UAL Flt 200 + Fox News + TSA BS again

[ilinipilot]

Good Morning
Sitting at home on reserve i was watching fox news in disgust. There was a story about Ual flt 200 (LAX- IAD) being considered a high risk flight and the whole crew getting scrutinized very very carefully. They said that the pilots and I assume FAs had their bags searched, everything taken out of their bags and flight cases. Then the story went on to say that the TSA was not allowed to give info to the pilots about why this flight was under such scrutiny.

THIS IS Ridiculous (SP?). You strip search the captain and trust him with a 100 million dollar a/c but dont trust him enough to tell him why this flight is being so highly screened. How do you expect the pilots to do their jobs when you dont give them the adequate info to do their jobs. If i was a crew member this would have been part of my briefing.

I hope some day a pilot just out and out refuses to fly the flight until he/she is given the appropo info. I guess CRM doesnt include TSA and pilots.

I understand the TSA not wanting to give out this info but dont they do background checks, have IDs, have numerous security procedures for a reason. Just venting but this is Outrageous!!

Have a good day

D

PS my condolences to the crew(s) of this flt for having to put up with this BS

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

In the government's defense they don't want to expose their sources or what trips their "sensors".

My guess is that Dispatch was in contact with whomever had the information. For security reasons it was not passed.

 

[dispatchguy]

Dispatchers are told just as much as the crews are - which isnt squat!

Maybe some higher up at UAL at VP level or higher might know the actual data, or at least some of it, but dont give us dispatchers too much credit

 

[starchkr]

I would use my PIC authority and Cancel the flight...and when they asked why, just tell them they do not need to know.

Two can play that game.

 

[fuzzydice]

So much for an inflight security coordinator.

 

[Russ]

They wouldn't cancel the flight but nail the reserve guy to do it.
ALPA sent out an E mail about this happening a few days ago.

 

[njcapt]

As the Inflight Security Coordinator, I would hope that the Captain refused to sign the flight release. Obviously, something got the TSA in a snit, but they refused to share it with the person directly responsible for the safety of the flight - the Captain. I guess the flow of security information is stopped at the high-school-educated rooter of other people's luggage who got to satisfy his curiosity as to what real pilots carried in their bags.

Repeat after me:

An airline pilot doesn't need an atom bomb, a bazooka, a handgun or a nail file to hijack an airplane. Ensuring that he/she does not posess any of the above items does not enhance security.

 

[MW44]

Even if the flight was considered "high risk" why would the crew be essentially strip searched. Absolutely ridiculous. Either they are deliberately trying to keep the average joe in a state of anxiety over travelling or the TSA is completely out of control. This reminds me of the time in Florida when the TSA cancelled an American Airlines flight over a warning from a local psychic.

 

[KC-10 Driver]

The Captain is responsible for the safe completion of the flight.

In my opinion, if there was a security threat strong enough for actions to be taken that affected the crew, then the Captain should be given some information -- perhaps not the whole story, but at least some sort of general description of the suspected threat.

The Captain is the ISC, as well as the Captain.

 

[P3 Tweek]

Avitar

Nobody can say absolutely that TSA uses common sense. Just like with any government bureaucracy, common sense is NOT high priority. I do believe however they (TSA) are doing as well as they are able to do so with their imposed PC handicaps. It will be VERY interesting to hear `the rest of the story' as it develops.

I'm with `njcapt' on this one. In a situation like this, TSA needs to brief the Captain concerning ANY potential security/safety threat on his/her aircraft.

Tweek

PS: GREAT AVITAR `FUZZY DICE'! This is every USMC Scout Snipers dream when looking through his M-40A1's scope at 600 yards.