A U.S. Airways pilot was taken into police custody Sunday after he made ``inappropriate'' comments at an airport security checkpoint, authorities said.
The pilot, who was not identified, was scheduled to fly from Philadelphia International Airport to Milwaukee.
``The pilot made some comments that the (security) screeners thought were inappropriate,'' said Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Arlene Salac, who declined to elaborate on what was said.
``There was no immediate threat to anybody,'' said U.S. Airways spokesman David Castelveter, who also refused to give specifics about the comments.
No flights were affected, said airport spokesman Mark Pesce.
The pilot was taken into custody and could face charges, Salac said. The FAA could also ground him.
Police and FBI officials didn't immediately return calls for comment on Sunday.
News reports say the comment made was "why are you searching for tweezers when I can crash the plane?"
doc
Jan 14, 02, 7:04 am
Yep! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif
..."Why are you worried about tweezers when I could crash the plane?" according to television station KYW, which showed video footage of him being led away in handcuffs.
City police charged Menear with the misdemeanors and he remained in custody. A substitute pilot was called in to complete the flight, the KYW report said.
The pilot had been scheduled to fly from Philadelphia to Milwaukee on Sunday morning.
"There was no immediate threat to anybody," said US Airways spokesman David Castelveter.
The FBI is investigating and will determine whether to file charges against the pilot.
"The union will obviously be part of the investigation and make sure the pilot's rights are protected," said Roy Freundlich, spokesman for the US Airways unit of the Airline Pilots Association.
Ask a valid question that happens to challenge the all powerful (yet with no accountability) security weenies.. and go to jail.
Oh yeah we're all a lot safer after this. Eventually, simply wondering why they are stealing your video camera will be grounds for arrest.
Regards,
-Bouncer-
[This message has been edited by Bouncer (edited 01-14-2002).]
skofarrell
Jan 14, 02, 9:40 am
For both the pilot and the screener: Why does the word "moron" come to mind?
JRF
Jan 14, 02, 9:45 am
This pilot could be the FF hero of the year. While what he said was stupid, maybe someone will realise he is correct!
Spiff
Jan 14, 02, 9:57 am
The pilot was not stupid at all! He is right!!!
Pilots do not need weapons or explosives, the airline hands them the keys to one every flight. The will also happily give the pilot as much fuel as the pilot wants, too.
Somebody should give that security screener a good swift kick for being such a jack@$$. I hope the pilot beats the rap and files suit against those incompetent morons.
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"Those who would sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither." - Ben Franklin
mlawless
Jan 14, 02, 10:02 am
I have been joking about this for weeks. I saw a pilot being questioned and having his bags searched at an EWR check point. I wanted to say something to the secruity guard.
It is somewhat rediculous that they harass these guys on the way to their flights. After all, they do have full control of the plane anyway.
I don't think he did anything inappropriate. He just pointed out the irony in government policy.
I hope they ground him so he can sue the pants off the FAA.
I think it is acceptable to search the belongings of the crew or those saying they are crew.
Would it be hard to find an uniform and make some official looking ID? Now, you couldn't make onto the plane as crew but you could pass on the unrecognized dangerous items to someone else or change clothes and board as a regular passenger. Perhaps this is far fetched but so was 9-11. EVERYONE should be screened.
RichG
Jan 14, 02, 8:07 pm
Yes, it was a dumb remark, even though true.
Asking a hypothetical question cannot be construed as making a terroristic threat. (The use of the word "could" is what makes it hypothetical.) The pilot, IMHO, will not be prosecuted because he has broken no law. There will, however, not be anyone around to sue, since no one will want to fault the security company or the police for being cautious. The airline will fire the pilot, because they will be too scared to do anything else. ALPA will arbitrate, and the pilot will get his job back, or not, according to what the arbitrator had for breakfast and the phase of the moon.
Sometimes things just suck.
doc
Jan 14, 02, 8:30 pm
US Airways Suspends Pilot
A US Airways pilot accused of making ``inappropriate'' comments at an airport security checkpoint has been suspended from his job, an airline official said Monday.
Elwood Menear, 46, will be suspended pending the outcome of an investigation, said airline spokesman David Castelveter, who declined to comment on whether that was standard company procedure. Castelveter also wouldn't say whether Menear was still receiving a paycheck.
Menear, 46, was released from jail Monday, the day after he was arrested for making what authorities said were ``inappropriate'' comments at Philadelphia International Airport. Police charged him with making terroristic threats and disorderly conduct.
RichG's last remark sums it up rather nicely - unfortunately! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif
Spiff
Jan 15, 02, 10:51 am
STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE! (At least that's what I'd like to see, even though the inconvenience would be enormous.) We have to take a stand against these STUPID "security" procedures that those knee-jerkers in the FAA are adopting willy-nilly.
Yes, we should verify the pilot's ID. However, once the pilot gets into that plane, she/he has a flying bomb at her/his disposal! It DOES NOT MATTER if they have nail clippers, sissors, or even a flame thrower. If that pilot wants to bring the plane down, she/he doesn't need tweezers to do it! These Barney Fife DOPES at the security check points just don't get it and a big part of the problem is that the fools at the FAA don't get it either.
Security is not rocket science, folks! We don't need to submit to these humilitating, degrading, and unnecessary searches to be secure. All we need to do is implement the technology that is presently available and use some common sense!
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by doc:
US Airways Suspends Pilot
A US Airways pilot accused of making ``inappropriate'' comments at an airport security checkpoint has been suspended from his job, an airline official said Monday.
