It's been "time" since about circa 1988, when the feds made it mandatory for flight crews (and ONLY flight crews) to be screened as passengers, as a result of the PSA 1771 mass murder.
I find it sadly ironic that as a result of an ex ground ops workers actions, flight crews became subject to passenger screening, yet, the "trusted" ground ops types STILL access the SIDA through the back door.
The "logic" behind screening the only 2 employee groups (pilots and FA's) that don't need a weapon to "take over" the aircraft still baffles me, unless I consider the "public perception" angle. Then it makes perfect sense. Why actually increase security, when you can make the average Joe think it's more secure? What better way to do this than to have an easily identifiable, authority figure being subject to the same "increased" screening that Joe Public endures? The fact that I can waltz through the checkpoint naked and still fly the airplane into a building never even enters most folks minds. Pilfering small tools and toiletries from pilots does not make anyone more secure.
The bottom line is: Either we, as pilots, are trusted agents, or we are not. If we are not trusted, we should not have complete control of a potential weapon of mass destruction. If we are trusted, then we shouldn't be undressing every time we come to work.
How much sense is there in letting a new hire ramper access the "secure" area with nary a glance, whilst a 20 year airline captain is standing at passenger screening in his socks, getting felt up by a HS dropout, because he forgot to empty the change from his pocket?
Universal ID is the answer, and there is no GOOD reason that we didn't get them 14 years ago!
As for the topic of this thread........ The Greatest Security Show on Earth must go on!
