TSA restarting gate screening
 

This hit the TSA home page:

http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/..._at_gates.shtm

Even more fun... BDOs will be there too!

What, is it possible to grow a prohibited item past the checkpoint? :confused:

Write your congresspersons, people!! :mad:

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: :rolleyes::rolleyes:

How much more of this "random" cr** has one have to put up with? With flights being scrapped, there might be more TSA than passengers in the terminal. I guess they need to be kept busy?

YAY! Pulling people from the checkpoint to do gate checks slowing down the process even more, what a great idea. :mad:

Why TSA is bring it back more secondary screening at the gates again? I didn't realized know when TSA has been already dropped the gate searches due to 9/11 attacks. Is that some US Airports will able given secondary screening before passengers onboard the aircraft. I don't agreed the logical choice from TSA is not eventually bring it back at the gate screening.

So if you purchase a bottle of water in the secure area after clearing Security Layer One, will TSA make you throw it away in Security Layer Two at the gate as a consequence of the War on Liquids?

"RANDOM "AS IN THE FIRST PERSON DOWN THE JET WAY- do you remember how they used to do that???:p

Another stupid waste of time and money by an extremely stupid, useless agency. :td: :td:

Remember, it's up to the airline whether you fly, not the NTACs doing gate haraSSSSment.

Airport security has become a very lucrative industry, hasn't it?....

Would that qualify as an IDB if you refused to answer a SPOTter's questions on the jetway, and they pulled you after the airline had admitted you on board?

I look forward to seeing some court rulings in favor of the passengers here.

The NTACs don't seem to venture into the jetbridges. Usually, they harass people just before the unlucky passengers get to the GA and BP reader. :(

Guess that means that those who claim they don't have ID are going to have it keep their ID hidden until they are on the plane.

When did they stop?

Flying on the first of the day in a few days, I'm looking forward to the busy work that is early morning gate screening (gotta keep the TSO's looking busy before the crowds arrive).

On many intl flights out of jfk, over the last 5 months, i've noticed tsa agents at the gate doing random screenings. I guess tsa doesn't trust (1) their intial screenings and/or (2) vendors at the airport--haven't you noticed the shelf of time-bombs:rolleyes: at most of the newsstands? [a la the movie airplane.]

Well not quite... at least anymore . I observed them doing EXACTLY THAT on the jetway at MIA D38 on Tuesday last.

They "pulled over" about 1/3 the pax in F.

mike

I've also seen it done. And (in addition to the US), I've been on two flights out of France (CDG and NCE) where every American male was pulled aside in the jetway, patted down, and had their bags thoroughly ransacked.

TSA seems bound and determined to make traveling a huge hassle - added on to the airline hassles, traveling is a truly unpleasant experience. I chalk it up to the political: elections are coming, the agency needs to justify itself, and the party in power wants to try and retain that power by using the politics of fear. Look back to prior election periods and you'll likely see the 'threat level' increase shortly before the election (example: war on water)

Yeah, I remember the days of trying to be the SECOND one down the jetway. I'm glad I am smarter than a terriorist. :rolleyes:

Actually, I noted the gate screening happening on my flight out of PIT on Saturday (6/14). Two friendly (they actually were -- I chatted with them briefly) TSOs were standing at the gate. They appeared to be marking off something on a clipboard as each passenger passed the BP reader. I didn't see anyone stopped, but I was about 9th or 10th on the plane.

Yeah, despite the UTTER EFFING STUPIDITY of the entire agency, believe it or not they actually are starting to figure this one out, and don't necessarily snag the first person through anymore. I'm usually the most aggressive person at any gate when it comes to getting on the plane first and securing my overhead space, but the other week when they did the gate-random at GPT I tried to game the system by boarding third in line instead of first, and neither the first two people ahead of me, nor I, were chosen for the random. Surprised me.

Random gate screening: :mad::td::mad::td::mad::td::mad::td:

If I spot the TSA near the gate, I am going back to the days when all the pre-boarders hung back until someone took the bullet and volunteered or let the group 2s and 3s get nabbed then make the rush to make sure you get your carryon space.

What a waste of time, money, and resources.

Yeah, and this time it's going to be even worse with the War for Overhead Storage (TM) even more out of control now than it was back in '02-'03.

I remember a Friday afternoon flight I was boarding in DFW back in the day...a classic "Friday business traveler express" flight back to NW's MEM hub. Pre-boarding was announced, and 10 of us literally formed a semi-circle around the gate and NOT ONE of us was willing to be the poor schmuck snagged for the first pre-screening. If there had been an overhead camera the photo would have been hilarious (and yet, utterly sad).

