Ahhh!!! I can't take it anymore/SECURITY

[flint4xx]

I was in uniform with proper ID with my entire crew, but I set off the metal detector. I was searched by a twenty-ish middle eastern male screener. This guy still had a thick accent, and my twenty years of prior US government service, US birth certificate, or anglo heritage, means nothing. Does that make any sense to you? He did his job properly so I have no complaint, but what happened to outrage in this country? Who says you have to stand by and just accept? Did we smile and say thank you when the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor? By not responding in some fashion, things will only deteriorate more. We can all affect more change by writing to our politicians and newspapers, than demanding to see the screeners supervisor.

One of the biggest problems in this country is the death of outrage. And no, we CAN'T all get along, so get over it already. Enough quiche eating, equality, save the whales, gay rights BS. If you are party to something screwed up you have an obligation as an American, and aviator, and company employee, to say something. You don't like it? Move to France with the rest of them.

OK, I feel better.

 

[Jeff G]

Did we smile and say thank you when the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor?

"Germans?"

"Forget it, he's rolling."

 

[1900laker]

RichardFitzwell posted the following quotes:
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I flew B737s for a major airline until October 1, 2001 when I was furloughed. Since then I have been flying a Falcon Jet in 135 ops. and recently I started working for the TSA as a supervisor screener.
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Though I will not go into detail about TSA policy with you on a public forum, I will say you are incorrect in many of your assumptions. Now please tell me how it is...
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They have been told to look through your wallet only if you set off the walk through metal detector
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You will only be wanded if you set off the metal detector.
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So just so you can set me straight..... I wasn't in uniform (identified as a crew member) standing at the gate (where there are no walkthrough metal detectors) getting wanded, when the screener demanded to search through my wallet. Do you think I am wasting my time typing this because it didn't happen?????

WRONG! I sensed you had a biased opinion from your first quote. Thanks for admitting that you are part of the TSA now. But you should refer to the TSA as WE, not THEY. But all that aside, can you honestly not admit that the account I gave before is true and can and does happen?

I sense from other posts on this board that I am not the only crew member in the U.S. that believes that screeners are not following their instructions to the letter. Anyone?

 

[1900laker]

He might have been quoting Belushi from "1941", though I can't remember the line exactly.

 

[Typhoon1244]

He might have been quoting Belushi from "1941", though I can't remember the line exactly.

Actually, it was Animal House.

 

[nimtz]

My two cents:

I can't speak for the x-ray machine area, but I'll give you my take on the gate screening. First of all I commute on UAL almost 50% of the time, so I'm very familiar with getting screened at the gate. I agree the policy sucks, but for crying out loud the moaning some of you guys are making is pathetic. I'd love to go off on a rant like some of you guys, but it just hasn't been the harrowing experience you make it out to sound like. So you throw your commuter sack up on the table and a guy proceeds to go through it while you get wanded. Total amount of hassle, maybe three minutes at most. Well worth it if it gets me home an hour earlier then waiting for a later flight on my airline. Trust me you get used to it.
To be fair to the screeners they have never given me a hard time while I have been searched, whether in uniform or not. One guy at ORD even took special care with wrapped x-mas presents to ensure that he pulled the tape out neatly, so that it wouldn't ruin the wrapping job. Again I think its stupid to search any flight crew member with the suspicion of them being a terrorist, but ease up putting all the sh*t on the security people. Until our government and union leaders get their sh*t together regarding this issue, it's just something you have to deal with.
I have to admit alot of the brand new TSA employees have been extremely polite and professional toward me while doing the gate screening. They now the policy is ridiculous, but it's just something they have to do. I'm cautiously optimistic that these people (even if they were former screeners) will continue to be professional and represent a marked improvement over the jokes that were the private firms.

 

[RichardFitzwell]

1900laker,

I will try to answer your questions to help you and other flight crew members understand the screening process a little better. (without giving out policy)

When a person passes through the walk through metal detector and it alarms, you will be asked to step aside to resolve the alarm. This further screening is performed regardless of being in uniform or not. Continuous screening is also being performed and it is just that - continuous. Every couple of people through the metal detector will be sent for additional screening (wanded) even if they did not set off the metal detector. If that person is a flight crew member in uniform, the person directing the passengers to the continuous screener is supposed to skip the crew member and send the next person.

