You wouldn't approve of yelling "fire" in a crowded movie theater, and then claiming it to be an April Fools joke. Why are you apologizing for and defending this behavior?

Sure, they didn't realise when they planned it that it would be life threatening. That doesn't let them off the hook. It just confirms that they didn't think though how stupid and unprofessional their prank would be.

mountain, molehill.

Look, I don't condone this prank; however, I'm not going to run around with my head on fire over this neither. A written reprimand is appropriate, end of story.

An asthma attack is hardly trivial:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4508141.stm

Apparently, it can be like having someone stand on your chest while you're unable to breathe. Not fun.

Exactly. Just because something has unintended consequences doesn't make it excusable.

I do wonder if any passengers tried the "Oh, you don't want to swab that bag, the bomb is in my backpack - HA! April Fools!" I can't imagine that would have been a such a big deal since some people just need to have a sense of humor.

You might want to read this thread in OMNI:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=678469

Says it all really-this comment from a TSA instructor. So when the FA tells you to get into the crash position in preperation for an emergency landing -be ready to laugh when she shouts April fool . Sorry most people grew out of this kind of junk before they left high school-if I was a US tax payer I'd expect better from employees of the state paid with my tax $$$. I hope she sues and wins.
It shows up what the culture is within the TSA towards the people they are meant to serve that the people concerned may merely get reprimanded-in any private- customer orientated business they'd be instantly fired.

Ah, therein lies the difference. Chalk it up to the difference between people who do and don't eat at McKellars.

On a serious note, I think an apology would certainly have been in order to this couple, as well as a good hard slap on the wrist to those who did it. Professionalism.

There is a huge difference between playing a joke on a peer or colleague, and an innocent customer - especially one who might already be stressed out by the "TSA experience".

Sorry, but looking at the totality of this, including the joke itself as well as the post joke searching during the asthma attack, this crew needs to be pink-slipped. There is absolutely nothing I can think of that justifies condoning this behavior. If screeners want to play jokes on April 1st, let them play jokes on each other - not on customers.

So if the IRS sent you a letter indicating you were under investigation for tax fraud as an "April Fool's" joke, would that be appropriate? If the SSA sent a retiree a "your benefits have run out" letter? If the DMV hung a sign behind people getting license photos saying "I'm with stupid!"

The government is not in the business of making jokes. My tax dollars (and, in the case of the TSA, my "9/11 fees") are not paying them to make jokes.

I wouldn't have as much problem if one screener had made a joking comment and laughed it off, but organizing a prank with all the screeners in on it?! That's just inappropriate.

Try reading more of my comments. I also said a written reprimand is in order. And I don't equate this prank with your little FA example.

It was bad form, but it was not the crime of the century. I say this not only as a TSA instructor, but as a retired combat veteran. There are other things in life that are much more serious; this is not one of them.

Being unable to breathe is not a laughing matter.

Pun intended?

I know you're going to feel like you're being picked on, as usual, but the fact of the matter is that the TSA is the party that likes to do things "out of an abundance of caution" and takes even the most mole-hill nature of things and elevates them into a mountainous situation.

Silly and idiotic things like taking bottled water away and patting down 94 year-old Grandma Kettle also elevate the stakes from the TSA side of things. Those signs (that eyecue frequently points out) leading up to the checkpoints solidify that no jokes will be tolerated. That's just a small ingredient to the overall TSA-cooked recipe making everything such a sensitive and non-joking environment.

I know you're going to get whipped up again over feeling like you're being picked on, but in all seriousness, this really boils down to a lack of accountability.

Passengers get hauled off to the LEOs, and usually arrested for making jokes like that. The TSA? Well, it's okay because it's April 1st and they know it's a stupid, harmless prank.

Actions come with consequences.

Unless you work for the TSA.

Intended, not so much, but those are sometimes the best kinds of puns.

This was hardly a Candid Camera kind of prank where everyone has a good laugh when it's all over. The victim of the prank had a dangerous physiological reaction and then had insult added to injury by being searched while suffering the effects of the reaction.

I don't think a written reprimand goes far enough. It's possible, though unlikely, that they could have caused much more serious harm to this woman.

http://www.tsa.gov/311/311-holiday.shtmSo I'm guessing this was an appropriate joke then ?