carmelgreg, I am feeling sorry for you as I think you have had some really bad experiences flying. But your comebacks crack me up. You are funny

CarmelGreg you are so right. We probably never will stop a bomb from going through. I pray that we never have to. Your brillient statement that even if we catch a box cutter or gun they never have taken down a plane is just purely assanine. How do you think that the planes that flew into the world trade center were commandeered? Box cutters! Do you honestly, in your little fogged up vile world really believe that someone intent on taking down a plane couldn't do it with a gun? You really need to use your brain for something other than sitting on.

No, the airlines employ ID checkers to make sure that you didn't transfer your ticket to someone else. If they didn't, people using online checkin and kiosks would be able to cruise through without an ID.

Are you kidding??

The TSA and the ID checkers employed by them couldn't spot a fake ID if their life depended on it. And they'd never discover two similar appearing people who had swapped IDs.

If someone wants to get by the checkpoint in this manner, there is zero that can be done about it. Anyone can have airside access anytime they want. Unfortunately, the TSA chooses to harass all passengers rather than face up to this fact.

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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

You're right; some of the terrorists on those planes used box cutters to take over the aircraft. But in today's altered world, do you honestly think that could happen again with pocket knives or box cutters? I don't. Pilots have been instructed to resist rather than surrender and give in to the hijackers' demands. Some pilots are now armed as well. (right?) Many passengers, such as I, would also stand up to any terrorist trying to take over the aircraft with box cutters. (part of the reason I fly in aisle seats whenever possible) It's hard to take over the aircraft when you've got 6 people piled on top of you. Box cutters and pocket knives just won't work any more, IMHO.

I would agree. Someone intent on taking down just the aircraft could do it with a gun if they really wanted to. Shooting out a window at 30,000+ feet would cause some significant damage that would at least force the aircraft to land; it would also cause loss of life. Somehow making it into the cockpit and shooting controls, windows, etc. in there would likely cause enough havoc to bring the aircraft down too.

There are the types of things that the TSA should be screening for. Unless you're a pilot or an air marshall, you shouldn't be allowed to bring a gun aboard the aircraft in your carry-on.

I appreciate your seeing my point. I do agree with you that we may never catch a bomb going through the checkpoint. However just that particular situation happened at the Blaine, Wa airport this past year when a fisherman decided to carry through modified sticks of dynamite that he called "seal killers". No, not a terrorist, but the screeners did a job that they, themselves would have probably agreed with you might never happen. Regretably it takes only one successful attempt to cost hundreds their lives. If I, or any of the other screeners here or at the checkpoints can do something to prevent it from happening, I think that we have been worth it.
I also agree with you that these are new times. If a terrorist were to attempt to take over an aircraft now with a knife or box cutter, even a gun possibly, then I for one commend you for the attitude that you will put yourself into a position to do something about it. And yes, there are armed security personnel on planes moreso now than before. The problem is that, the way fate is the hyjacker will be lucky enough to pick the airplane where these precautions don't exist. You have said yourself that it can still be done. Will we at TSA on the lanes be able to stop it? I don't know, but I am willing to try.
Thanks for the post.

Obviously you are a very negative person who just wishes to ***** and moan rather support the Federal program aimed at keeping you, your friends, and your family safe...

Believe it or not, most TSA Agents are current or retired military and law enforcement, they are very educated and yes, they can even spot a fake/altered ID...

Get a life and become positive!!!

What do you actually think brought those planes down??? Small razor blades, the common shaving apparatus...

Try and be a solution to the problem, not a negative person...

all is lost

[This message has been edited by Fenito (edited Dec 21, 2003).]

"Try and be a solution to the problem...""

Wait, the people of this country are already being a solution to the problem by being forced to pay a transport tax, spend endless hours in line per year depending on the frequency of travel, now we are meant to come up with solutions for the incomeptency of those we're paying for?

I don't think so.

Go get a union, get additional hours of training, become standardized. And in the meanwhile, please don't treat the public as the problem instead of the terrorists. Kindly remember too that the public you berate is the self-same "public" that went hurtling into those Twin Towers. Thank you so much.

"Go get a union, get additional hours of training, become standardized. And in the meanwhile, please don't treat the public as the problem instead of the terrorists. Kindly remember too that the public you berate is the self-same "public" that went hurtling into those Twin Towers. Thank you so much."

Good post.

But the fact is, your not the same public that went hurtling into the Twin Towers. You are now a informed public that knows what could possibly happen now.

Those people on 9/11 had no clue that was their last trip in life. It might not have every entered their minds.

You as the flying public now know what lengths a terrorists is willing to go through. Today's public is now a line of defense against terrorists, like many FT's have stated on this board.

You will never get my support as long as you employ un-American practices to keep me "safe".

Even if you're ex-law enforcement, I really doubt you could tell a good fake from a real ID given the amount of time you spend processing people. And I know you can't tell if two similar people swapped IDs. I've seen more IDs than most cops have, took classes on determining ID veracity and I still needed to ask the person with another's ID a lot of questions to determine that the valid ID they were using wasn't them.

The probability that the person 1)checking IDs knows what he/she is doing other than the name match and 2)actually catching someone attempting using an altered/exchanged ID is almost zero.

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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

all is lost

[This message has been edited by Fenito (edited Dec 21, 2003).]

I agree 100%. If you someone expects to be treated respectfully by anyone-- be it an FA, GA, TSA agent, pilot, cab driver, or Santa Claus-- that person also needs to be respectful him/herself.

Now, this doesn't mean that people should let others walk all over them; it simply means that people don't create problems and act mean unnecessarily. There is a time and place to become defensive and aggressive; walking up to a counter or metal detector and responding to an agent saying "Hello" or "Good morning" to you isn't one of them. I'd recommend saving the aggressiveness for those times when you may actually need it-- like when a terrorist tries to take over your plane or a TSA agent tries to steal your Starbucks thermos under the guise of it being a "prohibited item".

But seriously, I can't fathom why somebody would simply start off with telling an agent to "shut up" (or whatever) when the agent hasn't done anything to upset them in the first place... That's a sad commentary on society, IMHO, when people lack general manners and common courtesy. Some folks (and there are a few here, myself included) may not like the TSA's current procedures or even the organization, but that shouldn't be reason to declare "open season" and verbally attack the first agent you come into contact with. Stupid is as stupid does, I guess...

Rest assured, as long as I'm greeted with a smile and a "Good morning" or similar greeting, I'd perfectly content with being nice back. Just don't take my thermos filled with water....

Exactly!

The ID checks are worthless: they are a waste of time and money and are nothing but passenger harassment. Effort wasted harassing passengers means credible threats are more likely to evade the checkpoint.

Ergo, checking IDs actually makes us less safe.

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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry