Feds taker over airport Scurity

[bow5]

From <a href="http://www.yahoo.com:" target="_blank">www.yahoo.com:</a>

[quote]By JONATHAN D. SALANT, Associated Press Writer

CHANTILLY, Va. (AP) - Airline passengers had their airport routines sharply altered after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and now the way they're protected has changed as well.

The new Transportation Security Administration took over responsibility for airline security Sunday, the first step toward a system where better-trained, higher-paid federal employees screen passengers and luggage.

Passengers at Washington Dulles International Airport were pleased with the changes, even if security is tougher.

Tanie Guy, an Oracle Corp. employee, now arrives two hours early at the airport. "They're a bit stricter, to say the least,'' he said before going through the security checkpoint en route to San Francisco.

"If a private organization does it, they're looking to make money so they're cutting costs and cutting corners in order to make money,'' said Brandon Buhai of Chicago, departing O'Hare Airport, also for San Francisco. "You hope cost is not as much of a concern to the government.''

Travelers, however, said the security changes they observed Sunday weren't dramatic.

"I was with passengers a lot, and they really didn't notice any difference,'' said Melanie Miller, a spokeswoman for Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

Employees have not been given any new instructions, said American Airlines spokesman John Hotarg. "We've always reinforced that they need to do their jobs,'' he said.

At Boston's Logan Airport, originating point for the two jetliners that crashed into the World Trade Center Sept. 11, there were no outward signs of the federal takeover.

The only things passengers will notice at first are chairs to sit on when asked to remove their shoes to be checked for explosives, said John Magaw, undersecretary for transportation security. In addition, travelers inspected with handheld wands will have their valuables in front of them.

"I hope that they'll notice a slight difference in the courtesy,'' Magaw said. Magaw was at a security checkpoint at Dulles, where a plane was hijacked Sept. 11 and crashed into the Pentagon (news - web sites).

"Hopefully, they won't notice anything much different than that,'' Magaw said.

Some arriving passengers said they saw tighter security.

"They were very thorough,'' said Alison O'Keefe of Boston, arriving at Dulles to visit relatives. "They made me take my shoes off. They went through my purse.''

Before the changeover, actions taken since Sept. 11 by the Transportation Department or mandated by Congress have tightened airline security.

The Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites), which, like the airlines, handed over security responsibilities to the new TSA, has closed airport concourses and rescreened passengers because of security breaches.

Last month, the airlines began examining passengers' checked bags for explosives.

"Security is unquestionably much tighter,'' Transportation Department Inspector General Kenneth Mead said. "People should feel much better about it.'' . . <hr></blockquote>

[Avman]

They will no doubt do a more professional and hopefully courteous job. However, Feds or no Feds, THERE WILL NEVER BE 100% SECURITY AGAINST TERRORISM! The American authorities have to stop pulling the wool over the public's eyes and "get real".

[Crusty Ol Cap'n]

These guys are so good that last night in LAX they X-Rayed my car keys!

[PaperTiger]

[quote]"I hope that they'll notice a slight difference in the courtesy,'' Magaw said.<hr></blockquote>. .By difference one hopes he means improvement, in which case it had better be a bluddy great "difference".

[EX FTE]

Now here is the big misnormer in all of this:

The Feds have taken over responsibilty for airport security. Key word is responsibility.

Go to any airport and you will still have your bags searched by the same Burger King rejects or Old Folks Home runaways. The staff have not changed. Indeed in most cases, the same companies are doing the same screening at the same airports as before. The reason that Joe Public shouldnt notice much change - nothing has changed!!!

The companies that do the screening now get their contracts through the TSA / Feds whereas in the past they got it from the city or state funds. Big change huh?

Your average Yank hasnt twigged this yet. They hear that the Feds have taken over and believe that this means that some government office / authority is actually doing the work. Wonder if they would be so happy knowing that it is the same inept screeners but now they are being supervised by beaurocrats!!

The improved training and benefits for the screeners are intended to attract better candidates to the roles. Ah but wait, to do that means sacking the less competent ones - every encountered american employment rights? These people are bullet proof when it comes to job security - pity the same cant be said about the screening!!

Amusing point on having keys X-rayed at LAX. Wonder what was going through that highly skilled federal operative's mind when they thought to do that?

[Iron City]

Don't haveto sack many screeners, the turnover rate is several hundred percent per year, so wait 6 months and it will be all new faces. Kind of like workingfor a cargo outfit.

[PaperTiger]

Encouraging news: TSA reversed its decision to ban VFF 'quick' security lines.. .Discouraging news: desk-bound TSA mandarin banned VFF 'quick' security lines in the first place.

[GeofJ]

Got to agree with EX FTE - the only way to truly improve security at US airports is to make it a law enforcement function. Higher pay will only encourage the burger joint rejects to hang on longer - the quality of the security checkpoint staff is still very poor.

