Xyzzy

You know, we really need to set up an " overabundance of caution terminal dump of the day calendar" web site.

Spiff

Depends.

Here we've got someone who observed the guy leave and come back. We know what flight he's on. There's no need to dump the terminal. The probability that he was just out to get a gun is practically zero. If he needed explosives, he'd have had no problem bringing them past the checkpoint in the first place.

Xyzzy

That would, of course, depend on how the breach occurred. If a bunch of armed men stormed a checkpoint the reaction would necessarily be different from if the TSA managed to not check some random carryon bag without the passenger knowing it was unchecked. Dumping the terminal for every possible breach is a stupidly expensive waste of time and effort. They need to use common sense. Sadly, however, they have continually demonstrated that they have none.

The overwhelming majority of passengers are not terrorists. How many terrorists has the TSA caught in the past 6 years? The number zero comes to mind.

Bart

I guess you missed the part about the exit lane monitor being a private security company employee.

mmartin4600

Nothing in the article states he was observed leaving the secure side of the airport. In fact, it sounds like he showed up late and decided to skip the checkpoint.

Bet your life on it?

Spiff

You're right - but I don't think the terminal needed to be dumped after DL placed him as being on a flight.



I already bet my life frequently/every day on situations that are much more likely to cause me harm - driving, playing hockey, discharging firearms, working with chemicals, working with electricity, visiting drinking establishments, etc. I am not convinced that a terminal dump was necessary to make anyone any safer.

elitetraveler

And more to come as Homeland Security increases security on pleasure boaters...I can just see TSA metal detectors at the end of floating docks - it's going to be darn hard to catch fish without hooks

N830MH

I certinaly agree with you guys. The man does not go through checkpoint without being screened at JFK. Because TSA need more extra patrol around exit security checkpoint. I can't decent what happened last night about security breach after he was left from JFK bound for ALB. How does police caught him in ALB after he was questioned with FBI & TSA. He was supposed to catch his flight but, he does not have proper boarding pass at all. I think TSA need more responsibility at security in DL terminals. Next time if TSA will monitor more unticketed passengers beyond checkpoint then police will be arrested him as criminal trespassing.

Xyzzy

We DON'T need more monitoring by the TSA The guy was obviously a ticketed passenger or he wouldn't have gotten onto the plane. That's why I suspect his boarding pass and razor-containing bag were already in the secure area. If he had gone through the exit lane with the razor we would have heard about how he tried to sneak a weapon through. Instead, we hear simply that he had it. I take that as the TSA playing down the fact that they missed it his first time through. I could, of course, be wrong!

law dawg

Sure, because "it'll never happen here" after all.

C'mon hard six!! Daddy needs a new pair of shoes!!

law dawg

Wait, I thought the job of the TSA was NOT to catch terrorists but to "screen for dangerous items?" We don't want them looking for terrorists because that would be profiling and require talking to people and SPOT and they can pound sand if they want to talk to me and this country's turning into Nazi Germany and I WILL NOT PUT UP WITH IT!!



So which is it? Dangerous items found (the number found in the thousands comes to mind) or terrorists?

And, BTW, I wonder how many people in the eight or so years between the first WTC bombing and 9/11 thought much the same as apparently you do. "Hey, they took their shot and that was a long time ago! Nothing else happening! Let's go back to sleep!"

Yep, the old head-in-the-sand strategy worked out really, really well for us.

Superguy

You can only cry wolf so many times before people stop listening.

TSA has far exceeded that number.

Is it done out of An Abundance of CautionŽ or An Abundance of CYAŽ? I think we know the answer to that.

law dawg

Do you wear your seatbelt because you think you'll be in an accident or in case you are?

patgarrett

.......

flyingbrick

Oh, please. Thousands? I've seen that many confiscated lethal water bottles just passing through a single checkpoint!