buckeyefanflyer

I noticed a new sign posted at FLL terminal 1 UA gates, Any passenger born prior to 1937 or 75 years or older does not have to remove their shoes or take off a sweater. I never saw this sign before, any other airports do this.

Combat Medic

I love age discrimination.

cynicAAl

now that the terrorists see a weakness in our armor, they will recruit at nursing homes.

chollie

The 'no shoes/heavy outerwear off' was extended to folks over 75 fairly recently. First I've heard of any signage, although there is a post somewhere on this forum of someone's experience with this.

Wonder what it's going to cost us taxpayers to put up new signs at all the already-cluttered checkpoints? And how much to 'update' them annually? That little maintenance contract will be worth something.

VelvetJones

I know this was said in jest, but I've actually heard this used as serious argument more times than I wish. There are some very stupid people in this world. On a more serious note, what magically makes one more of a threat if they were born a year later? Then again, this is typical bureaucrat thinking.

TimMinYYZ

So this sign applies to you if meet either one of the two criteria?

Is "75 years or older" in there in case someone knows their age but not their year of birth?

chollie

Actually, you are now more of a threat between the ages of 12 and 75. In between, not quite so much.

It's a hint that the public was finally putting a bit of pressure on our do-nothing Congress folks, and the media certainly helped. Folks seemed to get REALLY riled about little kids getting groped, diapers inspected, even when they were guilty of nothing more than hugging granny and even when they were clearly frightened out of their wits. Folks also seemed to get REALLY riled when little old ladies got taken into back rooms and told to drop their underwear or take off their diapers - and, bless their hearts, some of these ladies started finding the courage to overcome their embarrassment and humiliation and to come forward and talk about it.

So by cutting the under-12's and over 75's a little 'slack', TSA hopes to reduce the negative press significantly. Note that most of the complaints weren't about taking off shoes or outerwear, it was the out-of-control gropes. What folks under 12 and over 75 are also now allowed (but no one else is) are repeated passes through the scanner to avoid a grope.

Easier to put us all at increased risk (since we've all heard for years that the reason kids and oldsters aren't exempt is because 1) tewwowists have been widely known to use kids and grannies (examples, please?) and 2) if we exempt any specific demographic, that will send a signal to terrorists who will then focus on that demographic.

So now it's all turned upside down, and we are cutting kids and grannies slack and the tewwowists know it, and we're all at greater risk.

Of course, if we are NOT at greater risk by allowing these folks to keep shoes and jackets on and take multiple passes through the scanner to avoid a grope, then why does everyone else still have to put up with the cr*p?

txrus

Saw the same sign this morning @ DFW A23 checkpoint...

HMPS

It is not difficult to have forged documents to show the 75 years of age with a fairly good disguise.

TheRoadie

Nah, it's there so they don't have to update the signs every year, which is naturally not funded. Of course, that means the OTHER part of the sign is redundant and a waste of good acreage.

chollie

And updates to the OTHER part of the sign will be funded, of course.

Combat Medic

littlesheep

Arg, I regret wearing sunblock.

VelvetJones

What makes me laugh about this disguise is that it definitely would have beat the scanner, and likely the pat down. If you had a prosthetic beer belly I seriously doubt the TSO is going to squeeze your stomach and demand to see it. I guess this why the TSA will soon demand full x-rays, and then claim they are safe.

RichardKenner

I've seen it at every airport I've been at recently. It's part of the "risk based screening".