Just returned from almost a month traveling in England, France and Spain. Security in the form of military, police and other law enforcement is visible everywhere. Although we felt safe knowing these men and women (mostly armed) were watching for "bad guys", tightened security meant enhanced personal checks everywhere. Allow for this when planning a trip by air or train. At Charles DeGaulle, police checked passports BEFORE the French version of TSA, then once again afterwards. Overall, allowing three hours in advance of boarding our flight (plus one hour prior to reach the airport from Rue Cler) was very tight. The entire security checking procedure took all of that resulting in no food and being one of the last two passengers to board a 10:55 flight.
Posted by
Portland, Maine
2916 posts
We recently spent 2 1/2 weeks in France, and didn't really notice an unusual amount of police/military presence, probably because we were not in any cities. But yes, airport security seems to be at an all time high. I lost track of how many times we had to show our passports and answer questions, and sometimes I didn't even know who the person doing the questioning or asking for our passports worked for; was it airport security, airline personnel, or law enforcement? It wasn't overly oppressive, just time-consuming.
Posted by
Chicago
8032 posts
Thats the way it is.
Posted by
7866 posts
I lived in Saudi Arabia for five years, Germany for four and have traveled extensively since retirement.
Terror attacks are like lightening striking, they can happen during a storm. Right now a storm can happen in a second. Still, lightening striking you on tour is still a low percentage.
It doesn't limit my travel, except that certain countries are to be obviously avoided. None of these are in Europe.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
It depends where and how you are travelling. I am currently in France on a driving holiday and in the three weeks I have been here, we have seen one police car and no security personnel, but we have been in smaller towns and cities, not Paris. Our passports weren't even opened by French customs at Dover ferry port!
I live in England 40 miles from London and again, there is no increased security in normal day to day life.
There has been high levels of security at London's airports for years.