Threat Averted: Woody’s six gun seized at Heathrow
My kids were big Power Rangers fans when they were little. My wife even made them Power Ranger suits that were the envy of all their friends one Halloween. So when my son asked for a particular figure for Christmas, I did my best to track it down without success. You know how it is – they’re everywhere until you need it.
Several months later while on a FEMA operation in Pasadena, I regularly haunted the local toy store with no luck. I did manage to score two Power Ranger pistols, though, which were extremely rare, to take them home as consolation prizes.
These were the halcyon days before TSA and increased airport security so imagine my surprise when my “firearms” were confiscated by security screeners. Even though they were clear plastic and very “space age” looking they were considered dangerous, they had to be transported by the crew. (I think the fold-out rubber blade may have had something to do with it.) And, of course, the crew couldn’t find them when the plane landed – guess their kids were fans as well. I did finally get them back the next day after raising a fuss. And my son eventually got his figure.
What made me think about this was an article in London’s Daily Mail about security screeners at Heathrow confiscating the pistol on a child’s toy. Yep, Woody from Toy Story was busted for trying to take his six shooter on board an aircraft. He’s probably on the terrorist watch list now.
Bad enough that the screener felt this was an issue. What makes it worse is he seemed to have consulted others who felt that the plastic replica posed a threat. And for those of you who are into crisis communications, the Department of Transport spokesperson told reporters essentially “no comment,” which we all know if the kiss of death. Here is his statement:
We do not comment on specific incidents or details of our security regime. Airports and airlines can use their discretion to remove any item being carried in hand luggage when they believe it may be perceived as a threat.
My last blog talked about an over-commitment to process that led to a death in Washington DC. This incident isn’t anywhere near that serious but it is part of the same problem – allowing process to trump common sense. When we eliminate discretion from our front line workers, they do exactly as their told, no matter how stupid or embarrassing the consequences.
And somewhere a child is lamenting the loss of his toy.