TSA, the Fun Never Ends..

[Missdirected]

:huh: that is not what I was saying at all. I said perhaps we should take some lessons. I didn't say to adopt things that aren't working. Further, security isn't the problem I addressed specifically nor items you can or can not take. It was the mentality of a huge number of workers. It is a growing problem that isn't conducive to what we really need to accomplish.

 

[HowardE]

:huh: that is not what I was saying at all. I said perhaps we should take some lessons. I didn't say to adopt things that aren't working.

But what isn't working? The TSA (as far as I can tell) is actually accomplishing their mission. There hasn't been any terrorist activity on a flight originating in the U.S. since 9/11. I must admit that heightened security is sometimes annoying, but overall, the TSA security is not an unpleasant experience.

It's certainly more pleasant in the U.S. traveling around, than in other countries where there are heavily armed soldiers... I'm just trying to understand what lessons we can learn from other countries?

 

[Fly N Dive]

I flew down to Florida a little while ago, and had to take a large gel physical therapy ice wrap for my shoulder (arthroscopic surgery), called the tsa the day before to make sure it was ok, and after a few min of explaining i was told i needed to have a signed letter from my doc explaining why it was necessary, and that i would have to declare it before my bag went through the x-ray machine. well i got to security and tried to declare it to the first tsa person at the checkpoint, got brushed off, same with the next two people, and ended up just walking through security with about 2-3 lbs of gel no questions asked..... yea that makes me feel safe

 

[HowardE]

Let me also say that I don't think we have a perfect situation here with security. I also agree that Catherine's situation with the escort out of the airport is a little excessive... but what I will say is that it's not fair to compare today to "the old days" airline travel isn't what it used to be. Not only did 9/11 change things for security, but there have been many factors of late that have changed the face of air travel forever... Most of the time that I fly, I don't have to wait more than 5 minutes to clear the checkpoint. I usually prepare by removing my watch, bracelet, cell phone, and shoes. I take my laptop out of my back-pack, and pass through with no problems. If I do have to take a "dopp kit" I check it with baggage instead of carrying it on. Most of my travel is between 2 "home" bases, so I don't have to bring anything other than myself, laptop, and camera. The best advice I can give to non-frequent travelers is to...

1. Check tsa.gov before you fly for up to date restrictions
2. Check your airline's baggage policy

 

[Missdirected]

Howard, I wasn't comparing the old days of flying to the new ones. Not at all. I said some of the debt ridden companies that are being kept afloat need to go. I was comparing them to some of the newer airlines. They go and others can get the spots that they have at major hubs.

I am not bothered by heightened security at all. Again, it is the mentality of many of the people that are being employed. I have been to places where your bag is opened every time. Everything is searched. There is no one trying to be superior. There is just a person doing a very good search job. Now wether or not we should be doing that, well... that is a whole different debate. Instances like Catherine's are happening all the time though.

 

[HowardE]

TSA, good grief... I have had two ridiculous incidences recently :shakehead Anyway, I agree with Dennis and Catherine, I think they should take some lessons from other countries. The mentality is becoming that of the dog that barks the loudest - intimidation - which in my opinion is foolish.

I was referring to this comment.

As for the state of the airline industry. It's definitely an interesting situation. Personally, I'd be very bummed out if United airlines disappeared. I have a ton of miles, and I'm a premier customer. Denver would be seriously hurt as well if a company like United wasn't bailed out by the government. Possibly (without getting political) - one could infer that some of the problems felt by some airlines is directly because of the government. If 9/11 is the reason that some of these airlines are hurting, then isn't that kind of the government's fault that we were attacked in the first place?

 

[Bill51]

One thing that frustrates me is if we gave the pilots and flight crew the latitude to make the security decisions that foreign crews have the airlines would be sued out of business for profiling. The 6 Inman setup that US Airways is still fighting is a prime example of political correctness gone haywire in this country and it’s sad that we have to employee security with no flexibility to keep from being sued while trying to protect airline passengers.

Personally I dread flying commercial anymore because of the type flights I typically take. Most of my airline flights are to pick up an aircraft for delivery, so they are one way, and I’m carrying my flight gear. Many of the screeners go ape when they see a handheld VHF, a GPS, and a bag full of aviation charts, and if I’m going to be flying in certain parts of the country I need to check my bag since I’ll also have my weapon with me – and I have been lucky nothing has been stolen. I would gladly pay an annual fee to have a criminal check done just as we do for concealed carry permits and stop hassling me.

 

[Fordan]

Should it be like in England, where they not only dis-allowed gels and liquids, but laptop computers as well??

England's a bit of a special case, since that was where they found the Bad Guys™ who were planning to use liquids to blow up a flight, and even they've backed down a while ago from the "No carryons" policy they essentially had and changed to only prohibiting liquids.

My trip to Australia this past fall reminded me of how airlines in the US used to be... Security was there but not horribly intrusive. It was so nice to go through security without having to remove my shoes.

Until I went to fly back to the US. After I passed through the normal Australian checkpoint, they had the gates serving flights to the US blocked off with a second security checkpoint, where they ordered me to use my prescription nasal spray in front of them (which I had already used that morning, so I exceeded my dosage), got patted down, had my bags searched by hand, and had to run my shoes through the Xray. Welcome back to the US. :shakehead

 

[Bill51]

To the best of my knowledge – and contrary to the way it’s been presented in the media – the government hasn’t bailed out or subsidized any airline since 9/11. What the government has done is lived up to it’s obligations under the Constitution for people to be secure in their effects and that includes the airlines rights to conduct legal business. I’m sure any business person with millions of dollars of capital assets and thousands of employees who needed to work them 7/24 to make a profit was arbitrarily told by the feds you have to shut your business down for 7 days, they’d expect to be reimbursed for their lost revenue or at least the capital cost of the unusable, and in essence seized, property. That is what the government did with the airlines and is still doing with some aviation related businesses that were operating within the law, but the government forced them to cease operations.

 

[Fordan]

Most of the time that I fly, I don't have to wait more than 5 minutes to clear the checkpoint. I usually prepare by removing my watch, bracelet, cell phone, and shoes. I take my laptop out of my back-pack, and pass through with no problems.

I would kill to make it through a Security checkpoint that quick. At Philadelphia I have yet to make it though a security checkpoint in under 30 minutes, usually 45-60 minutes (although I just got my first preferred level membership with US Airways, so we'll see how it is with that line). Flying back from Australia by way of LAX where you have to pass through customs and security again, the line went from the checkpoint through a queue system, down a long hallway, down a flight of stairs, out the concourse doors and onto the sidewalk outside.

There are some airports where the checkpoint isn't bad (like JFK in my experience, and it sounds like the ones you fly through), but there are a lot of bad ones out there.

If I got forced to leave the checkpoint to dispose of an item, I'd probably go ballistic. Especially in Philly if they made me get back in line.