Heathrow has apologised to the classicist Mary Beard after she was asked to remove clothing at airport security, leaving her in just her “scrappy undies”.
The TV presenter said that fellow passengers were able to see her in just “my little black vest (and) no bra” after she was told to take off her tunic.
Beard wrote on Twitter:
I know rules are rules (and we all depend on airport security) but was a bit surpised to be told to take off what I think is a 'tunic' (they thought was a 'jacket') at Heathrow security this morning, down to my scrappy undies. Much to curiosity/embarrassment of other passengers!
— mary beard (@wmarybeard) October 30, 2019
Following the tweet, the airport apologised to Beard, who is a professor of classics at Cambridge University, saying: “We are very sorry to hear this and apologise for the experience you have had.”
Beard responded that she did not want staff to get into trouble but some “general consciousness-raising” would be good.
“I am tough, and I have no desire to see the staff concerned told off (so I am carefully not telling you which terminal),” she said. “But maybe some general consciousness-raising on this one would be a jolly good idea!”
Beard wrote: “To be honest, I’m not very easily humiliated, but it was a surprise! Staff polite but insistent (following instructions, I guess, don’t want to get them into trouble).”
A spokesman for Heathrow said: “Our colleagues work incredibly hard to keep Britain’s skies safe and any passenger is able to be searched in private. We apologise that this did not happen in this instance.”
