It happened again today, and this time, I was able to confirm it was a non-active sky marshall. Waiting to board 1499 from BDL - ATL, and watched 2 sky marshalls waiting in the gate area to return to ATL approach the gate agent. I was standing just out from the desk and watched him show the "sky marshall" badge. The agent (Joe Aiello) smiled and made small talk. Agent left the gate area, walked over to a gate that was not being occupied and logged into the computer. He promptly ticketed both marshalls with F class tickets and I watched 2 names remove from the Standby list. I figured they are catching on that people are watching the monitors and monitoring actions like this.

You know what? This is a disgrace that this is happening in our Country. I blame both the Republicans and Democrats in Congress and the White House for creating this mockery.

These new sky marshalls are nothing but glorified cops that ride airplanes all day. While they may play a role in aviation security, actions such as this to me are just a criminal as the thugs they are trying to stop.

Sky Marshalls have no business riding First Class at all unless the government pays the fare for that seat. In fact, they should be seated at the very back of the aircraft on the aisle for a full view. Even better, another one would be seated in the first row of coach watching what is happening in that cabin.

I cant wait for this election to get over, so we can start fighting to have crap like this and the TSA removed from our travel nightmares. Things have gotten out of hand and the TSA acts like the gustapo and to me THEY ARE NOTHING but PUBLIC SERVANTS and WE PAY THEIR SALARIES. ITS TIME WE DEMANDED A LITTLE RESPECT AND THEY DROP THE INSOLENT TONE!!!

Sorry, but this topic really pisses me off. Gotta go before I go nuts!!!

Cannot believe DL sanctions this. Hope this agent is reported IF the higher ups even care.

Remember the term "dead heading"? Usually refers to people heading back to their home base, often while not on duty.

Of course, in the case of SkyCops, dead heading applies all the time.

Ditto ditto ditto!!!

These people will get pensions for making our lives hell.
Will you get a penison?
...I probably won't!

Our tax dollars (or lack there-of) at work. I highly doubt that the gov is paying F fares, or even any fare at all. It is more likely, the seat is merely "blocked" and provided as a "courtesy" for the "service" these individuals provide to the airline industry through their government agency. - yeah, right! -

This sux - thru n thru

To get bumped or denied an upgrade on a full flight is one thing. But for it to be likely due to a non-paying "gun" is outrageous. The last thing I want in a pressurized aluminum tube at 35,000 ft going 500 MPH is a GUN!

The soap-box is now open - NEXT!

It's not tax dollars (per se), and its not the government paying those fares..... IT'S YOU! It's that little 9/11 security fee thingy that they add to every ticket now.

As for putting them up front. Some people are just a little more obsessive about their first class upgrades than I am. But, somehow I bet these guys have logged plenty of miles and certainly enough to qualify for upgrade.

Well yes - whether thru taxes or pseudo taxes masked as "fees" yes I understand that I am paying. And I won't dispute the fact that those guys log the miles and could get the bump - if they were actually on paid fares - I personally don't believe they are. It makes more sense - in my feeble mind - that the "fee" is paid by the airlines to the TSA for the "service" provided by the skycops. Plus the lines must pony up the seats for them to ride in.

However, from a strategic standpoint, if they have to be there, I'm inclined to agree with milemaker for them to sit in the back of the bus to have a better view on things. But from a strictly operational standpoint, they shouldn't sit in any one place any more than any other so they are harder to spot (as though that's all that tuff anyway - crew cut, biz suit, no neck... etc.).

Well, so do I Dogspit. If they can qualify for the upgrade based on their status or whatever and if they are on a paid fare that qualifies, then more power to them...let them join the upgrade lottery like the rest of us. No way should they be able to approach a GA and be upgraded in the manner described by the OP.

That they even feel enpowered to do this or somehow entitled to the FC seat while off duty and ahead of other pax who may log as many butt-in-seat miles as them is maddening!

This subject PO's me as much as the rest of you folks, trust me!! Anybody who cuts in line for MY FC seat better be carrying a gun!!
But my point here is that is there any such thing as an "non-active" Sky Marshall?? Aren't they pretty much on duty 24/7 ?
That being the case, the argument could be made that they qualify for a FC seat if that's where they can perform their "duty" best.
I'm just playing devil's advocate here. I'm not in favor of Sky Marshall's hogging the FC seats. But I don't know what latitude DL has in assigning them seats.

I have given this a lot of thought...

...while the incident in the initial milepost of this thread pertains to a Delta Air Lines flight, the bulk of the discussion of this thread is really better suited in the Travel Safety/Security forum, where non-Delta Air Lines FlyerTalk members can also participate in this controversial yet rather interesting discussion.

In the meantime, this thread will remain visible in the Delta forum for those Delta FlyerTalk members who wish to participate.

This thread should now help attract and encourage greater participation from a wider audience of FlyerTalk members.

By all means, please continue the discussion. Thank you!

Regards,

Canarsie
Co-Moderator, Delta forum

So what are you going to do after the elections?????? Also, are you implying that you are better than public servants?????

A character of Robert Heinlein's once observed: "all public employees have larceny in their hearts or they wouldn't be feeding at the public trough."

I plan on contacting the White House (whichever party goes in) and all of my Senators and Representative in Congress. This whole thing is starting to get out of hand and those who travel frequently know it as they see the crap everyday.

I am all for better security, but a 9/11 type situation will never happen again because the passengers would not allow it to happen. 5 or 6 guys trying to take control of 100 to 200 mostly well informed travelers. I dont think so. Its time for people to start thinking outside the box and throwing thousands of white shirted TSA agents out there combined with these Sky Marshalls that are really an unnecesssary expense makes me sick.

As for public servants, no I am not better than them; however, I pay my taxes and a portion of them goes to these people. Therefore, I DEMAND A LITTLE RESPECT. I swear give some people a gun and badge and they think that are the law and at the same time above it.

I wonder how the 9/11 families would weigh in on this assessment of moral culpability.