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GEG Screener reports alcohol odor; United flight canceled

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canyonblue

Everyone loves Southwest
Joined
Nov 26, 2001
Posts
2,314
More crap from the jacka$$ TSA

[font=verdana, arial, helvetica]SPOKANE -- A United Airlines flight from Spokane to Denver was canceled by the airline Tuesday after a security screener reported an odor of alcohol coming from a small group of United crew members, a Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman said.

A United Airlines spokesman, who called it a "false alarm," said a female pilot was tested, with local law enforcement present, and was found to be sober.

Still, Flight 1186, which had been scheduled to depart Spokane International Airport at 2:30 p.m. with 110 passengers, was canceled. Airline operations staff decided the screening issue would take time to sort out and thus made the decision to cancel the flight, said Stephan Roth, a United spokesman in Chicago.

"The screener thought they detected a smell of alcohol" coming from a small group of uniformed United crew members, Lauren Stover, TSA eastern field director, said Tuesday night in a telephone interview. She was the designated after-hours TSA spokeswoman.

"The screener took appropriate steps to advise their supervisor, and the supervisor contacted local law enforcement," Stover said, adding she did not know if the screener was a man or a woman.

Stover said the screener did not key in on one specific United crew member.

United advised TSA it would handle the matter internally, Stover said.

Roth refused to identify the pilot or specify what tests were used.

Passengers were either put on alternative flights or were put up for the night in Spokane at United's expense, Roth said.

"It was an unfortunate false alarm," Roth said, adding the incident was handled according to procedures of the federal Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration.

A Spokane airport spokesman referred inquiries to TSA.
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Funny coincidence...

That same afternoon I got a "random" drug and alcohol test after my flight from DFW to GEG....kinda makes you wonder.....
 
Next step Breathalizer before crew are allowed through an TSA checkpoint.

Why don't they stop the PAX who are so effed up they can hardly walk and stop sniffing around pilots. Or better yet Bean diet for all flight crew until TSA learns not to sniff my a$$ when I'm going to work.

Are they liable to UAL for the expense of a flight cancelation and rerouting of pax,or loss of pay for the crew?

Jobear
Looking forward to farting on the TSA:p
 
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Call me cynical, but I think it just might be that some TSA types might just get a giant boner from the idea of busting a pilot. Envy, perhaps.
 
Wow, I'm surprised the TSA guys got up and tried to do something about the "threat." That must be why there's five extra agents sitting around doing nothing at every checkpoint.
 
jobear said:
Are they liable to UAL for the expense of a flight cancelation and rerouting of pax,or loss of pay for the crew?

Jobear
Looking forward to farting on the TSA:p
Jo,

The TSA has NO accountability whatsoever. That is why we keep reading about incidents like this where someone who has no training in detecting intoxicated individuals is cancelling a flight for no reason. The article said the passengers were put up for the night at United's expense. Why weren't they put up at the TSA's expense?

Don't get me wrong, if a crewmember shows up drunk I hope they throw the book at him/her. But if someone is going to make the accusation, they better be **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**ed sure of what they're talking about, instead of this "I smelled something coming from a group of people" crap!

If there are any TSA professionals on the board, I'd be interested in hearing your opinion of this situation.

C425Driver
 
Has anybody else ever had a screener get right up close, as if trying to smell some Jack Daniels on you early in the morning, and be a hero?
 
100LL... Again! said:
Call me cynical, but I think it just might be that some TSA types might just get a giant boner from the idea of busting a pilot. Envy, perhaps.
Along with 90 year old folks and thier shoe bombs. Makes me sick when I see them frisking an elderly who can barely stand on thier own
 
I have to agree with C425Driver, acccountability is a very key word regarding this kind of B.S. but there isnt any, look who runs it and who they hire.
5 months ago one of our F/O's was accused of being "under the influence" by the TSA in SEA. 6 Port Police Officers showed up and removed him from the flight to BOS. Guess what, both breath tests and drug test were passed. Now after several hours the flight was cancelled due to the kind of accusation and delays. It was their accusation and should be their responsibility, PERIOD.
I have no problem with the TSA trying to do what they are suppose to and I will go throught their little dog and pony show to make my way to the gate but it is very hard not to lose respect or resent a person who may have a few days of "on the job training" and acts like they are saving the world...........whatever.
I try really hard to zip my mouth just about every time through. I only hope I can do so for the next 23 years. All try if you can...............

Fly safe.................Mittro
 
It says that Untied will handle the matter "internally". What is there to handle? As I understand this the crewmembers were not drinking. What needs to be handled?
 
skykid said:
Has anybody else ever had a screener get right up close, as if trying to smell some Jack Daniels on you early in the morning, and be a hero?
My last trip I flew I had one of the Thousand Standing Around get up in my face as I was collecting my bags off the belt. He started asking me questions about my layover, where ya' headed, where are you based, etc... I just looked at the guy like he was nuts, made no response and walked away. My first instinct was to tell him to mind his own business, but I usually don't like to engage these clowns in conversation, so I thought better of it and just walked away. In light of this incident at GEG and others, I think I made the right choice.
 
I'll give them something to smell. Here's what we need to do. We need to start saving up our H-bombs for when we pass through security. We all need to eat a cold taco bell burrito or something the night before and let it loose when we pass through security. If we stand unified on this we can make their jobs a living hell. Let's do it really. I'm in.
 
You bet they're trying to be a hero. Those guys in MIA probably got medals from General Ridge for busting the AWA crew.

It's not just the TSA. In Indiana, random drug and alcohol stops were declared unconstitutional(a small problem with unreasonable search and siezure...) so now when a cop pulls you over, they can claim they smelled alcohol on your breath and begin the stupid human tricks. :mad:

I hope they keep having these false alarms--maybe the airlines will put the screws to the government to get them to back off!TC
 
DDpaysoff, I usually save the air biscuit for the train ride to concourse B, but I'll let it go early, no prob. I'm in. Might as well be a part of something constructive with this message board, make a positive change in the world.
 
Cool. Spread the word. We had this one male FA one time who had a gas problem, and to avoid emabarrasment he always came up to the galley during flight to let one go. After three days of this crap my captain and I decided to him back. Had taco bell the night before, and ate hard boiled eggs for breakfeast. I also took a shot of malt vinegar when I left my room. During the preflight we must have made four trips to his galley to release the bombs. Nothing like cracking up at 5:15 a.m. I really felt sorry for the pax though. On the CRJ, they board right at the galley. We held out as long as we could for boarding. It was classic.
 
Just to touch off on what lowlycfi said, came off a reduce rest layover in CLT and these TSA losers mistaken fatigue for intoxication, used the same tactic in trying to make conservation of my trip for the day, type of a/c flying, etc. I chuckled and did the same thing, just walked away.

The sandman and I are going to hang out for serveral hours, C yaw.
 
I chuckled and did the same thing, just walked away.


I hope next time you will squeeze cheese and then walk away. Get on board folks, we've got a guy here slugging down vinegar - show some support.
 
C425Driver said:
If there are any TSA professionals on the board, I'd be interested in hearing your opinion of this situation.

C425Driver
Now there is an oxyMORON!
PBR
 

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