Gate searches -- still?!? AAARRRHHHGGG!! (merged)
Oct 21, 2009, 3:23 pm
#616
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,657
You read it completely backwards. I'm pointing out a way that terrorists could easily circumvent gate searches.
Oct 21, 2009, 5:08 pm
#617
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
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Posts: 28,885
You know ...
It just occurred to me that, if I was hypothetically a member of a large terrorist organization trying to get a team of my compatriots on-board an aircraft, and we had managed to get our various weapons past the checkpoint, and a team of TSOs appeared at the gate, it would be advisable to send the first member of the team to be inspected through without any contraband, but have that member create as many problems as possible by fumbling with their ID, asking for new gloves, and so on. In the meantime, my confederates and I would be able to pass through undetected, since the screeners would be busy looking at the red herring.
Not that I would ever advocate such a thing, of course.
It just occurred to me that, if I was hypothetically a member of a large terrorist organization trying to get a team of my compatriots on-board an aircraft, and we had managed to get our various weapons past the checkpoint, and a team of TSOs appeared at the gate, it would be advisable to send the first member of the team to be inspected through without any contraband, but have that member create as many problems as possible by fumbling with their ID, asking for new gloves, and so on. In the meantime, my confederates and I would be able to pass through undetected, since the screeners would be busy looking at the red herring.
Not that I would ever advocate such a thing, of course.
. but seriously, what you describe is actually one of the oldest tricks in the book however, i would still want to know what the screeners missed at the checkpoint the first time around . to me, this is nothing more than trying to justify fte's and a complete waste of time and money (and, are you listening washington, it's my money)
Oct 23, 2009, 4:46 pm
#618
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: DCA / WAS
Programs: DL 2+ million/PM, YX, Marriott Plt, *wood gold, HHonors, CO Plt, UA, AA EXP, WN, AGR
Posts: 9,388
Yep, I'm seeing them more and more. There was an army of 'em swarming around the concourses like fire ants at IAD and DEN yesterday. While at the same time, the checkpoint staff had lanes closed, long lines, and were complaining to each other about not having enough staff.
Oct 23, 2009, 6:30 pm
#619
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Louisville, KY, US
Programs: QF Plat - OW EMD | DL Gold / Starwood Gold
Posts: 6,106
Yep, I'm seeing them more and more. There was an army of 'em swarming around the concourses like fire ants at IAD and DEN yesterday. While at the same time, the checkpoint staff had lanes closed, long lines, and were complaining to each other about not having enough staff.
At SDF there was a couple teams of two walking around the concourse as if they were walking the beat on "patrol"... I saw them harass one guy who set his bag down and walked a few feet away from it to get a picture out the window. After that, they walked up to a departing passenger who was minding his own business and harassed him to see his ID and boarding pass.
Completely ridiculous. The checkpoint was adequately staffed for a Friday morning - I sailed right through. Seems to me they're overstaffed and some idiot decided to send them on concourse patrols for busywork.
At ATL they were walking the concourses and I saw the smurfs doing some type of gate check on a couple of departing flights. The smurfs moping around outnumbered the "Delta Amex Credit Card" pitchmen that haunt the DL concourses at Hartsfield.
At soon as I got off the plane at SNA it was like a smurf family reunion in the concourse airside. I couldn't tell if they were "working" on "smurf patrol", on the clock looking for the next departure for a stare-down, or all on break at once.
Oct 23, 2009, 8:31 pm
#620
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: DCA / WAS
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Posts: 9,388
I was just remarking to myself about the UA pitchman at DEN yesterday that looked, spoke, and sounded like the way the hawkers used to do on the sidewalks in Times Square trying to get people into the "Live Nude" porn theaters....
