In my fantasies I bring a boom-box with playback capability through security. At the opportune moment, I press a button and my boom box screams, "Code Bravo! Code Bravo! Everybody Freeze!" In the resulting confusion I steal all their Krispy Kremes.

Yes, I've run into this at ATL as well. I agree with you on the "everybody freeze" part - there was nothing keeping me from moving except for a barking TSA agent. After a few minutes, we got the all clear, but not before a supervisor "addressed the crowd." As we all know, the TSA is great at yelling, but this guy spoke so quietly that I couldn't hear him. I'm really not sure what the point of the exercise was, except possibly to waste a few minutes of my life.

If there was a group of you, you could all start screaming "bravo, bravo!!!" and clapping. See what kind of reaction that gets from the TSA

I had this happen at LAX T4 in 2008 while connecting back through to QF107. Had finally cleared through the line and the checkpoint and was sitting on the ground putting my shoes back on.
They yelled 'everybody freeze'. I just kept doing what I was doing.
About two minutes later, just as I'd finshed fixing my shoes, they called the all clear and the thanks for taking part in a test bit.

Training line starts behind them.

And I'll have no part of it this 'us' nonsense, either.

Which is why I'll have no part in their little drama and go about my business.

I'm ... erm ... attention impaired, severely so when under stress. I am either off in my own little world or so hyperfocused on the task at hand that I frequently blow right by people talking directly at me.

Yeah. I'm sorta like that, too. You have to be if you can't hear. You focus on the immediate task right in front of your eyes. It becomes your only world. It has its advantages though. :p

I think it would be great if people started panicking and running around all over the checkpoint, diving on the floor, etc.

Oh noes!!!!! We're all gonna die! Run!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, that would be funny. For a moment. :p

wouldnt a bloody huge stop sign be a bit more useful, non english speakers my have difficulty with verbal commands.

How about not doing the stupid stuff at all? The non-English speaking, and non-English hearing I might add, among us will appreciate it even more.

It is dumb.

It is ridiculous.

It may even be an effort at long-term social conditioning. Like saying if you do not want to get rubbed just let us take the naked picture. No big deal.

Okay, tinfoil hat is back off now.

I'm wondering why our resident clerks have made no comments on this:rolleyes:

Previous FT threads about it

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-c...bravo-sea.html

From the top ten codes you are not supposed to know over at listverse.com

Code Bravo is the code phrase for a general security alert at airports. Unlike most of the codes on this list, the code is meant to cause alarm – but not through knowing what it means: when this alert is raised, all of the security agents will begin to yell “Code Bravo” in order to frighten the passengers – this is supposed to make it easier for the agents to locate the source of the problem without interference from the general public. For those of you who travel on ships from time to time, you may like to know that Code Bravo means “fire” and it is the most serious alert on a ship – if it burns, you either get off or burn with it. Ships also often use sound signals, such as 7 short and 1 long, meaning “man the lifeboats”.

A video of Billy Crystal from TMZ going through Security when they bark out a Code Bravo

http://www.tmz.com/2008/07/11/billy-...eld-up-at-lax/

One guy who worked for the TSA has this on his resume

Authored DFW Airport's emergency security response procedures; Code Bravo is the screening checkpoint breach containment procedure and Code Tango is the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) escalation procedure. The successful documentation and implementation reflects detailed security knowledge that was acquired working as a lead, supervisor and security manager.

If you watch the linked video, you can see one of the screeners come to the edge of the wall of the screening area and tell someone to hold still. I'd say this is more proof of them moving way beyond the scope of their authority and moving towards that of a LEO. She actually reminded me more of a school crossing guard talking to a parent coming to pick up their child. Maybe we should buy them some of those yellow plastic sashes to go with the blue uniform.

Somebody should have a conversation at a checkpoint including something like, "Did you see Dancing with the Stars Last night? I got tired of nothing but tango, tango, tango!"

The video is most interesting and instructive:

1. Grandma screener giving the "halt!" or 1930s German salute sign in the general direction of the terminal.

2. The moat dragon screener blocking the metal detector with his back to the crowd of passengers.

3. The herd of screeners who came double-timing from somewhere inside the terminal to the checkpoint.

Has anybody else experiencing a "Bravo" exercise witnessed a similar type of behavior?

Hmm, wouldn't a terrorist learn from watching this that you could subvert the Code Bravo exercise by simply yelling "Bravo Clear?"

Watching the video disturbingly evokes Macaroni Grill waiters yelling "86." :p