back without delay. That’s fine unless you get stopped in the scanner, then you end up losing sight of your tray, which is the last thing you want. This happened to me at Leeds/Bradford a couple of years back, the scanner at the side of me bleeped and the security staff, who were busy arguing with each other, pulled me by mistake. I ended up in a heated ‘debate’ with the middle-aged security lady who hadn’t been paying attention, I called her ‘unprofessional’ so she got angry with me........I should’ve called her a menopausal maniac because that’s how she acted. I ended up getting a telling off from the police, at this point I wisely backed down even though I knew I was in the right and my complaint was completely justified. To add insult to injury I got a bollocking from wifey too, I spent the next 2 hrs feeling like a scolded dog........so much for loyalty!

UK airports seem to use poorly trained and poorly paid staff for security work, this leads to problems. This certainly seems to be the case at Leeds/Bradford. Generally I find the security staff in overseas airports are better.

Paul

[Hood]

The whole security process is a mess. Usually I’m with my wife so I put all valuables in her handbag which is fastened. We keep an eye on the tray and get the bag back without delay. That’s fine unless you get stopped in the scanner, then you end up losing sight of your tray, which is the last thing you want. This happened to me at Leeds/Bradford a couple of years back, the scanner at the side of me bleeped and the security staff, who were busy arguing with each other, pulled me by mistake. I ended up in a heated ‘debate’ with the middle-aged security lady who hadn’t been paying attention, I called her ‘unprofessional’ so she got angry with me........I should’ve called her a menopausal maniac because that’s how she acted. I ended up getting a telling off from the police, at this point I wisely backed down even though I knew I was in the right and my complaint was completely justified. To add insult to injury I got a bollocking from wifey too, I spent the next 2 hrs feeling like a scolded dog........so much for loyalty!

UK airports seem to use poorly trained and poorly paid staff for security work, this leads to problems. This certainly seems to be the case at Leeds/Bradford. Generally I find the security staff in overseas airports are better.

Paul

Not sure at which point after calling her unprofessional that you thought it would end well.
If you were in the U.S. they would have you frogmarched out into a cell for a few hours.

[collector2018]

Where a cheap watch and save hassle. I'm sure lots of watched and other valuable go missing at airports

[ataripower]

Maybe they'd wait for passenger to leave, see they'd got away with it and would then pocket watch.

This sounds like the scam to me. Take watch out without the traveler knowing. Hope they walk away not having noticed the watch being missing from luggage. Casually collect the watch and slide it into their pocket and hope for the best. I can think of no other valid reason to remove the watch pouch and leave everything else in place.

[snowman]

Very rarely I'm asked to remove my watch IF the scanner has beeped at me, but even my chunkiest watches haven't set it off (In every case where I've been asked to take it off, the sensor has still alerted afterwards).

I think a lot of people assume you need to take your watch off, but I never start from that position.

I rarely, though, travel with multiple watches. Part of the fun for me is picking the right ONE for the trip

This sounds like the scam to me. Take watch out without the traveler knowing. Hope they walk away not having noticed the watch being missing from luggage. Casually collect the watch and slide it into their pocket and hope for the best. I can think of no other valid reason to remove the watch pouch and leave everything else in place.

Only on a watch forum - Anything that looks odd on an X-Ray gets taken out and looked at. Presumably a watch in a case isn't automatically identifiable as a watch (or maybe they suspected smuggling - I mean, what kind of weirdo needs more than one watch on holiday? ). Bigger airports usually take you aside and ask you what it is and if they can open it, Funchal is quite small.

I recall the fun my underwater camera case caused - Why would anyone take an empty plastic box with in their hand luggage?

M

[ataripower]

Only on a watch forum - Anything that looks odd on an X-Ray gets taken out and looked at. Presumably a watch in a case isn't automatically identifiable as a watch (or maybe they suspected smuggling - I mean, what kind of weirdo needs more than one watch on holiday? ). Bigger airports usually take you aside and ask you what it is and if they can open it, Funchal is quite small.

I recall the fun my underwater camera case caused - Why would anyone take an empty plastic box with in their hand luggage?

M

Ha ha yes possibly some paranoia here but I would have thought a scanner would be able to detect what a mechanical watch is. It's not like there are any battery cells inside and it's well, a watch!

