View Full Version : What am I missing here?
Roguish Lawyer
05-11-2006, 13:55
I'm at LAX right now. When I went through security, this Middle Eastern looking woman asks me to take her bags through with me. I refuse and I tell one of the security screeners what she had done. All they do is talk to her for like 10 seconds (probably told her she has to bring them through herself).
Am I crazy to think she should have been detained and searched? She could have just walked out of the terminal and taken a bomb with her . . .
:munchin
I'm at LAX right now. When I went through security, this Middle Eastern looking woman asks me to take her bags through with me. I refuse and I tell one of the security screeners what she had done. All they do is talk to her for like 10 seconds (probably told her she has to bring them through herself).
Am I crazy to think she should have been detained and searched? She could have just walked out of the terminal and taken a bomb with her . . .
:munchin
Is she on your flight?
Pat
Roguish Lawyer
05-11-2006, 14:00
Don't know, probably not.
Don't know, probably not.
If so, I'd mention it to the crew. The TSA guys don't fly. They drive to work.
Pat
RL,
I figured you would realize that searching european looking old ladies and babies is LAX search policy. Last thing we want to do is create more terrorists by searching middle eastern looking people. I am sure the only reason she asked you to carry her bags is they were a little too heavy for her. If they do not search her....I'd walk.
jasonglh
05-11-2006, 15:12
My last trip through the airport I think my exact words to my wife were "I wouldnt hire any of those people to run the weedeater on my dads lawncare business much less give them jobs as security".
I do wonder if thats considered an entry level position and what kind of pay it brings. If they are competing with the same pool of resources as McDonalds I suppose its really no suprise.
Lots of money spent somewhere and I sure dont feel any safer flying. But I bet it takes more than a box knife to gain control of an aircraft from the passengers!
I find it funny about the shoes. Some people wonder why in the heck does everybody have to take their shoes off.
The reason is most people have no idea what kind of shoes they are wearing. I have two pair of shoes that I trade off wearing for work. One has a steel insert in the sole somewhere. The other does not. When I know I'm going to a court house where I need to go through security I wear the non-metal pair.
I also put everything that will set off the alarm on my clip board as I'm walking up and hand it to the guard as I step through the gate. Time is money, keep moving.
Slow as the lines are they would be even slower if every other person had to be hand wanded because they set off the alarm with their shoes, etc.
I did some airline travel this winter and the clueless people were real interesting to keep an eye on.
Pete
The Reaper
05-11-2006, 16:10
I agree, there needs to be a line for people who travel often enough that they know what they are doing. Everything, including my watch and belt, as well as the contents of my pockets, comes off me and goes into a tray.
Almost every time I get to the checkpoint, I get behind some travel-challenged individual who has to be recycled repeatedly for not taking the notebook out of the case and putting it in a tray by itself, take off the shoes, take off the jewelry, empty the pockets, take off the jacket, show us your ticket, etc., etc, etc.
I am amazed that they did not snatch up the woman and lock her down for a while. That is highly suspicious behavior.
TR
Ambush Master
05-11-2006, 16:21
Yes, the good 'ol TSA (Thousands Standing Around) at their finest!!!!
It amazes me how confused U.S Travelers get when they have to think for themselves. How unprepared they are to take off their shoes or pull out their Laptops when most of them know it is required. The most annoying is loading the Plane. I always just sit and smile (in order not to scream) at the passengers as they try to figure out how to put their stuff in the Overhead Bin. The confusion and unorganized behavior amazes me, or scares me. It is no surprise to me that a few guys with small knives overtook Airplanes on 9-11. When I worked for Grey Hawk we had a few ex TSA guys going thru the training. They said the politics, Affirmative Action and back stabbing to move up was out of control. When I say move up I mean to be in charge of a check point.
Story: A friend of mine said he was flying out, just leaving a Shooting Match. His partner left his loaded 45 in his carry on. The Screener ran his bag thru three times just staring at the screen. The Screener eventually let it pass thru. After they passed thru his partner realized why the guy kept looking at his bag.
I'm at LAX right now. When I went through security, this Middle Eastern looking woman asks me to take her bags through with me. I refuse and I tell one of the security screeners what she had done. All they do is talk to her for like 10 seconds (probably told her she has to bring them through herself).
Am I crazy to think she should have been detained and searched? She could have just walked out of the terminal and taken a bomb with her . . .
:munchin
She obviously deduced that you had all the qualities necessary to fullfill the open position of explosive mule within the cell...... I think you should have attempted to infuse yourself to the team instead of running to the TSA like a gurl yelling "citizens arrest, citizens arrest!!!!!" at the top of your lungs.
Warrior-Mentor
05-11-2006, 19:31
Idiots! Now that same woman will just come back later and ask someone else to carry her bomb or drugs or whatever through security, and some jackass will do it for her. :mad:
Incompetence pisses me off.
The last I had heard, the guys who throw your luggage around down on the ramp get paid more than the TSA screeners. And look at some of the high speed people they have working for them too...:munchin
CoLawman
05-11-2006, 23:20
Trying to be optimistic here............
