Originally Posted by
vysean
I'm surprised about the no-check for small planes as we were routinely checked before boarding a B1900 which I would think is the same size or smaller. Perhaps it was just some kind of economic stimulus thing to give jobs to 5-10 people who otherwise wouldn't have had them...
Oh well, I figure the plane was safe from hijack since it was full of well-built Samoans.
Part of it depends on where you are going, too. If they intend to deplane inside a screened area then they have to screen you before you fly. I believe Montana (or N. Dakota) was annoyed that their smaller airports didn't have TSA staff so passengers would land at the regional airport from their EAS flights and then have to be bussed out to the front entrance (land-side) to pass back through security and into the terminal.
The screening threshold is 60 seats or 95K pounds for the aircraft.