And digging out the keys, cell phone, and loose dimes, taking out the laptop, taking out the toiletry ziploc, and taking off ones shoes all just to reverse course immediately on the other side of the metal detector, all while surrounded by far too many fellow passengers that demonstrate a staggering inability to perform these tasks efficiently, well, that's really the highlight of the travel day. :rolleyes:

That's cause those pilots are at the helm of a pressurized tube of metal moving along at a 500 mph clip wherein the slightest miscalculation or mechanical failing can spell disaster.

Meanwhile, when our friendly, local TSA agent fails to spot a name mismatch between the identification card and the boarding pass do things inevitably go ka-boom? Of course not.

More importantly, if your argument is that the frailties of one human being are too much risk for the system to handle, then how can you find comfort in the reality that the dude or lady staring at the x-ray display usually is flying solo? Which is worse: the dreaded ID-boarding pass mismatch or the hand grenade that Mohammed sent packing on the conveyor belt right under the nose of the machine reader?

Excellent answer. And it is the correct answer. I took the liberty of bolding certain points because it does depend on how a checkpoint is configured and the purpose at the WTMD is to make sure pre-selected passengers are screened properly.

But why cloud this discussion with the facts? This is meant to be a rant and you've dared to take the fun out of the pissing and moaning!

While the procedure may be "factual", no one should ever be selected for additional haraSSSSment and no one should ever have to show ID to fly without additional haraSSSSment.

haraSSSSment = safety is pure fiction.

I think you and I discussed this before, but for the benefit of anyone else who reads this post: I agree. The pre-selection policy does not add to security. But I think it is something we have to live with on both sides of the WTMD because it is a 9/11 Commission finding and recommendation. Any politician who dares to challenge this procedure would find himself/herself cast as being weak on security.

But whether or not you and I agree on the fallacy of the pre-selection screening policy, I, as a Lead TSO, am the stuckee who has to follow the policy. That means having WTMD TSOs check boarding passes for pre-selected passengers so that we screen them at the checkpoint rather than at the departure gate.

When procedures are useless and stupid, they shouldn't be happening at all, let alone multiple times. :mad:

Edit: (Nevermind: Spiff said it for me)

Although the airlines do often miss selectees (sometimes intentionally, to get the flight out on time). I recall a recent US Air flight where the GA had to rebook everyone onto the next flight, as the current one had gone mechanical. I got a "SSSS" on my BP and demanded she remove it, as I had not been a selectee for the first flight and had no intention of getting gate-groped. The GA responded, "Just mark it out--we're going to ignore all SSSS's at the gate anyway." And that's what they did: several people got SSSSelected, but no TSA was called to the gate, and no one was sent back to the checkpoint.

My exact experience on US with SSSS due to rebooking, also. I don't see how the boarding GA could tell whether I'd got thru security without getting the secret TSA sign on my BP, or was just on a reassigned routing, as no extra time whatever was taken in accepting the new BP. The concept and the execution are beyond pointless on so many levels.

The times it didn't work that way I transferred over at the ticket counter outside of security, and then the SSSS could not be removed because no-one at US knew how to remove it on the SHARES system. :rolleyes:

Lesson; if you're elite, get them to put your FF number in before they print the replacement BP... that seems to help avoid the SSSS scarlet letters.

I don't remember the exact numbers, but some fairly high percentage of the 19 were selectees on 9-11. Something like 11 out of 19. On 9-11, selectees status only meant additional screening for checked bags tho. There is some value in CAPPS.
I guess the real question is even assuming the screening had been perfect, and every last box cutter or pen knife was taken away, do you think those 11 would have given up and gone home?
X

There is no value in CRAPPS.

Box cutters were not confiscated because they weren't prohibited.

The terrorists didn't need box cutters. A broken wine glass would have been just fine. Pilots opened cockpit doors and people cooperated with terrorists. Box cutters aren't even part of the equation, other than a small, easily-replacable prop.

I believe there are different rules for involuntary reroutes. Obvilously, when a flight is cancelled and rebooked, the entire flight has made a reservation within 24 hours, and MANY will be one way, as it's the homeward bound leg. Just a thought.
X

Try doing all that while trying to hold 2 kids and fold up a double stroller!

You're right, I'm really not that smart.

Unfortunately, I'm an intellect class or two above the average TSA robot, which means I get frustrated with the stupid TSA policies.

But of course one wouldn't expect you to understand that, given the difference between our intellectual levels. ;)

This is only a US thing, right? Because I am struggling to think of any overseas airport that it occurs at.

Stereotyping others is the first true sign of how intellectual one really is.