TSA Orders Toddler Off of Plane
May 10, 2012, 3:45 pm
#31
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I'm inclined to think Jetblue is the culprit here (and I'm no TSA aplogist). I think crew and/or pax saw the woman's headscarf and got scared.
First, if the child was on the 'no-fly' list, she wouldn't be allowed to fly. Period. If she was on the watch-list, supposedly the airlines are allowed to 'clear' her at checkin based on her obvious age, despite the alleged name match. (I thought Secureflight was supposed to reduce this by doing a match on names and birthdates, but perhaps not).
Second, according to the story, the airline employee specifically said that the problem was not the wife, but the child. The husband clearly thought the problem was his wife's headscarf. Maybe he was right and the Jetblue employee was just engaging in a bit of misdirection.
At any rate, if Jetblue calls TSA and reports suspicious pax, TSA is going to show up. Possibly even TSA will realize, after 30 minutes, that if the parents and kid were cleared for boarding passes, cleared the checkpoint, and nothing further (LEO checks?) turns up, there is no reason to stop them from flying.
The comments on this story are ridiculous. On and on about how 'everyone' knows Muslims have an established history of using infants and small children to commit violent acts of terror. I'd like to see just a couple reliable cites to establish this, particularly considering that Pistole recently announced less severe focus on children under 12 (as well as seniors) - a risk assessment based, presumably, on good intel.
First, if the child was on the 'no-fly' list, she wouldn't be allowed to fly. Period. If she was on the watch-list, supposedly the airlines are allowed to 'clear' her at checkin based on her obvious age, despite the alleged name match. (I thought Secureflight was supposed to reduce this by doing a match on names and birthdates, but perhaps not).
Second, according to the story, the airline employee specifically said that the problem was not the wife, but the child. The husband clearly thought the problem was his wife's headscarf. Maybe he was right and the Jetblue employee was just engaging in a bit of misdirection.
At any rate, if Jetblue calls TSA and reports suspicious pax, TSA is going to show up. Possibly even TSA will realize, after 30 minutes, that if the parents and kid were cleared for boarding passes, cleared the checkpoint, and nothing further (LEO checks?) turns up, there is no reason to stop them from flying.
The comments on this story are ridiculous. On and on about how 'everyone' knows Muslims have an established history of using infants and small children to commit violent acts of terror. I'd like to see just a couple reliable cites to establish this, particularly considering that Pistole recently announced less severe focus on children under 12 (as well as seniors) - a risk assessment based, presumably, on good intel.
Then again, everyone KNEW that the world was flat. Everyone KNEW that the sun revolved around the earth. Everyone KNEW that leeches cured diseases. Everyone KNEW that there were sea monsters living in the Atlantic. Everyone KNEW that it was physically impossible to fly faster than the speed of sound. And everyone KNOWS that terr'ists are lurking around every corner, behind every bush, under every rock, just waiting for the opportunity to eat your baby and pee on your bible. And everyone KNOWS that only by feeling your child's genitals and breaking peoples' colostomy bags can we be protected from those evil bible-peers.
Of course, I don't recall ever hearing any ACTUAL accounts of terr'ists using babies or old people to smuggle suicide bombs onto planes in Florida. Jersey, maybe, but never Florida.
May 10, 2012, 4:33 pm
#32
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Latest report: TSA says the kid was never on the no-fly list - if she had been, she couldn't have been issued a boarding pass. TSA says the airline called them because the girl was on the watch list.
Doesn't explain why this question didn't come up when the family originally got boarding passes (which is when it usually seems to come up). Also doesn't explain why TSA has said in the past that airlines can use common sense at the checkin counter to 'clear' a minor, doesn't explain why Secureflight still allows denial based on name only with no DOB check.
I'm inclined to fault JetBlue on this one.
Doesn't explain why this question didn't come up when the family originally got boarding passes (which is when it usually seems to come up). Also doesn't explain why TSA has said in the past that airlines can use common sense at the checkin counter to 'clear' a minor, doesn't explain why Secureflight still allows denial based on name only with no DOB check.
I'm inclined to fault JetBlue on this one.
Ter'wrist infant is 18 months old
Name on watch list list added over 18 months ago*
Do the math
*not saying this is the case but if you think about it, it's really not that hard to realize that if the name was added to the watch list before the baby was born or the name on the watch list is for someone say 25 years old-but then again, we're talking about DHS and the TSA here where as been proven time and time again, they can screw up a free lunch
Name on watch list list added over 18 months ago*
Do the math
*not saying this is the case but if you think about it, it's really not that hard to realize that if the name was added to the watch list before the baby was born or the name on the watch list is for someone say 25 years old-but then again, we're talking about DHS and the TSA here where as been proven time and time again, they can screw up a free lunch
May 10, 2012, 4:52 pm
#33
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TSA was called to the gate by the airline and after talking to the parents and confirming through our vetting system, TSA determined the airline had mistakenly indicated the child was on a government watch list.
Interesting how effective their deflection of blame to TSA has been, though. The TSA has enabled jetBlue's worst.
May 10, 2012, 5:52 pm
#35
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Yeah, this is insane! No one ever remove the toddler off the plane. It was absolutely no reason. Leave the toddler alone! Those babies doesn't have any problem at all. They aren't terrorist.
Shame on JetBlue!
Actually, they already drop all gate searches before boarding the aircraft. It is no longer exist.
Shame on JetBlue!
Actually, they already drop all gate searches before boarding the aircraft. It is no longer exist.
May 10, 2012, 7:59 pm
#37
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The girl checked in, received a boarding pass, and boarded the plane before Jetblue suddenly discovered that she was on the watch list? They weren't alerted when she checked in, was issued her boarding pass, or her boarding pass was scanned at boarding, but suddenly a computer 'glitch' surfaces and...what? Sends an alert to the GA warning that someone on the watch list has just boarded? Really? Prints an asterisk by her name on the final pax manifest?
