TSA on plane?
 

Anyone ever witness this? I was sitting patiently the other day and onto the airplane come two of the TSA's finest. I was sitting pretty far forward, so wasn't sure what they were doing, but it appears they were on the plane for under 2 minutes. Maybe I'm normally unobservant, but I've never seen this before. What's the deal?

Probably lost:rolleyes:

they were probably sent to the gates to observe and they thought that meant, go inside the plane... not following rules..>!!

Enough, is ENOUGH

I have HAD IT with these @#$^%#@$ snakes on this @#$@^%$#@ plane!

I was actually quite serious with this question! Things I've never seen before interest me, especially when it concerns the TSA.

I can't believe somebody already beat me to this one only 4 posts into the thread. Well, played. Well played, indeed. :)

Possibilities range from the totally innocent to the totally sinister.

On the innocent end of the spectrum ... some TSOs have reported here that they've gone to extraordinary lengths to return abandoned items to their owners. It could be as simple as a TSO doing a good deed for someone.

On the not-so-innocent end of the spectrum ... we've also seen situations where a passenger manages to escape exit a checkpoint without "completing screening", because the passenger innocently left the checkpoint without realizing that the screening wasn't finished. In those situations, if TSA could track down the passenger, I could certainly see them coming aboard the plane and insisting that the passenger disembark in order to be "properly rescreened".

Somewhere in-between ... we've had plenty of reports here of situations where gate agents get paranoid concerned about a particular passenger of color and ask TSA to give their opinion on whether or not the passenger is safe to fly. We've seen at least a few stories (recently, even) where TSA comes to a gate, interviews the passenger briefly, says "they're fine", and leaves.

So ... in the absence of any other information, there's no real way to know what was going on. But given TSA's propensity for dumping terminals, I'd guess that since you didn't experience a travel interruption, everything was probably just fine.

How many screeners does it take to return a lost driver's license or phone? Shouldn't be more than one, should it?

They heard a rumor that machines exist that can fly like birds and carry people, and they wanted to see it from up close.

"Boss, can I have a couple of minutes to take this iPhone back to the passenger who left it here? No, I'm sure I can handle it on my own. I'm sure that I'd never be tempted to stick it in my pocket once I get around the corner and just pretend that I gave it back to the passenger. You can trust me completely."

:)

TSA frequently boards and does a quick search of the aircraft. Usually screws our quick turn times.

It happened twice on, you guessed it, Tuesday the 11th.

Wouldn't the pilots have something to say about this?

IMO they would. They do not do it here.

Do you mean "something to say" as in talk to management about trying to change the rules? Or do you mean "something to say" as in "Don't let any TSA agent walk onto a plane I am schedule to fly"?

I have my doubts about their ability to say the 2nd.

They heard that "hot nuts" were available from the galley and got the wrong idea?

I don't. FAR 91.3(a): "The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft." If the pilot doesn't want the TSA on their plane, the TSA doesn't go on their plane. Now, of course, that may have consequences, such as the plane not being permitted to take off.

I agree, but is the pilot going to even notice if the TSA is just sight seeing for a couple minutes? Sure if they try to pull someone off the PIC should get involved, but they were probably busy with the preflight checks in the OPs situation and wouldn't notice a visit by the gate agent, ramper, TSO, etc.

My guess is trying to look/feel important and a make-work project.

But while the aircraft is at the Gate, with jetway attached, door open, it is NOT their aircraft.

I've never had any crew member even begin to complain about TSA boarding the aircraft.

And I honestly do not see the big deal. TSA's on the plane for 90 seconds, tops. They walk on, walk back to front, and then leave. That's it. Doesn't affect me, doesn't affect the crew, and doesn't affect the passengers.

(Not to mention, that there have been times where I've told TSA no, that our turn is too tight. Not a problem, they don't care. They're not doing anything specific, they're meeting their quota of planes "searched".)

I've never seen a TSO board an aircraft at the gate. More government overreach, no doubt.

I don't believe your interpretation of the statute is correct. "Operation of the aircraft" generally applies to inflight. That is, the pilot can say "I won't fly if the TSA has been onboard" but he can also say "I won't fly if a FAM is onboard." But those also might be his last 2 flights.

Like I said in an earlier post, they don't do it here.