Checkpoints and Borders Policy Debate - TSA Presence at LHR During Olympics

Did you think you could avoid the TSA by not flying out of a US airport? Guess again (http://news.sky.com/story/961071/us-security-agents-at-heathrow-for-olympics)!

It seems like they will be doing gate checks only for US bound aircraft. I also wonder what they mean by "specialist agents". Will this be limited to BDOs, or will the barkers be in full force at LHR this summer?

I feel so much safer now!;)

Now starting the TSA screw-up clock for LHR-USA bound flights and also wondering if the surveillance system at LHR works as well as it does at most US airports ;)

It is very unclear who it will be and what they will do.

It is very unclear who it will be and what they will do.

But it is very clear the TSA (if this is true) will screw things up even more. Not the best choice of people to represent the USA. They will discourage even more people from travelling to the US.

They will wanding you and your bag is being searched. You have go through the metal detector. Make sure it is everything is normal but, there is no potential threat. They should have kept terrorist out of the entire building. No one sneak beyond at the entire building. K-9 will have to searched for explosives. They have to make sure everything is smoother and enjoy the opening ceremony.

I feel so much safer now!;)

I've said before that, if the TSA ever stations its clerks abroad (like, to bless US-bound flights), you could practically do an entire "fish out of water" sitcom series about it. Imagine TSA clerks coping with such things as:

- People who speak English funny...or speak other languages,
- Metric,
- Gasoline costing $7.81/gal (http://www.petrolprices.com/),
- Driving a standard transmission; bonus points if on the left,
- Using mass transit,
- Getting their 120-only personal effects fried at 230 VAC,
- Non-US money.

Needless to say, I'm hoping that these TSA clerks are treated as some sort of gag gift from the US and assigned to do-nothing duty, like "observe and report" terminal foot patrol. Or inspecting the entire airport perimeter fence--actually, take that back, since they'd probably find something to break.

If these TSA clerks wind up behaving badly and making a complete embarassment ouf of the US and the TSA, that will drive further home another point I've made: Salt Lake City was chosen before 9/11, and barring serious reform, the US will never host another Olympics. Full stop. Nobody will want the Olympics hosted somewhere the TSA gets to do its best on thousands of visitors.

Salt Lake City was before the TSA really started going downhill, but the Shoe Carnival was in place. Did the TSA Shoe Carnival thousands of people leaving SLC after the Olympics were over?

Now starting the TSA screw-up clock for LHR-USA bound flights ...
"This large gold [silver, bronze] disk on a ribbon obviously could be used as a weapon on board; you'll have to leave it here if you want to fly back to the US."

(Bonus points: "If you studied the TSA website before you packed your bags, you would have known that." :rolleyes::rolleyes:)

"This large gold [silver, bronze] disk on a ribbon obviously could be used as a weapon on board; you'll have to leave it here if you want to fly back to the US."

Yet a laptop charging transformer with attached cord makes a better weapon and TSA allows 80% of the pax on every plane board with one. :eek:

Now starting the TSA screw-up clock for LHR-USA bound flights ...
"This large gold [silver, bronze] disk on a ribbon obviously could be used as a weapon on board; you'll have to leave it here if you want to fly back to the US."

(Bonus points: "If you studied the TSA website before you packed your bags, you would have known that." :rolleyes::rolleyes:)But, but, but how would I have known as we have been told time and again that the TSA website is out of date ;)

well if London was looking to make any money from the olympics they can kiss that one good by as there gone loose big time . Will only get worse for the Para-Olympians.


Wonder how long it takes before the first complaints about items going missing from luggage and found in a TSA employees possession or till sexual assault complaint is filed.

To be fair to them, I'm not in the least bit surprised that the US government thinks it's in its own best interest to have US security staff deployed at UK airports over the Olympic period (regardless of how effective they actually are).

If I qualified what I wrote above, I'd i) go off topic and ii) get a bit ranty!

Does "specialist agent," really translate to FAMs and not the Mexican-made blue shirts?

I could see FAMs on foreign airport patrol, but not the screeners. I've seen published reports about increased air marshal presence on UK flights, so that would make sense.

Who's footing the bill? I see lots of TSA agents greedily rubbing their hands together in glee over the prospect of huge per diem payments and inflated travel vouchers.

Who's footing the bill? I see lots of TSA agents greedily rubbing their hands together in glee over the prospect of huge per diem payments and inflated travel vouchers.

That was exactly my first thought when I read this.

