Inappropriate comment made at airport screening

[Thing]

If you want to stip the pot Caliope - send a letter of complaint outlining your issue to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government

Or send Chubb a letter stating reply in "X" amount of days or the Hon Anthony Albanese MP will be advised to investigate the matter on your behalf

Sometimes I think these loser companies have now adopted the ostrich attitude to dealing with complaints - everyone stick head in the sand and she will go away, hopefully

[Caliope]

I have still had no response either via here or my written complaint, seems Chubb don't give a hoot how their guards behave.

[rupert]

Coming in a bit late on this conversation BUT.....

I had cause quite some time ago to make a complaint about the guards at the Virgin blue/ rex end of Melbourne Airport. I fly Rex reasonably frequently and was becoming more and more brassed off with their attitude towards the people they were processing thru the checks. They were rude and obnoxious and having private conversations between each other at the same time as they were ordering people to "stand here" "do this" "do that".

Because of my age, and the fact that I have developed the memory of a goldfdish, I can't remember the incident that finally tipped me over the edge......BUT I made a phone call to the person in charge of security at Melbourne Airport (not the individual company who I think is ISS at that end).

I am pleased to say that ever since I have had nothing but good things to say about them.....they are pleasant and friendly...

I just wish I could remember the specific things I complained about. I know that hubby went thru one time and was treated like #### by a female guard. He told her she was a disgrace to the industry and she would never get a job with him! (yep...we're in the same business)

Anyway.....just ring Melbourne Airport and ask for the person in charge of security.

Brain explosion!!!! I remember now......I made my complaint when I read in the paper that they had belittled a man who used a walking stick and made him take it back and have checked thru as luggage and didn't give a #### that he couldn't walk without it!!! My phone call was to back up his complaint with a few of my own.

[Caliope]

I initially rang Melbourne airport who informed me it was Chubb who have the contract for interstate travel.

[Thing]

Different airports use different security - Brisbania uses Group 4

Then again I haven't been to domestic for quite a few years - might have changed..

[RedVicar]

I travel a fair bit for work, but only VB - I was quite sure they weren't Chubb on that side of the airport (in Melb), more like an acronym (IPS or a short word like that?). White shirts with black eppilettes?

I might be thinking of Syd or Adl however - not sure. Anyone confirm?

Cheers

RV

[Thing]

Seems to be a ploy of companies these days Caliope! Ignore the complaint for as long as possible, hopefully the complainant will give up, if not - well drag it out for as long as possible etc etc etc

[Caliope]

Seems Chubb think situations like this are unimportant with their lack of response to both my initial complaint and here which just makes me angrier.

[deang]

If it is absolutely unimportant get Chubb to guard it, they are quite possibly the most useless and incompetent firm about. Cheap and nasty.

[Caliope]

Dusty this guard had white hair and was about 5ft7 ish medium build. I thought it was bad enough making comments like that in front of my daughter but if he had said it TO my daughter I think I would have decked him! Does he sound like the same guy? Did you make a complaint?

[CDMS]

Just to add to that dusty, back in the dim dark ages (early 1980's) when they used a wand, (it was called a Reiwasa, not sure if that's the correct spelling), the alarm on the cabinet could be deliberately activated by the person holding it & standing reasonably close to the cabinet. In those days we did physical bag searches (no x-ray machine) & if we had a disgruntled passenger who gave us a hard time we used it to effect by moving them to one side & conducting various checks, thus wasting their time & causing them a certain amount of grief. So I'm only guessing it was possibly a deliberate activation on the part of the security officer just to be a smart***e & for entertainment purposes.

[dusty_rusty_2000]

Sorry Caliope, it probably seemed like a rather irrelevant question and I should have re-iterated further.

The reason I asked was that my 14 year old daughter had a similar experience at Melbourne Airport during the school holidays (Jetstar flight too). For some unknown reason, the alarm was activated when she passed through the security area. The guard on duty, a dirty old b@stard in his late 50's, stared directly at her breasts and said it's probably your under-wire bra so you'll have to take it off, meanwhile snickering and winking at his off-sider. I overheard the tail end of the conversation and pushed past several people in front of me to confront guy. I asked him what it was he would like her to remove at which he replied: this is a private conversation between this young woman and myself. I told him this young woman is only 14 years old and I am her mother. He turned a bright colour of red and apologised to my daughter. I demanded a supervisor be called immediately and also a female security member.

To this day we still don't know what set off the alarm. It could have been my daughter's braces, or perhaps her belt which had steel studs, maybe the belt buckle or even the bra. It was most probably a malfunction or perhaps the alarm goes off randomly after a certain number of people have passed through.

I wonder if it's the same guard?

[Caliope]

Just wondering Dusty, what does the age matter? Is it that you might expect a comment like that from a younger guard? Personally I don't care how old they were, it was totally inappropriate given their role and that people can be required to take off belts and other items in front of them.

[Caliope]

The comment was made by a guard in his late 50's IMO and the comment made to the other guard was around 30ish. I might add that the younger guard looked almost as embarrassed as I was.

[CDMS]

I should clarify that by saying direct employees in Qld. Employees of Franchisees/Licencees were, I believe, not necessarily subject to the same restrictions.