FormerLurker

I have been here for several years but have never posted. After over five years as a PM, and flying ASA more often than I care to remember, I thought I'd seen this "airline" do just about everything. Tonight took the cake, though.

As I stood at the departure gate waiting for them to announce boarding of my ATL-MGM flight (we were 10 minutes past departure time without an announcement, but that's par for the course), and watching them deny boarding to 1 pax and deplane 2 others from ATL-ROA because of weight and balance concerns they figured out after they miscounted the number of boarded pax, then watching the FO from our MGM flight ask the gate agents where his pax were (us) since they'd called for boarding 30 minutes earlier (ignored by the gate agents), they finally called for boarding.

As we lined up, nobody moved toward the door. Apparently people have figured out that the first passenger gets to be the luckily chosen "random" screen. Our gate agent, not one to let common sense get in the way of security, looked at all of us standing there and yelled out, "who wants to volunteer for the random security check?" Amazingly one woman did volunteer and the rest of us proceeded onboard, safe from the random screening.

I'll be the first to acknowledge that I don't think these "random" screenings have increased security at all, but what's the point in bothering if ASA is now going to let pax self-select who gets screened? If Delta won't do the right thing and get rid of this "airline," maybe the safety agency will step in and shut them down. One can only hope...

Spiff

I'm no fan of ASA but I'm pleased to see that there's at least an acknowledgement of how useless these random "security" checks at the gate really are. Time to eliminate them once and for all - they add nothing and waste everyone's time.

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"Those who would sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither." - Ben Franklin

NoStressHere

I am rolling on the floor over this one. Know why? The woman that volunteered for the random "security check" will surely tell everyone she feels safer because of this worthless action. In fact, she was probably thinking to herself on the plane that she was safer than the rest of them.

ROFLMAO, over and over.

mikey1003

One of my flights last week had te request for volunteer and I fell over laughing also.

And for the record, no way in Hell did I voulnteer (I forgot to put limburger in my shoes and a sex toy on top of my briefcase so I passed on the "Honor"

What a world we live in



[This message has been edited by mikey1003 (edited 02-25-2002).]

JRF

Well I have been avoiding ASA for so long now I forgot how funny it could be (most of the time it is sadly funny 5 years after the event when you think back.)

I am suprised at your experience. I would have thought ASA would have asked for a volunteer to conduct the security check. Of course, this would always happen 25 minutes after departure time and then by the time it was done they lost your plane.

GG

Well, it was on Delta, not ASA (I do not fly ASA), but last week when they called F boarding for our ATL-LEX flight, no one got up. Minutes went by, and I finally said to LexPax, "Oh well, I'll be the sacrificial lamb." It was another data point for our observation of "random" security checks.

And sure enough, I got sent to the screener. Now I had no carry-on bag on that trip, which is why I "volunteered" in the first place. I've never had such a quick processing. This may have had something to do with LexPax joining me in one of the "victim" chairs. The male screener wanded me for about 20 seconds from about a foot away, didn't even open all the compartments of my purse, and sort of patted my bulky coat which I'd put on the table. He was through and we were on the plane before they'd called Medallion boarding.

Trust me, I didn't feel any safer... and I don't plan to take the heat again any time soon - in fact I plan to stay in the CRC until the last minute in future.


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ufcpa

I'll chime in here too, although I don't normally elect to do so, as misery loves company. I too am subjected twice-weekly to ASA's bumbling antics, primarily at small airports in the south (DHN, MGM, GTR, to name a few).

My latest observation/incredulous laugh comes from experiences at DHN and GTR, and is not a direct dig at ASA, although it does fit w/in the comments made here. At both DHN and GTR, I have been one of many boarding passengers frustrated by the security over-kill at these airports. Security personnel (including ASA employees in assistance) seem to have no concept of time, and on both occasions delayed flights due to their slow, and at times repetitive security screening procedures. Screening included 4 photo id checks after reaching the gate, complete search of each passenger's carryon baggage (not random selection), and a general lack of sense of urgency. Both flights were on RJs, and both screening experiences lasted materially longer than any others I have had around the southeast (primarily at PBI, FLL, TPA).

My perception is that the country folk working at these airports have taken the (somewhat admirable)stance that "no hijacker is going to get through on our watch", but have no regard for what is considered to be the standard at most airports.

When will this end????

[This message has been edited by ufcpa (edited 02-26-2002).]

[This message has been edited by ufcpa (edited 02-26-2002).]

andymo99

GG, good to see you back. Where have you and Lex been?

GG

Thanks, andy!!

We were in Boston (well, Framingham if you want to be picky) and Providence, and then in Horse Cave, KY...

And last week - true confession time - I screwed up my password editing my profile, and it took a few days to get it straightened out.



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