Maybe she was a TSA employee involved in a security test to determine if people would actually accept the request.
I just refuse to believe her actions did not create bells and whistles with searches and document verification through NCIC.:confused:
... And then there was last weekend, where I unknowingly boarded a plane with a swiss army knife in my carry-on.
The funny thing is that they recycled my OTHER piece of carry-on through the x-ray once, and told me that they thought they'd seen something that looked like a knife in it... The bag which the knife was in, they sent right through... :confused:
Solid
jasonglh
05-12-2006, 15:08
Ironically I got this article in an email today:
TSA detains Marine escorts
Trio escorting body of fallen comrade are stripped of dress blue coats, searched at airport
http://www.marinetimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1755845.php
The obvious follow up:
TSA erred in delaying fallen Marine’s escorts
Military escorts have special screening rules, says TSA
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1761087.php
The Reaper
05-12-2006, 17:55
I want somebody's ass fired.
Not reprimanded, not retrained.
Fired.
If you jack around with one of my soldiers in uniform who is on orders, especially escort orders, firing would be the very least problem that you had.
TR
Monsoon65
05-12-2006, 18:36
"It seems “miscommunication” is to blame for last week’s security mix-up that delayed a trio of leathernecks escorting the body of a fallen Marine through the Philadelphia airport."
Miscommunication my ass!
TSA = "Thugs Standing Around". This is what several airline pilots in my unit call them.
If the Marines didn't know of the special rules, why didn't TSA, when told by the Marines that they were escorts, tell them, "Hey guys, we have a special procedure for you. Follow me." instead of jacking them up at the checkpoint like they were Joe Tourist.
Wholesale Crucifixion without wood or nails is needed for the TSA people.
Monsoon65
05-12-2006, 18:56
I had to hunt around a bit for these, but I'm sure everyone remembers them when they happened.
http://www.homeofheroes.com/news/archives/2002_0100_foss.html
http://www.homeofheroes.com/talkingpoints/0207_finn.html
Firebeef
05-13-2006, 19:03
Last time I flew out of DIA, when I got in the line where they check your picture ID against your ticket to make sure that the name on the ticket and ID match, the early-20s something Ethiopian dude made sure my name matched, but never once did he look at my face and make sure I was the guy whose picture was actually on the ID. For all practical purposes, I could have been a 6'4" 220# black man, with brown hair and eyes, instead of a 5'7" 190 white dude with brown hair n blue eyes. He was covered because the names matched tho. You really can't make this stuff up, ya know??!!??
dr. mabuse
05-17-2006, 18:37
1. A security supervisor at DFW asks my wife to test the screener by carrying this large wooden revolver covered in heavy foil in her purse. She said the barrel was about 2" in diameter. They kept missing it and the supervisor kept saying " run it through again!". They spotted it the third time.
2. At Love Field in Dallas I forgot about a 5" Tanto Voyager in the bottom of a soft briefcase. Ran it through and nothing happened. Was digging through the briefcase after landing and there it was at the bottom along with 3 RBCD .223 brass.
:cool:
1. A security supervisor at DFW asks my wife to test the screener by carrying this large wooden revolver covered in heavy foil in her purse. She said the barrel was about 2" in diameter. They kept missing it and the supervisor kept saying " run it through again!". They spotted it the third time. :cool:
???????? Am I missing something here? Is your wife a civilain who was just there to take a flight? Whats with the wooden gun covered with foil??
The Reaper
05-17-2006, 20:14
1. A security supervisor at DFW asks my wife to test the screener by carrying this large wooden revolver covered in heavy foil in her purse. She said the barrel was about 2" in diameter. They kept missing it and the supervisor kept saying " run it through again!". They spotted it the third time.
:cool:
I think that the answer to that request is "No, thank you."
TR
I want somebody's ass fired.shot would be a suitable alternative...
dr. mabuse
05-18-2006, 13:03
She was just a civilian there to take a flight......:rolleyes:
My wife is an employee of a large west coast fire dept.
She was traveling via commercial airline to Southern Calif. for fires last summer in uniform, when she was required to remove her badge, collar brass and metal name tag as well as her 10" tall wildland boots for the TSA mouth breathers.
I suppose evil doers could disguise themselves as a burned out somewhat cranky fire captain going to sabotage the efforts of fire control folks on a big 'ol brush fire.:rolleyes:
Her laptop computer and small Leatherman tool on her belt were passed without a glance.
Ah, yes...post 9-11 travel and all of the special little joys.
I agree with others that the labor pool is murkey at best, which would explain
much of the little mrs. experence.
Warrior-Mentor
05-21-2006, 12:58
You get what you pay for.
The Reaper
05-21-2006, 13:05
You get what you pay for.
Funny you should say that. Two years ago, I saw two TSA baggage handlers in the Yuma airport (which probably gets what, ten flights per day?) rooting through bags. One said to the other one, Can you believe that we get $38 per hour for doing this? That is the only reason I moved here from Boston!"
