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TSA wants to test your drink -- at the gate

TSA wants to test your drink -- at the gate

Old Feb 25, 2011, 10:16 pm
  #31  
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Originally Posted by nachtnebel
and in their own pants
It's OK, they always swab when they're done. It's SOP.
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Old Feb 25, 2011, 10:27 pm
  #32  
 
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TSA is a bunch of corrupt newbies...
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Old Feb 25, 2011, 11:23 pm
  #33  
 
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Originally Posted by sheneh
In the meantime you might be able to finish your coffee....
Great solution. "Sure, just give me a few minutes to finish my drink and you're welcome to have it." Treat it like they, of course, expect that you want to finish it and will, of course, dispose of it...because no decent person would ask for it while you are drinking it.
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Old Feb 25, 2011, 11:58 pm
  #34  
 
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What I find so hilarious about this is that in most of these incidents, of the swabbing of the beverages, is that passengers are drinking them. I guess they want to be certain that the passenger doesn't go kaboom from drinking to much liquid?
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Old Feb 26, 2011, 7:26 am
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Originally Posted by Lara21
What I find so hilarious about this is that in most of these incidents, of the swabbing of the beverages, is that passengers are drinking them. I guess they want to be certain that the passenger doesn't go kaboom from drinking to much liquid?
Pardon me, but this is a very serious threat. TSA doesn't want this to happen on a plane.
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Old Feb 26, 2011, 8:24 am
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by Lara21
What I find so hilarious about this is that in most of these incidents, of the swabbing of the beverages, is that passengers are drinking them.
Hilarious is certainly one way to describe it; not the word I would have chosen but there you go.

We are accustomed to utterly asinine behavior from the TSA, but this goes even beyond that. Perhaps our DEN spokesperson could enlighten us as to exactly what this is supposed to accomplish. Other than making TSA staff look complete fools. Again.
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Old Feb 26, 2011, 8:26 am
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Originally Posted by Lara21
What I find so hilarious about this is that in most of these incidents, of the swabbing of the beverages, is that passengers are drinking them. I guess they want to be certain that the passenger doesn't go kaboom from drinking to much liquid?
Were they drinking pop rocks and cola?
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Old Feb 26, 2011, 3:37 pm
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by greggwiggins
Were they drinking pop rocks and cola?
Could be what TSA is thinking they are drinking.
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Old Feb 26, 2011, 4:22 pm
  #39  
 
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This article discusses the outbreak of measles via DIA.

In it, there's a discussion about how measles is passed from person to person. It did not mention TSA agents swabbing your drink with dirty swabs from someone else's drink but it should have....

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2011/02/2...sles-exposure/
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Old Feb 26, 2011, 4:30 pm
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You could always finish your drink in front of them, and then ask them for a pee sample cup.
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Old Feb 26, 2011, 5:32 pm
  #41  
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Originally Posted by CelticPax
I know that they somehow magically managed to get nude-o-scopes listed as not medical equipment and therefore not under FDA approval, but...

...if they're swabbing cups with dirty/used swabs and dirty gloves, can't the Board of Health really shut this down fast?
Nice idea, but unfortunately once the food leaves the vendor it also leaves the jurisdiction of the County Health Department. Unless you can actively prove that the smurf swab is a disease vector.
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Old Feb 26, 2011, 8:39 pm
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Originally Posted by cfwolfs
You could always finish your drink in front of them, and then ask them for a pee sample cup.
lol! ^
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Old Feb 26, 2011, 9:34 pm
  #43  
 
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At the next gate over from my departing flight, they made an announcement that the TSA would be screening all boarding passes and IDs as part of the entry onto the jet bridge to board that flight.

I didn't get a chance to stick around to witness the festivities, since my flight was also boarding at the time.
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Old Feb 27, 2011, 12:09 pm
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Originally Posted by n4zhg
Nice idea, but unfortunately once the food leaves the vendor it also leaves the jurisdiction of the County Health Department. Unless you can actively prove that the smurf swab is a disease vector.
If you get a refill at some places (ex. Arby's), they ask you to take the top and straw off the drink before you hand it to them for contamination reasons. Wouldn't something similar apply?

I'd think that pulling a swab out of a pocket and not out of an individually wrapped plastic sheet would qualify.
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Old Apr 11, 2011, 11:14 pm
  #45  
 
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Any final word regarding the "testing" of personal drinks at the gate?

Hi folks,
I know this has been discussed before but I'm wondering if anyone ever found out exactly what the status is on this magical drink strip testing. I know this has been going on for quite some time now but first I will give my story, then my questions.

I was flying out of STL about a month ago and here's what happened:

About 20 minutes before borading I notice 3 smurfs show up and start hanging around the gate area. Incidentally, all three were obese and looked like they had just rolled out of bed. But I digress.

It was a crowded gate since the flight was full. After a few minutes of standing around, they start walking through the seating area and asking people for their drinks so they can hold the drink strips over them. I had heard about this happening but had never witnessed it so I was very careful to watch closely. EVERY person I noticed willingly handed over their drinks (which they were consuming at the time) to these filthy smurfs without question or concern. Did no one think to ask: "How can this be a dangerous substance if I am CURRENTLY IN THE ACT OF CONSUMING IT??"

Next, just before boarding begins, the gate agent makes an announcement that I will try to repeat as closely as possible from memory:

"Ladies and gentlemen, our local TSA is going to be doing a random screening of drinks during the boarding process this afternoon. If you would please cooperate with them during this process and step aside if you are selected we would greatly appreciate it."

During this time the slovenlies are still fighting a war on everyone's drinks and now there is a man standing at the doorway holding a clipboard and watching everything as if he is guarding Fort Knox. My assumption is that his job was to steal personally identifiable information from anyone who refused to allow the slovenlies to touch their drinks. However, this was just a guess.

So my questions are:

1. What are the rules regarding refusal of this test? There are signs all over the airports saying that all belongings are subject to search so one would assume this means your drinks as well. Does anyone know have factual information as to what happens to those who refuse?

2. Has anyone witnessed someone being pressured or intimidated or harassed into releasing personally identifying information because they refused a liquid test at the gate?

Thanks...
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