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OPECJet

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Joined
Nov 7, 2003
Posts
2,312
I was on the ramp the other day and approached by a person not displaying a badge. She asked a few questions, and before I felt like I had a chance to ask her for ID, she chastized me for not challenging her. I fully intended to do so, but didn't want to be a prick by interrupting. Turned out she was TSA.

Long story short, I should have interrupted her and asked for an ID immediately. Don't do what I did. Ask immediately if you see someone on the ramp who doesn't look like they should be there. Don't give them the chance to set the trap I fell in to.

I don't know what, if anything wil become of this, but I think legal action is a possibility if they choose to pursue it. I had to fill out an incident report, and call the CP to self disclose. Save yourself the trouble and challenge anyone who doesn't belong. Tackle if they're TSA....;)
 
I've seen this before. You have to challenge right away. I think it was a company person who did it to me.
 
Tell them to get bent dude... Common courtesy still applies to your co-workers... and 99.9% of the time it's not someone trying to justify their job.

Focker OUT!
 
Lousy trick, but I've seen it before.

A few years ago, sitting at Gate 1B at the USAirways gates in LGA, we were boarding up our people, getting ready to go. For those of you familiar with that operation, or probably most regional operations (several planes at each gate, often boarding and/or deplaning more than flight at one time, with often only one gate agent to herd people in the right direction), it's often chaos, people heading towards the wrong plane, or not being able to find the stairs up the jetway, etc.

I just happened to be looking at the door in the corner of the building, on the ground floor, when some guy in a business clothes just strolls out (not from the usual boarding doorway). No ID visible, he could have very easily blended right in with the passengers. So I casually point it out to the captain, he points it out to the gate agent through the cockpit window, and she challenges him. Turns out he was FAA and was doing just what your TSA person was doing. But in this case, he only got about 15 feet from the door before he got stopped, but it was just pure dumb luck I happened to be looking at the door when he came out.
 
If they are gurls normally I throw them to the ground and sit on their back, rip their pants off while screaming "ID CHECK" Once I have a visual then I whip out my handy 'TSA vaginal comparison chart' which is kind of like one of those airplane silhouette charts they used in WWII. If there is a positive match then I release them and thank them for a job well done.

If its a guy then I just start speaking in tongues and run across the ramp doing a ballerina twirl every 20 ft or so until I can duck under a baggage cart.
 
OPECJet- that really sucks dude. I'm kinda quiet and reserved and I would have handled that situation the exact same way. Thanks for the heads up on that.
 
We used to have a program up in EWR where the Port Authority guys would do that. If you busted them they'd give you a $50 check. Actually got one once.
 
No problem. Just wanted to spread the word that they are out there turning tricks... err... playing tricks.....
 
This really pisses me off. While I agree we should all be vigilant, it's not your job to make sure people who aren't supposed to be on the ramp don't get or stay there- it's the TSA's job. This may come as a complete shock to them, but, we aren't the security guards....they are. Heres an idea for them....they obviously have the manpower to spare to send someone walking around trying to bust those not doing anything wrong. How about she just walk around actively looking for people who aren't wearing ID's herself and let the rest of us worry about doing our own jobs? God knows they have enough people standing around those security checkpoints doing nothing all day.

If I was in the same position, I would expect maybe a small lecture on the importance of remaining vigilant and how security if everyones job etc... But to go ahead and write a report and cause trouble over this is BS.
 
Here's what you do... use your cell phone to call 911 before approaching the person. Tell law enforcement that you believe that there is an armed individual on the ramp with no id. That'll put a stop to these BS tests.
 

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