Steve Jobs in Kansai Airport Bust-Up

[Mulboyne]

[floatr][/floatr]The new edition of SPA! magazine reports that Steve Jobs became furious with his treatment at the hands of Kansai Airport security. The magazine says he arrived quietly for a family vacation in Kyoto. When he was leaving, security held him up after discovering shuriken (ninja throwing stars) in his luggage which they wanted to confiscate. Jobs allegedly said "I'm hardly planning to hijack my own private jet. What a country. I'm not coming again". Unlike many major international destinations, Japanese airports have limited facilities for private jets and don't follow procedures which have become standard for VIPs elsewhere. Jobs was likely expecting a light touch in security and grew frustrated at the delays.

[Coligny]

And he's fucking right.

It's his plane, he can bring yellow cake and fireworks if he wants.

[Yokohammer]

Jobs is only just finding out that "think different" isn't an option here?

Not even "think slightly outside the box," or "adapt to the situation," (or even "think") I'm afraid.

It probably says "no bladed weapons allowed" in the manual. The average Japanese employee simply doesn't have the authority (or imagination) to make exceptions that aren't specifically noted in the manual.

On the other hand, the guys at immigration somehow manage to be imaginative as hell.

[IparryU]

Jobs is only just finding out that "think different" isn't an option here?

Not even "think slightly outside the box," or "adapt to the situation," (or even "think") I'm afraid.

It probably says "no bladed weapons allowed" in the manual. The average Japanese employee simply doesn't have the authority (or imagination) to make exceptions that aren't specifically noted in the manual.

On the other hand, the guys at immigration somehow manage to be imaginative as hell.

just a while ago the Jpolice arrested a President of a machinery company (citation) who made some kunai throwing knifes and sold them to ninja fanatics (legally). when the new weapons law came out after the akiba rampage, he still held on to a number of them.

complete BS, i hope jobs voice gets out to more than just a tabloid.

[Coligny]

just a while ago the Jpolice arrested a President of a machinery company (citation) who made some kunai throwing knifes and sold them to ninja fanatics (legally). when the new weapons law came out after the akiba rampage, he still held on to a number of them.

complete BS, i hope jobs voice gets out to more than just a tabloid.

SIDE NOTE threadjack...

Japan the land of the unworkable laws...

Since the modification of the road and traffic laws putting bicycle in the category of vehicule that HAVE to travel on the road and are not allowed on the sidewalk, absolutely nobody knows where to sleep... and here they had to paint EVERYWHERE special bicycle reservation lanes on the sidewalks to bypass the law...

Time for a good book burning session... maybe...

This time we can hang the last banker with the guts of the last priest while drowning the last lawmaker in their blood...

YEAAAA.... ANARCHY!!!!!.....

[Dragonette]

[IkemenTommy]

It's gotta be true if it was on SPA!..
Original sauce

[Coligny]

[wuchan]

SIDE NOTE threadjack...

Japan the land of the unworkable laws...

Since the modification of the road and traffic laws putting bicycle in the category of vehicule that HAVE to travel on the road and are not allowed on the sidewalk, absolutely nobody knows where to sleep... and here they had to paint EVERYWHERE special bicycle reservation lanes on the sidewalks to bypass the law...

Time for a good book burning session... maybe...

This time we can hang the last banker with the guts of the last priest while drowning the last lawmaker in their blood...

YEAAAA.... ANARCHY!!!!!.....

kinda funny you brought this up. I got gaijin carded a few months ago by a cop on a bike.

cop: can please see your ID card?
me: why?
cop: there was a crime committed in this area
me: ya, you're riding a bike on the sidewalk
cop: ...

I wandered off while the cop was trying to figure out what just happened.

[Coligny]

kinda funny you brought this up. I got gaijin carded a few months ago by a cop on a bike.

cop: can please see your ID card?
me: why?
cop: there was a crime committed in this area
me: ya, you're riding a bike on the sidewalk
cop: ...

I wandered off while the cop was trying to figure out what just happened.

You know that japanese nashionnuls can do citizen arrest in these case ?

Happened few month ago, cop where driving outside allowed hours in a one way street...

[BigInJapan]

[IparryU]

I don't know if Steve-o is up on the California penal code, but he can't own shuriken in California anyway.

Probably better he had them taken away here, he could have ended up sharing a cell with a guy named Bubba stateside.

any cop in Cali would just take it from you and let you off... cops usually take prizes home with them in the yay area too..

