PDA

View Full Version : Rex Hunt "dacked" by airport security



Fitzy
16-05-2004, 05:43 PM
High-profile AFL commentator and celebrity fisherman Rex Hunt was today described as "a goat" by the Federal Transport Department for sparking a security incident onboard a Qantas flight.

Hunt was detained by police at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport today after arriving from Adelaide, where he had been calling the Adelaide-Essendon game for radio station 3AW.

He had produced some metal forks during the flight that he had earlier taken from the Qantas lounge at Adelaide airport, prompting a complaint from a passenger.

Hunt said he was in his underpants at Adelaide airport security check-in, implying he had been forced to strip in front of hundreds of people.

But a spokesman for the federal Transport Minister, John Anderson, denied Hunt would have been forced to drop his trousers.

"If we do want to do a check which might offend other passengers it would be done in a separate room," the spokesman said.

"It is very unfortunate that an airline passenger has chosen to act like a complete goat and inconvenience the flight crew, other authorities just doing their jobs and his fellow passengers.

"It is also disappointing that a celebrity seems to believe he is above the law and that regulations for passenger screening should not apply to him."

A spokesman for Adelaide Airport also said passengers were not asked to take their pants down in public.

"That is not the procedure," the spokesman said.

"Security people who screen passengers are authorised to do a wider search but that would be done in a separate room, not in a public area."

The airport official was backed up by witnesses who said that after being told to remove his shoes, and then his belt which had a metal buckle, Hunt petulantly dropped his trousers.

A Qantas spokesman said the incident was simply a publicity stunt.

"We have a huge investment in security and we take it seriously but we can't do anything about publicity-seekers," the spokesman said.

Hunt admitted losing control after his security screening in Adelaide.

"My denim jeans were down around my Hush Puppies, my Y-fronts went full view over the flaps of my long-sleeve shirt," Hunt said.

"I was dacked.

"There wasn't a lot of people there at that stage - I reckon about 970 people were there around the security area,"

However, he said he "should have taken a breath and said they're only doing their job, which they are".

"I went straight up to Qantas, got a handful of forks and said, I'll just show how easy it is to infiltrate this tight security that I've just been through," Hunt said on 3AW.

After being taken into custody, Hunt said he was questioned for almost half an hour by uniformed police and interrogated later by detectives.

He later said he was embarrassed by the incident and admitted his actions were stupid.

He said he acted out of frustration but "in hindsight, it was as dumb as you would ever, ever get".

Hunt said he was trying to point out flaws in security on Australian domestic flights.

"It was ridiculous that people were given plastic cutlery to eat with onboard the plane when they had access to metal knives and forks," Hunt said.

He said he had several forks on the plane and displayed them, startling another passenger who complained.

However, Hunt denied he had stood up or was brandishing the forks in a threatening way onboard.

He said he was taken into custody by uniformed officers and security officials when the plane landed.

"They questioned me on security and very, very intently on my intent - what was my intent when I boarded that flight," Hunt said.

Hunt wished he could have his time over again and admitted his many critics would be relishing the incident.

"For the Rex Hunt haters, this is going to be a three-course meal - it's going to be bigger than the last supper."

AAP

Fitzy
16-05-2004, 05:45 PM
Whether Rex was right or wrong in what he did, I bet the metal cuttlery at the airport is gone & there's plastic ones there now.

Fitzy..

el_carpo
16-05-2004, 07:15 PM
"I'll show you!"---Ever notice how saying this almost always leads to trouble for you?

Other lines to watch out for are, "Trust me" and "The check is in the mail."

Then there is the infamous, "Honey, hold my beer and watch this!" which, by the way, is the most common last words spoken by men from Wisconsin. ;D ;D ;D (Illinois humor, we battle the people up north of our border, which is often referred to as the "Cheddar Curtain."

Fork smuggling. I think alchohol might have been involved in some way. :P

subzero
16-05-2004, 11:55 PM
Fork you, Rex Hunt...
Ahhhh, dinner time..... 50 a day smoker ;)

MATT_HAYES
17-05-2004, 04:34 AM
THANK YOUR MOTHER FOR THE RABBITS ;D ;D ;D

Tezza985
17-05-2004, 07:38 AM
Rex should have pleaded "Guilty", and had his head scanned instead. Maybe there's a hook misssing out of his tackle box?

lordy
17-05-2004, 02:18 PM
Classic. I suspect a few embarassed security people didn't like being shown up.