I think there was a 'glitch' all right, but I don't believe it had anything to do with Jetblue's computers.
May 10, 2012, 11:04 pm
#38
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I don't, but in this case, Jetblue's story just doesn't ring true.
The girl checked in, received a boarding pass, and boarded the plane before Jetblue suddenly discovered that she was on the watch list? They weren't alerted when she checked in, was issued her boarding pass, or her boarding pass was scanned at boarding, but suddenly a computer 'glitch' surfaces and...what? Sends an alert to the GA warning that someone on the watch list has just boarded? Really? Prints an asterisk by her name on the final pax manifest?
I think there was a 'glitch' all right, but I don't believe it had anything to do with Jetblue's computers.
The girl checked in, received a boarding pass, and boarded the plane before Jetblue suddenly discovered that she was on the watch list? They weren't alerted when she checked in, was issued her boarding pass, or her boarding pass was scanned at boarding, but suddenly a computer 'glitch' surfaces and...what? Sends an alert to the GA warning that someone on the watch list has just boarded? Really? Prints an asterisk by her name on the final pax manifest?
I think there was a 'glitch' all right, but I don't believe it had anything to do with Jetblue's computers.
"Upon boarding Flight 510 at Fort Lauderdale International Airport last evening, a customer’s boarding pass was flagged in our system as being on the TSA's No Fly list. We notified and collaborated with TSA. TSA cleared the customers to travel on JetBlue.
We are investigating this particular incident. We believe this was a computer glitch. Our crewmembers followed the appropriate protocols, and we apologize to the family involved in this unfortunate circumstance.
JetBlue takes all security concerns very seriously and the safety of all of our customers and crewmembers is our number one priority. There are layers of security checkpoints in place -- from booking a flight to checking-in, clearing security and boarding an aircraft – that are enforced by the airline in collaboration with airport authorities and the Transportation Security Administration to ensure all customers enjoy a safe and secure travel experience. Our crewmembers are trained to address each situation discreetly, treating every customer with dignity and respect."
We are investigating this particular incident. We believe this was a computer glitch. Our crewmembers followed the appropriate protocols, and we apologize to the family involved in this unfortunate circumstance.
JetBlue takes all security concerns very seriously and the safety of all of our customers and crewmembers is our number one priority. There are layers of security checkpoints in place -- from booking a flight to checking-in, clearing security and boarding an aircraft – that are enforced by the airline in collaboration with airport authorities and the Transportation Security Administration to ensure all customers enjoy a safe and secure travel experience. Our crewmembers are trained to address each situation discreetly, treating every customer with dignity and respect."
I don't believe that upon boarding Flight 510 at Fort Lauderdale International Airport Wednesday evening, Riyanna's boarding pass was flagged in jetBlue's system as being on the TSA's No Fly list. I don't believe this was a computer glitch, and I don't believe they believe it was.
Call them out, I say. Don't let them ride this out by just blaming the hated TSA. I call bs. @:-)
May 10, 2012, 11:42 pm
#39
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They better telling the truth and no more mistake again in the future. They have followed the specific rules and safety for the passengers & the crew, too. They have be careful what they are doing. Don't let computer crash again.
May 11, 2012, 1:07 am
#40
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It's very unlikely that one would be. What is more likely is that an 18-month old child would have the same, or very similar, name as an adult who is on the no-fly or watch lists.
Without the Secure Flight data, that adult passengers have in their reservation records, the computer will have a very difficult time telling the otherwise matching names apart. So the TSA representative comes to the gate, talks to the family, and verifies that nobody in the family is on a no-fly or watch list and clears them to fly.
Same problem you have if you Google the name of an old friend. Most, if not all, of the results you get are of other people with the same name.
Without the Secure Flight data, that adult passengers have in their reservation records, the computer will have a very difficult time telling the otherwise matching names apart. So the TSA representative comes to the gate, talks to the family, and verifies that nobody in the family is on a no-fly or watch list and clears them to fly.
Same problem you have if you Google the name of an old friend. Most, if not all, of the results you get are of other people with the same name.
May 11, 2012, 1:18 am
#41
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I don't believe that upon boarding Flight 510 at Fort Lauderdale International Airport Wednesday evening, Riyanna's boarding pass was flagged in jetBlue's system as being on the TSA's No Fly list. I don't believe this was a computer glitch, and I don't believe they believe it was.
Further, if this was really what happened, why were Riyanna and her parents allowed to board? At that point, if they really were a threat, the plane (and possibly the terminal) should have been dumped, all pax rescreened and the plane searched. After all, TSA has in recent days groped a child for hugging her grandmother because in theory something dangerous could have been passed from one to the other.
to Jetblue for being dishonest.
May 11, 2012, 5:27 am
#42
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The airline's attempt to blame this on the JetBlue computer system is enlightening. It indicates the airline record did include the birthdate. If so, the TSA likely did respond that the passenger was OK to board (no match of both name and birthdate) and a boarding pass or lap pass was issued.
May 11, 2012, 5:42 am
#43
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May 11, 2012, 5:42 am
#44
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This whole incident doesn't make sense. The fearful people aren't thinking. If terrorists use children and this child was one of them, then it would make sense to also have the parents on the list since she can't fly unaccompanied.
May 11, 2012, 5:55 am
#45
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My suspicion with no evidence or proof beyond human nature: Another passenger panicked upon seeing in a Muslim and said something to the FA. FA has TSA reclear just to be sure. Whatever happened, there is likely a lot of fault to go around, none of it on the family (my guess, but I would bet on this one).
