petaluma1

Is it coincidental that Thursday was also the day that Jeh Johnson traveled to Atlanta to discuss security screening for airport workers? Like Gibbs, I don't believe in such coincidences.

Boggie Dog

Surely the ATL FSD wouldn't put on dog & pony show just to impress Jeh. Say its not true.

chollie

1) Just a test, been in the planning for a long time, what a coincidence.

2) TSOs apparently still get a free ride based on a background check. Well, it's not like they've caught errant TSOs abusing their privileged unfettered access to the sterile areas.

3) Wasn't ATL the airport where a news release showed cases of drinks bypassing security to get to the sterile area? Sealed drinks that could contain who-knows-what (as officials in AMS found out). Perhaps Jeh's predecessor assessed the situation and decided the best way to address the perceived risk was to double-down on pax secondaries.

Boggie Dog

DFW again, l was going through security when a vendor employee rolled in a cart with twenty or so cases of beverages. He was waived around all screening by a TSA employee.

chollie

Interesting double standards.

In HKG, there is a second security check for US-bound flights only. Even liquids clearly purchased inside the sterile area are confiscated to satisfy stringent US standards. I've had the same thing happen at AMS, supposedly because the US doesn't trust foreign airports to reliably screen vendor goods entering the sterile area.

Indeed, that's the real issue behind the new duty-free regs. Prior to the change, you purchased duty-free inside a sterile area outside the US and promptly got it confiscated on arrival in the US, sometimes even if you are arriving at your final destination and have no need or desire to enter the sterile area of the airport (ATL).

I wonder if the manufacturer(s) and government flacks who continue to push the efficacy of resealable baggies at the checkpoint have a financial stake in the tamper-proof duty-free baggie used to further protect tamper-proof bottles of liquor and perfume. The only way I'll ever be able to buy a bottle of water for a longhaul flight home will be if duty-free starts selling water and making it safe by putting it in one of their armored bags.

We don't screen them either, but hey - we give out background checks like candy.

Boggie Dog

I saw a TSA screener with a large rolling brief case at the D gates terminal at LAS. Big enough to transport all manner of contraband inside the security zone. Machine pistol, small bomb, chemical agents, who knows what else.

RadioGirl

Not "US-bound flights only" but also for Australia-bound flights.

And it also happens at SIN, DXB, AUH and other airports (but not all - I think NRT is okay.) Been discussed on some thread or another before.

Boggie Dog

In the news today. TSA is stepping up screening of >passengers< including more gate checks.

TSA Stepping Up Security After Paris Attacks

http://www.nbcmiami.com/on-air/as-se...288329601.html

chollie

(sigh)

No mention of additional screening for airport employees and TSOs.

Boggie Dog

Noticed that did you? Also in one report was a concern for non-metallic explosives indicating MORE WBI use was needed. How that relates to increased Gate Screening evades me.

No proof but I'm betting that WBI will become a standard feature of Pre Check lanes as we go forward.

For what ever reason TSA seems unable to grasp that threat vectors are not limited to passengers.

jkhuggins

Not saying you're wrong, but ... if it does, then there's practically no benefit to PreCheck.

GUWonder

The ability to keep laptops and liquids in the cabin bag on the X-ray belt will still be there, along with lower odds of a shoe carnival; and the line will move faster than the non-PreCheck LLL lines.

I can't see how allowing for coats to remain on will work as well with the strip-search machines as with the WTMD -- coats-on will slow things down big time, and the automated anomaly/targeting detection will have a harder time in being "effective" even in its current performance range.

chollie

Well, if coats have to come off for a good NoS scan, then how long before shoes have to come off? Or pockets have to be emptied completely?

Boggie Dog

I think the ratio of Pre Check passengers being pulled for increased level screening will increase.

What should really tick people off is increased gate screenings. That type of screening offers little value of increased security and wastes resources that should be used to screen insiders.

jkhuggins

As opposed to the last ten years? If people aren't "really ticked off" by now, they never will be.