"Please intimidate me."
 

Yesterday I flew from JFK to Tel Aviv on Delta.

I was chatting with another passenger about how there is a new "30-minute" rule for Tel Aviv flights. Not a terribly useful idea in my mind, but such decisions are not up to me. His response was that, "Any security is good security."

I also commented that the contract security staff at JFK ("Aviation Safeguards") were both friendly and efficient. I was impressed by how polite and helpful they were.

This other passenger disagreed, commenting that they were "too nice" and that passengers need to feel "a little uncomfortable." He was disappointed b the lack of intimidation.

Although I didn't want to get in a long argument with this guy, I firmly disagree. I do not think that intimidation adds to security. Nor do I feel that "any security" is good. Seems like black and white thinking. I prefer to see intelligent, streamlined, and friendly security.

In my opinion, a passenger with questionable intentions is just as likely be suspicious if the security staff are friendly and engaging.

I agree fully. Security could be friendly and still carry a big stick if needed. They prefer to wield a bat and swing it at people daily.

I would have gladly intimidated him and made him quite uncomfortable for the 12-odd hour flight.

Today you're gonna tell me something, tough guy.
 

I find it hard to be intimidated by an agency I despise and I do not respect.

The TSA intimidates me about as much as Bing intimidates Tommy.

I dunno why this guy felt that the El Al hired drones needed to do anything. Maybe one of them should have pointed a gun in his face? Would that have helped?

You should have sent him to one of those restaurants in NYC where the wait staff verbally abuses their patrons. Or steer him towards a good dominatrix.

Then ask him exactly what 'intimidating' fellow human beings really does to improve the safety and security of a flight. And after all that, sentence the yahoo to watch the Stanford Prison experiment a few times until he 'gets it'.

Well, there is -some- truth in the fact that if people don't respect you that you can't adequately control crowds. Been there, done that myself. Had coworkers who needed to be trained to be more assertive.

At the same time, the company did and still gets praise for having the friendliest employees that people love interacting with.

So you can be assertive without being aggressive - and though we may think (the "may" is just theorhetical) that TSA is doing a useless function they still need to appear assertive in doing so, as if they are doing anything of merit.

What they're doing really isn't important but they need to appear to be lest the whole thing fall apart - and i dont mean our opinions, but rather their ability to get people through the hoops that are as of this instant unaviodable.

Does that make any sense?

Sorry, but what is the new 30-minute rule for TLV flights?

:confused: El-Al hired drones aren't going to be doing security for a DL flight from JFK to TLV.

It hasn't happened to me yet, but I gather it is the same as the old DCA rule. I think it is recent-- within the last few months.

I asked the purser about the 30-minute rule. He said it's new--since about March. I chose not to point out that JFK-based crews have only flown to Tel Aviv since March. So I don't know if this is really a Delta rule or an Israeli rule.

And no, they certainly aren't El Al staff handling the Delta flight out of JFK. They're from Aviation Safeguards. And if they're drones, they don't act like it. They seemed active and interested in their jobs, engaging, and interested in ensuring a safe flight.

As always, consider the source. It does not surprise me in the least that a passenger to Israel would have that opinion.

(Hope that's mild enough)

I don't. I'm less likely to be intimidated by an agency that I respect. If someone or something has my respect, they don't need intimidation to get my cooperation. Intimidation is a poor substitute for respect.

I thought security was supposed to be on our side (i.e. the good guys). Aren't they there as part of the customer service infrastructure that forms the package deal that you get with an airline ticket? Talk about a masochistic customer.

Ten bucks says that this particular customer thinks every customer but himself be subjected to a masochistic once-over.

What is the 30 minute rule?

essxjay,
I think you're totally right. This guy went on to tell me about his prior law enforcement career, how he knows everything because he's lived in Israel, etc. You got the picture.

gfunkdave,
The "30-minute Rule" started at Washington/DCA shortly after September 11th. It said that passenger had to remain seated with fastened seat belts for the final 30 minutes of the flight. Among other reasons, it occurred to some smart people that this was a goofy rule: it didn't apply to nearby BWI or Dulles Airports, nor did it apply to all of the traffic that overflies Washington.

So I don't know if this is a Delta-specific rule, or something that the Israeli government recently decided to require.

To the OP-

I think Dalton said it best in Roadhouse-

"Be nice. I want you to be nice until it's time to not be nice."

;)

You can always be hard later. Start off nice. Rapport is a wonderful thing, when it's achieved. If it's not, then there's always time to be a harda$$. :)