Airport bans toy soldier's three-inch rifle from plane... because it's a safety threat

[beevul]

Airport bans toy soldier's three-inch rifle from plane... because it's a safety threat

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 8:54 PM on 27th January 2011



The crouching, camouflaged figure is most certainly armed. But few would say he was dangerous.

Security officials disagreed however when he passed through a scanner at Gatwick Airport.

His three-inch, plastic toy gun was branded a ‘firearm’ and banned from a transatlantic flight.




http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1351037/Airport-bans-toy-soldiers-inch-rifle-plane--safety-threat.html

Ridiculous.

[sakabatou]

1. For fucks sake...

[Jamastiene]

2. Unless that three inch rifle shoots real bullets and is three inches in diameter,

I think they may be overreacting a bit. :eyes:

What next? Will they ban pictures of guns in magazines? Or do they already ban magazines because words are too powerful to allow near people?

[beevul]

5. You may not have seen this a while back...

Gun T-shirt 'was a security risk'



A man wearing a T-shirt depicting a cartoon character holding a gun was stopped from boarding a flight by the security at Heathrow's Terminal 5.

Brad Jayakody, from Bayswater, central London, said he was "stumped" at the objection to his Transformers T-shirt.

Mr Jayakody said he had to change before boarding as security officers objected to the gun, held by the cartoon character.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7431640.stm

[Jamastiene]

9. OMG

FFS. They are getting ridiculous. No, I hadn't seen that. Unbelievably ridiculous.

[beevul]

11. I know, right?

When it was posted an an OP in this forum, there were even a couple that defended it.

[napi21]

3. This is just as stupid as the schools that banned a little first grader because she had a 1/2"

plastic gun on her keychain holding her house key. Some employees are told "You ask no questions, make NO DECISIONS on your own. If it looks like a gun BAN IT! i'VE ALWAYS BEEN AGAINST NOT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO MAKE A LOGICAL DECISION AND EXPLAINING THEIR POSITION, BUT THEN i WAS FIRED FROM A JOB FOR DOING THAT TOO.

[Glassunion]

4. What's the problem? You cannot bring a gun onto an airplane.

How is this sofa king hard to understand?

We all wanted zero-tolerance policies with the intention of eliminating our own undesirable conduct.
These policies that we wanted are for our own safety, piece of mind or just because it feels right.
Zero tolerance means that we are required to impose a pre-determined punishment regardless of individual culpability, extenuating circumstances, or past history.
In basic terms... We don't have to think anymore...

Careful what you wish for...

[aikoaiko]

6. airport security mimicking the critical thinking skills of zero tolerance school administrators

Nice job.

[YllwFvr]

7. they made him break it off

and mail it to his house. This is what the antis wanted. Where are they shouting in support if this safety measure?

[Jamastiene]

10. The parents should sue for endangering their home and mailbox.

If the toy was deemed a massive threat to the safety of passengers, they probably should not have demanded it be mailed. It could have endangered the mail carriers' safety. In case this post needs it: :sarcasm:

[YllwFvr]

12. I thought it was generally

illegal to ship weapons through the mail. Perhaps the airline could be charged

[Francis Marion]

16. passing the buck

That means the toy endangered some poor mailman instead!

Reckless- whoever allowed that to happen should be fired.

[safeinOhio]

8. At least they called it a weapon

and not a gun. This is my weapon, this is my gun, this is for shooting, this is for fun.

Only know nothings or those talking about guns on a ship would refer to a small arms weapon as a gun. Like calling a magazine a clip.

[MindandSoul]

13. It happened to my 2 year old son. . . 35 years ago!

Yes. . .don't think that "guns" used to be allowed on planes. . .they were not!
35 years ago, we took a flight from Washington Dulles to Brussels, Belgium. My son who was 2 years old at the time had two small hard plastic toy guns (about 5 inches). I allowed him to carry one in his hand, and the other went into his small backpack carry on.

His gun was confiscated prior to boarding the plane by a flight attendant. . .but the other one, in his back pack went through custom totally undetected!

But my little boy certainly didn't understand the logic of it all!

[Ready4Change]

18. 5 inch? Were they pistols, or rifles?

If they were pistols, the concern might have been that they could be used as a threat, if they looked at all legitimate.

OTOH, if they were, say, 5 inch long M-16 rifles, confiscating them would be silly.

[doc03]

14. Looks like one of those assault weapons to me n/t

[Francis Marion]

15. Good call

No toy 'needs' assault weapons, except for Army or police toys...

Hey, wait- upon closer inspection, that toy obviously took the Queen's shilling- this is an outrage. Bad call!

Wait- was the toy trying to fly on a toy plane?

I sure feel better knowing that intelligent people follow intelligent policies for our safety. Can you imagine what would have happened if that toy had a real gun instead- whew, scary close call.

[guitar man]

17. It is a serious public threat

Somehow, toy soldiers' 3" rifles keep managing to make new little republicans. :silly:

[Ready4Change]

19. Hey now. Barbie felt threatened.

.