Gorilla
King of Belize
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2005
- Posts
- 1,132
So there I am dragging my crap thru the terminal D TSA security point. Behind me is a dude in a uniform with a set of two-stripe epaulettes. He looked clean, scrubbed, nervous, and about 21 years old. I thought "Must be a foreign carrier's FA or something." Then, I noticed he had a cheap vinyl bag with "American Flyers" printed on it.
As we go through the magnetometer, I show my ID to the lady like I've done every time I've shown up to fly. Then, as the kid goes through, they ask him for an ID.
He has a deer-in-the-headlights look, and then begins to dig through his wallet. He comes up with a cheap-looking plastic ID. They wave him right on through as "crew."
I'm really suspicious now. What crew member doesn't know they need an ID to get through security? Unfortunately I'm late for sign-in. I hustle to a computer, sign in, then go back to the checkpoint. I ask to talk to the TSA supervisor. I then described what I saw, and asked "What business does 'American Flyer' have at DFW on the secure side without a boarding pass?"
"Aren't they a carrier?" He asks. "No. You just let a guy through with a mail-order uniform and God-knows what sort of ID."
He thanked me, promised to look into it.
Now my question for the esteemed assemblage - what business DOES American Flyer have at DFW that requires an unescorted guy in a costume to be wandering around on the secure side? This angers me. We pay those clowns at the TSA good money, and this episode just proved to me that you can get through with stuff you can order through the mail. What gives?
As we go through the magnetometer, I show my ID to the lady like I've done every time I've shown up to fly. Then, as the kid goes through, they ask him for an ID.
He has a deer-in-the-headlights look, and then begins to dig through his wallet. He comes up with a cheap-looking plastic ID. They wave him right on through as "crew."
I'm really suspicious now. What crew member doesn't know they need an ID to get through security? Unfortunately I'm late for sign-in. I hustle to a computer, sign in, then go back to the checkpoint. I ask to talk to the TSA supervisor. I then described what I saw, and asked "What business does 'American Flyer' have at DFW on the secure side without a boarding pass?"
"Aren't they a carrier?" He asks. "No. You just let a guy through with a mail-order uniform and God-knows what sort of ID."
He thanked me, promised to look into it.
Now my question for the esteemed assemblage - what business DOES American Flyer have at DFW that requires an unescorted guy in a costume to be wandering around on the secure side? This angers me. We pay those clowns at the TSA good money, and this episode just proved to me that you can get through with stuff you can order through the mail. What gives?
