Today was the day...(The Michael Roberts/ExpressJet Story)
#16
Join Date: May 2010
Location: SNA
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum
Posts: 529
I applaud you sir.
I haven't been forced to opt out from ATI yet, but that day will come and I am not looking forward to it. In addition, traveling through LHR seems to be out of the question now. I love to travel and fly, but I wonder when the cost of dignity will be too great in order to do so.
I haven't been forced to opt out from ATI yet, but that day will come and I am not looking forward to it. In addition, traveling through LHR seems to be out of the question now. I love to travel and fly, but I wonder when the cost of dignity will be too great in order to do so.
#17
Moderator: Coupon Connection & S.P.A.M
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Louisville, KY
Programs: Destination Unknown, TSA Disparager Diamond (LTDD)
Posts: 57,952
#18
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
Welcome to flyertalk, SpatialD ^ and thank you for your post (and thank you for standing up for what you believe in ^^^) but if I may, you might want to delete your name and also the personal information at the end of you post and substitute "please pm me for contact info" as you never know who reads f/t
#19
Suspended
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,953
Welcome to flyertalk, SpatialD ^ and thank you for your post (and thank you for standing up for what you believe in ^^^) but if I may, you might want to delete your name and also the personal information at the end of you post and substitute "please pm me for contact info" as you never know who reads f/t
http://www.prlog.org/10891401-airlin...a-tyranny.html
I find going through a TSA checkpoint therapeutic sometimes after reading some choice quotes here
I couldn't care less whose defense fund you've contributed to. My point stands - the OP is in the wrong here by deciding that the rules don't apply to him. I don't know what outcome he was expecting.
And did I miss something - you are in favour of opting out, right?
I couldn't care less whose defense fund you've contributed to. My point stands - the OP is in the wrong here by deciding that the rules don't apply to him. I don't know what outcome he was expecting.
And did I miss something - you are in favour of opting out, right?
Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Oct 23, 2010 at 2:44 am Reason: merge consecutive posts
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Marriott or Hilton hot tub with a big drink <glub> Beverage: To-Go Bag™ DYKWIA: SSSS /rolleyes ☈ Date Night: Costco
Programs: Sea Shell Lounge Platinum, TSA Pre✓ Refusnik Diamond, PWP Gold, FT subset of the subset
Posts: 12,509
Wirelessly posted (Motorola DynaTAC: BlackBerry9630/5.0.0.624 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/104)
A big thank you to the OP! ^
A big thank you to the OP! ^
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: An NPR mind living in a Fox News world
Posts: 14,165
You sir, are a great American!
We need more people like you, with a little more viability and a lot more guts than the average sheep, to get the word out about the tyranny that our government is dishing out, without any LAWS being passed to allow for this.
As many have mentioned, this is the "boiling frog" procedure, and I'm glad to see someone jumping out of the pot in time.
Please do your best to contact the press, legislators, and get as much publicity on this travesty as possible. This matter is getting completely out of control.
And my personal WELCOME TO FLYERTALK!
We need more people like you, with a little more viability and a lot more guts than the average sheep, to get the word out about the tyranny that our government is dishing out, without any LAWS being passed to allow for this.
As many have mentioned, this is the "boiling frog" procedure, and I'm glad to see someone jumping out of the pot in time.
Please do your best to contact the press, legislators, and get as much publicity on this travesty as possible. This matter is getting completely out of control.
And my personal WELCOME TO FLYERTALK!
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Newport Beach, California, USA
Posts: 36,062
Bravo, Michael! I applaud you for having the courage to stand up to the Constitution-ignoring TSA, and at no small professional risk, too. Welcome to FT, and please keep us informed. Perhaps a letter-writing campaign to ExpressJet in support of your actions is in order.
#23
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Programs: DL, US Air, AA, HH Diamond
Posts: 79
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Newport Beach, California, USA
Posts: 36,062
The vast majority of this board is highly supportive of the "Opt-Out" approach, which means receiving a manual pat-down instead of going through a WBI device.
Why do you believe that you should be exempt from this? You may disagree with the rules, but that doesn't give you the ability to selectively decide which apply and which don't.
Strike 3.
You're out.
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 39
Welcome to flyertalk, SpatialD ^ and thank you for your post (and thank you for standing up for what you believe in ^^^) but if I may, you might want to delete your name and also the personal information at the end of you post and substitute "please pm me for contact info" as you never know who reads f/t
#26
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: SW Rapid Rewards, Hilton Honors, Marriott, Avis First
Posts: 4,831
I think it is pretty telling when a credentialed pilot is prohibited from entering the sterile area after not setting off the WTMD and yet, every day (several times a day in fact) workers with a simple ID pushing palates of various items waltz right by security and into the sterile area with a wink and a nod from the bored TSO guarding the exit area.
This has officially moved from "security theater" to security surrealism.
This has officially moved from "security theater" to security surrealism.
#27
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,195
I honestly should be surprised at the responses that the OP has received here, but I am not.
