Diannap

You cannot make this stuff up. Another security breach - now at MSP.

http://wcco.com/travel/international...2.1406626.html

Spiff

Two (more) acts of stupidity by TSA wetting their pants in the same day.

This disgusting, un-American, incompetent agency should be taken out back and shot or thrown under a bus. Today.

Rambuster

Sniffer dog probably has the sniffles ?

essxjay

We're up to how many U.S. domestic shut downs this week -- 3, 4 or 5? I've lost count already and it's only Tuesday.

Diannap

Here's the latest:

Areas of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport were evacuated Tuesday afternoon when a bomb-sniffing dog reacted to a piece of luggage.
Around 2 p.m., the dog indicated the possible presence of explosive material in a bag coming off one of the baggage carousels on the baggage claim level.

Officials cleared people from portions of baggage claim and the upper and lower roadways used to drop-off and pick-up passengers.

As of 3 p.m., the east end of the ticketing level of the Lindbergh Terminal was also shut down along with four security checkpoints.

A 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS crew estimated that there were about 600 people in line waiting to get through the remaining checkpoints.

The east end of the terminal includes the ticketing counters for United and American Airlines.

One federal official told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the bag that ellicited the response from the dog might have been the package marked "last bag." Airlines place such bags on carousels to let passengers know that all bags have been unloaded from a flight.

Police are trying to determine if the bag came into contact with other bags or items that might have contained a dangerous substance.

GUWonder

Are the bomb-sniffing dogs used at MSP in this part of the airport even TSA-funded? I thought they were not a TSA asset, not that it changes anything since if the TSA were competent explosives wouldn't have been checked in on any flight coming in or heading out of MSP unless authorized and even such an incident would be handled far differently.

Diannap

Checkpoints 1, 2 and 3 at the Lindbergh Terminal of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport are closed as well as part of the north baggage claim area after a suspicious piece of luggage was found, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

All concourses have been reopened.

TSA states a canine team was conducting routine screening operations at MSP when they were alerted on a bag on a luggage carousel. TSA contacted the local police department and Bloomington Police Department bomb squad, which are currently on the scene.

All vehicle traffic into the terminal has been closed while authorities investigate.

The Metropolitan Airports Commission said the lockdown is not affecting flights, as they are still both departing from and arriving at MSP.

Diannap

Glad that yellow tape will protect me.

PhoenixRev

Well, thank God they got the bag after it had been in an airplane storage hold for an entire flight.

Any bets on how long it will be before someone says what we need is more scanners, more pat downs, no liquids at all, and now socks have to come off and be on the belt or in the bin?

Security theater, folks.

IslandBased

Maybe that would work on exits, too.

GUWonder

If the TSA were competent, they'd have requested and placed blast-proof, portable dividers at the major airports such as MSP so as to substantially reduce the area to be left evacuated even when wasting their time in this way.

IslandBased

Well, when domestic air travel is down to about 4 flights a day nation wide, security will be a snap.

oldjonesy

The other one was honey. Maybe this one was filled with donuts?

You just need another bag with beer

GUWonder

Perhaps the handler has been feeding the dog something with honey in it and keeping the donuts for himself/herself.

From the TSA's "dangerous water" to "dangerous honey"?

Ari

If the dog alerted, what's the problem? Seems legit to me . . . I trust the dog's nose more than I trust WBI or x-ray to detect explosives.

As far closing down the checkpoints, I'd need to be more familiar with the airport to know if that was remotely necessary, but I doubt it was.