Originally Posted by gofast
That is actually a decent question and shows you are thinking about the problem. There are a number of reasons it is preferable for the fams to blend in with the Pax. Because of the numbers involved, the fam program is a deterrent measure, not a preventive one. Logistically, the fams can only cover a small minority of flights per day, so it's a good idea not to let it be known which flights these are. If they were in uniform, it would be easy to avoid them and just go hijack another flight. Additionally, there are many tactical and operational reasons why the element of suprise is a good thing. In this scenario, it's bad juju for the enemy to know anything the good guys. So the insanity of allowing the fams to be profiled in the name of "professionalism" is self-evident, and it is clearly an unsafe policy.
Problem is, the people sitting around the sky marshals tend to be very frequent flyers. Once a year families to MCO don't tend to sit in the first several rows of most large jets - except on WN or other airlines without First Class. VVF tend to fly First because the airlines have structured their FFP to reward their frequent flyers by upgrading them.
Think those very frequent flyers can't spot the marshals? Guess again.
Marshals are the people who cause seat assignments to be changed, usually late in the game. Example: I choose 4B but I am switched to 5A with no explanation. A quick glance at 4B usually solves the big mystery.
Marshals are the guys (overwhelmingly male) who board first and are already seated when I board (I am often the very first non-employee/non-marshal passenger to board due to VFF status).
Marshals never drink alcohol and generally don't sleep.
Marshals never (in my experience) pull out a laptop and work or play games like most other business or leisure travelers.
Marshals tend to be young (max age was 37, now 40 unless one was already a federal cop) and sport the buzz cut so popular with deputy sheriffs, FBI agents and border patrol agents. They look like cops. This characteristic can be changed, but the buzz cuts aren't forced on the agents right now, as cops tend to like the near-skinhead look.
Marshals tend to wear clothing to conceal a couple of firearms, like long pants and jackets, even when everyone else is much more casual. The jackets have to stay on if you want to keep the holsters concealed.
That all ignores the other obvious giveaways, like the times they show their credentials to gate agents, checkpoint workers, etc.
Marshals tend not to chat up their seatmates, unlike nearly every boor in First Class.
Marshals tend to pay inordinate attention/scrutinize each passenger who gets up to use the restroom (usually adjacent to the flight deck). The attention may be warranted, but the manner of surveillance gives the marshals away.
To sum it up, if non-terrorist very frequent flyers can spot the sky marshals, so can terrorists (if they fly enough - which wouldn't be too hard with air fares so low these days).
So the charade of anonymity only works if the audience consists of dense people or the once a year flying family to DisneyWorld.
If one passenger knows who you are, your cover is blown.
Either work on keeping your identity a secret or wear uniforms and sit outside the flight deck like prison guards. But enough with the "be nice to us, cause we're federal agents" routine.