MarcPHL

Sadly it currently can and does. Liquids that they--in their infinite infallibility and non-corruptibility-- bring to the CP are safe, harmless liquids. The same carried by ordinary passengers cum would be tewwowists is dangerous. Get yourself a replica TSA uniform and you too can sip your cappuccino as you pass through Checkpoint Charlie.

UALOneKPlus

Exactly, that's what this thread amply illustrates, comrade.

Good to know that we all know what the truth is (except for one very persistent and wrong poster)... *wink*wink*nudge*nudge*

EngIceDave

We can agree to disagree, but I do not appreciate your personal attacks and if personal attacks is how you going about thinking you win an argument, it won't work with me.

I see nothing wrong with what they did and I think people are nitpicking because of their disdain for TSA in general, just as how there are threads complaining about things as simple as their wearing clip on ties.

TSA is not great or perfect, but getting up in arms about their coffee, clip on ties, tucked shirts or mismatched socks is ridiculous

UALOneKPlus

You are still playing "not getting" it? Despite all the repeated explanations about what is wrong with this?

That, my friend, is trolling.

I'm not personally attacking anyone, just describing what you're engaing in, which is clearly trolling.

This issue is BLACK and WHITE. There is no misunderstanding about what's factual and what's not.

Your posts obfuscate the facts and you persist in furthering non-sensical comments.

This NEVER is/was/will be about petty things like coffee, ties, socks, shirts, etc. like what you describe. It is about security, and security policy. The TSA states coffee = explosive. Why are TSA permitted to bring explosives beyond WTMD / x-ray when the general public can't? That, my friend, is the core of the discussion, which you repeatedly refuse to acknowledge and dance around.

LessO2

You;re going off on assumptions that are not being discussed in this thread. Plus you have this fascination that we're attacking you when we point out blaring discrepancies in your argument.

Here are the key points you either voluntarily or involuntarily missed:

HYPOCRISY TSAers taking things that passengers cannot. There is no honor system in place, which you elude to earlier, that we can take these beverages past the checkpoint, yet not to the gate or plane.

This is exactly why I put quotation marks around the words "secure" and "sterile" areas. They are not. TSAers, airport employees and airline crew are allowed to take items that passengers cannot, and do not get screened at the same level as passengers do.

Further, there is zero likelihood that there is any difference in screening of airport foods and/or liquids than there would be passengers bringing it down (heck, catering trucks have unfettered access to aircraft). IF there is any screening of that Dasani bottle at Hudson News, they have the same capabilities to screen those bottles as they do your bottle or mine. In other words, it boils down to the TSA not knowing a damn thing about what's in any bottle....either the one we bought at 7-11 or the one at Hudson news for $4.00.

IF the TSA wants to call it a truly "secure" or "sterile" area, then stop all liquids. ALL of them. This includes Dunkin' Donuts coffee, water fountains, and yes, even toilet water. You can't have a "double secret probation" thing going on. It's either sterile or it's not.


FOCUS We were talking about, as the moderator encouraged us, to stay on topic of the liquids. We are. You're bringing back the topics of other threads. Whether they are ludicrous or not, that's for those threads.

If you want to disagree with us, that's perfectly fine. I disagree with a lot of people in this forum. But don't get angry at us and claim that we're attacking you because we're punching holes in your assumptions with fact.

EngIceDave

and once again you engage in a personal attack.

I maintain that the checkpoint is an AREA, and not a line.
At no point have you or anyone proven otherwise.
The checkpoint AREA is clearly marked out and to prove the checkpoint is an AREA, post screenings take place past the WTMD and within that marked out AREA.

I also maintain this is more about nitpicking than it is about anything else.

Calling names and making personal attacks because someone has a differing opinion is improper and against TOS

UALOneKPlus

Again sadly you obfuscate facts.

How many times has it been posted that the general public CANNOT bring liquids through the WTMD and/or the X-Ray machine???

The issue here is that the TSA in the OP's post deliberately violated that policy and brought the liquids through the WTMD.

It is not an argument or discussion about a "line" or a "curve" or a "circle" or a "squire" - IRRELEVANT!! It's been CLEARLY and REPEATEDLY established that the WTMD / x-ray machine is the line of demarcation where one CANNOT bring liquids through, no way, now how, no when.

Yet you persist again on this ridiculous argument on how a checkpoint is "not a line but an area."

That is 100% trolling my friend.

This goes way beyond disagreement. It simply highlights how you repeatedly ignore established FACTS and continue to obfuscate, even now, after the Nth time this has been pointed out to you.

Don't get upset because we're blowing big holes in your "presumptions". This is not about whether we like the TSA or not. It is about FACTS and security policies.

straygaijin

I think the liquid rule is a pile of steaming crap, but I can see a difference between a passenger bringing liquids through and taking it somewhere into the terminal and a TSA agent bringing a coffee to the checkpoint and consuming it in front of their fellow agents.

I think the difference to the TSA mindset is that with a regular passenger they do not know them and cannot trust them, so all liquids are banned. With a TSA employee, the person is known and trusted (leave aside whether you think they should be or not) and so they are given a higher degree of freedom - the person has already been screened if you like.

But it's well past time for the TSA to man up and say that the liquid ban is completely ineffective and unnecessary.

EngIceDave

You just don't like opposing opinions so you go on the attack

You are no more right than I am.

As far as anyone knows, that coffee never left that checkpoint area and as with most any employee on any job they enjoyed a cup of coffee while working.

and if anyone disagrees with you and your opinion, you go on the personal attack and label them a troll

EngIceDave

I agree on all points

birdstrike

It is important for those in authority to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. It is unprofessional and divisive for them to flaunt the rules in front of the passengers.

Cholula

We've just had to issue some warnings over accusations of trolling and personal attacks in this thread.

We ask those of you who we haven't yet contacted by PM to continue to keep this thread on topic.

And for those who are already in receipt of a PM from the TS/S mods over this thread, the next PM will unfortunately result in a suspension of FT posting privileges.

This is the second time we've had to break into this thread. We hate to have to close it as it's a subject that most of you seem to be able to discuss without personal commentary.

Thanks for your continued assistance in keeping this thread open.

_____________________________

Cholula

Travel Safety/Security Forum Moderator

artemis021

As I understad it, the reason that we can't bring liquids past security is because some liquids can be triggered with an electrical impulse and bring a plane down.

The TSA, while rudely cutting in front of you, was not, in all likelihood, going to fly on a plane. And TSA, in general, poses less of a security risk because of the extensive security checks that gov't employees have to go through to get the job in the first place.

APW Girl

I hate to remind everyone (Maybe people have forgotten) but nobody liked the private security that preceded TSA. Most of the things everyone has said about TSA, they said about Argentbright and other secuity folks. Even if they went back to private firms, they would have to follow rules that TSA is trying to enforce and most of the current TSA people would probably end up working for them too. I felt terrible when all those people lost their jobs over 9/11 and they had nothing to do with it!

EngIceDave

This is also how I see it as well as that as far as we know the coffee was not taken to any gate or onto any plane.
As far as we know, the coffee remained within the checkpoint area.
I see nothing wrong with it.