Captain removing SS agent from aircraft

[fulcrum]

i think the same flight might have been a little safer if an armed secret service agent was on board
fulcrum

 

[ifly4food]

i think the same flight might have been a little safer if an armed secret service agent was on board
fulcrum

You're still missing the point. the Captain booted him because he couldn't verify in the alloted time that he was indeed a secret service agent. The Captain didn't want to allow an armed individual on board who he wasn't 120% certain that person was legit. If this person wasn't a real ss agent, it deffinitely wouldn't have been a safe right. Better safe than sorry in this circumstance.
Besides, as I said before there may have been other events. Perhaps the agent got smart mouthed with the captain or they had some sort of personality conflict. Also, the agent's paperwork was inconsistent.
Bottom line... it was the Captain's decision.

 

[EagleRJ]

The Captain acted with prudence and good judgement. In this age of terrorism, inkjet printers, and Ebay, false credentials and stolen uniforms are a valid threat. If someone who is of Arab descent wants to board my plane carrying a gun, his credentials and paperwork had better be spotless, or he is going to take the bus. He may get upset and cry racism, but that's just the way it's going to be.
In my opinion, the USSS agent showed incredible conceit and unprofessionalism by making a media scene out of this and filing lawsuits. He of all people should understand that meeting this threat will involve some personal inconvenience for all of us.

 

[MLBWINGBORN]

It would appear that the agent in question clearly over stepped his bounds..

USSS is clearly responcible for the safety of the protectee in matters of ground operations..However..In matters if civil flight operations, the Pilot In Command is directly responsible for,and is the final authority of the safe operation of the aircraft..

He can and has on several occasions superceded the USSS in matters of flight operations..

After having dealt with the USSS on nearly a daily basis for three years, i have had very few problems with any agents involved with the special details..

But..I did have an agent refuse to present his credentials to my co Captain while working a detail on a chartered aircraft during the last Presidential election ..As a result he was denied boarding..

Part of our preflight envolved determining who had what and where it was on the aircraft..This included authorization to carry weapons on board..

To make a long story short...After a very private conversation with the agent in charge of the detail..They both very politely presented their credentails and the one agent was made to apologize for his behavior..

Our company later recieved a nice letter concerning our handling of the matter..

While i wasnt there..I would guess there is more to this story than what has been reported..

MLBWINGBORN

 

[MetroSheriff]

Re: irresponsible captain

that captain was probably a hillbilly who just couldnt believe that an arab could be a ss agent ,well his stupidity is going to cost the airline and the industry , he could have checked out the agents credentials in a few minutes if he really wanted to
fulcrum

Fulcrum,

That has got to be one of the most assinine posts that I have seen in quite some time.

 

[skydash]

USSS

The Captain had every right to toss the agent,period. The FAR's state that the PIC is responsibe for,and the final authority over the operation of his/her aircraft. Becoming a Captain at a Major isn't the easiest thing to do,and usually the people who sit in that seat are pretty darn sharp.If he had a problem with the agents verification,it's his right and duty to deny boarding. If you sit in that seat and take the big bucks,you gotta make the tough choices. He made the right one.

 

[publisher]

Right

Who is asserting that the captain did not have the right.

The point is that there are systems in place to verify if one wants to make the effort. None of us know whether or not that effort took place or what took place/

He had the right, that does not make him right. We cannot let this get to where the captain stands at the door and is the arbitrator of who gets on or who doesn't.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

I heard from an AA buddy of mine that when the credentials were questioned, the SS guy got huffy, so the Capt told him to take a hike. I would have booted his ass too. If the SS guy would have been mature and cooperative, I can't imagine any crew not taking the time to verify his credentials. But, just how much effort are they going to put into helping a jerk? I am guessing ethnicity had about as much to do with this as Dan Rather's chance of winning the decathalon in the next Olympics.

 

[skydash]

Right

Until the FARs are rewritten,the Captain CAN stand at the door and say who can and can't board. It's his baby!! Who do you think the first person they're gonna go to is if something goes wrong??Not that USSS agent who got his weiner stepped on!

 

[Wiggums]

You'd think that if there was a group of people that could sympathize with the aviation's industries security woes it would be the Secret Service. If an airline pilot was going to ride Air Force One with the President, and there was a paperwork problem I'd bet the Secret Service would proceed very carefully. Unfortunately, an airline captain has only a few minutes to make a call either way. If I was the captain I would exercise EXTERME caution before letting someone who is questionable board my flight with a loaded gun.You'd also think that someone who works for the President would think a little more before bring a lawsuit.