Candy shuts down checkpoint
Dec 29, 2011, 5:04 pm
#31
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Dec 29, 2011, 5:41 pm
#32
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I wonder if someone had an egg in their carryon? Once they are confiscated, one is also subject to a fine and a $300 'storage' fee for the egg.
Überraschungseier - just more dangerous product courtesy of Ferrero!
Do you know how long it takes to eat a whole box of taffy test the evidence and then dispose of it?
Dec 29, 2011, 9:29 pm
#33
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so this is just a random guess, but I'm going to say, umm, about 20 minutes?
Dec 30, 2011, 12:50 am
#34
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I put the blame on the passengers too, one of them should have run to the counter and said hey, can you call the gate and see if they can hold the planes, the TSA is not letting anybody through security because of the terrorist candy.
And of course the airline should have realized something was wrong when so many people checked in (and possible checked bags) and did not show up at the gate, somebody should have guessed there was a hold up someplace.
And of course the airline should have realized something was wrong when so many people checked in (and possible checked bags) and did not show up at the gate, somebody should have guessed there was a hold up someplace.
Dec 30, 2011, 5:56 am
#35
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I don't see it as "blame", but rather pointing out the fact that people missing their flights could have been avoided if the TSA, the airline, or passengers had taken actions. Since GRR is used by people in the airline industry (e.g., GE Avionics), I'm actually quite surprised this didn't happen. (Indeed, GRR had some unofficial use policies immediately post-9/11 based on this.)
Dec 30, 2011, 7:07 am
#36
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The Grand Rapids Press: Holland native blames TSA for missed flight
An article by reporter Zane McMillin of the The Grand Rapids Press provides a lot more information about what happened. Here's the link:
The Grand Rapids Press:
Holland native blames TSA for missed flight after bag of candy closes Ford Airport checkpoint
Published: Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 8:20 PM
Updated: Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 11:04 PM
A short quote from the article, including quotes from an affected passenger that was willing to be quoted by name:
The Grand Rapids Press appears to have caught TSA spokesperson James Fontenos lying. From the article:
I'll conclude this post with a big ^ to reporter Zane McMillin for his work on that piece!
The Grand Rapids Press:
Holland native blames TSA for missed flight after bag of candy closes Ford Airport checkpoint
Published: Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 8:20 PM
Updated: Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 11:04 PM
A short quote from the article, including quotes from an affected passenger that was willing to be quoted by name:
Worried she would miss her connecting flight to Chicago, [Holland native Lora] Van Uffelen took action.
"I had asked two different [TSA] agents at two different times, 'This is my flight, my flight’s leaving,'" said Van Uffelen, who works as an oceanographer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. "And they said, 'We can’t do anything about it.'"
Now, Van Uffelen blames inaction by TSA agents in alerting airlines to the delay lest passengers miss imminently departing flights.
"I had asked two different [TSA] agents at two different times, 'This is my flight, my flight’s leaving,'" said Van Uffelen, who works as an oceanographer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. "And they said, 'We can’t do anything about it.'"
Now, Van Uffelen blames inaction by TSA agents in alerting airlines to the delay lest passengers miss imminently departing flights.
The Grand Rapids Press appears to have caught TSA spokesperson James Fontenos lying. From the article:
TSA spokesman did not return a call seeking comment on the matter. A call to the TSA's after-hours media pager went unreturned.
A Ford Airport communications representative said all after-hours inquiries into the matter should be referred to TSA officials.
Several hours after the checkpoint shut down, TSA spokesman James Fotenos sent The Press a statement that, in part, read: "There was no impact to flight operations and no delays incurred."
A Ford Airport communications representative said all after-hours inquiries into the matter should be referred to TSA officials.
Several hours after the checkpoint shut down, TSA spokesman James Fotenos sent The Press a statement that, in part, read: "There was no impact to flight operations and no delays incurred."
I'll conclude this post with a big ^ to reporter Zane McMillin for his work on that piece!
Dec 30, 2011, 7:48 am
#38
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"There was no impact to flight operations and no delays incurred."
Dec 30, 2011, 8:19 am
#39
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The passengers most certainly deserve part of the responsibility of missing their flights (assuming anybody but the one person did miss their flight, the only reports are what she said the airline told her, not confirmed by the airline). It was not totally out of their control to prevent this from happening. If they wanted to stand in the little pen listening to the airline paging them over and over again to board and did nothing about it that was their choice. It would not have been mine.
If they choose to arrive at security with only five or ten minutes to the start of boarding, that was their choice, it would not have been mine.
It is quite possible there was no outrage because only one person was affected by the delay because she showed up way too late.
Yes the TSA detected something in the candy that set off the alarm, and had to investigate it. Maybe it was legitimate, maybe it was not (there are some candy ingredients like ammonium chloride in licorice that could be mistaken for things the scanners are looking for), but that's not the point.
I'm not blaming the passengers. I'm saying they could have done things differently and quite possibly made their flights instead of just sitting there doing nothing. There were lots of things that could have been done differently to get the people on the 12:35 flight, by the TSA, by the airline, and by the passengers. They all share in the responsibility of those missing the flights.
If they choose to arrive at security with only five or ten minutes to the start of boarding, that was their choice, it would not have been mine.
It is quite possible there was no outrage because only one person was affected by the delay because she showed up way too late.
Yes the TSA detected something in the candy that set off the alarm, and had to investigate it. Maybe it was legitimate, maybe it was not (there are some candy ingredients like ammonium chloride in licorice that could be mistaken for things the scanners are looking for), but that's not the point.
I'm not blaming the passengers. I'm saying they could have done things differently and quite possibly made their flights instead of just sitting there doing nothing. There were lots of things that could have been done differently to get the people on the 12:35 flight, by the TSA, by the airline, and by the passengers. They all share in the responsibility of those missing the flights.
Dec 30, 2011, 10:17 am
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Dec 30, 2011, 11:08 am
#42
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Dec 30, 2011, 4:02 pm
#43
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Dec 30, 2011, 4:52 pm
#45
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Amazing that we all survived (and no planes fell out of the sky, either).
Last edited by chollie; Dec 30, 2011 at 5:02 pm