Dubai Airport: Why 2 security checks

[blue1878]

The last two or three times I've flown with Emirates I've had to go through 2 security checks at Dubai airport.  When I fly home from Bangkok I have to go through a security check when I land at Dubai airport.  Thats OK as its standard procedure when you are in transit at any airport.  The strange thing is when I go to my gate for my Dubai to Manchester flight I have to go through a security check.  

This doesnt happen with my 3 other Emirates flights

Anybody know why they do this extra security check

[fostraswift]

I fly with etihad and go thro security in abu dabhi also

its seems very slack, they dont even need to take out laptop

liquids etc

obviously its regulation, dont know why you would have to do twice ,

slack planning id say

[Gone-east]

18 minutes ago, blue1878 said:

The last two or three times I've flown with Emirates I've had to go through 2 security checks at Dubai airport.  When I fly home from Bangkok I have to go through a security check when I land at Dubai airport.  Thats OK as its standard procedure when you are in transit at any airport.  The strange thing is when I go to my gate for my Dubai to Manchester flight I have to go through a security check.  

This doesnt happen with my 3 other Emirates flights

Anybody know why they do this extra security check

Experienced the same thing on Saturday transiting to Birmingham. The additional check at the gate was very thorough and a lot of passengers were clearly pissed off about it. Its a deal breaker for me, I wont be flying through Dubai again for a very long time.

[momo5]

I experience this when traveling to USA from most South American destinations - these checks are done just prior to boarding and are because the US FAA has deemed the security at that particular airport insufficient.  It’s a pain in the ass because if you purchase a drink after the airport security this additional security won’t allow you to bring it aboard.  
 

Same thing flying direct from India to US; occasionally in Amsterdam as well.  FAA seems to be okay with most other airports such as Seoul, Tokyo, Paris, etc. 

[cashpoint]

I've flown to the UK from the ME (Saudi, Qatar, Bahrain and UAE) for almost 20 years. Sometimes I have had two security checks, sometime not.

My understanding is that when the terrorist threat level is high there is an additional security check at the gate.  It is similar to the El Al security checks and broadly because someone has decided that the standard airport security checks are not secure enough.

At the old AUH airport all security checks were done at the gate (which was a pain) because there was no separation of incoming and outgoing passengers.

[momo5]

9 minutes ago, momo5 said:

I experience this when traveling to USA from most South American destinations - these checks are done just prior to boarding and are because the US FAA/Homeland Security has deemed the security at that particular airport insufficient.  It’s a pain in the ass because if you purchase a drink after the airport security this additional security won’t allow you to bring it aboard.  
 

Same thing flying direct from India to US; occasionally in Amsterdam as well.  FAA/HS seems to be okay with most other airports such as Seoul, Tokyo, Paris, etc. 

 

[jaynewcastle]

Why would people get pissed off about a security check at the departure waiting area ?, that seems quite bizarre to me. Its not like its delaying you from catching the flight at all 

The one at the entrance to the boarding waiting area seems to be pretty random, few people are selected, and seems to be for laptops & other electronics mainly.

 

Its only happened to me about 2-3 times in about 40 odd transfers through Dubai, so not a big issue at all, as far as I'm concerned

 

[petehoax]

On 09/05/2023 at 12:04, Gone-east said:

Its a deal breaker for me

why? it's an honest question. i'm just surprised and trying to understand the reason. 

the only thing i can think off is that you won't be allowed to take the water bottle that you've bought in transit with you to the flight. which is somewhat annoying, but far from a deal breaker (to me). and as @jaynewcastle said: it won't cost you any additional time or lead to flight delays, at least not under most circumstances.

but maybe i miss a good reason why it annoys you so much, that's why i ask. 

[RRosenberg]

DXB > MAN 

I ALWAYS get drug swabbed at the gate, including hands, phone, inside my bag and shoes.

It happens every time and I've never had this on any other route. 

 

 

[striderman]

reading the posts and from experience transiting abu dhabi many many times it's obvious some destinations (regions) are considered higher risk than others. security and checks and sometimes secondary random checks at final gate (esp electronic devices ) . so flights into europe and most likely USA are subject to more stringent security than my outbound legs to bkk. i would guess each departing Etihad flight from abu dhabi to uk they have to perform a minimum number of actual hand luggage searches. no big deal they are doing their job to keep your flight safe.

