US Airport Security - an oxymoron

[Hooking Fell]

Having just returned from a trip to the US (using tickets purchased at published tariffs) with five domestic flights and the inward and outbound trans-Pacific legs, I can only hope that someone can be found among the population of 300 or so million in the US who can get a handle on what is supposed to be airport security.. .. .Prior to boarding all five UA domestic flights and the SFO-HKG flights, Mr and Mrs Hooking Fell were subjected to endless and mostly pointless "Special Screening". As neither of us is black, Muslim or otherwise related to a "minority" group with vocal liberal lobbyists, the media at large will, of course, have no interest in this type of harassment of WASPs.. .. .However, as a matter of interest why we were being subjected to what were clearly not randoming screening exercises and why we had "SSSS" stamped all over our boarding passes, we were told - and this is no joke - that it was because we had not purchased our tickets directly from the airline but from a travel agent <img border="0" title="" alt="[Embarrassed]" src="redface.gif" /> . .. .Hello UA: as long as the air fares on your website are higher than those offered by any travel agent in town, only stupid passengers would buy direct. Which obviously leads to the conclusion that smart passengers, who know where to sniff out better deals, are prime potential terrorist material. Right?. .. .(Another exarcerbating factor is apparently that we had dared do this in our home town, HKG, which apparently is seen now as being a hub for terrorism).. .. .God Bless America, it needs it.. .. . <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />

[Dan Winterland]

Unfortunately, the security screeners aren't the sharpest tools in the box. For example, why pick on the flight deck crew, X-ray and explosive check their shoes while several passengers of midle eastern appearance just walk straight through? (As happened to me recently). . .. .This was at Boston Logan - the airport whose poor security kicked this whole situation off. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="mad.gif" />

[boofhead]

Airport security in the US is a sham, since nothing they are doing would have stopped Sep 11. There is an implied guarantee that if the govt is allowed to operate this type of security, flying will be safer. They know this is not true, and it is scandalous that they are allowed to get away with it.. .All they needed to do was to close a couple of loopholes, such as reduce the knife size from 4 inches to 2 inches and ban boxcutters, and to introduce a level of profiling. Not the type of profiling they are using now, selecting aircrew and people who buy tickets from agents, but meaningful profiling like El Al uses. Together with a better ID system, that would be a real improvement.. .Instead they show us that they are brainless fools and it is frightening that such fools have so much power, but use it so ineffectively. Shame on us for allowing it.

[B Sousa]

As an American I am supposed to take offense at disparaging statements. Unfortunately all I can do is agree. Its gone way past the normal pendulum swing and does not look as though its coming back to normalcy.. Most of us who travel are wondering what in the hell is causing this to go so wacko.. .A couple reasons come to mind. First lots of companies and people are making a ton of money, buy selling these ridiculous security machines to the Government. Secondly its putting some of the most stupid unemployable political hacks in positions of power at enormous wages.. .It sort of makes me realize why we did so well during WWII. The US were so entirely screwed up in direction that the enemy could not, on there best day of intelligence gathering, figure out what the hell we were doing.. .I just adjust my travel accordingly.... I like that "God Bless America" though, sort of has a ring to it.....

[Check 6]

And the saga continues. Mr. Willie Williams was just appointed the Security Director of the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport (ATL).. .. .Williams is the former incompetent Chief of the LAPD.. .. .Williams will now no doubt do the same incompetent job at ATL. The "Peter Principle" is alive and well.

[Flintstone]

Returned to Blighty over the weekend and sadly saw plenty of the above.. .. .At Chicago the woman monitoring the x-ray machine walked off leaving my bag stuck inside. According to one of her colleagues she had gone off to ogle a celebrity (I couldn't be arsed to find out who it was).. .. .Not very professional.

[B Sousa]

Stu.. . I was watching the news the other night and they were announcing the appointment of some big wig Airport jerks. I didnt know the subject of the news article, but there in the front of the pack, being sworn in at great taxpayer expense, was "Hit da Ball" Willie Williams... Looking as stupid as ever without a clue as to which end of the airplane goes first..... We are an equal opportunity employer as long as your not white..

