TSA Baggage Screening: Sense/Non-sense
Jun 23, 2003, 5:55 pm
#1
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TSA Baggage Screening: Sense/Non-sense
These are comments mainly on baggage screening. CTX refers to the machines that Invision makes, where someone is looking at the screen.
Situation 1: PVD -- CTX machines and physical inspection in your full view
Sense: After dropping my bags to the CTX machine in PVD, I was instructed to walk to the end of the machine and wait until the bag clears.
Non-sense: There's a "Please UNLOCK your luggage" sign, even though you're allowed to watch physical inspections.
Sense: The person running the machine says that my bag needs a physical inspection, without further information. Another person inspects my bag and obeys my instructions on how to unlock and relock the bag.
(Non)sense: This bag cleared DTW baggage screening w/o requiring a physical inspection, since packing the bag before flying out of DTW and the screening in PVD, it was never opened. (Does DTW have another special machine that can clear bags that got rejected by a CTX machine? If so, this makes sense. If DTW only has ETD machines, then this is utter nonsense.)
Nonsense: Just takes a swab sample of the inside of my bag and sends it through an ETD machine. I'd expected him/her to look for the object that caused the CTX machine to not clear my bag or at least run through what I have.
Nonsense: I asked why the inspector still needs to put a "We opened your bag" note even though I was right behind him. He said that it was standard procedure. I don't blame him for this nonsense.
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Situation 2: SYR -- ETD machines in your full view before check-in
One day: I unlocked my luggage and let the baggage screener take it and do whatever he wanted to. Immediately, he took my keys and locked the bag.
Non-sense: He proceeded to take a swab on the outside and that was it.
Another day: I packed a computer in a box and put that in another box.
Non-sense: The baggage screener opened the first box and took a swab; however, he didn't even open the box within that box!
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Situation 3: DTW -- ETD machines behind the check-in agent
Sense: TSA personnel manually inspected some luggage that's easy to open immediately. Then they do an ETD swab test. Then, they place tamperproof seals for luggage with zippers.
I'm still unclear on how baggage inspection works here. My guess is that there are machines in the baggage system.
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Sense: Federalized screening. i.e. no more rent-a-cop agencies
Non-sense: Upper level TSA leadership. Bureaucracy. Each airport is different. I think there should be an empowered airport TSA manager (or commission) to customize security as he/she/it fits.
- Pat
[This message has been edited by Wiirachay (edited 06-23-2003).]
Situation 1: PVD -- CTX machines and physical inspection in your full view
Sense: After dropping my bags to the CTX machine in PVD, I was instructed to walk to the end of the machine and wait until the bag clears.
Non-sense: There's a "Please UNLOCK your luggage" sign, even though you're allowed to watch physical inspections.
Sense: The person running the machine says that my bag needs a physical inspection, without further information. Another person inspects my bag and obeys my instructions on how to unlock and relock the bag.
(Non)sense: This bag cleared DTW baggage screening w/o requiring a physical inspection, since packing the bag before flying out of DTW and the screening in PVD, it was never opened. (Does DTW have another special machine that can clear bags that got rejected by a CTX machine? If so, this makes sense. If DTW only has ETD machines, then this is utter nonsense.)
Nonsense: Just takes a swab sample of the inside of my bag and sends it through an ETD machine. I'd expected him/her to look for the object that caused the CTX machine to not clear my bag or at least run through what I have.
Nonsense: I asked why the inspector still needs to put a "We opened your bag" note even though I was right behind him. He said that it was standard procedure. I don't blame him for this nonsense.
--------------------------------------------
Situation 2: SYR -- ETD machines in your full view before check-in
One day: I unlocked my luggage and let the baggage screener take it and do whatever he wanted to. Immediately, he took my keys and locked the bag.
Non-sense: He proceeded to take a swab on the outside and that was it.
Another day: I packed a computer in a box and put that in another box.
Non-sense: The baggage screener opened the first box and took a swab; however, he didn't even open the box within that box!
--------------------------------------------
Situation 3: DTW -- ETD machines behind the check-in agent
Sense: TSA personnel manually inspected some luggage that's easy to open immediately. Then they do an ETD swab test. Then, they place tamperproof seals for luggage with zippers.
I'm still unclear on how baggage inspection works here. My guess is that there are machines in the baggage system.
--------------------------------------------
Sense: Federalized screening. i.e. no more rent-a-cop agencies
Non-sense: Upper level TSA leadership. Bureaucracy. Each airport is different. I think there should be an empowered airport TSA manager (or commission) to customize security as he/she/it fits.
- Pat
[This message has been edited by Wiirachay (edited 06-23-2003).]
Jun 23, 2003, 7:19 pm
#2
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I've yet to deal with this problem in the "Search everything checked" era, but I'm told that if you check a firearm (legally, of course) the TSA won't open the thing outside your presense. Something to keep in mind if you really don't like the idea of your bags being messed with: check a gun.
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Saving the world, one clue at a time.
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Saving the world, one clue at a time.
Jul 13, 2003, 7:59 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Raleigh, N.C.
Posts: 732
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ClueByFour:
I've yet to deal with this problem in the "Search everything checked" era, but I'm told that if you check a firearm (legally, of course) the TSA won't open the thing outside your presense. Something to keep in mind if you really don't like the idea of your bags being messed with: check a gun.</font>
I've yet to deal with this problem in the "Search everything checked" era, but I'm told that if you check a firearm (legally, of course) the TSA won't open the thing outside your presense. Something to keep in mind if you really don't like the idea of your bags being messed with: check a gun.</font>
Jul 14, 2003, 9:11 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2003
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Posts: 6,106
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Wiirachay:
These are comments mainly on baggage screening. CTX refers to the machines that Invision makes, where someone is looking at the screen.
</font>
These are comments mainly on baggage screening. CTX refers to the machines that Invision makes, where someone is looking at the screen.
</font>
While I could easily start a new topic with the following, there's a company I've been following with interest which is working on newer explosive detection equipment.
Specifically what I find interesting is a "super sniffer" technology a company named HiEnergy (HIET:OTC BB) is developing.
They have some very interesting technology, which could have useful airport security applications. Specifically they are developing stoichiometric explosive detection systems which should be able to determine the chemical composition of items (such as to detect explosives). However, it has it's drawbacks (they bombard items with neutrons to return gamma rays which identify substances as each substance has a unique gamma ray). However, there are risks with using gamma rays & even false-positives are possible with this technology.
I don't see this technology being used in airports anytime soon, but it sounds promising for use sometime down the road.
Best,
SDF_Traveler
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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Ben Franklin
[This message has been edited by SDF_Traveler (edited 07-14-2003).]