Thread: Aviation security retards ?!

I fly to Queenstown every year for the roar and find the Avsec guys down there very good - must have struck a newbie. Hopefully they are on leave when I am there next week....

I'm heading down in 2 weeks and transit through Auckland. starting to think I will send down some ammo separately Just in case.
one of my rifles would hard to find ammo for in a retail shop.
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I traveled with ammo and no rifle a few weeks ago, they werent the slightest bit interested in it after I told them - no tag red DG anymore.
Factory boxes under 5kg.. I was told as long as they wernt touching each other, then no probs

6 months ago I flew down with some custom loads for somoene, that were in pain cardboard ammo boxes (factory style but blank) and 6 extra round in a plastic bag. They removed the 6 rds.

I found the queenstown crowd really good to deal with
Had ammo in hard plastic ammo box, they questioned it not being the factory box but were happy enough it wasnt touching etc

Avsec are recruiting now.

https://avsec.qjumpers.co.nz/jobs/

Why don't some of you join up and teach them how to do their jobs properly?

Originally Posted by systolic

Avsec are recruiting now.

https://avsec.qjumpers.co.nz/jobs/

Why don't some of you join up and teach them how to do their jobs properly?

I sometimes wonder if Avsec is a WINZ work placement scheme

So the good news is that I have had responses from Aviation security to my emails.
The reply is basically to throw Air NZ under the bus & state that empty ammo cartridges are defined as DG, there for they should be thrown out ???

So before I respond I'd like to get some more background to the AvSec process & DG classification.
Can any of you smart gentlemen who know something about airport and aviation security tell me
1. Who performs the inspection of checked baggage & decides what "ok" whats is not ?
Its my understanding from talking (many times to Air NZ staff) that the inspection, XRay etc of checked bags is carried out by AvSec staff and they alone decide what's good to fly or not

2. What is the classification of empty brass in Dangerous Goods ?
(an inert brass tube is "DG" ???? wtf????)
3. Why would empty brass be deemed different to loaded brass given both are packaged in the same manner and fall within the 5kg allowance ?

I can tell you 100% that it is Avsec who X-ray your baggage, they will have been the ones who went in and removed them. As far as empty cases being DG, it’s not Air NZ who decides what is and isn’t, they follow the rules from IATA, an international convention.

I recently travelled from Auckland to Christchurch with a brand new box of Nosler 270 brass, I didn’t declare it at check in as its not DG, I did however leave a written note on the box stating it was new unused harmless brass. They had opened my bag and left the note saying it was inspected and deemed ok, and thanks written on my note.

thanks @outdoorlad - that confrms my thinking. I also confirmed with 2 local gun shops today that empty brass is not classified as DG.

Originally Posted by outdoorlad

I sometimes wonder if Avsec is a WINZ work placement scheme

IQ has to be below 50. Same as the US homeland security pricks, but over there they give them guns!!

So, yesterday I travelled down to Queenstown on air nz. Called air nz prior as required, went ok. Got to the terminal, checked rifle in and ammo in another checked bag, told them it was 1.3kg, no problem. Got to the overweight baggage check in and checked rifle case and bag with ammo in, no problem, but nek minit this avsec b...h came out of the woodwork and demanded to know what my destination was???!!! I conjured up my best dirty look and growled at her "Queenstown".....her response...."good answer".....??!! WTF!!!! What is a bad response??!! I guess it's CHC, but what would they do about that anyway?

So, as I turned around she said "don't have to be so grumpy about it" I didn't hear it but my wife did and told me, then my wife told me off for being so mean?!

Can't win.

Anyway, rifle and ammo arrived in Q'town with min fuss. Upshot is, I find it really hard to be pleasant to those avsec pricks.

Im F**ked then, I am flying into Chch from Auckland with Rifle and Ammo on the 16th of this month.

I have already called Air NZ on Tues 19th March (Yes 4 days after) and declared the above. She was all good, even suggested some places she had Hiked and seen plenty of Deer that I should look into.
I even called Christchurch Police Station on Lichfield Street, as I will be waiting for a bus 2 blocks down with a Firearm in a locked case, and wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to get in the s**t.

All I want to do is leave Auckland with no delays, get in and out of Chch with no issues, and be on my way to the Lake Tekapo region so I can go Hunting!

No further replies from AvSec, which seriously pisses me off as there are serious errors & flaws on their part.
But the good news - Air NZ confirm they have the empty brass in hand and will arrange to courier it back to me. Fingers crossed that does not get fucked up

Originally Posted by kiwi-adam

Im F**ked then, I am flying into Chch from Auckland with Rifle and Ammo on the 16th of this month.

You’ll be fine, just allow a bit of extra time at check in, my mate flew down last week to ChCh, at over size baggage Avsec came out and demanded to see his licence, just roll with it.

Back a few years,I had been tahr bothering in late November.I flew to Oz from Wellies,got the van and cruiser out of storage.was looking through my belt kit(which had been rolled in the corner of my checked baggage)and found a plastic norma clip with 5 live 7rem mag rounds.
So outbound wellington,inbound melbourne not found.
With no Aust.fal just having these I was an instant criminal.