[LeoTex]

What @stridermanmentioned about 2nd checks at the gate.

Most of my trips home going through Seoul Korea, they do random checks between the gate and the jetway to the plane. 

I remember after 911 doing full checks at the gate when leaving Bangkok including body scan with the wan as well as going through your carry on. 

The also were giving warnings when checking not to buy any liquids at duty free because of the 2nd check.

Can't see why this would upset anyone unless they had something to hide.  

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by LeoTex
add text

[Timon88]

 

On 09/05/2023 at 06:09, momo5 said:

I experience this when traveling to USA from most South American destinations - these checks are done just prior to boarding and are because the US FAA has deemed the security at that particular airport insufficient.  

This is what I was told, not claiming to be an expert.  

If you want to see tight airport security, travel to Tel Aviv.  

Leaving for a departing flight is like leaving prison. 

[SlowlyMan]

I had to clear a departure security check transiting through Doho to the US

[semi-retired member]

4 hours ago, RRosenberg said:

DXB > MAN 

I ALWAYS get drug swabbed at the gate, including hands, phone, inside my bag and shoes.

It happens every time and I've never had this on any other route. 

Perhaps swabbing for explosives, not drugs ?  Makes sense if threat-levels are heightened at-the-time.

I've known the same at Doha, equally I've known a few times when arriving-flights weren't sent via transit-security, just luck of the draw. 

It's a nuisance, but they're only trying to keep us safe, so it's hard to argue against.

[blue1878]

Some interesting replies 🙂

I've been flying to Thailand for just over 30 years.  And it's only in recent times I've had the 2nd security check at the gate.  I just found it strange

[jaynewcastle]

20 minutes ago, blue1878 said:

Some interesting replies 🙂

I've been flying to Thailand for just over 30 years.  And it's only in recent times I've had the 2nd security check at the gate.  I just found it strange

Can I ask you what exactly was checked on this 2nd security check you had blue1878, which I assume took place at the bottom of the stairs/escalator at the entrance to the waiting area in the departure area, after you'd had your documents checked upstairs

In my experience, all they do is check the electronic devices you're carrying, nothing else. They don't take drinks off you or anything like that.

Its not often you see them doing it, & when they do, its only a few selected passengers who are checked, the majority aren't.

[blue1878]

6 hours ago, jaynewcastle said:

Can I ask you what exactly was checked on this 2nd security check you had blue1878, which I assume took place at the bottom of the stairs/escalator at the entrance to the waiting area in the departure area, after you'd had your documents checked upstairs

In my experience, all they do is check the electronic devices you're carrying, nothing else. They don't take drinks off you or anything like that.

Its not often you see them doing it, & when they do, its only a few selected passengers who are checked, the majority aren't.

Hi jaynewcastle I didn't have any electronic devices with me except for my mobile phone.  And they checked not just me but it seemed like everybody else who was walking up to the departure gate.  They checked the bag that I was taking on board plus they scanned me.

Going to Thailand with emirates means I fly 4 times with them, 2 going out and 2 coming back.  And the only time this security check has been done is when I've got to the gate for my Dubai to Manchester flight.  Not for any of the  3 other flights.   

I've flown with other airlines and I've never seen this security check done when I've been in transit

[striderman]

2 minutes ago, blue1878 said:

Hi jaynewcastle I didn't have any electronic devices with me except for my mobile phone.  And they checked not just me but it seemed like everybody else who was walking up to the departure gate.  They checked the bag that I was taking on board plus they scanned me.

Going to Thailand with emirates means I fly 4 times with them, 2 going out and 2 coming back.  And the only time this security check has been done is when I've got to the gate for my Dubai to Manchester flight.  Not for any of the  3 other flights.   

I've flown with other airlines and I've never seen this security check done when I've been in transit

i've already posted certain destinations are considered higher risks than others. that is why flights to europe inc uk and USA get more scrutiny than the leg to bkk. plus not everybody gets the secondary inspection but to keep the security from playing candy crush you can get your bollocks there is a minimum % number of passengers selected compared to numbers boarding

[jaynewcastle]

Airport security measures are there for 1 reason only, to protect the people flying.

Some checks are targeted, some are random

 

I'm guessing the member moaning that they will never fly through Dubai again, because there were just 2 checks, will never go to Sri Lanka, where there are normally 3 checks when you leave the country., 1 when you enter the terminal, the normal check, and then a 3rd check at the gate to the departure waiting area.

