Things are a little more laid back in New Zealand. One might even think that airport security is on the honor system.
A woman was flying out of Auckland Airport. She had cleared security early for her flight, but needed a cigarette prior to boarding her flight.
New Zealand, like many countries, has aggressively cracked down on smokers. Smoking has been banned indoors for over a decade and all flights to New Zealand have been smoke free for 22 years.
But smoking persists…it’s just expensive and inconvenient now.
Returning to our story, the woman walked out of the domestic terminal and to the curb for a smoke. Then, somehow, she managed to walk right back in…totally bypassing security. Perhaps the unnamed woman goes by Marilyn Hartman in the United States?
The woman later told authorities she figured she did not have to go through security for a second time. Apparently, she asked at the gate if she had to go through security again and a confused gate agent told her she had already been through security. When she responded that she just walked in, airport authorities were alternated the and entire domestic terminal evacuated.
It took tow hours to re-screen every passenger. It seems that only two of five security checkpoints were being manned and no one stopped the passenger from simply walking through an empty lane after her smoke.
This is yet another reason I am in favor of airside airport smoking lounges…
> Read More: We Need More Airport Smoking Lounges, Not Fewer
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Interesting choice of art for the post
Loved the artwork. World is too boring nowadays. People are too sensitive and everything is offensive, discriminatory, racial, political, etc.. Time to live life and stop the BS.
Hi Paul, I use Pixabay for stock images and this was the best thing I could find.
I disagree with the “Things are a little more laid back in New Zealand. One might even think that airport security is on the honor system.” My parents were held up for 4 hours in the Aukland Airport. They were traveling with a US passport, and had nothing suspicious on them.
Of course airports should have smoking booths. Ones like those in Frankfurt, Vienna, Amsterdam work just fine and have there own filtration/aircon . Not even the most rabid anti-tobacco person could be offended. On the other hand it is genuinely awful to have to walk though the haze of smoke emanating from those forced to smoke outside.
Banning smoking inside only exacerbates the stress levels of smokers and it’s better for everyone to reduce the stress of flying.
“When she responded that she just walked in, airport authorities were alternated the and entire domestic terminal evacuated.”
Alternated?