I'm sure the in-the-know frequent fliers will just stand and wait until they grab someone else. This has me livid, but I'm running out of energy to process all the things I truly hate about the TSA.

Still working on the website content, and I will just add this stupidity to the list, chalked up under the 'apparently the TSA doesn't trust it's own security checkpoints'.

This agency is just the scum of the earth.

Hey, be careful what you denigrate! Much of the oxygen you and I breathe was produced by algae that could easily be called scum. Scum serves a useful role!

Of course. But the problem, again, is how out of control the War for Overhead Storage (TM) has become...you've gotta strategize how to make sure the other poor schmuck gets snagged and then still get through quickly enough not to be the NEXT poor schmuck after that one to get snagged. And it's worse if they do 2-fers (snag 2 poor schmucks at a time).

EFF! EFF! EFF! :mad::mad::mad: I carry an 8-compartment backpack as my travel carry-on (yep, a 5-10 minute search process)...I can't temper my anger at this renewed and ridiculous development. (Of course, my fellow travelers just LOVE it when I'm the poor schmuck to get snagged, as I keep the TSOs occupied for those 5-10 minutes).

what a total waste of time and (my taxpaying) money :mad::mad::mad:. it's a cya for the tsa to catch what they missed at the checkpoints the first time around and nothing else.

and remember kids:
do not talk to strangers
know how to pronounce "i need an adult" clear and loud
ask which one of the the 3 screeners haraSSSSing you is moe, larry and curly
ask the person(s) in the tsa uniform to see their i/d and record it-if they refuse, ask for a leo. if questioned as to why you are asking, simply remind them that a uniform does not mean you are who you say you are as anyone can buy a uniform and you are completely within your rights to ask someone purporting to be from the tsa to prove who they are.

Even with the cost of gas this crap makes a roadtrip look much better. Drive people if there's anyway.

I've seen some REALLY pissed-off people that are pulled at WN boarding gates. Especially those that paid extra to board first....

And remember to ask for clean gloves. Who knows what dirty laundry those gloves the TSO is wearing have just been through before he wants to search through your carry-on.

You could also send a reminder note to the DOT if your flight takes a delay due to this asinine nonsense.

They cannot put full faith in trusting their checkpoints because there are too many other ways for people to gain access to the facilities. If an employee or someone else with ramp access enters the secure facility without passing through the TSA screening then that rouge could pass off a weapon to a previously screened passenger. So instead of screening the people who can easily smuggle weapons into the airport we'll just inconvenience the passengers more. It makes total sense. :rolleyes: :mad:

No, it's (yet) another layer, Citizen. Why do you hate freedom? :rolleyes:

:D

And I always seem to be that person :(

Most times we fly with the kids we get to pre-board. heh I wonder if I can train our 5-month old to spit up on cue..."Hey, since you got those fancy gloves on, you want to clean her up for me?" :D

Whatever happened to the notion that TSA's domain is the checkpoint and anything beyond that is airport police jurisdiction?

More of this crap? Wow....

I don't believe anything that they claim to be random is actually random, until they ask me to choose from a deck of cards and there's a sign saying if you pick an ace, you're getting a random search.

Watch the video at the bottom for some added entertainment.
Pa: "I'm all for it."

I hope they do a better job than they used to in trying to identify "suspects".

My 70 year old mother, and 5 year old, red-headed son were pulled out and checked last time they were doing these.

No one, regardles of their appearance, should ever be haraSSSSed at the gate in any way without clear, probable cause to do so.

Wonder whether this will cause more departure delays due to excessive fannying about at the gate, or more passengers to miss flights due to longer screening queues (owing to fewer TSO's staffing the screening area). If that's starts happening, I'd expect the airlines to clamoring about it, and this whole nugatory exercise to be brought to a halt.

Here's a quite-likely scenario:

Passenger in one of the (but not THE) last groups to board gets snagged for gate haraSSSSment, and in the time it takes to do the pointless search, the last of the available overhead space gets taken, resulting in that poor schmuck, who otherwise would have been able to carry on his bag, to have to check his bag and get ding'd for $15/$25...resulting in such utter anger at the occurrence to the point where he gets removed form the flight altogether for being a perceived threat.

Think it won't happen? Uh, and more than a few times?

that would be profiling and would be slapped down in minutes, to be 'random' they do literally have to recheck these people as stupid as the whole thing is.

if i get selected I will be asking 'so by putting me through another check you are admitting utter failure in preventing unwanted items into the secure area in the first place?'