So Much for Airport Security

Don M.

Don M.

SF VIP
Location
central Missouri
Recently TSA did a series of "tests" to check the effectiveness of its Airport Screeners...They Failed those tests about 95% of the time. The participants were able to get mock explosives and weapons past the screening process almost every time. This sure inspires a lot of confidence in the TSA system....it's a wonder there hasn't been a major disaster as a result of this inept process.

https://gma.yahoo.com/exclusive-und...ilures-us-110647463--abc-news-topstories.html

I imagine that as a result of this report, the Security lines at the airports will become even longer and slower.
 

Its been a good 10 years since I have flown. How big of a hassel is it to go through the whole process of checking in, security and boarding now days? Non-holiday time.
 

Bullie76 said:
Its been a good 10 years since I have flown. How big of a hassel is it to go through the whole process of checking in, security and boarding now days? Non-holiday time.
Click to expand...

The time involved, and the "hassle" depends upon the airport, and When you are flying. In recent years, we have been to the airports in Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Kansas City. In the first three of these, the screening is done in the main terminal, before the passengers are released to the gate areas...and there is usually a long line. In these airports the "get there 2 hours before your flight" rule certainly applies. In Kansas City, there are 3 terminals, and the screening is done near the gates, and the traffic is much smaller. I think we could get to the terminal 30 minutes before the flight, and still have time for a cup of coffee. Also, When you are flying makes a great deal of difference. We Never fly on a Friday, or Sunday afternoon...that is the busiest times at the airports....as the "weekenders" and business travelers are out in substantial numbers.

It all depends upon the airports you will be going through, and the time of day, or day of the week. Afternoons on weekdays are the best times to show up at an airport...IMO. Some research, in advance, if you are going to an unfamiliar airport is a good thing to do.

Now, with this attention being given to the TSA screeners....all bets are probably off...as I'm sure there will be some major changes coming in the near future.
 
I'm TSA pre approved. I go in the special short line and don't have to take off my shoes or remove the liquids bag or take anything out of my pockets. It's nice.
 
crazy.....TSA just told every would be bomber that its ok to go ahead with their plans to get on board since the chances of getting caught are slim to none.
 
If you are in your 70s you can go online to httpp://universalenroll.dhs.gov and find a site that is close to your
home to enroll. They will finger print you and you need to bring your passport and a credit card to pay $85. You will get to go through checks much quicker. Since my children don't want me driving to Charlotte, I now fly there every few months. I rarely have to pay bc I have enough credit points to fly. I will let you know if I think
it is worth the money in a few weeks when I go to Charlotte NC.
 
I notice that the head of the TSA wasn't "fired" - he was merely shuffled horizontally to another position in Homeland Security. In the private sector, with a 95% failure rate you'd not only be fired but probably blackballed in that industry.

Must be nice to be an untouchable government worker who doesn't need to produce any results.
 
TSA has been a joke from almost day 1. It's a known fact that too many agents are just collecting a check. There are too many agents doing nothing and also too much redundancy among agents. More later when I can write more.
 
charlotta said:
If you are in your 70s you can go online to httpp://universalenroll.dhs.gov and find a site that is close to your
home to enroll. They will finger print you and you need to bring your passport and a credit card to pay $85. You will get to go through checks much quicker. Since my children don't want me driving to Charlotte, I now fly there every few months. I rarely have to pay bc I have enough credit points to fly. I will let you know if I think
it is worth the money in a few weeks when I go to Charlotte NC.
Click to expand...

I'm 63 and I didn't have to do any of that, somehow I just got on a pre approved list. I do fly a lot.
 
SifuPhil said:
I notice that the head of the TSA wasn't "fired" - he was merely shuffled horizontally to another position in Homeland Security. In the private sector, with a 95% failure rate you'd not only be fired but probably blackballed in that industry.

Must be nice to be an untouchable government worker who doesn't need to produce any results.
Click to expand...