Fitzy
17-05-2004, 03:08 PM
Classic. I suspect a few embarassed security people didn't like being shown up.
Suspect your right there JC.

fitz..

Local_Guy
17-05-2004, 03:32 PM
i'd say he got his message across... if someone high profile didn't do this, then no one would ever know about it.

anyway. seams like they kissed and released him in the end :P

caveman
17-05-2004, 03:33 PM
ITS A PITTY THEY DIDNT SHOVE A SOCK IN HIS MOUTH ASWELL THEN HIS SHOW WOULD BE OK :-X :-X

Dug
17-05-2004, 05:04 PM
I keep getting searched cos I wont let them X-ray my film usually 50+ rolls when I'm working. I have had some fine discussions with security guards. I have been strip searched, bomb sniffed & ordered out of airports, all for asking that they visually inspect film in accordance with Transport department guidelines. I have also accidently traveled with a leatherman tool and a mate traveled with a glass vodka bottle on a commercial flight. A drunk with a broken bottle is a lot more dangerous than me with film. I also carry a 5kg camera on an neoprene strap if you got hit with that you would stay hit!!!!

quinnie_600
17-05-2004, 05:10 PM
Being a Qantas Club member myself can't say I have seen metal cutlery in any airport lounge for almost 2 years?

Plastic these days...........

Sportfish_5
17-05-2004, 05:22 PM
Being involved in the u/g mining industry I get pulled up regularly going through the departure gates by the guys testing for traces of explosives :o
It is amazing how sensitive those machines are and always takes awhile to explain just why I have traces of anfo on my clothes/shoes/fingers ;)

Cheers
Greg

Gorilla_in_Manila
17-05-2004, 05:27 PM
Just flew back in from Manila on qantas tuesday morning. Metal fork and plastic knife with each meal on the plane, so bet he didn't even smuggle them onto the plane. Qantas dont seem too worried that anyone will leap up and grab the wine bottles and smash them. Go figure.
As for Rex, if I was the one who caught him at Melbourne airport, I would have taken him up to 10,000 ft, gave him a little peck on the cheek and THREW HIM BACK!
Reckon air travel and customs is already a big enough pain in the arse without some ###### playing the show pony in front of you.
Cheers
Jeff

lordy
17-05-2004, 05:30 PM
I got a swiss army knife through in my computer bag on a recent trip. Forgot it was there until too late. Got lucky.


Silliest thing I've seen is they objected to me taking my nail clippers on the plane. "Crash the plane into the Parliment house or the hostess get a nail trim." Actually they objected to the file part, but really I'd have more luck stabbing someone with my house keys than that. (tip for would be hijackers, is getting about 15 keys on a keyring and sharpen one or two of them up, stick then in some wooden handles).

Fitzy
17-05-2004, 05:49 PM
Actually had a fair old discussion at a recent fishing comp with a few other fishing industry guys on this topic. One was saying he got pulled up for the trebles on his lures when he was flying up to darwin. Has anyone else seen/heard this?
I've flown to Nth Qld several times carrying lures in my shoulder bag (twice in the past 6 months) & never had anything said.

I dont think it matters (knives etc) what you put in the luggage that goes into the cargo hold, just cant have them in your 'carry on luggage". Is this correct?

Fitz..

basserman
17-05-2004, 05:58 PM
i think in this day and age we all can get a bit carried away!
hell no matter what they ban us takeing on transport the thugs will only come up with something else!
wouldn't it be easyer to alow metal back on at leats then it is easyer to pick up on scans and the marshles then made aware of the highriskers!
soon or later it will be next to imposable to take anything on board a flight they will just have us all sit still for the whole trip!

trebles dangours???
metal forks deadly???
butter knifes that can kill???
where will it end???

Gorilla_in_Manila
17-05-2004, 06:05 PM
Don't know about the trebbles Fitzy, but yes you can put all the pointy things in cargo. Leatherman tools, pocket knives, screw drivers, and nail clippers have to go in the check in baggage.
They will let you take the nail clippers on if the nail file bit is busted off.
I'd be checking in my favourite lures even if they are allowed to make sure you don't get some security guy that is also a keen fisherman taking them off you anyway. ;)
Cheers
Jeff

Fitzy
17-05-2004, 07:10 PM
I'd be checking in my favourite lures even if they are allowed to make sure you don't get some security guy that is also a keen fisherman taking them off you anyway. #;)
Cheers
Jeff
My thoughts exactly. I've tried carrying my Loomis rods on board with me before but been knocked back. I'll keep trying tho..

