Plot to blow up planes foiled

[smellthejeta]

Jesus Christ.

I fly NW on the long hauls and WN on the short stuff (I like the letters "N" and "W" okay?) and will probably do close to 100,000 miles this year. But goddamit, I haven't checked a bag in five years (old habit from the airlines) and I'm not going to start now. And I ain't going to by a bottle of friggin' toothpaste every time I go somewhere. Hm, you think I should buy a travel tube and stick it in my sock?

If anything is going to kill WN as an airline, something like this will.

The problem all of these TSA airheads don't understand is that there is only so much you can do at the security checkpoint. There is no such thing as 100% safe. They all forget about the miles of permiter fence around an airport that is nothing more than a chain link fence. They can plug the checkpoint hole all they want, but there's always going to be another way to take out an airliner.

Let's look at the bright side -- all of us that make our living in corporate aviation will have plenty of job security now.

All of that aside, what is the best way to tell Washington that they can shove it up their ass?

 

[Guitar rocker]

Jesus Christ.

I fly NW on the long hauls and WN on the short stuff (I like the letters "N" and "W" okay?) and will probably do close to 100,000 miles this year. But goddamit, I haven't checked a bag in five years (old habit from the airlines) and I'm not going to start now. And I ain't going to by a bottle of friggin' toothpaste every time I go somewhere. Hm, you think I should buy a travel tube and stick it in my sock?

If anything is going to kill WN as an airline, something like this will.

The problem all of these TSA airheads don't understand is that there is only so much you can do at the security checkpoint. There is no such thing as 100% safe. They all forget about the miles of permiter fence around an airport that is nothing more than a chain link fence. They can plug the checkpoint hole all they want, but there's always going to be another way to take out an airliner.

Let's look at the bright side -- all of us that make our living in corporate aviation will have plenty of job security now.

All of that aside, what is the best way to tell Washington that they can shove it up their ass?

Well said. Heck, an A-rab and gang can rent a 172, then fly into some bigger airport like Boston or ATL and now he's on the ramp. Never went through security or nothin! Meet up with Achmed who works at some airline and they can do whatever they want and have access to all the aircraft out there. Dont see the TSA doing much to prevent that. Like you said, thats a big fence around the airport. Even Boston.....I mean, you could take a boat out there and be on airport property no problem.

But the folks that have to pay the price is the avergae traveller. No toothpaste, no mouthwash, no carry ons. Oh yah, make sure we pull over corporate pilots with one way tickets and gramma and little kids for the extra special search. That will really help out as it has already!

 

[smellthejeta]

When I worked at an unnamed Part 139 airport (hub for a major airline, though), I did some time at the airlines as well as an FBO. We could drive the FBO van through the manned security gate without being checked, hang a left, swipe our ID at an unmanned access gate, and we were home free with the airliners.

I'm thinking for PR purposes, my current FBO should have complimentary tubes of toothpaste for the frax guys that have theirs confiscated.

I could live with the nail file being contraband.

I could live without a cigarette lighter.

I could eat with a plastic fork and knife.

But my god. I never thought I'd see the day when goddamn shampoo and toothpaste were contraband. Seriously, if it gets any worse, the airlines are toast -- especially WN, king of short haul.

 

[TrafficInSight]

WN may be toast but think of the flight school recruiting opportunities.

"4th tube of toothpaste this week? Fly yourself!"

 

[ksu_aviator]

In the end, you will have to go through 2 lines of security, or at least 2 security checks. The first to check for the usuals, the second to screen liquids similar to how they test your bags for explosives now. Litmus paper type of test that they place a small bit of liquid on it to see if it is a banned substance.