"European Airlines Say US Security Goes Overboard"

European air officials accused the United States of imposing useless and overly intrusive travel security measures, calling Wednesday for the Obama administration to reexamine policies ranging from online security checks to X-raying shoes. British Airways' chairman made the first in a wave of complaints, saying in a speech to airport operators that removing shoes and taking laptops out of bags were "completely redundant" measures demanded by the U.S.

Isn't America supposed to be the beacon of freedom and individual rights..... a place where people can prosper and live the way they sit fit while maintaining civility? Apparently not because the Europeans are now stepping up and telling American that maybe they are going a bit too far, in the name of security.

The EU said the U.S. Electronic System for Travel Authorization would process some 13 million registrations from Europeans in 2009 alone. The program applies to Europeans who don't need visas to travel to the U.S.
The EU said it was "inconsistent with the often repeated commitment by the U.S. to facilitate trans-Atlantic mobility and legitimate travel and trade in a secure environment."

The EU is pointing out the hypocrisy between what our Government states publicly, and the potentially overbearing security measures they put into action. That hypocrisy is pointed out in this statement as well.

"America does not do internally a lot of the things they demand that we do," Broughton said, calling on British authorities not to "kowtow to the Americans every time they wanted something done."

One German Airline goes on to state that the excessive regulation in security has its roots in 9/11.

"I understand what he (Broughton) is saying, and it's true that we've had more and more regulations since 9/11," said Lufthansa spokesman Jan Baerwald.

In the end, I know this is not "ground breaking news", but I found this very interesting. As a conservative former Republican, I always heard the mantra that Europe, the EU and anywhere other than America and Israel are socialist regimes that inhibit personal freedoms. Well, now these so-called "socialists" are coming out and saying American needs to rethink its strategy.

I have to say that I agree. Personal freedom is much more important than the threat of terrorists...that may never come. What do you think?

abcnews.go.com...

Bit off topic but I really appreciated re-emergence of waste baskets in Prague subway. It were disappeared after 911 but common sense prevailed here. I did lot off air travel in EU this year and security measures are disgusting (and ineffective BTW, same as with waste baskets in subway). If I can vote between security and dignity - I vote for dignity.

reply to post by zeddissad2


I think we would all choose dignity (freedom) over redundant, politicaly motivated security measures any day. If a terrorist wants to blow something up, a trash can (or the lack of one) is not going to stop them.

I find it funny how the US is trying to make the European countries adopt the same security policies that are required in the US. It is easy to see that we have overstepped our bounds.

Without arguing the relative freedoms issue.. I can't say that the current security measures make us that much safer, I do remember when the IRA launched a mortar attack on Heathrows runways.. all the scans in the world are not going to prevent a mortar landing on my aircraft...

I do feel a determined attacker will always find a way around whatever security measures you put in place.. and going by how we have responded to each new threat by creating another set of rules, how long before we create such a complex set of rules it makes air travel a waste of time.

Originally posted by sheepslayer247
reply to post by zeddissad2

 

I think we would all choose dignity (freedom) over redundant, politicaly motivated security measures any day. If a terrorist wants to blow something up, a trash can (or the lack of one) is not going to stop them.

I find it funny how the US is trying to make the European countries adopt the same security policies that are required in the US. It is easy to see that we have overstepped our bounds.

I thought the gist of the argument from the chairman of BA et al was that US was demanding Europe implement rules for air travelers that the US did not infact implement themselves on their internal flights, and from the perspective (9/11) internal US flight where the most risky.

reply to post by thoughtsfull

You are correct. The US is trying to implement the same policies in European countries that the US is "supposed" to use. BA is pointing out that hypocrisy.
It's one thing to ask our own airports to implement these security measures, but to ask other countries to do the same is arrogant and intrusive.