Can't imagine the mood they will be after 3 checks 

[blue1878]

14 hours ago, jaynewcastle said:

Airport security measures are there for 1 reason only, to protect the people flying.

Some checks are targeted, some are random

 

I'm guessing the member moaning that they will never fly through Dubai again, because there were just 2 checks, will never go to Sri Lanka, where there are normally 3 checks when you leave the country., 1 when you enter the terminal, the normal check, and then a 3rd check at the gate to the departure waiting area.

Can't imagine the mood they will be after 3 checks 

Anyway I've already got my flights booked for my next trio and its with Emirates.  I think there A380 planes look great, the inflight entertainment is good.  And even though T3 at Dubai is massive I like the terminal.

[Gone-east]

On 10/05/2023 at 21:45, petehoax said:

why? it's an honest question. i'm just surprised and trying to understand the reason. 

the only thing i can think off is that you won't be allowed to take the water bottle that you've bought in transit with you to the flight. which is somewhat annoying, but far from a deal breaker (to me). and as @jaynewcastle said: it won't cost you any additional time or lead to flight delays, at least not under most circumstances.

but maybe i miss a good reason why it annoys you so much, that's why i ask. 

I’d already been through security in Bangkok but appreciate that in Dubai they would have no idea where I came from. I queued for 20 minutes to get through the first security check and at the gate it took another 30 minutes to get through the additional gate check. My POV is why not just one thorough security check instead of making passengers queue twice?

I live in the North Cotswolds, Birmingham airport is a little nearer to me than Heathrow. I mainly fly direct from Heathrow but sometimes fly from Birmingham and do a stopover in the middle east. Never experienced this before and it’s a deal breaker for me because I’ll just fly direct from now on.
 

19 hours ago, jaynewcastle said:

Airport security measures are there for 1 reason only, to protect the people flying.

Some checks are targeted, some are random

 

I'm guessing the member moaning that they will never fly through Dubai again, because there were just 2 checks, will never go to Sri Lanka, where there are normally 3 checks when you leave the country., 1 when you enter the terminal, the normal check, and then a 3rd check at the gate to the departure waiting area.

Can't imagine the mood they will be after 3 checks 

I wasn’t moaning, just stating a fact. No, never been to Sri Lanka and don’t plan to but I have good experience in Turkey and Egypt where there is additional security upon entering the airport, and understand why these are in place.

If your based in Newcastle, you’ll likely have less options than I do. Not sure why you appear to have an issue with who and where I choose to fly with and from but up to you. Will you be deciding next where I should drink and eat in Pattaya, which hotel I stay in and what girls I should barfine, or am I allowed to make my own decisions?

Edited May 12, 2023 by Gone-east

[jsmithj88]

cathay does this when i transit through HK to usa

[ingo67]

Additional security happened to me flying in 2022 and 2023. never before. Don't particularly mind extra security but what pissed me off was it seemed to be targetted to single males and white males in particular, not a group known for terrorist activity !

[little_me]

US FAA will (at least used to) require additional checks if they don't trust the standard security at that airport.

For any US airline. Regardless of destination.

I've had to do that in Bangkok flying on Delta in  2014 and before, even though the flight was from Bangkok to Tokyo or Seoul.  Flying Korean Air, or any other non US airlines, never had to.

Wouldn't explain why it happened if you were on Emirates flying to UK, but might be something similar the UK required?

But, ya, that second security at Bangkok for Delta didn't have any equipment, pat down and manually dig through my bag. And they took a water bottle I bought at the airport, inside the secure zone, no getting another one at the gate. 

On 10/05/2023 at 18:57, Timon88 said:

If you want to see tight airport security, travel to Tel Aviv.  

I was only there once, and only noticed the additional questioning they'd do, which didn't seem like much to me until after I got to the next line and heard the questioning of the guy behind me. He didn't just answer the questions without getting all chatty, and apparently that's some kinda flag for security interviews....

What confused me is they did this leaving?  Wouldn't they screen people coming into the country instead?

I've actually seen worse in Canada and the UK, UK they made it a point to note I couldn't get public assistance on the stamp in my passport.

[manni2011]

Any time I get an additional security check in Qatar I’m always a little amused. One of us is a state sponsor of terrorism and the other is a boring middle aged white guy with no strong religious or political ideals.  If anything I should be running the airport staff through the scanners. 😀