Frac Security Question

[SKYLAWYER]

Curious how often the frac pilots get the dreaded secondary security search. I understand the way the frac companies buy tickets (one way/last minute) this usually causes secondary screening. I lost my cool with the Tsa this morning and this got me to thinking about this question. I brought my elderly mother to the airport for a trip and decided to go with her to the gate. I am a 121 crewmember and was in the same terminal that only my carrier uses. This terminal even houses our operations area so clearing security there is a process that occurs often for me and I thought I had the procedure down to a science. After being waved through the machine with my coffee in hand by the agent at the medal detector, I was asked to go back through and place my coffee in through the machine by another agent. The first agent said no it's okay he's crew, but the other guy said exemptions were for crew in uniform only. I said okay and went back through the machine and placed my coffee in the bin. ( I don't think much of the TSA and therefore try not to argue, even though I've never had this happen uniform or not). The man then decided to mouth off about being tired of crewmembers always trying to do whatever they wanted. I laughed to myself but still ignored him. He was then very rude to my mother who decided to put on thin slippers (ballerina style) to avoid walking barefoot on the floor as her shoes went thought. (This is a well known and accepted protocol as flight attendants do it all the time) It was at this point that I lost it and let the agent know how much of an A@@hole I though he was. He called the supervisor expecting me to escorted from the concourse. To his surprise the supervisor addressed me by my first name and told me to stop causing trouble while laughing. He then walked with me to the gate and apologized for the incident. I will be leaving me 121 job for a position as a frac pilot next month. I know crew ID’s usually buy you a little slack when clearing security, however, I have seen a CS Capt and a NetJets FO getting their bags dumped once. I was angry just by looking at the process because I though it was BS to be treating people with heavy background checks this way. It seems a little easier on the NetJets guys because they have pilot uniforms similar to the airline guys. This might confuse some TSA screeners and buy you an easy secondary check. How is it for the other fracs like CS that do not use uniforms similar to airline guys? Any tips on how to best deal with or expedite the secondary screening process? How often does it seem to happen? Thanks for the info. I just know packing seven days worth of stuff and then having a screener go through and mess it all up would really aggravate me.

P.S. – How are they about letting you through with a bag slightly bigger than carry on size?

 

[old*art]

Once you fly several times with one airline the SSSS stops. However when we are scheduled on one we do not fly very often you can count on it. Sometimes the counter folks can get it taken off, but I personally view the process as job security and just smile thru it - in addition it drives the TSA folks crazy. Also it makes the public just shake their heads at the process when they see aircrews get the shakedown.

 

[jtf]

I've been fractional for 6 months and I've only had 2 times I didn't get the dreaded SSSS on the bottom of the ticket. One of the times the ticket agent was nice enough to exempt me (there was nobody behind me at the ticket counter- they don't seem to want to help much when busy). I'm registered in every airline frequent flier program and my flying has been pretty evenly distributed so maybe I just haven't flown any one enough to get exempted. Or maybe someone with my name is on "the list" and I will always get it. They have us show early enough that it is never really a problem, but it is a pain in the ass doing it every time.

 

[gunfyter]

Someone should have checked that FEDEX FE with the speargun and hammers.

 

[gutshotdraw]

Skylawyer,

As with all government entities, it depends on where you are. Home airport lets me walk through the detector with shoes on in uniform (the shoes are airport friendly: no metal and heel less than 1 inch) while other airports insist you take them off whether in uniform or not. Some let crew and passengers alike through the detector with coffee in hand while others insist it go through the x-ray. Some TSA's will wave you through and sign off your SSSS while others will give you the Dr. Procto exam.

I thought the whole idea behind a Federalized security force was to upgrade and STANDARDIZE airport security but what do I know. I'm just a taxpayer.

You will get tagged SSSS for a while until your profile with each airline reaches some kind of comfort level. In the meantime, all you can do is smile at the knucklehead ripping apart your bag and copping a cheap feel and laugh at the stupidity of our government's lame notion of security.

Two things to remember:

1. As the Israeli Mossad agent said to one of our pilots at Ben Gurion while interrogating him: "You look for weapons. We look for terrorists."

2. TSA means: Thousands Standing Around

 

[old*art]

A bit off subject, but one of the 800xp pilots told me he had breakfast one morning in Dulles with a bunch of TSA folks. They told him there were 150 of them room and board at the Marriott there cause they could not find "qualified" people in the DC area. Who knows how many more we are paying for elsewhere.

 

[gunfyter]

Careful ...

I may have to call a BeadWindow on you guys.

 

[ultrarunner]

Everyone needs this sticker on the bottom of their rollerboard as it goes through the machine:


I AM FLIGHT CREW...I AM NOT THE ENEMY.

 

[SAEflyer]

Someone should have checked that FEDEX FE with the speargun and hammers.

Unfortunatley back then, FedEx, didn't even have metal detectors, or security for that matter. That was a sad sad event. Things have changed since then...

 

[ultrarunner]

That was a sad sad event. Things have changed since then...

I bet they have!