Manchester Airport issues statement after dad passes through security with weapons

Mark Harris said the incident with the knives happened while he was flying from Manchester Airport to Malaga

A holidaymaker said he accidentally managed to pass through Manchester Airport security with two knives in his bag without being stopped and searched.

Mark Harris, 51, was flying from Manchester Airport to Malaga on April 9. He had packed his luggage in a bag he had used for camping several months earlier.

Mark says he didn't realise the bag contained two steak knives he'd taken on his camping trip in the Lake District. It was only when his travelling companion, Lisa, 52, asked to borrow a charger while the pair were in the departure lounge, that Mark unzipped the bag and discovered he had the "weapons" on him.

The father-of-one said that he inadvertently carried the knives through the security checkpoint, but claims the security team neither stopped him nor inspected his luggage, even though it went through a scanner.

Mark, who has experience as a security manager, immediately surrendered the knives to the café manager upon realising his mistake, and says he felt utterly "mortified" by the incident.

Within five minutes, he was approached by two security officers who enquired about his check-in process and examined his bag.

According to Mark, the guards were "horrified" at the lapse yet permitted him to continue his travel plans.

'Other passengers were sitting around us thinking 'what's going on here?''

Mark said: "How the knives got through the security scanners, I will never know.

"I felt a sharp blade in my bag, rummaged again, and felt the other blade as well. I hadn't been out of the country for seven years.

"If we get to go away, we go to the Lakes quite a lot, and the knives were from a camping trip.

"I didn't know they were there at all.

"It was a totally genuine mistake, and I could've got banged up."

Mark says the mishap was cleared up quickly when he spoke to security, but he did worry he may be told he couldn't fly because he brought weapons through security, even though it was unintentional.

Mark said: "I just gave them back to the catering manager and asked her to dispose of them.

"She could see I was dead genuine anyways and I told her something needs to be looked at. Feedback is the best way to improve customer service.

"She [the café manager] called colleagues, and they approached me at the bar area.

"Other passengers were sitting around us thinking 'what's going on here?'.

"Three girls who were quite alarmed were sitting opposite us. When I took them over to the catering manager, I just said If I could have a quick word and that I just wanted them gone

"She [the café manager] didn't understand how I got through with them.

"They had to believe that because it was the truth.

"Who would try to smuggle two knives on the first holiday they've had in seven years?

"They asked me basic questions, and it was scary for me, but it's even more scary that something like this was missed. The more I think about it, I get really bad anxiety.

"I feel as though I would never be able to pack for holidays again. All I packed were a couple of T-shirts, shorts, and sliders."

The café manager passed the knives on to the security team, and Mark was questioned in the departure lounge. He gave them his flight details and explained what had happened.

Mark said: "I was still sitting on my stool and wanted to keep it as casual and informal as possible. I didn't want to go to another room because I had nothing to hide.

"I had no intention of using the weapon, but this security breach is really serious.

"They were trying to find who was not doing their job.

"I would be livid if they turned around to me and said that we couldn't go on the flight, but thankfully, that didn't happen.

"She [the café manager] said there will be some re-training.

"Their job [security's] is to protect people's lives. It's not just about protecting people on the plane, it's about people walking around the airport and travelling.

"The more I think about the worst case scenarios, the more it turns my stomach."

What Manchester Airport says

A spokesperson from Manchester Airport said: "Passenger safety is always our number one priority. We have investigated this incident and taken appropriate action.

"We regularly test the effectiveness of our security measures to make sure they are operating as they should and within strict targets set by Government."

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