Two drunken men went to Newcastle airport for a late-night snack and decided to go through the check-in counter. The two crawled under the counter where luggage is normally sent air-side and along the baggage chute.
Then they followed the black rubber conveyor belt behind the check-in desk. Initially, the conveyor belt would have taken them under the passport hall initially and around the ground floor which is beneath the security checks area and duty-free first floor.
The two got as far as the departure area where cafes, restaurants and shops are located which is just beyond the passport control and ticket checks. When the duo reached reaching beyond passport control, they were stopped and detained by security personnel.
The duo was spotted by the CCTV somewhere on their journey as a luggage.
An airport source said the two men basically got all the way through to the air-side by pretending to be suitcases. Got down on their hands and knees to get through check-in then followed the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt takes passenger baggage from the front check-in area to where the baggage handlers collect and load air-side.
A source explained that there were a lot of workers around the airport at that time. The incident is considered a security breach.
The Newcastle airport is a holiday destination which caters to late flights, including night services to Spain, the Canary Islands and London, as well as long-hauls to Dubai.
An airport spokesman confirmed two males were seen riding on an empty section of the baggage belts. As the two offenders are monitored in the control room monitored through a CCTV, police and airport security were quickly dispatched. The two men were caught and taken into custody. They were charged under the Aviation Act. Although the two men had no malicious intent, their behavior will not be tolerated.
Source:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/two-drunk-geordies-cause-airport-10282571