Elwood Menear, 46, will be suspended pending the outcome of an investigation, said airline spokesman David Castelveter, who declined to comment on whether that was standard company procedure. Castelveter also wouldn't say whether Menear was still receiving a paycheck.
Menear, 46, was released from jail Monday, the day after he was arrested for making what authorities said were ``inappropriate'' comments at Philadelphia International Airport. Police charged him with making terroristic threats and disorderly conduct.
RichG's last remark sums it up rather nicely - unfortunately! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif </font>
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"Those who would sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither." - Ben Franklin
[This message has been edited by Spiff (edited 01-15-2002).]
Efrem
Jan 15, 02, 6:00 pm
There are two separate issues here.
Of course it makes no sense to screen pilots to make sure they're not carrying a nail file on board.
However, any airline pilot with a brain larger than a walnut should realize that screeners these days are under a lot of pressure, may not understand spoken colloquial English very well, are in some cases not the cream of the intellectual crop, are blamed for lots of things that are not their fault (as well as some that are), are in fear of losing their jobs for reasons beyond their control, and know that they'll have trouble finding another one (or they wouldn't have this one in the first place). He should have the sense not to joke with them about security-related topics or try to engage them in a philosophical discussion of the logic behind what they've been told to do. Any pilot who doesn't have that much common sense should be suspended for utter stupidity, no matter how pointless the screening process may be.
married 2 miles
Jan 15, 02, 8:03 pm
While you have to be careful what you say at an airport, a screener (or the rules) have to be pretty dumb - (maybe that's why they want to hire high school dropouts as screeners) to spend time searching the pilot when he CAN CRASH THE PLANE WITHOUT TWEEZERS - HE'S FLYING IT. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME AND THAT TIME COULD BE BETTER SPENT SEARCHING MORE LIKELY TERRORISTS!
RichG
Jan 15, 02, 11:16 pm
Ironically, although I would not go so far as to arm pilots with guns, it seems that it would largely be in the interest of the flying public for the pilots to be armed with knives, billy clubs, brass knuckles, and blackjacks.
JRF
Jan 16, 02, 2:13 am
After the SS agent on AA I don't want pilots armed with anything. You could get shot for not being white! Go AA Go, go away!
wigstheone
Jan 31, 02, 4:36 am
US Airways Fires Pilot
PHILADELPHIA — The Air Line Pilots Association is appealing the dismissal of a US Airways pilot who says he was fired for refusing to take off his hat at an airport security checkpoint. Capt. Ed Graf was arrested in October and charged with disorderly conduct following the incident at the checkpoint at Philadelphia International Airport. Authorities said he was combative and refused to follow an officer's order. Graf, 51, said he was fired two weeks later, and his appeal to the airline for reinstatement was rejected Jan. 18, according to the union. Airline spokesman David Castelveter declined to discuss the case or those of two other US Airways pilots who were disciplined for arguing with or making insensitive comments to security screeners at the airport.
Presuming he said what is alledged, the pilot was plain wrong! As a pilot, part of his job is to ensure security and saying such things only provokes fear and hysteria. Further more, who is to say that someone could not dress as a pilot, and slip through screening? Finally, as a pilot, he has a responsibility to set an example to passengers that security is important and everyone is getting screened.
He should be fired, no benefits!
Spiff
Feb 4, 02, 11:14 am
You're missing the point. They are searching him but he doesn't need a weapon of any kind. He has a flying bomb *at his disposal*. If we are concerned about fake pilots, a credentials check, not a pointy objects search is in order. The pilot was pointing out how bloody stupid it is to go overboard searching someone who can just crash the plane when they want to.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mktozd:
Presuming he said what is alledged, the pilot was plain wrong! As a pilot, part of his job is to ensure security and saying such things only provokes fear and hysteria. Further more, who is to say that someone could not dress as a pilot, and slip through screening? Finally, as a pilot, he has a responsibility to set an example to passengers that security is important and everyone is getting screened.
He should be fired, no benefits!</font>
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"Those who would sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither." - Ben Franklin
drtravels
Feb 4, 02, 11:28 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Spiff:
You're missing the point.
</font>
Perhaps there is more than one point to every story?
IMO, a review of the facts by a disinterested third party will most likely resolve the issue fairly.
kokonutz
Feb 4, 02, 12:51 pm
You guys are ALL missing the point:
What if a terrorist KNOWS that the pilot may have access to nail scissors in his carry-on?!?!?!? I mean, he could, potentially, sit next to that pilot who is deadheading or commuting. Then when the pilot dozes off reach into that carryon and pull out those tiny scissors and...who knows...CLIP SOMEONE'S NAILS!!!!!
Jon Gegenheimer
Feb 4, 02, 12:54 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Spiff:
You're missing the point. They are searching him but he doesn't need a weapon of any kind. He has a flying bomb *at his disposal*. If we are concerned about fake pilots, a credentials check, not a pointy objects search is in order. The pilot was pointing out how bloody stupid it is to go overboard searching someone who can just crash the plane when they want to.
</font>
Actually you're missing the point. Obviously, the pilot wasn't planning to hijack the plane he was flying by assaulting himself. And I don't think multiple personality disorder is a plausible threat.
But you all have forgotten that goods can be handed-off after security is cleared. It is unlikely, but not unbelievable, that a pilot (or anyone 'official', for that matter) would smuggle items through security only to facilitate a hijacking on another flight. But 9/11 was pretty unbelievable, and I buy into what some of you are calling "hype" regarding the need to prepare for the most unlikely contingencies, even if it means more inconvenience and longer waits.