Info from aviation attorney friend re. TSA
Dec 31, 2002, 11:11 am
#1
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Info from aviation attorney friend re. TSA
My understanding is that there are two possible reasons a piece of checked
baggage will be hand-searched. First is if you're at any of the unnamed
airports where the giant bag-screening machines aren't yet fully
operational. TSA head Adm. Loy gave a few airports an extension from the
December 31 midnight deadline, but--for security reasons--has not mentioned
which ones. At these airports, alternate screening methods are being
used--dogs, trace detectors, hand searches, etc.
The second reason a checked bag might be searched is because it triggered a
"positive" on the screening machine. A lot of things can do this,
including real explosives. However, the U.S.-type machines apparently have
a reputation for giving a high percentage of false positives. I don't know
much about this, but I'm told that machines using a particular European
technology give far fewer false positives than the U.S. machines do, but
TSA opted not to use them. I can't state an opinion, because I don't have
enough information/background to do so.
I'm keeping a file of "airport security foibles," and my favorites so far
are the Congressional Medal of Honor recipients whose medals have set off
the magnetometers at the terminal checkpoints. This was mostly pre-TSA,
but the minimum-wage burger-flippers didn't even recognize the medal or
what it meant, and some tried to take them because they had points on the
edges! All got their medals back--or got to keep them in the first
place--but the whole thing amazed me. I'm told that TSA is far more
efficient, courteous, and professional, but you fly much more often than I,
so I'll let you--and others--be the ultimate judge!
Have a happy, healthy, and safe new year!
Dec 31, 2002, 11:36 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2001
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I have found the TSA agents to be very polite and courteous. I am still dumbfounded as to why an airport like Daytona Beach requires 23 TSA agents on duty.
For those not familiar with DAB, there's essentially only one airline (Delta) with daily operations. There are about 6 flights a day, 3 of which are MD-88s and 3 of which are BarbieJets (TM). I shudder to think of the long-term tax consequences of all these TSA agents running around. Also, they have to justify their existence, so rest assured, all the elderly retirees and NASCAR fans are getting VERY CLOSE security scruitiny!
For those not familiar with DAB, there's essentially only one airline (Delta) with daily operations. There are about 6 flights a day, 3 of which are MD-88s and 3 of which are BarbieJets (TM). I shudder to think of the long-term tax consequences of all these TSA agents running around. Also, they have to justify their existence, so rest assured, all the elderly retirees and NASCAR fans are getting VERY CLOSE security scruitiny!