Make it a law enforcement job with 2-3 month training period, rotate jobs including perimeter security etc, and get serious about security.

[penltbx2]

EX-FTE is right, the only difference between the new security folks and the U.S. Post Office is the new security folks cannot lose any mail. They do lose track of everything else though.

[Boss Raptor]

well hopefully they'll take over from screening at London Gatwick from the current AA contractor who's staff are a complete waste of space - previous posts on similar subject provide details...

One 'job's worth' screening keys does not = security...!

[ 24 February 2002: Message edited by: Boss Raptor ]</p>

[jetjackel]

Federal Air Transport Administration Security Servise = F.A.T.A.S.S. - God help us.

[Adler3]

But anything the feds do, will be "politically correct," (meaning, stupid):

Aw geez. Where do I start on this one? We've got a gazillion dollar airline industry whose job it is to convey people from one place to another in airplanes. It does (and has done) this with a safety record that's truly remarkable. Recent events, however, have shown us that the world harbors some seriously deranged people who are willing to climb aboard airplanes and do really nasty things with them.Because of this, we've had to give airport security a hard look. This turned up several problems. One was that, under harsh scrutiny, "Did you pack your own bag today?" didn't turn out to be the hardnosed deterrent it was meant to be. A much more serious problem, however, was the finding that airport screeners were not well trained, had a horrendous turnover rate and were often paid less than janitors working at the same airport.. . Enter The U. S. Congress -- a group renowned for the fact that rational thought seldom ripples the serene surface of its collective mind. After looking into the situation, they said we had to improve airport security. (A good start.). . They said we had to improve the quality of airport screeners, reduce turnover, and increase their pay. (I was still with them.) They said that pork, politics and partisanship would be put aside for the good of the country. Airline safety was going to be the bottom line. (I had tears in my eyes, my hand over my heart, and was humming "America the Beautiful.") They said, "We're going to turn airline security over to the federal government.". . (Do what??) . .The federal government, do consider, which is home to: The Helium Reserve (in case our fleet of battle blimps ever runs low on helium); Federal Housing (now, in many places, being dynamited into oblivion); The War on Poverty (motto: "Trillions down the drain and we ain't plugged it yet."); and the Honey Subsidy (those bees are still suffering) -- to name but a few.. . So, Congress federalized airport screeners. Then, in a move guaranteed to make us feel safer, the transportation Security Administration announced that (I couldn't make this up if I wanted to):. .Airport screeners will not be required to have high school diplomas. I wonder what the recruiting posters are going to say? "Didn't finish 9th grade? Have we got a job for you!" What about entrance exams? Are they going to have something to do with Lego's and finger-painting? But wait. There's more. To ensure we never offend anyone -- particularly fanatics intent on killing us -- airport screeners will not be allowed to profile people. They will continue random searches of 80-year-old women, little kids, airline pilots with proper identification, Secret Service agents who are members of the President's security detail and 85-year old Congressmen with metal hips. Pause a moment and take the following test.

1. In 1979, the U.S. embassy in Iran was taken over by:. . (a) Norwegians from Ballard. . (b) Elvis. . (c) A tour bus full of 80-year-old women. . (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

2. In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by:. . (a) A pizza delivery boy. . (b) Crazed feminists screeching that being able to throw a grenade beyond its own burst radius was an unfair and sexist requirement in basic training. . (c) Geraldo Rivera making up for a slow news day. . (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

3. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by:. . (a) Luca Brazzi, for not being given a part in "Godfather 2". . (b) The Tooth Fairy. . (c) Butch and Sundance who had a few sticks of dynamite left over from the train thing. . (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

4. In 1998, the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:. . (a) Mr. Rogers. . (b) Hillary, to distract attention from. . Wee Willie's women problems. . (c) the WWF, to promote its next villain:. . "Mustapha the Merciless". . (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

5. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked and destroyed by:. . (a) Bugs Bunny. . (b) the Supreme Court of Florida trying to outdo their attempted hijacking of the 2000. .Presidential election. . (c) Mr. Bean. . (d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

How'd you do? Did you detect a pattern that would indicate we'd better take a close look at a certain type of individual who might be boarding an airplane with something on his mind other than "What's the in-flight movie?" You think so? Horrors! You're nothing more than a closet racist who could never be hired as an official federal airport screener. You probably molest goats too -- but that's another column. So, as it now stands, we have the Transportation Security Administration (letterhead: "No way we're flying.") trying to improve the professionalism of airport screeners by lowering standards and forbidding the use of common sense in screening people. Makes sense, right?. .Right.

[PaperTiger]

'kin A, adler3.

Saturday's PHL incident, under the auspices of the TSA. A woman walked through an 'unstaffed security channel'.. .Why was it unstaffed ?. .Why was it open (penetrable) ?. .Where was the National Guard ?. .What is defiant trespass anyway ?