Last flight up north I forgot to turn off the mobile I got a txt message whilst climbing from Brisso, was just above Bribie Is looking at the pack of boats up the north end chasing choona. Boy I got a few bad looks from everyone. I near broke the thing shutting it down ASAP. :-[ Ooops

Cheers,

Fitzy..

raefpud
17-05-2004, 09:28 PM
dont even try to take ur tackle box on as hand lugagge, any hook is deemed as a pointed sharpened instrument and therefore a dangerous weapon - a tackle box worth $4k + and a suitcase ull of clothes worth less than a grand - belive me i made sure they used half a roll of gaffer tape and bubble wrap before they let my tackle box travel in cargo hold.

subzero
18-05-2004, 12:27 AM
My Missus brought me a cigarette lighter when we went to melbourne last year. She brought it at one of the airport shops and it cost her $30-00. It was supposed to be a surprise and was in her purse when it got scanned. They pulled it out in front of me much to her embarressment as she didnt want me to know about it, (A Gift), they checked it out and said because the lighter was ellectronic and emitted a BLUE FLAME, she could not take it with her. With the travel delays at the time, the hold ups associated with my daughter in her wheelchair, the fact that we had processed our luggage an hour earlier, they would not allow us any time to return it for a refund, post it or anything else. The kids especially, and her were pretty pissed off about it... I suppose they thought my missus or kids were going to set fire to the plane... I wondered wether they returned these lighters to the shop at the airport for re-sale, almost as good a scam as that Ashley1984 bastard...
Never mind, it was only $30-00, it was the thought that counts ;D

Barrymundi
18-05-2004, 02:41 AM
I went three Airport with a pocket knife in my carry on backpack.

The security guy was pretty smart. It was an honest mistake. I thought I lost the knife. He changed his tone when I told him this was the third check today and he was the first to find it.

lordy
18-05-2004, 05:58 AM
Don't know about the trebbles Fitzy, but yes you can put all the pointy things in cargo. Leatherman tools, pocket knives, screw drivers, and nail clippers have to go in the check in baggage.
They will let you take the nail clippers on if the nail file bit is busted off.
I'd be checking in my favourite lures even if they are allowed to make sure you don't get some security guy that is also a keen fisherman taking them off you anyway. #;)
Cheers
Jeff

Yeah that's exaclty what they wanted to do to my nail file. Had to go back to Qantas and get them to put it in a special bag (one of those large sized blue-red-white stripped plastic bags) by itself and send it up as luggage. Funny thing is it was on my key ring and was never a problem the first 5 or 6 times I flew, even at the same airport under the same regulations.

craigie
18-05-2004, 09:49 AM
Yes Fitzy, Many moons ago on a fishing trip accross the Phillipines (have I spelt that right Jeff ?), I tried taking a Rapala cd18 on an internal flight as hand luggage, well when the airport security guy (who was holding a AK47 or similar :o) found it, I graciously accepted his offer to put it in with cargo baggage ;D.

Cheers Craigie.

kingmad
18-05-2004, 11:23 AM
"I'll show you!"---Ever notice how saying this almost always leads to trouble for you?

Other lines to watch out for are, "Trust me" and "The check is in the mail."

Then there is the infamous, "Honey, hold my beer and watch this!" which, by the way, is the most common last words spoken by men from Wisconsin. ;D ;D ;D (Illinois humor, we battle the people up north of our border, which is often referred to as the "Cheddar Curtain." #

Fork smuggling. #I think alchohol might have been involved in some way. :P
El carpo,
I think the ozzy expresion is "she'll be right" also known as the famous last words.

sir_noelus
19-05-2004, 05:45 AM
Funny things happen when you fly. A year or two ago, flying to NZ, a mate had all his gear in an army duffle bag. He's ex army. In the airport at Sydney a lot of service men were going somewhere????? Arrived in Aukland without his gear. Reported it, it was picked up and went with the army guys (didn't read the label) and the airline was very good at getting it back to NZ. It flew in of course, was then delivered to the middle of the north island by taxi. Appears the taxi driver may have been a fisherman. There was not one fly box or fly left in his gear. Airline says it had passed security and they had no reason to recheck it and were not (probably right) responsible. That's aside from the fact that RH is a bit of a Richard Cranium. Noel.

priemsy
20-05-2004, 12:41 PM
Well, if I go through Qantas, my steel knee gets picked up on the scan. When I go through virgin blue it doesn,t. Work that one out.
Paul