When was the last time anyone heard of a Senior Government Official being "penalized"?? Generally, when they screw up, they find some lower level employee to take all the heat. Case in point...Lois Lerner, after investigations into the IRS, was allowed to retire, given a hefty bonus, and a fat pension. Working for the government is just about the Most Secure position a person can find, anymore.
 
TSA pre-approved wouldn't help me at all. I fly into the US once a year. The rest of my flights are outside the US. I've got the security and immigration stuff down pat!
 
Back in the 90's, my brother-in-law was going on a 1-day business trip with his bosses, so all he had with him was a briefcase. He put it on the belt for the xray machine and walked through the arch before the belt started running. He's standing there, waiting for his briefcase to come through. The belt stops and the person running the scanner calls over his boss.

Scanner: "Is this what I think it is?" Boss: "Well, what do you think it is?". Scanner: "I think it's a gun." Boss: "Well, it looks like a gun to me, too." My BIL thought Boy, someone's in big trouble until he realizes that his briefcase was still in the scanner.

The belt starts up again, out comes his briefcase and the scanner says, "Sir, is this your case? Would you please open it?". BIL opens the case and sure 'nuff, there's a gun in the briefcase.

He said he thought he was going to pass out. He starts sputtering, "That's not my gun! I didn't put a gun in my briefcase! I don't know how that gun got in there!", all the while picturing that within seconds he would be on the floor with an armed guard standing on his neck. Then the boss steps forward and says, "I know you didn't put that gun in there. I put the gun in there for a test." Apparently, as soon as my BIL put his case down and stepped through the arch, the boss flipped the case open and put in a non-functioning test gun in the case.

It's a darn good thing that my BIL didn't have a bad heart (or a nervous bladder). It seems like it was a rather ill-thought-out thing to do to an unsuspecting passenger. Surely they could have used airport employees to run a test like that.
I'm pretty sure TSA didn't exist back then, but stupidity sure did. And now my BIL will never walk away to go through the arch until he sees his bag disappear into the tunnel.
 
OMG, how nerve-wracking!

I watched a programme here called Airport for a while and it was usually about different immigration cases, etc. One American guy flew into London and he had a violin case. He stupidly made a joke about not having a machine gun in his case. Security guys have NO sense of humour. Anyway, they pulled him in and gave him the third degree. He kept saying it was a joke as mobster types used to put machine guns in violin cases back in the 20's. They nearly arrested him as making a joke of this kind is illegal. They did finally let him through I think.
 
Before I was pre approved I made the mistake of putting a toy gun that I had bought for my grandson in Colorado at the Garden of the Gods in my carry on. I got pulled aside and 2 security guys came and said they would have to take it away. Well I was intent on keeping it because I had already told my grandson I was bringing it, so I said that it's obviously a toy and still sealed in the pkg and if they want they can take it out and check it. I said my grandson will be disappointed.

they said my grandson would be more disappointed if grandma wasn't coming home because they had to shoot me because a toy gun looks real when put in the waistband of your pants..he even proceeded to show me. So they took the gun and probably took it home to their kids.

I was so upset, I had to go and eat a cheeseburger at McDonalds.
 
I failed a "scattergram" once because I had half a Kleenex in the back pocket of my jeans. Half a Kleenex, mind you, not even a whole one. Guns can get by but apparently my half a Kleenex is a threat to national security.

I thought my boyfriend was going to get arrested at the Liberty Bell and couple of years ago. To go through security, you have to hold your arms out to the sides and pirouette before the guards. Sometimes, he's a real cut up, so he pulled his t-shirt up under his armpits and did a little roundabout dance for the guards and told the female guard that he knew she just wanted to see his booty dancing. All three of them had very stern expressions on their faces and I thought, OK THAT'S IT.....WE'RE OFF TO JAIL....but then all three burst out laughing and waved us through. I have a feeling that wouldn't go over well at the airport, though.
 

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