Another reason to drive

[chawbein]

I LOVE the TSA. This will surely help get people flying again.

Article

 

[SenorSpielbergo]

I wonder what they'll do with those 1650 firearms they've confiscated? Perhaps an auction? If there's an H&K USP .45 I'd like to bid.

 

[JeffSKDTW]

 

[wms]

''Attitude'' is listed among the ''aggravating factors'' that can result in a fine. Other criteria include the type of item, evidence of a passenger's intent and history of previous violations. Civil penalties now range from $250 to $10,000

Why fine passengers if the attitude of the TSA is aggravating?

 

[dispatchguy]

I hate the TSA more and more each day....

Nothing but a bunch of otherwise unemployable dregs in uniform.

When we have an unruly pax on a flight - they get a warning first for crying out loud before we start taking action.

Here, its an automatic fine - with no prenotice - where the he11 is the due process in that? I hope that congresscritter's hearings are successful, and they get their fine schedule shoved right up their arse.

I wonder what the fine for a good "kiss my arse" would be?

I really hate those guys...

 

[urflyingme?!]

I had a pewter arrowhead shaped tie clip in my carry-on last week when flying from DEN to SFO. Im not sure which was worse the fact that they didnt see the 1 inch solid ARROWHEAD shaped piece of metal(its clearly defined, almost comically) or the llok of terror on the two x-ray operators when they discovered it...

"...Gulp...Um..Sir, can we..look in you bag....?"

I started laughing immediately when they found it, as I had forgotten it was in there. then they let me keep it.

 

[mar]

Jerks

I was deadheading to work on a passenger carrier. All I had was my flight bag...and I happen to carry a Leatherman in my flight bag...and I forgot to take it out.

Get this.

I make it through the x-ray but I get singled out for "additional screening" due to my one-way non-rev ticket. I suppose not checking any bags just made it worse...

So anyway, the TSA chick is riffling through my stuff and she makes some comment about my Jepps and headsets and that I must be a pilot. I congratulate her (with no attitude) on her perceptive prowess and confirm the name of the company I work for...

...and then she finds my Leatherman.

Long story short: Flight is late, no time to mail it to myself; ticket agent won't agree to hold it for me; no container to gate-check it.

Finally I give-in. "Keep it."

So I abandon my $60 multi-purpose tool with my name engraved and I'm thinking, "I'll be back..."

When I got back the next day I went straight to security and talked to the airport police guy that guards the x-ray area.

I explain what happened and asked if he'd seen a Leatherman with my name engraved on it--shouldn't be hard to miss...

Sure he'd seen it; in the patrol car. The cops can just keep whatever gets left behind.

So if you were to ask me about the 1650 guns that have been confiscated nationwide I would be very surprised to know that every single one of them is still accounted for...

...things that make you go, Hmm.

 

[SenorSpielbergo]

Hmmmm.....very interesting.

 

[Wankel7]

TSA, they found my carrot pealer! I had to give it up. I wonder if some cop is peeling his carrot somewhere in a dark alley?

Wankel

 

[dsee8driver]

D Cell

We got a voicemail from our company a few days ago regarding the TSA and D Cell mag flashlights. It said that "AT SOME AIRPORTS" the TSA is confiscating D cell mag flashlights because they can be used as a weapon. So I had to change the one in my flight case to a "c" cell since I don't check my flightbag.

"T"hose "S"tupid "A"holes!

 

[dispatchguy]

Doesnt some FAR somewhere mandate D-cell flashlights?

And on a lighter side of our incompetent friends at the TSA...

The TSA: The Fun Just Keeps Coming: We are sooo much more secure from terror, now that the TSA's on the scene. Let's catch up on all the latest...

On January 9 at DFW, a carry-on tested positive for a plastic explosive. The passenger simply took the bag and continued on into the terminal. The crack team of TSA screeners took a leisurely 32 minutes before they bothered to inform the police officer that was standing less than 15 feet away. Three terminals were shut down, but the passenger was never found.... A man easily got around security at LAX, and deposited himself in a lavatory on a Delta plane, only to be discovered by other passengers... A screener at Denver was arrested for stealing money out of at least one passenger's luggage... A New York TV station, in an investigative report, indicates the theft problem there may be very widespread... The investigation also found that of 40 screeners going through re-certification training, only 2 passed. But the other 38 were allowed to keep on the job. The TSA reportedly solved the problem by simply not doing any more testing. Yessir, that's what Jane Garvey, Cathal Flynn, and all your FAA AVSEC favorites did with Red Teams before 9/11. If the findings are unpleasant, just don't do anymore testing... We shouldn't be too concerned about theft or incompetence, however. That's just minor stuff. It's now open knowledge that the hiring and background check process for screeners let all manner of much worse human debris into the TSA and onto allegedly secure parts of our airports. Almost 2,000 of the initial screener hires had bogus backgrounds, including crimes and felonies. And that's just what the TSA is admitting to. Remember, this is not an organization whose management has earned merit badges for honesty. Reality: think ten times that number, at least in terms of potential botched background checks.... Remember the firm brought in by the TSA to do the screening and hiring? They were just a little over budget - like $600 million over. Mineta and Loy still claim the firm did a great job... In Philadelphia, the FSD has now been officially canned for funny hiring practices, including a relative... Another TSA supervisor has been suspended, allegedly for charging subordinates money to be considered for promotions... The TSA last month tried to muzzle public testimony regarding security failures at Rochester, New York last summer. Too late, it's already on the web, guys... In late October, the always entertaining if not particularly honest Admiral James Loy testified to congress that the TSA didn't have any severe turnover problems. He said something like ten percent. Last week the Homeland Security folks testified that it's more like 36% in some cases...

Earth to Congress: With these guys in control, it's now officially open season on our aviation system...

Cash-Strapped, But Still Party Animals: Forget sloppy work and management incompetence, the TSA does know how to party. This wonderful organization, which vapor-brained congressmen like James Oberstar claim is short-funded, spent a reported $200,000 on one awards dinner last November, held at the posh Washington Grand Hyatt Hotel. The keynote speaker, naturally, was Admiral Loy. This was about the same time that the TSA lavished $1.6 million in performance bonuses on top managers. Yessir, with performances like those outlined one paragraph up, one can see why Loy, et al would reward them...

Wonder what the "9/11 Commission" thinks about all this. Heck, for all we know, some of the members and their staff may have attended the gala. Bet they're party animals, too.

© 2004 The Boyd Group/ASRC, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

[Wankel7]

Yeah, at least part 135 one of the crew memebers is supposed to have one. I guess if it is a prob the 135 operators could install flashlights in the flight deck.

Section 135.159: Equipment requirements: Carrying passengers under VFR at night or under VFR over-the-top conditions.
.........
3) A flashlight having at least two size "D" cells or equivalent.

So does that mean freight dogs don't need one?

I never noticed that before.

Wankel

 

[Dragonbravo]

Several months ago I was deadheading, therefore in uniform. I have everything down to a science, but the metal detectors at my home airport are so sesitive I think my fillings set them off. So naturally I alarm. The polite TSA agent proceeds to run down the how and why of what just happened, while I'm in uniform obviously doing this for the very first time. I am directed to a screening area where I assume the position before another TSA agent politely explains to me the positon. Again while I am in uniform, obviously a rookie. One problem though, I still have my blazer on. No problem, I take it off and hand it to the agent sets it on the chair and proceeds to wand me. Big surprise, no alarms. The polite agent then HANDS ME BACK THE BLAZER WITHOUT CHECKING IT AND BIDS ME A GOOD DAY!!! So lesson learned, sew your submachine gun into your jacket lining and your good to go.