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Heathrow Security

16 images Created 26 Dec 2009

After a suspected terrorist reported to have links to al-Qaeda was overpowered by some passengers on a US-bound airliner, a Nigerian was being questioned in Detroit while police in London are searching a house where the man is thought to have lived.

The suspect is believed to have studied at a university in the city.

As the net widens and security at major airports with flights to the United States is stepped up, airport operator BAA said in a statement: "Passengers travelling to the United States should expect their airline to carry out additional security checks prior to boarding."

These pictures from Heathrow were the subject of a project by Richard Baker and Alain de Botton in the Summer of 2009.

This is a short edit from the large set and focusses on the access given to the photographer and writer during their book project: 'A Week at the Airport: A Heathrow Diary' published by Profile Books.

For the best 50 images from this project, go to http://bit.ly/6gtcGx

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  • A Virgin Atlantic Airbus A340 crosses the perimeter fence at Heathrow Airport on its way to an international destination. Seen from below, the passing Jumbo takes-off and climbs under full take-off power over the surrounding airfield security fence. Its razor-wire is an effective deterrent against protesters or terrorists and symbolises the lengths that airport authorities (in this case BAA) need go to to ensure their property is safe. The aircraft is seen almost entangled in the secure wire as if passing through the mesh. From writer Alain de Botton's book project "A Week at the Airport: A Heathrow Diary" (2009).
    heathrow_airport1053-11-08-2009.jpg
  • Queues of newly-arrived airline passengers line up to await their turn at the UK Border Agency's passport control at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5. Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities. The UK Border Agency is responsible for securing the United Kingdom borders and controlling migration in the UK. They manage border control enforcing immigration and customs regulations and also consider applications for permission to enter or stay in the United Kingdom, citizenship and asylum. From writer Alain de Botton's book: "A Week at the Airport: A Heathrow Diary" (2009).
    heathrow_airport1155-12-08-2009.jpg
  • An anonymous Immigration Officer (IMO) with the UK Border Agency sits in a detention interview room Heathrow Airport's T5
    heathrow_airport1156-12-08-2009.jpg
  • A family just arrived from Chennai (India) drags heavy suitcases from the carousel in the arrivals of Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5. 50-70,000 pieces of British Airways baggage a day travel through 11 miles of conveyor belts which were installed in a 5-storey underground hall beneath the 400m (a quarter of a mile) length of Terminal 5. T5 alone has the capacity to serve around 30 million passengers a year and was completed in 2008 at a cost of £4.3bn. The system was designed by an integrated team from the airport operator BAA, BA and Vanderlande Industries of the Netherlands, and handles both intra-terminal and inter-terminal luggage. From writer Alain de Botton's book project "A Week at the Airport: A Heathrow Diary" (2009).
    heathrow_airport1533-19-08-2009.jpg
  • Security employed by contractor OCS monitors an X-ray machine at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5. Teams of 5-8 perform a rotational order of tasks, changing every 20 minutes: A loader (asking travellers to take off clothing, shoes etc); archway detectors; X-ray operator; liquid tester and bag searcher. The X-ray operator can earn a £50 bonus for a suspect item randomly inserted by undercover officials and known as an Airlock Find. Also, a Tip is a random image flashed on the screen that shows a suspect item they have to spot. A typical day of searched passengers is 25,000 passengers in T5. From writer Alain de Botton's book project "A Week at the Airport: A Heathrow Diary" (2009). .
    heathrow_airport1461-18-08-2009.jpg
  • A female security officer has spotted an abandoned bag with the words 'Giraffe To Go' on the side, inside a lift of Heathrow airport's Terminal 5. The woman talks urgently but calmly using her walkie-talkie. She needs to report it to her controllers as a suspicious package but may turn out to be an innocent lunch bag left by a hurrying and absent-minded passenger, realising their flight is about to close, instead of a bomb left by a malicious terrorist. The lady bends down to give as accurate description as she can before airport police arrive to determine how serious the treat is and possibly order a costly evacuation. From writer Alain de Botton's book project "A Week at the Airport: A Heathrow Diary" (2009).
    heathrow_airport505-14-07-2009.jpg
  • Security employed by contractor OCS searches a passenger at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5. Teams of 5-8 perform a rotational order of tasks, changing every 20 minutes: A loader (asking travellers to take off clothing, shoes etc); archway detectors; X-ray operator; liquid tester and bag searcher. The X-ray operator can earn a £50 bonus for a suspect item randomly inserted by undercover officials and known as an Airlock Find. Also, a Tip is a random image flashed on the screen that shows a suspect item they have to spot. A typical day of searched passengers is 25,000 passengers in T5. From writer Alain de Botton's book project "A Week at the Airport: A Heathrow Diary" (2009). .
    heathrow_airport1467-18-08-2009.jpg
  • Female security operative feels around a lady passenger's back for suspect items during search at Heathrow Airport's T5
    heathrow_airport1462-18-08-2009.jpg
  • Female security operative feels around a male passenger's back for suspect items during search at Heathrow Airport's T5
    heathrow_airport1464-18-08-2009.jpg
  • Female security operative feels around a male passenger's leg for suspect items during search at Heathrow Airport's T5
    heathrow_airport1466-18-08-2009.jpg
  • A male security operative uncovers forbidden bottle of Vodka among a passenger's hand baggage during search at Heathrow T5
    heathrow_airport1470-18-08-2009.jpg
  • BAA staff watching security awareness film while awaiting issue of security passes at Heathrow airport.
    heathrow_airport893-10-08-2009.jpg
  • BAA staff watching security awareness film while awaiting issue of security passes at Heathrow airport.
    heathrow_airport894-10-08-2009.jpg
  • Close-up detail of a dented airline baggage container beneath the floors of Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5.
    heathrow_airport1196-13-08-2009.jpg
  • Two female BAA security instructors stand in front of a Powerpoint image showing the Glasgow airport terrorist attack.
    heathrow_airport1684-24-08-2009.jpg
  • Secure shrink-wrapped baggage seen in Heathrow airport's terminal 5.
    heathrow_airport675-17-07-2009.jpg
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