Metal detector unplugged at LAX
 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The discovery of an unplugged metal detector forced the evacuation of five terminals at Los Angeles International Airport early Thursday and delayed more than 300 flights, authorities said.

Hundreds of passengers from terminals No. 4 through 8 had to be rescreened at security checkpoints after authorities discovered at 6:30 a.m. that a metal detector was not working at Terminal 4, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jerry Snyder.

"One of the metal detectors was found unplugged," Snyder said. "We do not know if it was malicious or not."

The five terminals, on the airport's south side, were emptied as a precaution because travelers could wander between the buildings once they cleared security, airport officials said.

Passengers jammed the sidewalks outside the terminals and began the rescreening at about 8:20 a.m., LAX spokesman Harold Johnson said.

About 325 departing flights from several major airlines, including American, Delta, United and Continental were delayed, he said.

American Airlines spokesman John Hopkins said passengers should expect flight delays of up to several hours.

It was one of several cases of airport problems involving metal detectors reported this week.

_On Tuesday, about 500 airline passengers in Buffalo (N.Y.) Niagara International Airport had to be rescreened after a metal detector was found partially unplugged. Ten flights were delayed.

_On Monday, a terminal at Boston's Logan International Airport was evacuated and more than 1,200 passengers rescreened after officials discovered a detector hadn't been working for up to five minutes.

_And not long after the Winter Olylmpics wrapped up late Sunday, flights at Salt Lake City's airport were held up because a metal detector was found not to have been working and some passengers required rescreening.

It makes you wonder what the screeners are doing when they are at work - do they just rely on the 'beep', since everywhere in Europe the guys have an electronic display on the top at the other side that they seem to look at constantly. Idiocy again.

Most of the displays consist of graduated lights - green,yellow,red - like your stereo amp. The point at which the audible warning sounds can be varied along the scale. I suspect that it is now normally set at its most sensitive, ie. the first green light. Which means of course that the light display becomes meaningless and the screener <insert applicable noun> only react to the noise.

Suggestion: station the national guardsmen so as to guard the plugs. More useful than their current role of looking 'ard and occasionally bullying passengers.

Doesn't the flickin' thing have a POWER ON indicator or something? Why aren't the units hard wired into the supply with conduit instead of being plugged into the wall?

Sheesh - this isn't exactly rocket science. <img src="mad.gif" border="0">

Rocket science it is not - this also happened in Seattle a month or so ago when a Nat'l Guard type asked if the metal detector should be plugged in. This is so basic it is inconceivable that it can get screwed up. Basic SOP should say check at the start of each shift to make the @#%&@ machine is plugged in, periodically check it again, look for the power on light - DUH!

Once again the feds have missed the boat, we don't need barely functional live bodies at checkpoints - we need law enforcement types who are accountable.

If LAX was my airport I would fire every one from the manager of the security types down to the slug who couldn't keep the machine plugged in

Even better - hard wire the suckers

Hi all,. .And as I understand the 'magic door', you can't walk through it without it making some sort of response, but only 'beeps' if that response exceeds the selected threshhold, so, with that in mind, how come they don't detect an unserviceable detector right away?. .Also, the LEDs down the side, indicate at what height of the person that any magnetic anomaly was detected.. .Cheers!

[quote]Also, the LEDs down the side, indicate at what height of the person that any magnetic anomaly was detected.. .<hr></blockquote>

The newer detectors have lights on the side that indicate where the metal objects are, not the more common older ones. Most detectors have large green and red lights on when powered. They are hard to miss.

Hey, ever seen the prices for electrical power in southern california lately...? <img src="eek.gif" border="0">