[Der Amf]

Would there be any benefit to popping a tiny combination lock padlock on your bags zip, purely for going through security?

If they want to open it up, they only need to ask you, and it would prevent any gratuitous rummaging around.

Or would that be against their regulations?

[jobseeker]

On all the occasions I travel, admittedly always Leeds/Bradford - Madeira, security have no clue who's bag is which and it's nearly impossible to coordinate staying with it. Same with the trays and compulsory removal of watches from wrists. I can remember on one occasion that they even sent some stuff they'd taken out for closer inspection down a completely different belt at the other end. It cause loads of people terrible trouble, especially the elderly. I don't know how they manage sometimes.

Interesting someone mentioning the possibility of an attempted scam though. My Glycine watch was back in the hand luggage, though obviously having been checked. Only the Rolex was separated out and sent through a long time later. One just wonders ….

[wombleh]

Edinburgh airport 2 weeks ago:

Got to security x-ray, and put everything In two trays. Picks up the two trays after scanning and go to one of the desks to get it all back together again. Then discovery NO wallet and NO phone ! Head back with my bag to the collection point and then see a third tray with my wallet and phone on display! Told the girl there that this is a recipe for disaster where people pick up the trays they loaded only. How are they to know that security have added a tray????? She couldnt care less. (Seems typical from my experience of flying from EDI). So - looks like every time I will be hogging the collection point until I am sure that I have everything, and no added tray.

GRRRrrrrrrrrrr. !!!!!

Also had issues with them, getting uppity because my solid shaving soap wasn't in the bag with the liquids, ended up having to bin it. I am quite good at being polite and friendly even when dealing with utter incompetents in authority as in my experience that gets the best result, but was close to flash point with those nimrods!

I tend to stick my watch and other bits in coat pocket or bag when it goes through, will have to keep an eye on the contents post scan now!

[ralphy]

My wife had a very similar experience at Barcelona airport, she was instructed to take her Rolex OQ off her wrist (as she approached the scanner) and told to put it in the box. This she did but when she waited for the box to come through the machine it failed to appear. She called out to the security bods around the machine but received blank looks.

Fortunately a group of Brit 'stags' were following her through the security and upon hearing her calling out they stopped still and started kicking up a fuss. Miraculously, one of the security men then approached her with the watch in his hand and asked 'Is this it?'...

R

[AlphaEchoAlpha]

I normally slip mine into an easily checkable pocket in my bag before I get to the security area/queue. It means I avoid having it loose and/or advertising it, and then can quickly check all is present afterwards.

[Nealywheelie]

I passed through Stansted 3 weeks ago, put my Fortis in my pocket. When asked if I had anything in them I said no, walked through the arch. No problem. Coming back from Cephalonia, kept the beast on my wrist, no problem.



Sent from my Lenovo A1010a20 using Tapatalk

[Chalet]

I was asked to take my watch off at Heathrow last week. Refused, was told it would set off the metal scanner - shrugged my shoulders and said I’ll live with that. Walked through no boing.

[MB2]

Also had issues with them, getting uppity because my solid shaving soap wasn't in the bag with the liquids, ended up having to bin it. I am quite good at being polite and friendly even when dealing with utter incompetents in authority as in my experience that gets the best result, but was close to flash point with those nimrods!

I have been “pulled” for soap before. Staying calm is definitely the best tactic - I remember my friend getting difficult with a policeman (who was being difficult) and the response was “We are going to be here a long time”...



Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

[stefmcd]

Why wasn't it on your wrist, the safest place ?

Have you travelled by plane in past 15 years? ;-) All watches and metal been going through scanners pretty much since 9/11.

[trident-7]

The three titanium pins in my hip & stainless steel plate on my clavicle have so far, somewhat disappointingly, failed to trigger any security scanners at any airport that I've passed through

[Tom-P]

Interestingly perhaps, the only time something like this happened to me was also in Portugal, in Lisbon. I went to pick my laptop bag up out of the tray and the entire contents just flew out onto the floor; the laptop was only saved because of course it was out and separate. But I did have to watch my weeks-old SD43 tumbling in slo-mo onto the (hard) floor. Luckily it was wrapped in a thick sock. I was really narked that they'd opened it for a gander without warning me that it was left open.

