DCA FAM Observations
 

I have had several flights in/out of DCA since the beginning of the year. I'd guess that on at least half of them, I haven't seen FAM in the F section. This has been on AA, while sitting in the F cabin. If they were on the airplane, they had to have been sitting in coach, because the aisle seats in F definitely didn't contain a FAM (unless they are now taking window seats which is doubtful).

I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed this phenomenon. Either flights to/from DCA do not require FAM's any longer, or they are sitting in coach sometimes. Regardless of the reason, it's freeing up 1 or 2 seats (yep, seen two FAM's in F before) for an airline customer versus the seat getting wasted by a FAM.

What makes you so sure no FAMS are on board ?

They're easy to spot if you are the one fo the first there people to board. The FAM is the guy already sitting in a seat! I have been teh firs person to board several times with someone already sitting in a seat. Always in FC, too.

--PP

Not as easy as you think then, apparently.

Even easier stand by the gate when it opens and watch for two people to approach the counter and try to sneakily show their ID to GAs so that they can be given seats.

Dan

Do a search here and you will find plenty of ways to find a FAM on a plane. They make themselves easily identifiable.

I am hoping this means that you guys are now really undercover, instead of the previous weak effort at it. Not that i completely blame the FAMs here - I realize some of it (dress code) was imposed from above. Still, sometimes in the past, it seemed like the FAMs weren't really trying. That turns the FAM program from a security program of debatable worth into a law enforcement jobs program of no worth whatsoever. I've said it here before, but I'll say it again - if you want to go about this the right way, no one on the plane, with the possible exception of the captain, should know who you are, including the FAs. Especially the FAs. If that level of confidentiality is impossible, you should wear a uniform. No point in half measures.

What's the reason for the FA's to be kept in the dark?:confused:

Concerns about FA complicity with a criminal element perhaps?

Mostly it's under the "fewer that know, the better off" line of thinking.

I would have to disagree with this statement...

I agree with this! ^ ^ ^

As always, this is a popular topic. DCA is a favorite spot for FAMs. I know FAMS lurk here so I'll just say, I find it incredibly sloppy of you to do your thing on a plane in cognito, then buddy up with your partner after the flight deplanes, then reboard another plane. If I can pick out this behavior, what prevents others from doing the same thing? Keep the facade up the whole way, for your own safety for God's sakes. Sometimes the stupidity just boggles the mind.

A lot of guys I know make themselves obvious hoping people will complain so maybe some change will occur if enough people get disgusted and complain.

As for the FAs, from what I hear they're the second worst group to out FAMs.

Hear, hear!! I hope that the old ways of the FAM s being forced to board first are OVER! I don't want those guys to have to break cover unless something is REALLY going wrong, and a scuffle with an unruly pax that some big guys have effectively put down doesn't count. Such a diversion could easily be used to try to get teh FAMs to break cover.

They finally, after enough humiliating publisity, apparently started allowing the FAMs to dress in a mode appropriate for the time of year and destination. I have long been a proponent of the perfunctory meeting between the PIC and the FAM(s) takign place in a secure area far away from the boarding gate, and only the guys with the ATP tickets should know who the FAMs are. The reason for the FAs not knowing is that in a situation that appears to be getting out of control, it would be almost impossible for their eyes not to go to the FAM if the FAs know where he or they are sitting. Their presence is too important and their cover to valuable to let anythign give it away until, in the FAM's judgement, they NEED to break cover.

Having said this, I think if there is more than one FAM on board, they need to know where the other one is. Now here's a question to debate, and I'd like the FAM's imput on this:

If there is an armed LEO on board for whatever reason that is NOT an FAM, local law enforcement, FBI, secret service, whoever...should the FAMs know who and where they are, should the non-FAM LEOs know abou the FAMs on board, and should they all caucus before the flight?

--PP

You need to put yourself in the shoes of a hijacker. Lets say its a nice big three-class trans-atlantic flight. I'm a bad guy. I want to know where the FAMs (who have cleverly disguised themselves) are hiding. I grab an FA, pull her into the galley, and tell her she can either give up the FAMs or get hurt. Presumably, I'm far ruder and more threatening in real life, than on Flyertalk :)

If the FA knows, he or she can splll the beans, then the FAMs might get taken out quickly. Basically, its a question of why the FAMs are on board. Are they security guards to handle rowdy passengers at the FA's direction? If so, they can wear uniforms. Otherwise, they need to be undercover, which does not include informing FAs. Informing the captain seems a reasonable accommodation.