Trip Reports - Shame on Southwest

I won't even go into the whole thing about 2 tickets for larger passengers. On 6/20 I was traveling LAS to SMF on SWA. At the gate they chose the people for secondary screening. One of them was an 8 year old UM. She was patted down by a rubber gloved male security (and I use that term in the broadest sense) person. She had no carry on. She was even forced to remove her slip on tennis shoes. She was picked out of line by the agent at the door. It was one of the saddest and most disturbing things I have seen in a long time. The terrorist have won!

See ya SWA...I'd rather spend my money with another carrier. Preferably one who hasn't lost its mind/

If the child was chosen for screening by the computer, what discretion could the agents have had? And what fault is that of Southwest airlines -- how are the security personnel at all related to the airline?

If you're upset at the kid's treatment, vent it on the responsible organization. I don't see why you attribute it to Southwest...

Unless there is something unusual about Southwest's arrangements in Vegas, secondary screeners are contracted to the airline. While there should certainly be adherence to the "computer's" random picks, the airline and security needs to have some common sense. If they feel the necessity of screening an eight year UM, then a Southwest gate agent of the same sex as the child should watch every second of the activities from a couple of feet away.

Southwest's corporate risk management department should be made aware of these circumstances. Imagine what the child tells their parents when they meet up and ask "how was your flight" (and I'm not presuming the child will lie, it's just consider how kids that age verbalize story narrative). Even if the secondary check was done in the most respectful manner, a child is going to have trouble describing the activity.

[edited to at least show some attempt at coherence]


[This message has been edited by Craig6z (edited 06-22-2002).]

TA...
There was no computer pick of who was screened. The agent just chose people at random. If the computer had picked people they would have been called by name. Not just "selected" by a poorly trained agent. I maintain that SWA screwed up on this one big time.

I understand that there is a focus on secondary screening in the US, and I will probably be flamed by typing this, but it is getting out of hand. There have been some insane post such as known politicians and now young kids getting screened that only serve to further my point.

Is the opportunity to screen a more likely terrorist ,(even someone like me late 20's, male, last minute walk purchase with only carry on), not being lost by screening those considerably less likely to be.

Sorry if I offend, but I just don't see the point.

The other day while travelling I saw an armed forces officer (I think Army) being secondary screened and patted down. He had all of his ribbons, medals, uniform, etc. on as well. No comment here, just thought I'd report on what other folks I've seen getting the "random" treatment.

So, now the TSA does the screening at the security checkpoint, shouldn't that be sufficient to scrap the farcical secondary screening? Maybe the TSA isn't good enough though, and needs 'Aren't-too-Bright' (is that the right name?) screeners to do the job properly? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Also, it makes a complete joke of the early boarding priveleges for Elites....

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ldsant:
The other day while travelling I saw an armed forces officer (I think Army) being secondary screened and patted down. He had all of his ribbons, medals, uniform, etc. on as well. No comment here, just thought I'd report on what other folks I've seen getting the "random" treatment.</font>

In case everyone has forgotten, Timothy McVeigh was US Army. Further, military uniforms can be bought, complete with medalia, by anyone at any surplus store.

Ok, I've been rethinking my response on this one. Should children be given the same security scrutiny as adults?

My first reaction was "no" -- sympathy for the poor kid, having to go through secondary screening and all. We should wave them through, right?

After thinking about it, I've changed my opinion. It is not unheard of for people to use children for their own unsavory purposes. Remember the young girl who unwittingly became a drug mule on an AA flight from Colombia recently? How about the children pressed into military service at the age of 12 (happening in many places around the world)?

Kids are vulnerable because they often don't understand what they're carrying or why they've been asked to do certain things. Is this something that we should be looking out for? Will we have to watch for this new threat? I don't know. That's a tough call. I think almost all kids who pass through an airport in the US are not a threat.

But for the agent, maybe "unaccompanied minor" raised a genuine security flag in his/her mind for these reasons. Could the agent have singled the kid out for some other reason? (to be mean, or some perverse reason?)

What do you think?

Does it also seem strange that a male agent patted down an 8-year old female UM?

I thought TSA rules were such that only female agents are suppose to do that.

I'm still waiting to read the Trip Report? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/confused.gif

the agent selected people? Usuallym I see the screener person (a non airline employee) pick out people. Maybe SWA is different? Who knows.

mtacchi, agree with you completely. By spending time on celebrities, politicians and children -- as well as top tier FFers [of more than 5-years status] -- there is a greater likelihood of the targets getting through.

It's not just kids boarding Southwest. A couple of months ago at LAX Terminal 3, Alaska, I saw an approximately two-year-old Asian child get the full treatment. Wanding, patdown, empty pockets. The child was terrified and bewildered, his parents were prevented from standing with him, and while this psychotic charade played out dozens of young men with big carry-ons (in other words, those who fit the profile) got down the jetway without a second look.

As for UMs: appalling and sickening, especially the male-searching-female part. I believe there is no reason to trust the security personnel. The average security employee I see demonstrates poor, arbitrary or irrational judgement. There was a thread elsewhere on FT in which a mom related that a security person wanted to take her young daughter behind a partition and search her with nobody watching. She was gutsy enough to raise a ruckus, and the securi-cretin backed off. I'm sorry, but if anyone tried that with my child, I'd give 'em something to call the cops for.

[This message has been edited by BearX220 (edited 06-24-2002).]

[This message has been edited by BearX220 (edited 06-24-2002).]