Guns onboard, but pickles barred

Bangalore: Chutney powder is also called gun powder down South. But the hi-tech baggage checking system at Hyderabad’s new international airport seems to have taken the sobriquet literally.
The Austrian-made inline baggage system (IBS) identifies pickles as explosives but fails to detect weapons.
Last Thursday, a Delhi-bound flight had to make an emergency landing soon after takeoff because of smoke in the cargo hold. A probe revealed that the smoke had been produced by a leaking chemical, which, when later run through the IBS in a dummy check, was passed undetected. More tests revealed the system okayed certain explosives and guns, but barred pickles and condiments.
“Less than 60% of baggage is being accepted because the IBS’ X-ray machine is rejecting chutney powder, pickles and other food items peculiar to India, identifying them as explosives,” an airport official said requesting anonymity. “The system is made for Western countries. It needs to be modified to suit India.”
10/04/08 Bhargavi Kerur/Daily News & Analysis

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Categories: Airports Apr 2008, Safety Apr 2008