Security at Manchester Airport Uk ( Archived) (7)

I had flown into Manchester Airport on the morning of (09/01/2019) from an overnight flight from Philadelphia. I waited at Manchester Airport from approx 10.30am after picking up my luggage. I was flying back home to Spain at 4.15pm on the Ryannair flight to Murcia. I checked in my luggage at approximately 1.45pm as I wanted to time to check in early. I am partly disabled so have to use a walking stick. I checked in 2 bags in the hold as I had paid for the extra weight. My suitcase and my hand luggage. I only had a carrier bag and my handbag to check in at Security. I was allowed through fast track as I use a walking stick plus I had paid extra. When I went through Security, my handbag was pulled in. It was a Christmas present from my partner who is American. The handbag, which is not big as i'm unable to carry heavy things was pulled up by Security. The handbag is a novelty handbag. ( A cowgirl handbag as it's called) It had a moulded cross guns on the front of it. Not a clip on thing and all in one mold and quite flat. You would have to cut open the bag to try and get the emblem off. The woman on Security said that they couldn't allow it to go through. I said that I had just flown from Philadelphia Airport and there wasn't a problem there. She was really abrupt and said "Well this isn't Philadelphia Airport and Airports and guns don't mix" As you can imagine, I was quite upset about this. Even the young lad on Security couldn't pull the metal emblem off the handbag when I asked him to. The woman on Security then went somewhere to ask about the handbag but no one else came to inspect it, she just said it couldn't go. The young lad on security said that I could do the Post and Fly thing, which I've done. He said that I just go on the website as soon as I got home to Spain. I did this as soon as I got home but it just keeps saying that I might have to wait for 96 hours for it to be logged. I couldn't go back to Ryannair to check it in the hold as both my suitcase and hand luggage had already been checked in and gone and the woman on Security said I might miss my flight if I go back to check in again and my cases had already gone. As you can imagine, I was just so upset over it all. I didn't ask for any names etc as I didn't want to miss my flight. I was so tired after the overnight flight from Philadelphia and then flying back home to Spain 7 hours later. To top it all off. Even the lovely woman at Ryannair helping me to check in said what a lovely handbag I had. No mention of it may be confiscated at Security. To be honest, I think that the women at Security was being bias as I had a pair of boots on with America Stars and Stripes. Please feel free to look at the CCTV. I had to do this years ago when I worked for Social Services in England, to prove that a traffic warden had booked me for illegal parking. I got the CCTV/ Photos to prove he was wrong. Talking about Security. It's funny how they confiscated my novelty handbag but yet they missed my 2nd lighter that was in my handbag (which I was unaware of) I had bought a "Zippo Lighter" which had the "American Flag" on it. I put this in the plastic bag but totally forgot about the lighter in my handbag. Security didn't pick up on that. I just want to be reassured that my handbag will be returned to me. I understand that I will have to pay for it but I want reassurance that my handbag will be returned...............

Hahaha. I could have got my 2nd lighter out ( which they failed to find) out and put them together to make a "flame thrower") lol.
I actually complained to Manchester Airport and this is part of my reply that I got.

Thank you for your recent feedback regarding your experience at Manchester Airport

I am sorry to learn, from what you described that, you were unable to take a handbag through to the critical (airside) area of the airport and I regret any inconvenience and distress caused. As a major UK international airport, we must adhere to the strict rules and regulations as set out by the Department for Transport for UK Government. and I attach their web-link as below:



Their list is not exhaustive and our security teams reserve the right to refuse any item that fails to meet the regulations or is something they perceive to be dangerous. The safety and security of all our passengers and employees is paramount and we will always err on the side of caution. I am sorry for any inconvenience on this occasion but I do hope you will understand our reasons for doing so.

Any mail-it-on items will be collected by our lost property partner - Excess Baggage who record and store all items. We do not retain any items in the security area. I attach the salient web-link to assist:


I thank you for taking the time to write to us and I hope this will not deter you from choosing to fly from Manchester Airport again in the future.

This is from my Manchester Airport Case.



You can take knitting kneedles, dispostable razors, scissors less that 6mm through security but yet my silly novelty hand bag was confiscated. What a joke.........I wish I could post a photo of my hand bag on here.....................