Airport Security: Does It Exist?

[PilotOnTheRise]

You have to ask yourself whether or not airport security actually exists. Just how effective is it? I believe the 20 year old college student has shown us that airport security is still lacking, and on a large scale. It is mind boggling how someone can sneak box cutters, etc. on to two different airplanes at two different airports, in two different cities, hundreds of mile apart. Imagine if it had not been a guy trying to make a point, but an actual terrorist. I think this summarizes that there are huge holes in our airport security system(s).

I know personally my local airport has almost "0" security. It would take nothing to get into a place you should not be.

We have to look at the FBO's as well. Just how much security is being implemented at these places? I know at my local airport, one FBO specifically, has no security at all. You can basically chose your time of day, walk onto the ramp, without an ID badge or pilot/student license, and without being stopped once, get into an airplane and go fly. How safe is that? This FBO often barely has employees on duty, if at all. More often that not, there is an elderly flight instructor on duty, who sits in his office day dreaming, and sleeping half the time. He would not stop someone, or question someone, if 10 arabs walked in with shirts that said "terrorist" on them. Getting on to this ramp would give access to not only smaller aircraft, but possibly getting over to the terminal area, and larger business aircraft next door!

Not to bash that FBO, as I am sure many exist just like it. The question, however, is what hole the terrorists will sneak through next time. Smaller airports, smaller airplanes, through FBO's, is that the next step? Or, will they simply do what they did before, and hijack a jetliner, as it still appears pretty easy to do just that!

 

[outflying1]

YEAH, AIRPORT SECURITY EXISTS, TO MAKE PILOTS AND FLIGHT ATTENDANTS LIVES A LIVING HELL AND GIVE THE PUBLIC A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY BECAUSE..."LOOK EVEN THE PILOTS ARE GOING THROUGH SECURITY" .....WHILE LETTING THE GATE AGENTS AND RAMPERS GO STRAIGHT DOWNSTARIS AND BYPASS SECURITY. TSA IS THE BIGGEST WASTE OF OUR TAX MONEY IN HISTORY.....

 

[bart]

Airport security is a joke until some leaders are willing to risk the wrath of the democrat crybabies and go after terrorists rather than "weapons". I doubt twenty Arabs with boxcutters or even machine guns could commandeer a plane these days. I can guarantee that only democrats would stay in their seats and mind their own business in hopes they would be left alone. The rest of us would find a way to send the punks to Allah.

That being said, boxcutters never hijacked a plane. Arabs have used them to hijack airliners, but that is it. Come to think of it, has anyone but Arabs and maybe a stray Russian and Cuban ever hijacked a plane? I cannot think of one.

Its time the TSA began doing their job by preventing terrorists from boarding aircraft rather than weapons.

 

[PilotOnTheRise]

I agree. Security at airports, the way it is now, is worthless and more of a burden on the wrong people.

A while back, I met an ASA pilot I know at my local airport. He had a long layover, and invited me to see the plane, etc. I had my airport badge out and got through security with no problem. Ironically they stopped the pilot to search him. What is wrong with that picture?

I agree, it is not the weapons, but the people who hijack the planes, but if it is that easy for weapons to be brought onboard, than any terrorist who desires, can do so and hijack a plane.

Remember ... these terroirts use these weapons to hijack the planes. With the right weapons, you can prevent passengers from jumping you. And .. it also is showing how easy it is to bring a bomb on a plane, and just blow a plane loaded with passengers up in mid air.

 

[Typhoon1244]

Airport security is a joke until some leaders are willing to risk the wrath of the democrat crybabies and go after terrorists rather than "weapons."

If I may...

You're talking, in part, about "profiling." It's a process that I think is necessary and just. Arab men age eighteen to forty do deserve more attention at the airport than others do.

But we don't do that, do we? Why? Because Tom Daschle and the other "Democrat crybabies" started crying?

No, because the current administration decreed that everybody be treated exactly the same at the airport. Because before the dust had settled in New York and Washington, President Bush went out on a "hug-a-Muslim" campaign.