Surprised because the majority of individuals who have responded have in the past stated that airline employee’s should not receive special treatment at the checkpoint and should be forced to undergo the same screening as everyone else who boards a commercial aircraft. Most have also demanded that airport employees need to undergo the same screening despite the fact that they do not board commercial aircraft for the purpose of transport.
The reason I am not is because this is the “Have my Cake and Eat it Too” crowd. The color of their story changes with any wind that they think is going to make TSA look bad, and it does not matter if it contradicts any statements they have made in the past. It’s the “now” story that matters. Some have done it in this very thread.
OP, I’m sorry that your story ended up as it has, but you were fully aware at the time that checkpoint screening is a mandatory part of your job. If this is too much of a burden to bear then may I suggest that you switch to a private carrier, or a GA contract carrier.
As for the rest, well I can hear the replies now without you ever putting fingers to keyboard. “It’s the AIT that we object to in this thread, what we said in the past has no relevance to AIT”, or “Our position is not contradictory, your just not looking at it right.” Or statements similar. Sorry, your records on this is clear, and every single one of you have just changed with the wind. Not an unexpected outcome honestly, its not the first time.
Surprised because the majority of individuals who have responded have in the past stated that airline employee’s should not receive special treatment at the checkpoint and should be forced to undergo the same screening as everyone else who boards a commercial aircraft. Most have also demanded that airport employees need to undergo the same screening despite the fact that they do not board commercial aircraft for the purpose of transport.
The reason I am not is because this is the “Have my Cake and Eat it Too” crowd. The color of their story changes with any wind that they think is going to make TSA look bad, and it does not matter if it contradicts any statements they have made in the past. It’s the “now” story that matters. Some have done it in this very thread.
OP, I’m sorry that your story ended up as it has, but you were fully aware at the time that checkpoint screening is a mandatory part of your job. If this is too much of a burden to bear then may I suggest that you switch to a private carrier, or a GA contract carrier.
As for the rest, well I can hear the replies now without you ever putting fingers to keyboard. “It’s the AIT that we object to in this thread, what we said in the past has no relevance to AIT”, or “Our position is not contradictory, your just not looking at it right.” Or statements similar. Sorry, your records on this is clear, and every single one of you have just changed with the wind. Not an unexpected outcome honestly, its not the first time.
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 39
In addition, please look beyond me and my little situation here and write to your own airline(s) expressing your views. Especially let them know that you are not flying, or are flying less than you would otherwise, because of these invasive procedures and encourage them to support your privacy interests in the air transportation system. The airline lobby is substantial, and when their source of revenue is sufficiently threatened, you can be sure they will bring their full weight to bear in defense of their customers' freedoms and welfare.
This is true, but I don't believe any law abiding citizen should be made to submit to this abuse as a matter of course in the primary screening process. AIT was originally introduced as an alternative to frisking in the secondary screening regime when there was something amiss in primary screening. But it's difficult to justify such expensive technology when it will hardly ever be used. My theory is that, by insisting that it was an indispensable cog in the air transportation security machine, and that everyone needed to be scanned all the time, they were able to open up a whole world of funding no politician had dared to dream of before. Stimulating, no?
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Marriott or Hilton hot tub with a big drink <glub> Beverage: To-Go Bag™ DYKWIA: SSSS /rolleyes ☈ Date Night: Costco
Programs: Sea Shell Lounge Platinum, TSA Pre✓ Refusnik Diamond, PWP Gold, FT subset of the subset
Posts: 12,509
Wirelessly posted (Motorola DynaTAC: BlackBerry9630/5.0.0.624 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/104)
If the mailing address for the Chief Pilots Office could be posted, this will go viral.
Originally Posted by TNGALINFLORIDA
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Newport Beach, California, USA
Posts: 36,062
I honestly should be surprised at the responses that the OP has received here, but I am not.
Surprised because the majority of individuals who have responded have in the past stated that airline employee’s should not receive special treatment at the checkpoint and should be forced to undergo the same screening as everyone else who boards a commercial aircraft.
Surprised because the majority of individuals who have responded have in the past stated that airline employee’s should not receive special treatment at the checkpoint and should be forced to undergo the same screening as everyone else who boards a commercial aircraft.
Most have also demanded that airport employees need to undergo the same screening despite the fact that they do not board commercial aircraft for the purpose of transport.
The reason I am not is because this is the “Have my Cake and Eat it Too” crowd. The color of their story changes with any wind that they think is going to make TSA look bad,
and it does not matter if it contradicts any statements they have made in the past.
It’s the “now” story that matters. Some have done it in this very thread.
OP, I’m sorry that your story ended up as it has, but you were fully aware at the time that checkpoint screening is a mandatory part of your job. If this is too much of a burden to bear then may I suggest that you switch to a private carrier, or a GA contract carrier.
As for the rest, well I can hear the replies now without you ever putting fingers to keyboard. “It’s the AIT that we object to in this thread, what we said in the past has no relevance to AIT”, or “Our position is not contradictory, your just not looking at it right.” Or statements similar. Sorry, your records on this is clear, and every single one of you have just changed with the wind. Not an unexpected outcome honestly, its not the first time.