[eddie]

the rich can't carry weapons on their private jets!? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

[Mulboyne]

[FG Lurker]

the rich can't carry weapons on their private jets!? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

If the government told you that you can't carry an otherwise legal object in your private car how would you react?

[Coligny]

the rich can't carry weapons on their private jets!? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Actually... yes they do... it's just some random retarded security drone that managed to piss off God because of an even more retarded rule...

This total clusterfark is actually even worse than negotiating with terrorist... it's playing their game by the book...

Oussama win and it's Saddham who have to walk zee plank...

I miss you Dad...

[Mulboyne]

There's always a bit of schadenfreude about stories where a VIP gets the treatment the rest of us usually experience. 2chers have generally taken a "good riddance" stance as well as thinking that buying shuriken as souvenirs is very cheesy.

There is a more serious point raised by the issue. Japan has long been criticized by CEOs and the super rich for the lack of facilities to handle private jets. That crowd often want to fly in early, spend a day and fly out overnight. Nightime flights aren't permitted but I read one report which said that the departure slots for private jets finish so early anyway that there isn't a hope in hell of doing anything useful and getting away the same day when you factor in travelling time to Tokyo. You also have to book well in advance which means people can't make spur of the moment trips. Anyone who does want to spend longer in country can only get a week unless they send their plane out and back again. I linked to a Yomiuri report a few months ago here but I'll put the full article below:

As part of a new growth strategy for the national economy to be finalized in June, the government plans to improve Narita Airport's ability to accept business jets, The Yomiuri Shimbun learned Wednesday. The measures will include a relaxation of regulations and an expansion of facilities that accommodate private jets, a government official said. The government hopes this will increase Japan's attractiveness as a destination for executive conferences for large global companies and help them expand their business throughout Asia. The plan also looks to attract wealthy foreigners, who may want to fly their private jets to Japan to receive medical care.

In concrete terms, the plans call for an expansion of immigration facilities for business jet passengers by fiscal 2012 to shorten the time it takes to deplane after landing. Currently, it takes about 20 minutes, compared with only a few minutes at many foreign airports. An extension or abolition of the current business jet parking limit of seven days is also being considered. The number of business jet landings at six New York airports totals 255,000 a year, compared with 2,100 at Narita and 500 at Haneda.

The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry estimates the number of business jet flights to Japanese airports has decreased by about 4,000 in recent years. This drop is because large corporations have decided to cancel conferences in Japan to hold them in other countries due to the lack of facilities for private planes. Haneda Airport also accepts business jet flights, but landing permission must be obtained seven days in advance and the parking limit is only five days.

A business jet is a small aircraft with a seating capacity of 10-plus passengers. The number of these jets has been increasing since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States so top business leaders can travel safely. The U.S. airline industry anticipates the number of private jets will increase from 12,000 in 2006 to 20,000 in 2016.

Jobs may have been acting the diva, and won't get much sympathy from the average joe, but his peers will take note. He's generally known as someone who likes Japan - he was on a private family vacation after all - so if his nose is still out of joint then others might choose to steer clear. You might think good riddance too but I'm sure the government wouldn't have minded having Steve Jobs tell his rich and influential friends what a great time he had in Japan.

[Jack]

Occasionally I fly on private aircraft in North America and the same rules apply to them as they do to commercial flights. Private aircraft FBOs often bend the rules for parties of under 10 persons but in big cities that does not apply. If a knife in banned in your carryon on a commercial flight it is also banned on a private jet. If smoking is banned on a commercial flight it is also banned on a private jet. I guess Steve Jobs ego got shaken as he thought he is above the Law.

[Mulboyne]

Occasionally I fly on private aircraft in North America and the same rules apply to them as they do to commercial flights.

Not entirely. The TSA was going to upgrade security for private jets but abandoned the plan. Some people are able to travel with armed bodyguards which would be harder, if not impossible, to do on a commercial flight.

[Ganma]

[Coligny]

Occasionally I fly on private aircraft in North America and the same rules apply to them as they do to commercial flights. Private aircraft FBOs often bend the rules for parties of under 10 persons but in big cities that does not apply. If a knife in banned in your carryon on a commercial flight it is also banned on a private jet. If smoking is banned on a commercial flight it is also banned on a private jet. I guess Steve Jobs ego got shaken as he thought he is above the Law.

I call bullshit on this, and if you fly garuda they even provide themselves iron knife and forks for the lunch... Maybe they think that if you are flying with them hijacking would be the last of your worries... There slogan could be "at least we're not china airlines... Even them could stop randomly crashing..."