Seems like they were being compensated pretty well for digging through your skivvies.
TR
SpartanWrestler
05-24-2006, 18:53
I'd like to know what some of the members think about rasical profile...not to be political, but i i dont mind security watching a Middle Eastern over a 65yr old...even though both could very well be lethal.
I heard that it's easy to spot "undercover" security on planes...they are the first on the plane and in suits all the time.
Wouldn't it help if they were in street cloths and got on the plane spraditcally?
Ambush Master
05-24-2006, 20:01
I'd like to know what some of the members think about rasical profile...not to be political, but i i dont mind security watching a Middle Eastern over a 65yr old...even though both could very well be lethal.
I heard that it's easy to spot "undercover" security on planes...they are the first on the plane and in suits all the time.
Wouldn't it help if they were in street cloths and got on the plane spraditcally?
Not sure what the definition/meaning of the following are, but I will have a few comments following:
rasical profile
spraditcally
Regardless of the meanings, we will not discuss, nor speculate on TTPs that are of a National Security Nature!!!
If you do not comprehend any of the above I VERY highly suggest that you refrain from POSTING and remain as a LURKER for, lets say, about 90 DAYS!!!
You do not wish to be made an EXAMPLE of in here!!!
This is the REAL WORLD!!!
Have a VERY SF DAY!!!!
Martin
Ironically I got this article in an email today:
TSA detains Marine escorts
Trio escorting body of fallen comrade are stripped of dress blue coats, searched at airport
http://www.marinetimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1755845.php
I recall reading that article in the last few days ... appalling. That was beyond my comprehension. That truly was not acceptable.
I agree, there needs to be a line for people who travel often enough that they know what they are doing.
Almost every time I get to the checkpoint, I get behind some travel-challenged individual who has to be recycled repeatedly for not taking the notebook out of the case and putting it in a tray by itself, take off the shoes, take off the jewelry, empty the pockets, take off the jacket, show us your ticket, etc., etc, etc.
On a lighter note:
From a civvie standpoint, you know you travel way too often when:
... you keep a stash of customs claim forms in your desk - and fill them in days before you hit the airport - i.e. when you receive you itinerary - inc. your regular inbound/outbound duty-free purchases
... you bring along an extra claim form in case your flight gets bumped :rolleyes:
... you not only wear the same [butt-ugly] shoes for each flight, you purchased them specifically because they have no metal shank and slip on/off in seconds
... you keep a large zip-lock baggie (or 2) in your laptop bag for keys, camera, cell phone, etc. to be easily placed into and retrieved from tray
... you never wear a belt, underwire bra, or a revealing top under the sweater /coat that they are certain to ask you to take off
... you know that United and O'Hare have some unGodly deal with Mother Nature for Friday evenings, Sunday Nights and Monday mornings - i.e. "your flight is delayed due to high winds"
* which always occur during the afore-mentioned times
** watch the "delayed flight" passenger exodus to the nearest lounge and calculate the revenue
One good pat-down from Olga and multiple delayed hub departures and you learn mighty fast.
Basenshukai
05-25-2006, 04:30
About a year ago I had to take an international flight on a personal trip to South America ("Block Leave"). At the last minute I decided to use a bag I typically take to work (for my PT gear and such) as carry-on luggage. Well, I empty it out and put in it my computer stuff and most of my electronic gadgets (laptop, IPOD, extention cords, etc). When I finally make it onto the international flight, I remember wanting to check for my adapter for the laptop computer while in flight, and began to search through one of the smaller pockets in the bag now sitting under the seat in front of me. Suddenly, I feel what seems to be a knife handle. I feel my way down to it and then I realize I had my SOG Seal 2000 in that bag as I was cleaning out my desk the week prior (I do that every so often back at the team room - my desk gets too messy at times). So here I am, on a packed flight with a knife you'd stick into a boar. The SOG Seal 2000 is about the biggest knife I own (and the heaviest for its size). I chuckled at the fact that I saw TSA employees taking nail clippers and nail files away from people in the same screening check point. I think those people suck.
... I think those people suck.
Good Story! Scary to know you slid the knife through, but good to know you managed to have a personal 'carry' at hand, especially in South Africa.
That said, it makes no sense, does it? Your carry-on bag should not have cleared with a knife.
(Next: Please DO NOT answer below here on this thread as quoted reply. But if FS or others want to offer PM advice for personal safety, please do)
I would dearly love to order an FS "Girly" Special [bra sheath], but I haven't yet as security locally is not nearly as much of a concern as it is when I travel out of Canada, which is 96% of my travel. It is money wasted if I can't safely pack it in checked luggage or better yet, carry it with me on my person for 'initialdepart-->initialarrival-->stay--enddepart-->endarrival' trips.
If Basenshukai ( AS Tango1) can get his Big Boy blade through carrry-on Security, then I'd want my FS special on my person or carry-on, too.