Non-rev and commuting just got harder

[Rez O. Lewshun]

As reported in yesterday's ALPA FastRead NewsFlash, the Transportation Security Administration issued an Aviation Security Directive on enhanced security procedures for airport screening checkpoint operations, gate screening, and aircraft cabin searches. U.S. airlines began implementing those procedures yesterday.
ALPA has been getting reports of apparent misinterpretations of TSA’s intent in implementing these enhanced screening procedures. With limited exceptions, flight crews should not experience any significant changes in security measures. Once a working crewmember has entered a secure area through a screening checkpoint at the airport of origin, that crewmember should not be required to undergo repeat checkpoint screening. This means that a crewmember who is leaving a flight to commute or deadhead home should not be required to leave the secure area and go back through screening. However, when the crewmember changes status to a passenger, like other passengers, the crewmember will be subject to random secondary boarding gate screening.
ALPA members and MECs are requested to provide feedback to [email protected] about specific airports at which problems outside the intent of the Directive are encountered so that ALPA can address any problems.
ALPA continues to actively engage in dialogue with government and industry representatives to ensure that the Directive is implemented so the effect on flightcrew members will be minimal. Future FastReads will report any significant developments.

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[AV80R]

Who comes up with this stuff?

I believe the Comair gate agent who was non-reving while trying to smuggle in guns and dope into Puerto Rico a few weeks ago "came up" with those stupid rules for all of us.

I hope they don't give him a jail sentence but instead release him into a packed crew room so the people affected by his actions the most can "take care" of him in a prompt manner!

 

[jstyle13]

I got off my 4 day yesterday in ATL. Went thru security in ISP that morning. Never left the secure area. Went to the gate to commute home on Mainline (I'm ASA). Was told they couldn't activate me as a non-rev at the counter and that I would need to go out front to the main terminal, activate there, go thru security then I would be listed. I could however list as a jumpseater at the counter (which I did). I tried to show the gate agents the form that was on OURASA that said if we had never left the secure area that we didn't have to screen. The gate agents had a different paper from Delta that said you had to have been screened prior to being listed as a non-rev. The paper didn't say you had to be screened in ATL...just screened. They took that to mean in ATL, even though it just said screened.

No one seems to be on the same page on this thing. Dumb...just plain dumb is all it is anyways.

 

[Lear70]

I got off my 4 day yesterday in ATL. Went thru security in ISP that morning. Never left the secure area. Went to the gate to commute home on Mainline (I'm ASA). Was told they couldn't activate me as a non-rev at the counter and that I would need to go out front to the main terminal, activate there, go thru security then I would be listed. I could however list as a jumpseater at the counter (which I did). I tried to show the gate agents the form that was on OURASA that said if we had never left the secure area that we didn't have to screen. The gate agents had a different paper from Delta that said you had to have been screened prior to being listed as a non-rev. The paper didn't say you had to be screened in ATL...just screened. They took that to mean in ATL, even though it just said screened.

No one seems to be on the same page on this thing. Dumb...just plain dumb is all it is anyways.

ATL

Why am I not surprised.

DAL gate agents are THE WORST of any airline in the country, save possibly AA when it comes to jumpseating.

Same thing happened with jumpseats over the last year as DAL came online with unlimited reciprocal agreements. The gate agents were the last people in the chain who had the wrong information and were still turning people away with empty seats.

This will probably be similar - they're the first to get the information not to let people on and will be the last to know that being screened once at ANY station and remaining in the sterile area is OK.

This is why, until recently when we went live with CASS, I chose to drive 4 hours back and forth to ATL for the last year.

No offense intended to the great pilots at DAL who get us back and forth across the country and vice-versa - had a DAL pilot on board to PNS last week, very cool guy. It's just your gate agents... on a serious power trip.

 

[Tarzan]

Gate Nazis. As many things in this job that are utter BS, like waiting a hour for a gate or having to wait 45 minutes after push time for more go-juice, etc. Those are all annoyances but gate nazis get my goat. I am very thankful I no longer commute and have to kiss their butts to get on a plane.

 

[blesko]

Then the TSA needs to start screening ALL employees before we're taken onto the sterile side of the airport. To get on an employee bus, with luggage, then walk through the concouse with said luggage, exit the concourse then come and get re-screened is purely asinine.