[invalid entry]

On the subject of Boston security in particular. I was horrified to see that airline ground staff do not go through security at all when going to the aircraft. They have a gate from their office straight out onto the tarmac. We flight crew are subjected to all manner of search, and they walk straight out and join the passengers again on the other side. When challenged, I was told that as they were airline employees, they were above suspicion and did not need to be checked. I pointed out that so was I as a pilot of the plane, but was told that that was different. Absolutely amazing! No wonder they picked Boston on Sep 11

[Tandemrotor]

invalid entry. .. .Couldn't agree more. As pilots, we don't need to smuggle weapons through security to wreak havoc - ask Egyptair!! . .. .So why are we subjected to the same security as our pax, when every local airline employee simply bypasses it?. .. .Answer - Because it's nothing whatever to do with security!! It's all about presentation, and getting those nervous Americans flying again!. .. .By the way, when was the last time you heard a terrorist say "Let's hit them right where they most expect it."

[RatherBeFlying]

A big piece of the hysteria originates from GWB.. .. .Think -- a more skilled pilot would have made a crater centered on the Oval Office and a more fiendish organisation would have checked the newspapers and made sure that GWB was doing a bill signing photo op at the same time the plane was coming in.. .. .When you are the target and your wife and kids might be there too, it concentrates the mind marvellously.

[Avman]

I like your last paragraph Tandemrotor ; my sentiments exactly. They've done the September 11 thing and they will now move on to different tactics. With Bin's money why not simply buy a second hand "Heavy" load it up with fuel and explosives and "ferry" it to your target from some remote airport with your fully qualified (suicide) crew at the controls <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> .

[str12]

I arrived at LAX from Fiji on Thursday and went to Terminal 1 to catch my connection, the tickest was purchased directly from SouthWest Airlines. By the time I'd arrived at Houston Hobby I'd been screened 3 times, including removing my boots twice. Funnily enough, none of the rest of my fellow security risks were American, all 16 were foreign.. .. .The security screening prior to boarding a flight from LAX to El Paso involved dumping the contents of my rucksack on a table about 3 foot square, mix with contents of pockets, then mix with effects of 2 other foreigners.. .. .After the two 'experts' had stared at the pile for about 3 seconds they told us we could go then proceeded to empty the contents of more bags on the same table before we could reclaim our possesions. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="mad.gif" /> . .. .The security checks at Fiji were far more comprehensive and performed in a more professional manner.. .. .The lack of training, equipment and facilities for special security screening in the USA re-affirms my belief that this is simply a PR exercise.

[Tom the Tenor]

It is not only America that is screwed up. On Tuesday week last at Nice Airport France, there were 6 passport checks prior to boarding a flight to Luton. Two of these were profiling checks and were conducted partly by a female around 20 to 22 years of age and in between there was the now so French shoes check. Yes, this is all about security companies cashing in. It is becoming difficult to remain good humoured about all of this carry on. Ordinary honest passengers and aeroplane spotters did not cause 11th September, 2001, it was pilots.. . . . <small>[ 19 March 2002, 00:06: Message edited by: Tom the Tenor ]</small>

[Fat Tony]

Well I suppose it's only a matter of time for this kind of thing to come to light....!!!. .. .Having been to a certain Caribbean destination on a shuttle flight from another local station recently, I can only say that I despair at the pathetic attempt at security that exists in may of these places.... .. .Having operated the outbound shuttle flight I am forsced by local agreement to clear customs and re-enter the airport through the normal security channels... no problem.. .. .However, Having bleeped going through I am made to take off my shoes, (remember I have just operated in the past 30 minutes) and pass them through x-ray while the security staff are paying no attention having been distracted by my new mobile phone!!!!. .. .This in itself is bad enough except that having taken a friend or two on the trip with me I had managed to take the wrong passport with me on the shuttle flight! So I passed through security with the wrong documents quite happily and continued with the flight... guess what. Without incident!. .When will these idiots realize that we don't want to destroy aircraft. We don't want to die. We don't need explosives to bring an aircraft down. But we aren't aiming to do that. We don't want to die! They would do much better to check my licence and ID more closely than x-ray me.. .. .What a completely idiotic system..... .. .Anyone else agree????. .. .Best Wishes,. .. .Fat Tony

[George Semel]

I flew out to Chicago O'Hare a couple of weeks ago for a business meeting, every body told me it would take for ever to get from check in to the gate. Well both ways was a snap if anything it was more convienent. Things will get back to normal soon enough. The Reason is that Americans will put up with the BS for just so long. You make it to inconvienent for the Traveling public and the Traveling Public will find another way. The Fractionals Have not let up one bit, if the pilots I have talk to are being on the up and up. People are going to travel and they are going to fly, It would not surprise me if the Fractionals don't grab more of the profitable business flights customers.

