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

[Dep676]

No I am saying screen the people that need screened and not flight crews and little old grandma. Instead of wasting my money screening the flight crew trying to get home and see his/her family. Screen the real threats and if that means profiling to bad.

 

[RichardFitzwell]

Sorry that link didn't work. Try...www.tsa.gov

Then link to Travelers & Consumers in the upper left corner.


Dep676,

Like I said, you can't blame the screeners for NOT profiling. WE are not allowed to profile. I agree that would probably be more effective but IT IS NOT ALLOWED yet. I understand a 'legal' system of profiling is in the works but it is not currently being used. Until it is, WE as screeners are doing what WE can to make sure ALL prohibited items stay out of the sterile area.

Let me run a scenario by you to try to express my point. Lets say tomorrow we stop screening flight crew. Now a flight attendant decides he wants to protect himself by carrying a 12" blade strapped to his leg. Great!

Here's the problem. The next time he goes to the bathroom he finds can't sit down. He sets the knife on the back of the toilet in the men's room at the gate. Boarding is called and he runs out of the bathroom leaving the knife for the next passenger to find. Can you guess who will get blamed for the knife being in the sterile area? Answer = TSA.

I realize this might be an extreme example but it could happen. You can't please all the people all the time. Right now WE are trying to be more safe than sorry. Our jobs and future depend on it.

The fact that this is an inconvenience to you when you are jumpseating is simply tough sh!t! Being furloughed for me has also been an inconvenience. Live with it!

 

[Dep676]

R Fitzwell

Fitzwell,

Rationalizing. That what your posts sound like. You being a pilot and a supervisor should have some voice in profiling and hurry it up. Instead of profling flight crews and grandma. That's what it looks like right now. If the people that fit the profile don't like it move or don't fly.

I am not saying that flight crews shouldn't go through metal detectors. That is where the 12" blade would be found.

I have a flight crews tell me that they get picked at the first check piont and the gate. There should be a way to tell of a person has already been screened. Unless they don't trust the first screeners to do their jobs. Which we know how government workers do their jobs.

Explain how all these reporters got through checkpoints this weekend with knives and pepper spray? I have a feeling the screeners overlooked them because they weren't in uniforms or a 80 year old lady.

Now lets not say profiling isn't going on. Let's just start on the right people.

 

[1900laker]

Fitz,

Thanks for posting that link to the TSA. I read through the list and now see where the screener "interpreted" my maglight as a heavy tool, and thus should prohibit it.

But I also realized that instead of just bashing you on this website to speak up within the TSA with 1 voice, that website has an excellent way for us to send the TSA our thoughts.

So that is what we should be doing as flight crew with complaints.... go to the TSA website and send them e-mail from there. Perhaps after enough complaints, the managers will realize the big problems we are sometimes having. And be honest... It doesn't take any longer to complain by typing here than it would there. Just cut and paste....

What do you think guys/gals?

 

[katanabob]

Perhaps I missed an address to this point earlier, (and while it's not exactly related to screening of flight crews, it is quite pertinent to security in general) but who screens the screeners? Yes, this is another Catch-22 type element, but when the aforementioned screeners show up to work in the morning and are the first ones there, (in the cases of those airports which may not operate 24/7) how is there any guarantee that they won't become agents to smuggle items across the invisible line?
It seems to me that the reason for screening pilots is ridiculous, however, it would seem relatively easy to get hired as a screener and funnel things through. No?
-charlie

 

[RichardFitzwell]

Re: R Fitzwell

You being a pilot and a supervisor should have some voice in profiling and hurry it up.

Are you trying to be ignorant?

I am done trying to convince you. You seem to be very concerned about the money being spent on airport security and don't have any suggestions other than your 'profile first and shoot to kill later bull sh!t.'

Are you really even a pilot? I will guarantee our government spends far more money in less productive areas than airport security. As a pilot you should be all for better security.

 

[1900laker]

Hey Charles,

Not just the screeners, but the caterers, mechanics, ramp personnel. Many airports still have these employees accessing the airport with no screening whatsoever. I won't name the airport for security reasons, but the only thing between the street and the tarmac, is a gate in the fence, with one of those 5 digit cyphers, and we all know you can figure those out pretty quick, or set up a little surveilance to find the combo. Pilot uniforms? Try coveralls. It once again brings it home that if our security screening is not 100% effective (as it has proven not to be), then you have to take security on the plane; airmarshalls and armed pilots as a last line of defense.

 

[RichardFitzwell]

Perhaps I missed an address to this point earlier, (and while it's not exactly related to screening of flight crews, it is quite pertinent to security in general) but who screens the screeners? Yes, this is another Catch-22 type element, but when the aforementioned screeners show up to work in the morning and are the first ones there, (in the cases of those airports which may not operate 24/7) how is there any guarantee that they won't become agents to smuggle items across the invisible line?
It seems to me that the reason for screening pilots is ridiculous, however, it would seem relatively easy to get hired as a screener and funnel things through. No?
-charlie

charlie,

I can't speak for all airports but where I work, screeners screen screeners. We all have had our backgrounds checked by an outside company and we all have clean records. Also all screeners are under very strict supervision.

Everytime I leave security I must pass back through the same screening process you do. I have metal shanks in my shoes so they must come off and be run through x-ray separate. I have found that by walking through the metal detector slower than normal, I have better chance of getting through without sounding the alarm. Again, this may be airport specific.