CrewPass

[samballs]

I would have to say the add in USAToday on the 19th was the biggest waste of money. While I would like to have the pass already, and we were suppose to, it is not on the top of my list. That add cost a butt load of money, on something the public could care less about, they don't want us to not get checked they get checked and in their mind so should we. It seems like ALPA is fighting this so hard because they know it is something they will eventually win, since law was passed for us to get it.

I Think ALPA just wants to finally win a battle. Why not educate the public about were asleep at the controls more then were awake. How aout let the public know that on a 8 hour overnight we get about 3-4 hours sleep.
Just my thoughts, but this is not a battle the public cares about or will care about.

 

[DrewBlows]

Time to stop drinking and posting.

 

[Cardinal]

The guy we cut in front of at the x-ray machine line probably cares. He'd much rather have us sail past him than have a whole crew delay him for another 4 minutes.

I don't think there is wide public desire for airline crews to get screened to meet some fairness ideal. Even the dimmest pax (save the TSA morons) realizes a crewmember doesn't need a shank to do bad things. Joe Passenger just wants to run the gauntlet as quickly as possible, if we're not in the way that is clearly to his advantage.

 

[Chronic Jetlag]

What is an "add" in USA Today? Attention Deficit Disorder? Did you mean ad as an abbreviation for advertisement?

Did you also mean "We're asleep at the controls more than we're awake" and not "were asleep at the controls more then we're awake?" Maybe you should crack open a dictionary on one of your trips and learn the difference between "than" and "then". Your post is embarrassing.

 

[densoo]

The guy we cut in front of at the x-ray machine line probably cares. He'd much rather have us sail past him than have a whole crew delay him for another 4 minutes.

I don't think there is wide public desire for airline crews to get screened to meet some fairness ideal. Even the dimmest pax (save the TSA morons) realizes a crewmember doesn't need a shank to do bad things. Joe Passenger just wants to run the gauntlet as quickly as possible, if we're not in the way that is clearly to his advantage.

I’ve heard that in conjunction with the push of ALPA National to get the CrewPass ball rolling there could possibly be a designated day in the next several months in which all crewmembers will be asked to not jump the line at any domestic security checkpoint for crewmembers working a domestic flight (they don’t want to directly affect international ops).

On this designated day, all pilots will simply get in the regular security line (and not business/first/handicapped line) and let the schedule do what it will do. Likely, the whole system nationwide, will run late, perhaps very late. This would be at all domestic hubs and outstations for domestic flights only.

Nothing could better point out the ridiculousness of crewmembers going through security the way we currently do. The announced purpose of this day would be to point out the inconvenience that not having a CrewPass system poses to passengers.

The publicity would be something like:

“after getting to the airport four hours early, checking your bags, and getting in the security line and are nearly to the front, the last thing you need is a van load of crewmembers cut in front of you. Call your congressman to tell him you’re fed up with being treated like this”

and

“the FAA trusts this pilot with your life at the flight controls of a commercial airline, but it won’t trust him/her with his own bag?”

Any suggestions on what this day could be called?

Passenger Rights Day?

Security Sense Day?

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

What about this? Too inconvienent?

ALPA pilots are demanding the TSA implement CrewPASS Now! Join ALPA’s SPSC and your brother and sister pilots in sending a unified message that TSA’s snail-paced progress to improve the security screening process at passenger screening checkpoints is simply unacceptable.

Where: Washington National Airport When:Wednesday, March 19 NOON to 2 p.m. EST Where:Washington National Airport Meet inside US Airways baggage claim for briefing

 

[densoo]

What about this? Too inconvienent?

No! Not at all! Informational picketing will be a great way to bring attention to the problem. If there is little response from the FAA and congress, this don't-jump-the-line day could be just another part in an escalating process of bringing public awareness to the issue.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

No! Not at all! Informational picketing will be a great way to bring attention to the problem. If there is little response from the FAA and congress, this don't-jump-the-line day could be just another part in an escalating process of bringing public awareness to the issue.

And if the TSA catches wind of this and creates a dedicated crew only line? I like the idea... just looking at the angles..

 

[densoo]

And if the TSA catches wind of this and creates a dedicated crew only line? I like the idea... just looking at the angles..

My understanding is that the TSA is not the limiting factor with this whole thing. Actually, it seems they wrote the rules to allow crews to bypass 100% bagcheck security just as a LEO or FFDO do (or just about every other airline employer except for crews). Of course, everyone is subject to search at any time behind security.

All the TSA requires (and reasonably so IMO) is that the there is a verification of face to ID to database, no different that what gate agents do now to verify jumpseat riders. However, since this is now a manual process, and the TSA wasn't given the manpower to do this, it isn't done. There are exceptions.

Las Vegas is a good example. The city pays $5M/year for a contract to a limo company for drivers who are background checked and the for vehicles that have special inspection and storage rules. This is so the crews don't have to walk all over valued Las Vegas gamblers. Many crews go directly from the hotel to the gate via this arrangement. This city felt it was worth the cost. TSA is happy because the crews ids are satisfactorily verified, the city is happy because the customers are happy.

Most cities and airlines do not do this. Until there is public outcry as a result of a 60 Minutes-like expose', nothing will be done about it. One of two things have to happen.

The the cost of the [primarily first class] pax ire who has been line jumped by yet another crew has to be higher than the cost of fixing the problem.

An evening news video showing crews line jumping in front of women with children in baby carriages and in front of people in wheelchairs, which is what is going on now, will shame airlines into doing the right thing.

Both will affect the bottom line, and that is all that counts for the airline.

 

[Busdriver320]

I never understood why the "technology" is so difficult for the TSA to figure out (okay, that statement says it all in the first place, but...). I can walk up to any of hundreds of thousands of ATMs in this country and withdraw money from my bank account in seconds. If the money isn't in the account, the ATM won't give me any, period.
What's the problem TSA???

If my ATM card goes bad, I go to the bank and apply for a new one, and in the meantime I go to a teller and get my cash. If a crewpass card goes bad, now that CM jumps the line until the new one comes.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

What's the problem TSA???

.

money and control

 

[Freeze]

I never understood why the "technology" is so difficult for the TSA to figure out (okay, that statement says it all in the first place, but...). I can walk up to any of hundreds of thousands of ATMs in this country and withdraw money from my bank account in seconds. If the money isn't in the account, the ATM won't give me any, period.
What's the problem TSA???

If my ATM card goes bad, I go to the bank and apply for a new one, and in the meantime I go to a teller and get my cash. If a crewpass card goes bad, now that CM jumps the line until the new one comes.

It's called building your ivory tower and job security--just another government boondoggle!

 

[Mach 80]

TSA blog site

http://www.tsa.gov/blog/

Load this TSA blog web site about the issue so pasengers who read it will know what a waste of time and resources it is for crewmembers to have to step in front of them to be searched for scissors before being at the controls of the airplane.

 

[jke406]

What about this? Too inconvienent?

If you start picketing for every single gripe, the picket line is going to lose whatever public attention it has right now (if it has any at all).

What's next, picketing for more Starbucks stores in terminals to decrease wait time?

The public (and plenty of pilots) will yawn all the sooner.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

crewpass is a big deal to pilots... it is the top five...