[invalid entry]

At one Caribbean airport recently, after I handed in my suitcase to be X-rayed, I realised I had packed my uniform hat in it. I asked the staff in the office If I could get it back. I was directed straight out onto the ramp (no security) and invited to go to my already X-rayed back, open it, take my hat out and close it again. I did all this and the bag was then loaded onto the plane.. .Total joke.

[Tripower455]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">On the subject of Boston security in particular. I was horrified to see that airline ground staff do not go through security at all when going to the aircraft. They have a gate from their office straight out onto the tarmac. We flight crew are subjected to all manner of search, and they walk straight out and join the passengers again on the other side. When challenged, I was told that as they were airline employees, they were above suspicion and did not need to be checked. I pointed out that so was I as a pilot of the plane, but was told that that was different. Absolutely amazing! No wonder they picked Boston on Sep 11 </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">It is this way at a large majority of US airports. In fact, on 9/11, my first thought was that the hijackers had accomplices on the ground smuggle weapons aboard. I am still not 100% convinced that all of the weapons actually were carried through security. . .. .The ground ops folks are "trusted employees" (according to my employer!) so are not subject to the idiotic harassment that we unwashed flight crew types are. They actually go through backround checks, I was told by a gate agent last week. That's the reason that they aren't subject to screening. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="rolleyes.gif" /> I didn't even try to explain that my personal history was dug into a bit deeper than his ever will be in order to be employed as a pilot.. .. .So far, in the mass "security" hysteria that has hit the US since 9/11, I have been threatened with arrest TWICE by the same gate agent in my domicile. I was THINKING of breaching security by walking on the ramp about 150 feet to the crew lounge from the jet that I had been flying all day (he SAW me park it at the gate. I guess that it never occurred to him that if I was hell bent on committing a nefarious act, that I could have done it during the time I was actually flying the plane!). I do not have a SIDA badge for reasons described below. Usually, the F.O.'s have them and can "escort" me on the ramp to and from the lounge. In these 2 instances, I was with newer F.O.s who did not have the cute, pink, but all important badge. The crew lounge door is ON the ramp. We are allowed, without a SIDA badge to go up the jetway, walk through the terminal, and down a set of stairs to the edge of the "secure" ramp and into the lounge. . .. .The SIDA badge is very important, so much so that it takes a special course of instruction to get it. So far, I have not been able to get one, as I refuse to drive 6 hours roundtrip on my day off to get it. The course is only given when the moon is in the third house, and venus is aligned with jupiter. It consists of a 45 minute video, describing the horrors of lax security. After viewing the tape and signing about 5 forms, accepting all responsibility for any future hijackings or security breaches, you are now given the coveted sida badge. As a "trusted" ground ops type (rampers etc) it is actually worth something, as it allows them to bypass all security (their bags are could be searched, if someone thinks to do it.) and access the ramp through the back door. As pilots, we get the exact same badge, only we are NOT allowed to access the ramp through the "trusted" employees door, because we are stars in "The Greatest Security Show on EARTH!", and the show must go on! The ONLY thing a SIDA badge gets a pilot is the ability to walk from his jet to the crew lounge on the ramp. Not worth 8 hours of my OFF time.. .. .The punch line to this entire story is that, prior to 1988 or so, pilots WERE "trusted" employees, and were not subject to security (thank the Lord that THAT "loophole" is now closed!). As a result of a horrible incident in 1987, in which a GROUND OPS type smuggled a .44 magnum on board a PSA BAE 146, and killed the pilots, PILOTS were thereafter subject to "security" screening. Ground ops folks weren't and still aren't. . .. .It is all eyewash. If the powers that be were actually concerned about security and aircraft safety, we would have verifiable ID's, carriage of armed, non federal LEOs would be SEVERELY curtailed, profiling would be part of the picture, pilots would be voluntarily trained and armed, we'd have secure cockpit doors etc etc etc. . .. .What do we have instead? Little kids, pilots and old ladies are "randomly" selected and have to remove their shoes at the gate, AFTER they've already cleared security, bag matching (works well with suicidal hijackers that have no baggage), future new hires in F'Teens escorting us just in case of radio problems, highly paid, illiterate federal workers with way more power than brains, scarecrows with unloaded weapons standing around the "security" checkpoints (just in case Al Quaida decides to hijack them) etc..... . .. .I feel much better.