Oct 27, 2009, 5:02 pm
#622
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: PBI
Programs: DL 2.8 MM/PM, AA MM/GLD, Marriott LT Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,748
You know, I noticed the ones in the jetway at PBI didn't have a box of gloves with them. Heh-that would be fun. They'd have to "swim upstream" against all the boarding passengers to go get some fresh gloves
Last edited by pbjag; Oct 28, 2009 at 7:03 am
Oct 28, 2009, 4:54 am
#623
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Orlando
Programs: DL 4MM/PM, UA 1MM/Gold, AA Paper
Posts: 1,386
Two smurfs were doing gate searches at MCO on CO 76 passengers to EWR on Monday. They were randomly selecting people and one of them was looking through their carry ons. Total waste of our tax payers money! If the TSA has excess smurfs around with nothing to do, get rid of them I say.
Oct 28, 2009, 3:03 pm
#624
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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They were going through the lines checking ID's at our WN gate in STL yesterday. Wife & I (A-54 & A-55) just stayed seated & finally joined the line when the TSA-babe was check A-57. She ignored us.
Afterwards all 3 smurfs seemed to hang around the gate forever, apparently writing up their report.
What a total waste. Meanwhile, the line for non-A-Listers that day was quite long.
Afterwards all 3 smurfs seemed to hang around the gate forever, apparently writing up their report.
What a total waste. Meanwhile, the line for non-A-Listers that day was quite long.
Oct 28, 2009, 9:54 pm
#625
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 5
Don't worry -be happy!
Dont you listen to what your beloved govt. has been telling you? Haven't you seen the signs (literally)? Some of you arent hampsters or mice in the maze (Maize midwesterners?) I just saw this week that TSA is experimenting with the full body scan... oh yeah that infamous machine that detects tucks, sucks, sils, and plants- no further need for the gates! But what the hey! People need to whine! What about rights and human fallibility? Did I see this addressed once in 23 pages. no? Gates are indicative of this. What does this tell the smug ones about their technologies?.. About any tech today. "You are all sheep". Keep it up I haven't read one interesting tidbit yet... Is this indicitive of mindset, dumbing down of America, or of our truest fears- WE need change as our world is changed forever in ideology, work ethics, employment strata, security, decency, pride, and philosophy.
Oct 29, 2009, 4:19 pm
#629
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YVR
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 828
I have yet to be smurfed at the gate, but I commend each of you who have been and not blown your top at these useless harrassments.
TSA, since you will never fire your surplus workforce, please assign the excess smurfs to tasks less violating and more useful than gate molestations. I have seen smurfs Windexing the xray machinery, tending to pretty 9/11 commemorative poster collages, dancing, and slumped back in wheelchairs. Any of these is preferable to the awful busywork they are engaged in now.
TSA, since you will never fire your surplus workforce, please assign the excess smurfs to tasks less violating and more useful than gate molestations. I have seen smurfs Windexing the xray machinery, tending to pretty 9/11 commemorative poster collages, dancing, and slumped back in wheelchairs. Any of these is preferable to the awful busywork they are engaged in now.
Oct 29, 2009, 4:35 pm
#630
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Louisville, KY, US
Programs: QF Plat - OW EMD | DL Gold / Starwood Gold
Posts: 6,106
I have yet to be smurfed at the gate, but I commend each of you who have been and not blown your top at these useless harrassments.
TSA, since you will never fire your surplus workforce, please assign the excess smurfs to tasks less violating and more useful than gate molestations. I have seen smurfs Windexing the xray machinery, tending to pretty 9/11 commemorative poster collages, dancing, and slumped back in wheelchairs. Any of these is preferable to the awful busywork they are engaged in now.
TSA, since you will never fire your surplus workforce, please assign the excess smurfs to tasks less violating and more useful than gate molestations. I have seen smurfs Windexing the xray machinery, tending to pretty 9/11 commemorative poster collages, dancing, and slumped back in wheelchairs. Any of these is preferable to the awful busywork they are engaged in now.
Keeping the checkpoint sanitary - especially bins and other commonly touched surfaces around the x-ray machine / WTMD - would actually contribute to the safety and well-being of travelers, flight crews, as well as other smurfs working the checkpoint. @:-)