[Tan]

Awesome post Adler3...You should submit it to every news organization in the world..

Perhaps embarrassment will force the government to use common sense, nothing else seems to have worked...

Cheers

[GeofJ]

Heres another question to go with Paper Tiger's list

Why does airport security stand around and watch a security breach, whether live or on camera and then wait until the violator is on a plane or deep in the terminal where they have to evacuate the whole area and research and secure before letting pax back in?

This seems intolerably stupid but most incidences we hear about are people who walk past guards who apparently make no attempt to stop them until it is way too late. What is the Nat'l Guard doing there - as soon as someone breaches security jump on them, tackle them do something besides sitting around letting them disappear into the crowd.

This seems so simple even a security guard that didn't graduate high school could figure it out.

[GrandPrix]

About the only thing that gets me fired up enough to post is the "suckurity" issue.. .Since 9-11 NOTHING HAS CHANGED!!!. .Oh sure it looks more suckure, but that is just plain old eye-wash.. .The FAA should have to face a firing squad for their gross negligence. None of the polyester wearing creeps have the balls to fess up and say we f@#$ed up. It's all about CYA.. .Airlines are publicly crucifying their crew if God forbid they cause a fuss and try to expose the suckurity fraud. Some crew members have been given unpaid "holidays" amounting to 6 weeks off for exposing these shams.. .In the Useless A Today there are 2 contradictory pieces. Front page is a story about an FAA suckurity man who is blowing the whistle on the FEDs. In the letters to the editor, one SLF goof ball says that it has to be safer now than before because he has flown several times and it sure as spit "looks" safer.. .The powers-that-be have won the PR war if the majority of SLF believe this.. .Those of us in the business know that the holes in airport suckurity are so big you could drive a freight train through them.. .Rampers, cleaners, fuelers etc... get on airport property without so much as a glance, but SLF do not know or see this.. .Oh, we don't dare profile the I think the phrase "people" will do here, OK?..... Sick Squid who started it all.. .Some additional history:. .1972 Olympics. .Achille Lauro. .WTC 1993. .TWA Med. hijacking and inflight bombings. .Assasination attempt on the Pope. .Airport shoot ups in Rome Vienna and Frankfurt. .Too many more to list.. .Anyone could smuggle a bazooka on board as long as they dress traditional . .Suckurity, what suckurity? A f*cking joke.

Sorry for the rant.. .Tripower, we need you on this one.

[ 28 February 2002: Message edited by: Sick Squid ]</p>

[BOING]

We can all relax because this level of government interest in security won't last long. Based on their past records the politicians will soon pull the funding from security to pay for their other pet projects and to pay for business tax cuts. The whole matter of security will be forgotten when something more politically glamourous comes along. The security system will sink into a vast pit of bored, inefficient bureaucracy where political infighting becomes more of a day to day activity than fighting the terrorist.. . Toujour le change, toujour le meme chose - or something like that.

[flapsforty]

A truly pessimistic prediction with a lamentably true ring to it Boing. <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

[BOING]

Actually, at the places I have been recently the security screeners have been far more pleasant than they used to be - perhaps it is the new pay check and job security.

[JRF]

The first thing that needs to be done to improve sercurity is to replace the Burger King Screenors with US Marshals. If there are not enough Marshals to go around, Boy Scouts would do a better job then the current burger flipper.

The burger fillpers do not need to worry about redundancy, ASA will hire them all as lateral transfers.

[Iron City]

Adler3- masterful piece, agree with the philosophy but there is a slight implementation glitch (as they say at Swanwick)

Problem with requiring common sense or allowing common sense by the security folks is who's common sense shall be used? Larry's? Moe's? Curley's? Unless the policy can be written down and explained in terms so clear that it is almost impossible for a security person or member of the public being scrutinized or a journalist or even a lawyer to misunderstand (that's where the high school diploma comes in, in spite of the august members of Congress that look at it like a social work program)you are going to have people with hurt feelings, lawsuits, people injured and people killed "by mistake".

If a person ( oh say, Irish or middle eastern looking and name) shows up for the flight, armed, presents papers and picture ID that claims he is a law enforcement person. Security person uses "common sense" and says "not so fast fella". But can't or doesn't check him out satisfactorly (it's a weekend evening) and refuses boarding. Person turns out to be what he said he was and all H E double hockey sticks breaks loose.

See the problem with "common sense"? Turns out it isn't all that common or uniform across the population.

By the way, BOEING, you said the money would eventually go away. You are wrong, it never really got there.

[ 28 February 2002: Message edited by: Iron City ]</p>

[Adler3]

As much as I would like to claim authorship, alas it wasn't my material. I gleaned it from a very long e-mail, tidied it up a bit, and posted it here. I would give credit to the author if I knew who actually wrote it.