Wonder if 'real' working TSA-types will actually be in the workplace doing something, or if it will just be mid-level TSA brown-nosers being rewarded with a taxpayer-funded, unmonitored junket to hang around the airport and London in the name of 'protecting' someone (certainly not the taxpayer's wallet) - no doubt accompanied by a necessary contingent of TSA managers to oversee the junketing 'troops'.

So, clearly, this means that flights originating in at LHR will not be required to go back through the TSA after customers in the US, right? Or does the TSA trust its LHR gate-checkers as much as US-based gate-checkers trust the checkpoint guys?

I've said before that, if the TSA ever stations its clerks abroad (like, to bless US-bound flights), you could practically do an entire "fish out of water" sitcom series about it. Imagine TSA clerks coping with such things as:

- Using mass transit,


I actually think theyd be ok here. MARTA is full of TSA.

I actually think theyd be ok here. MARTA is full of TSA.

Not that long ago, there was a parking-lot-rage incident involving a TS"O" at JFK's employee parking lot. I questioned why on earth anyone would drive to work at JFK, then I realized that JFK's employee parking is a bargain at $50/mo.

I must apologize. I was stereotyping TS"O"s as too lazy to use mass transit, which typically involves a bit of walking. OTOH, MARTA probably gets 'em closer to their workplace than wherever ATL employees park. I was also stereotyping TS"O"s as being the types of people who stay away from mass transit because of their perception of it being filled with creeps and weirdos.

While parking at my average suburban office building is 200' from the door, the TLH TS"O"s have a 600' trek from the terminal to employee parking--imagine that in a dark blue, long-sleeve shirt, black pants, and a 98F heat index.

I'm waiting for the first TSO to get arrested for doing something that's TSA SOP but violates UK law.

Sigh. Haven't we got enough rude and incompetent airport security staff of our own? Oh no clearly we haven't, we're having a generalised Olympic security farce.

But it is very clear the TSA (if this is true) will screw things up even more. Not the best choice of people to represent the USA. They will discourage even more people from travelling to the US.

AFAIK (and having first hand knowledge at CDG), the TSA already has at least a periodic "advisory" presence in European airports for US-bound aircraft.

I imagine UK and TSA screeners would be comparing "sticky wicket" notes about passengers and belongings.

But it is very clear the TSA (if this is true) will screw things up even more. Not the best choice of people to represent the USA. They will discourage even more people from travelling to the US.

Really? Maybe I'm surrounded by idiots but if anything I notice more people wanting to visit the US now than a few years ago. Some people I have met enthusiastically pay Obama's tourist tax ("keeping their ESTA current") even when they have no flights to the US booked! Look at the "worst rated" comments on any daily mail article about the airport security and you'll see people cheering on the TSA for keeping them "safe".

Does "specialist agent," really translate to FAMs and not the Mexican-made blue shirts?

That's my assumption; I don't forsee the latter being permitted in the UK airports.

TSA is going to be exporting its capable, qualified, top notch group of motivated employees?

Dear LHR, feel free to keep them even once the Olympics are over. If you want, we can always send you more.

So, clearly, this means that flights originating in at LHR will not be required to go back through the TSA after customers in the US, right? Or does the TSA trust its LHR gate-checkers as much as US-based gate-checkers trust the checkpoint guys?

The reason for reclearing TSA in after customs has nothing to do with not trusting foreign airport security. We have to do that because us pax have access to checked luggage while clearing customs. Once we grab the checked bag, we're no longer "sterile" and have to be recleared.

And now for a few facts. (http://www.govexec.com/defense/2012/07/tsa-sends-small-contingent-london -olympics/56863/)

And now for a few facts. (http://www.govexec.com/defense/2012/07/tsa-sends-small-contingent-london -olympics/56863/)

your page cannot be found. You seem to be having much link trouble today...

The reports in the British papers have been interesting to read, the public comments on TSA are priceless 99 out of 100 are bashing the org and have Brits telling of brutal and horrid run-ins with the TSA when Stateside.

While there is a US presence at many airports most are not TSA. In fact I was involved with negotiating a new treaty (yes they actually fall under treaty status in many cases) for US security and US government employee transit at some Northern Italian airports as part of a NATO deal a few years ago. The head DHS guy was actually not a moron, but his briefcase holder was a GS-11 type tool trying to move up ranks quickly and suggested bringing in some TSA guidance and even the other Americans, laughed...out loud...at the mention.

There is not respect for frontline TSA in Europe. DHS is different story depending on the level and agency the advisors are coming from.