[kosumi]

I wonder whether it would work if you take it off and put it in your trouser's pocket. That way they can't see it and ask you to take it off. At least if it doesn't beep!

[gaurav_tzuk]

I always carry a small padlock, and pop my watches in the bag and lock it. If they want it opened they’ll have to ask me.....

[reggie747]

I wonder whether it would work if you take it off and put it in your trouser's pocket.

Is that an SD in your pocket or are you just glad to see me ?

[Christian]

Have you travelled by plane in past 15 years? ;-) All watches and metal been going through scanners pretty much since 9/11.

Not necessarily. Quite a few places don’t mind a watch staying on your wrist.

[stefmcd]

Not necessarily. Quite a few places don’t mind a watch staying on your wrist.

And they don't set the metal sensors off in the archway? Or they do but the guards then have to go through a search rigmarole?

[optix]

I’ve travelled via Heathrow both using the business class lane and the normal ones and have not taken of my watch in years.

Most airports will let you go through with them on these days. Some will require a second scan but that takes another 10 seconds.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Christian]

Not sure. I go through crew screening and often gesture if they want me to take the watch off. About 50% don’t seem bothered and the gate doesn’t go off.

[stefmcd]

Not sure. I go through crew screening and often gesture if they want me to take the watch off. About 50% don’t seem bothered and the gate doesn’t go off.

I must be going through cheap ass scanners that don't distinguish a watch from a knife.

[Neilw3030]

Whenever I travel, if I have any metal on me the scanner goes off, couple coins, belt buckle, even my card wallet all trigger it, I’ve never been allowed through with a watch on and I’ve tried often.
After reading some of the replies I’m going to be more vigilant from now on.

[P.Sheridan]

I always take my watch off and place it inside my shoe. For whatever reason I find the security and screening process at Manchester airport to be particularly frantic and disorganised. I loathe it.

[Mr Curta]

For whatever reason I find the security and screening process at Manchester airport to be particularly frantic and disorganised. I loathe it.

I'm with you there, up with the worst and I avoid it if I possibly can.

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Usual thread drift innit.

FFS.

[wits]

Tenerife.
Watched a security guy on a scanner take a handful of notes from an overstuffed wallet at Tenerife airport.
Shoved them in his pocket.
Didn't say anything as circumstances dictated otherwise.
Since then holiday watches only and licked bags for me

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

[NigeG]

Flatly refuse to remove any expensive watch nowadays. In fairness I’ve only been asked to take it off twice in three years and that was Malpensa and Manchester; both times I have politely declined and said you’ll have to use the wand to check if it sets the scanner off.

I used to put it in a zipped jacket pocket, often with lose change (dumb I know) and put the jacket under my carry on bag. I do tend to take a second watch which is always in a zipped Breitling service case inside the hand luggage.

Last couple of flights have been Business Class where security checks are a breeze. Often less passengers than staff so no hardship keeping an eye on your stuff

[Steelgecko]

Tenerife.
Watched a security guy on a scanner take a handful of notes from an overstuffed wallet at Tenerife airport.
Shoved them in his pocket.
Didn't say anything as circumstances dictated otherwise.
Since then holiday watches only and licked bags for me

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

Scary stuff - and not to pre-judge but may i enquire what were the circumstances you felt you couldn't stop a crime being committed?

On a lighter note, does licking the bags first act as a deterrent to hygiene-conscious thieves?

[Strebor]

I always take my watch off for airport security, and never travel abroad with anything more expensive than a Seiko diver (either Sumo or Turtle in my case) which are great holiday watches anyway. Definitely only the one watch needed for me. Not worth the risk, or worry, in my opinion.


Sent from my iPad using TZ-UK mobile app

[adamo]

My wife had a very similar experience at Barcelona airport, she was instructed to take her Rolex OQ off her wrist (as she approached the scanner) and told to put it in the box. This she did but when she waited for the box to come through the machine it failed to appear. She called out to the security bods around the machine but received blank looks.

Fortunately a group of Brit 'stags' were following her through the security and upon hearing her calling out they stopped still and started kicking up a fuss. Miraculously, one of the security men then approached her with the watch in his hand and asked 'Is this it?'...

R

WTF?! Are you serious! I hope your wife ripped them a new one.