[wuchan]

Occasionally I fly on private aircraft in North America and the same rules apply to them as they do to commercial flights. Private aircraft FBOs often bend the rules for parties of under 10 persons but in big cities that does not apply. If a knife in banned in your carryon on a commercial flight it is also banned on a private jet. If smoking is banned on a commercial flight it is also banned on a private jet. I guess Steve Jobs ego got shaken as he thought he is above the Law.

Before 9/11 my old company allowed us to fly in the bubble on the 747 planes for free. Seats were based on seniority and availability. You would enter through the company's building and totally bypass security as long as it was a domestic flight. International users were greeted on the tarmac by the arrival country's immigration officers. Board members and senior execs still travel on the cargo planes.

[Osakadave]

And Apple calls BS on the whole shebang, surprise, surprise...

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/09/14/steve_jobs_prevented_from_bringing_throwing_stars_on_private_jet_report.html

[Coligny]

And Apple calls BS on the whole shebang, surprise, surprise...

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/09/14/steve_jobs_prevented_from_bringing_throwing_stars_on_private_jet_report.html

Next hotflash on spa:

steve Ballmer arrested inHokkaido for raping monkeys while shouting devloppers developpers developpers...

Still easier to rationnalise than what they do to their customer base anyway...

[Kagetsu]

On a side note, as it was touched on already.

(I say this as a PPL holder), most of the world follows very similar laws when it comes to air safety, particularly when it comes to the carriage of dangerous goods of any description.

I can't say from personal experience on the Japanese laws, but from what I've read from people who've flown there and all over the world, there is very little in the laws that differ from Japan to the US to Australia and so on.

If you're entering a secured air space area, the carriage of ANY weapon, or items that could be used as a weapon, outside of the scope of approved maintenance of an aircraft (ie, if you're not qualified to use that spanner on the plane, you are not qualified to have that spanner in the area).
Guns are not permitted under any circumstance (except for air marshalling service, or military service, or in rural (uncontrolled) regions for purposes of mustering).

In effect, even if the items were packed in their respective containers (bags) even then the bags may ONLY be handled by approved security personel once 'checked'... and private airports as said, and from what I hear, do not have these people on hand, and would require prior arrangement.

Being Japan, arranging something of this sort would be a pain in the butt at last minute, and probably seen as rude if the foreigner demanded it.

In addition to that, Jobs strikes me as the kind of guy who'd be a dick about it all.

[kotaro]

[Jack]

And Apple calls BS on the whole shebang, surprise, surprise...

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/09/14/steve_jobs_prevented_from_bringing_throwing_stars_on_private_jet_report.html

Seems to me there is damage control going on at Apple trying not to piss off consumers in the world's second largest economy. (Yeah fuck China's chest pounding about surpassing Nihon...)

[Typhoon]

On a side note, as it was touched on already.

(I say this as a PPL holder), most of the world follows very similar laws when it comes to air safety, particularly when it comes to the carriage of dangerous goods of any description.

I can't say from personal experience on the Japanese laws, but from what I've read from people who've flown there and all over the world, there is very little in the laws that differ from Japan to the US to Australia and so on.

If you're entering a secured air space area, the carriage of ANY weapon, or items that could be used as a weapon, outside of the scope of approved maintenance of an aircraft (ie, if you're not qualified to use that spanner on the plane, you are not qualified to have that spanner in the area).
Guns are not permitted under any circumstance (except for air marshalling service, or military service, or in rural (uncontrolled) regions for purposes of mustering).

In effect, even if the items were packed in their respective containers (bags) even then the bags may ONLY be handled by approved security personel once 'checked'... and private airports as said, and from what I hear, do not have these people on hand, and would require prior arrangement.

Being Japan, arranging something of this sort would be a pain in the butt at last minute, and probably seen as rude if the foreigner demanded it.

In addition to that, Jobs strikes me as the kind of guy who'd be a dick about it all.

Anecdotal story. I was flying from Kansai airport to China.
My bag went through the scanner and I was pulled aside for a manual bag inspection.
Turns out that in my rush I had forgotten to remove not just one, but two, Swiss army knives.
The officer asked what they were for. I replied [truthfully] that they useful for desktop computer access.
The knives were simply confiscated and I was sent on my way with a request to please check and remove any such item next time.
Frankly, I was surprised. I fully expected [and probably deserved] far more trouble.

[nottu]

[IkemenTommy]

I knew Steve Jobs was a closet ninja
[YT]T8FS03ddILY[/YT]