[FAAJAA]

Not as bad as one of our blokes who ferried an aircraft to the PHL area...after delivering the aircraft he caught a cab to PHL, and his wallet was pinched by the screeners there. An airport police officer was called to the scene and "persuaded" the screeners to return it ! (after reviewing the CCTV of the screening area). ....makes me think fondly back to my KU days when they used to chuck you up against the side of the a/c in the jetway and pat you down...

[Huck]

The reason they treat us like this is because they can. When they can't, they won't. American pilots should unite and put an end to this.. .. .Previous generations of pilots fought The War, ushered in the jet age and fought for top wages and benefits. I would love to see somebody try and make Ernie Gann and his peers take off their uniform shoes in front of passengers.

[Tripower455]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica"> I would love to see somebody try and make Ernie Gann and his peers take off their uniform shoes in front of passengers. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">AMEN Brutha!

[Flip Flop Flyer]

Excuse me, this is probably too close to reality to work. But many of these totally idiotic practices of taking shoes off in front of passengers is bound to leave a flight crew member, especially a very senior captain, with deep mental scars from the loss of face and what have you. This is the US, right ? Hot shot lawyer ? Sueing the bastards for an "unspecified amount" for mental damages would be my answer.. .. .I am ground staff, breeze with ease through airports and onto supposedly secure areas. Could bring a ton of armour piercing bazookas, enough TNT to turn a 747 into razor blades not to mention a phlanax of small arms without ever getting searched. To my knowledge nobody ever did a background check of me or my peers, and we are "trusted employees" ? Pleasssee.. .. .This is a PR exercise and unless a group of pilots stand up against it, incompetent politicians will run the show and it will continue to degenrate. It is either ALL staff who MUST be checked, or none at all. Certainly, in my opinion, flight crews should be the last in line to suffer these pedantic checks.. .. .Oh and by the way, why is it that all this hokus-pokus mainly involves passenger carrying flights ? No, not because freighters are unusable as guided missiles, but rather because there is no PR value in frisking freight dogs turning up in the middle of the night when the airports are deserted of passengers. Stick it to them ladies and gentlemen.

[Iron City]

Gee Flip Flop...obviously a ground pounder. Pilot files big suit for the mental distress...looses his medical because of all the mental distress (he just said he was severely mentally distressed by filing suit)....no medical, no fly...no fly no job. end of story.. .. .A fair part of the current "security" stupidity is promulgated by the law enforcement community and by big shot political types who want the favorable(?) publicity. Hopefully things can become more rational when the spotlight is shone somewhere else. If Osama's boys (and girls) are going to do something more what makes everyone think it will be airplanes? What about ships, freight containers, electronic attacks? Or necessarily anything to do with transportation.. .. .If us poor Yanks were really lucky we could fly places like LHR with it's air tight security. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" />. . . . <small>[ 21 March 2002, 14:45: Message edited by: Iron City ]</small>

[Percy De Havilland]

On my way to a well earned holiday - I was searched 3 times by staff at JFK - when I asked 'semi jokingly' if I looked like a terrorist - I was informed "Sorry sir, but we're not allowed to racially profile and we have to get our quotas up of white guys".. .Well that satisfied my curiosity....meanwhile as I was being searched some guy with a missile launcher could have been wandering onto my plane!!

[Full_Wings]

Just when I was starting to have dreams about mowing down a load of airport 'security' with an Uzi, I operated to PHX and positioned onwards.. .. .The guys there were very pleasant but saw something on an x-ray of my bag which needed clarification. I was politely _asked_ if I could show them what it was (in a private area), and once they had ascertained its identity they wished me a safe onward journey and pointed me towards the correct gate for my flight. Magic.. .. .Why can't they all be like that?