The boarding gate is totally separate. The screeners at the gate have no idea if a person has already been screened earlier. Gates can be very far from the initial screening point and still be in the sterile area. Passengers are selected at the gate either by the airlines or at random. If the airline feels a person fits a certain criteria based on their ticket purchase, etc., they will be selected again for continuous screening. If the next passenger at the boarding gate selected for a random search is a flight crew member in uniform, they should be skipped over for continuous screening. Without a pilot being in uniform at the gate, it is easier and faster to simply perform a further screening. (Even though as pilots we both know the extensive background checks we have already been through to get to where we are).

Believe me when I say we have people belittle this job daily. DO I enjoy working as a screener instead of flying for the airlines? F..K NO!! Is this a necessary job? He11 yeah!! The goal of the TSA is to earn peoples respect through their own respect towards the passengers. The screeners of the past put a bad impression in people's minds about airport security. The TSA is working very hard to change this stereotype.

I don't like to hear about people being mistreated by screeners and I hope the story above about the screener not speaking English was from an airport that has not yet been taken over by the Transportation Security Administration.

I hope people start to become more comfortable with this new process and return to the airlines for travel. When I am screening flight crew I never identify myself as a furloughed pilot. Most every pilot and FA I have come across have been very courteous and the other passengers pick up on this. I feel it is up to the airline professionals to lead by example. I want to get back to the airlines yesterday. I have earned a new respect for the job the airport screeners do. I may have more at stake than many working for the TSA but I can assure you that every person I work with has an impressive past and takes their job very seriously. I invite anyone reading this that is looking for additional income to apply. Pilots make very good screeners.




On a side note:

1900laker -- I wrote 'they' and not 'we' because I have been a pilot a lot longer than I have been a security screener. I still like to think of myself as a pilot. That is what I love to do. Maybe my airline will one day call me back and maybe they won't. Either way screening is paying our bills today. Thank you for keeping me honest on my unemployment status.

 

[1900laker]

Alright

Fair enough R.F.

Thanks for the clarification and the informative post. I withdraw my previous surly tone toward you. The TSA does overall seem to be doing a much better job than what was in place before. I have actually been greeted while going through security lately, which definately is a change from the past. I unfortunately did have a bad experience with this one particular screener in BWI, but I also realize that especially in a new organization you are going to have a) some bad apples and b) kinks that will work themselves out with time.

I know your situation is tough, and I understand somewhat how you feel. Thanks for hanging with the posts. A good debate is often the best way to a solution. Good luck on getting back to flying soon.

P.s. You will probably still see me b1tchin about security in replies to other posts, but I will try to temper that with what we discussed here. Feel free to jump in there again. Believe it or not, we definately trust a pilot behind the scenes over a non-pilot.

 

[Dep676]

R.F.

So let me get this straight. The TSA screeners are suppose to over look flight crew? That is the way I understood it from your post.

 

[RichardFitzwell]

R.F.

So let me get this straight. The TSA screeners are suppose to over look flight crew? That is the way I understood it from your post.

Here's what I wrote, "When a person passes through the walk through metal detector and it alarms, you will be asked to step aside to resolve the alarm. This further screening is performed regardless of being in uniform or not."

Therefore, anyone (flight crew included) who alarms walking through the metal detector will step aside for further screening. The secondary screener will resolve all alarms on the person who set off the walk through alarm either by wanding or by a limited pat down. If an alarm cannot be resolved, the person will be asked to step aside for a private screening. Unfortunately, this includes flight crew. If the person working on the X-Ray finds a possible or a potential threat, that bag will be searched (flight crew included) until the threat is resolved. No exceptions.

Once flight crew with identification and in uniform have been initially creared and enter the sterile area (the area beyond the walk through metal detector, including the boarding gates) they should not be asked to participate further in the continuous screening process (i.e. further screening at the gate). Pilots and F/As not in uniform are considered normal passengers and will be screened continuously.

This maybe different at airports not yet taken over by the TSA. These searches will be conducted in a professional manner and each person being screened will be treated with respect. If you feel you have not been treated in the manner you expect, contact a screening supervisor. I assure you the situation will be resolved and guidelines for disciplinary action are in place. I have not heard of the 'screw up and move up policy' at the TSA.

As you all know, the TSA is under a microscope right now. WE cannot afford to make mistakes. I totally understand and at one time supported the, "but we are at the controls" arguement. I still somewhat agree with it but WE, as screeners, must follow OUR rules enforcing prohibited items entering the sterile area. Should a flight crew member bring a prohibited item through security and loose control of it, the screeners will get blamed for letting it through security. The press has a field day with news like that and passengers become more afraid to travel. If and when pilots start carrying guns, things will certainly get tougher to control (only my opinion).

I would like to see something official from ALPA on flight crew procedures through security. I'd also like to see further progress towards the national identification process for flight crew. Hopefully soon.