TSA Security Nazis At Work

[Anaconda]

mtp2atp at least you get to carry your hat instead of putting it in the machine to be crushed by bags...

and check this out...in mco yesterday as i was going through security it was taking forever for the bags to go through the x-ray machine. the screener turned to me and said "it must be because of all that alcohol you have in your bag"...ha ha...

nothwithstanding that little remark, things are running a lot better in mco then they were a week or so ago. however, i noticed they got rid of the "badged employees only" line, which they never used anyway...

 

[Typhoon1244]

In mco yesterday as i was going through security it was taking forever for the bags to go through the x-ray machine. The screener turned to me and said "it must be because of all that alcohol you have in your bag"

Holy cow!

You reported to this, right? You informed your captain and chief pilot and requested a test, right? Tell me you didn't let this little s.o.b. get away with a crack like that in front of other people! If that happened in DFW I'd be on the cellphone to (1) my chief pilot, (2) the GSC, (3) my ALPA rep., and (4) my lawyer on the spot!

 

[Anaconda]

i must confess that in my haste to get to work i blew off his comment with a nasty look. i was the only other person that heard it. i know it wasn't the best thing to do, and i do regret not doing something to square this guy away...

where did you fly the uh-60a???

 

[Typhoon1244]

Where did you fly the UH-60A???

I was the only avionics tech. in the 62nd MED BN with a commercial pilots license...and I was applying for WOFT...every now and then the guys in the unit would give me some stick time on test flights. (I wish it was official!)

Not being a ture rotor-head, I thought the Blackhawk was great! I've been on unicycles that handled better than the Huey!

 

[side stick-n]

At what point does the treatment of us as professionals by the TSA become harrassment? I was jumpseating the other day and was a selectee. (As always with this airline) I have never become angry about this inconvenience because hey, I am getting a free ride that I am very grateful for. However, this particular day I was subjected to the new and improved, TSA. Well, by the time I got out of that little square, I was ready to walk to work the next time. This guy was treating me with the least of respect and was ordering me around like I was a suspect in a brutal crime. Sit down, spread your legs, I didn't say you could touch that bag yet, show me the bottom of your feet, ect, ect. In addition, he treated my personal belongings, ie flight bag and overnighter, like it was made of titanium. Ripping zippers open, ruffing up my neatly packed bag and just plainly not caring what it was like when he was done. To say the least, I came out of there furious. Luckily, I kept my cool and didn't say a whole lot at the time. Be careful guys and gals, I think the recent events involving alcohol and the new job in general has given some of these guys a preceived increased level of power.....

Stick-N

 

[Typhoon1244]

My Compliments, Side Stick-n, and congratulations. I'm deeply impressed you kept your cool through that experience. I'd have calmly asked to see the guys supervisor...even if it meant missing the flight (can you tell I don't commute)...and simply told the supervisor that the guy is rude and needed an attitude adjustment.

Here's my story. I was in Jackson, Miss., a few days after September 11th. I don't know what I was expecting as far as security. What I was not expecting was to be stripped/frisked within an inch of my life by four elderly women while passengers whisked through almost effortlessly. Now remember, this was less than 72 hours after the twin-towers fell, and I was very concerned about security. When there were no pax around, I told these women they were wasting my time and doing my passengers little good by harassing crewmembers while letting passengers carry-on bags go through with only a cursory search.

By the time we got to the gate, FBI Special Agent Jeffrey Artis was waiting for us. He told me if I caused any more trouble, he would take me away in handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit.

In retrospect, I can see that pointing out procedural defficiencies to screeners is pointless, but like I said, I was under the impression at the time that as a Part 121 P.I.C., I could have some effect on security issues related to my aircraft and passengers. I wasn't aware that I was the one who needed to be carefully screened and scrutinized. All this time I thought it was the FBI who had screwed up on 9/11. How silly of me!

S.A. Artis caught me off guard, and I said nothing in my defense. He whirled on his heel and marched away, saying, "I hope you have a better day than you've been having." (A__hole!) I vowed then and there never to let a secutiry official get away with treating me or any of my crew that way again.

The more we roll over and take it, the more they'll give us.

P.S. Artis threatened to contact my chief pilot. I beat him too it; they were as pissed off about it as I was.

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

Relate my experience in Orlando on Monday....

Wearing a t-shirt and blue jeans and an aviation baseball cap. My belt sets off the alarm. Get the wand job, etc. All the TSA security folks are very friendly. Run my hat through the conveyor belt. Something goes wrong (not related to my hat). Have to wait a couple of minutes. The guy hands me my hat and keeps apologizing for having me wait maybe two minutes. I had my "no big deal" look on my face. Off to my side some poor FO is getting the full treatment.

On another note, there was also a young boy in my line who was wearing a pirate's costume obviously from one of his tourist visitations. They took away his plastic sword even after examining it to determine it was indeed plastic. Felt bad for the little kid. I speculate he didn't understand.

Seems like with the government, we have to check our brains at the door. Realize it makes it easier for the security people in that they don't have to think.

 

[AK737FO]

Super Geniuses

We had a Captain who had his tie tack confiscated in SEA. The reason they took his tie tack you ask? Well it was about as big as a dime and it was in the shape of a pistol! The woman (super geniuse) said that it could be a weapon and nothing resembling a pistol could pass through security.
Another option is that I heard the tie tack was made of gold... but the Captain actually got it back several days later. Makes me wonder or at least hope that she was trying to steal a gold tie tack rather than honestly think it was a weapon (functioning pistol).

So, tie tacks that are in the shape of a pistol can some how be turned into functioning revolvers... What about those X-military guys I see every day with F-16's and F-15's as tie tacks? A 30MM cannon and a couple of side winders makes a pretty serious weapon when wore properly on one's tie.

It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine... Heaven help us survive the brain dead society in which we live.

 

[ShawnC]

AK737FO,

Haven't you seen Maguiver? You can take anything, and add a paper clip and you can get a functioning weapon. It has to be true it was on TV.

 

[dorkdriver]

security nazis???

I was flying out of gsp the other day when a young kid came up to us and demanded that he see out IDs. We asked who he was and wanted to see his ID. He didn't have one and tried to explain that he was new. We blew him off and walked around him and he didn't even try to stop us. He just stood there. I really feel safe with people like that watching the security check points. It seems that everywhere you go there are either young kids or old women working these security checks. WHAT A JOKE!! I have carried a leatherman tool in my flight bag for over a year and no one has caught it going through security yet. I will feel a lot safer when I have a Colt 45 strapped to my side in a shoulder holster while I am flying. Try and take my plane with a 4 inch hole in your chest!!!