I flew home from Colorado earlier than planned (via DFW) on Saturday night because I got ill. My husband arranged to get a pass from an AA supervisor to meet me at the gate to help me. He was a NON TICKETED passenger and there was no security at 11:30 pm going to the gate. He walked right past the security area never having gone through metal detectors, emptying pockets or being asked for ID or tickets, etc. On the way back out to baggage there was one uniformed guard and my husband stopped to ask him about the situation and was told that he (the uniformed guard) was "probably" on the other side of the partition for a "moment." Yikes. Who should I call? AA? Airport? both? What department? I did not realize it could be that easy late at night for anyone to go down to the gates and just stay there or place something suspicious in the bathrooms, etc.

[This message has been edited by fscher (edited 07-22-2002).]

For intentionally bypasing security and not getting screened, your husband should immediatly report to the nearest police station and turn himself in. He should serve many years in jail for his actions.

I don't think you have come upon something that isn't fairly common at many airports, but you are right, he should have been arrested.

It's always amazing to me that people do something they know they shouldn't do, then blame the people who should have been watching that they did it.

We weren't blaming anyone. My concern is for the people that get by that HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE THERE. My husband had a pass. A terrorist might not have either, a pass or a ticket, and could have walked on through. I just thought this should be reported, but I guess by your response this was just fine as far as security, it was my husband who is at fault. Sorry I asked the question. Never mind. I will figure this one out on my own.
Thanks for taking the time to respond, even though it was not the answer I was expecting.



[This message has been edited by fscher (edited 07-22-2002).]

Let me preface my remarks by saying that I think there's something wrong with me, in that I don't quite understand the (sophomoric?) humor in the posts on some of the other threads, and all these airport abbreviations that people use seem pretentious to me. I reply in a fairly straightforward fashion to things, as I am going to do with this.

Basically, his wife was sick. He was concerned, and in the absence of a guard, knowing that he himself was not a terrorist, felt an urgency to pass through the checkpoint without a guard being present and meet her at the gate to help her, not knowing where the guard had gone, when the guard would be returning, etc. I find that totally understandable.

As I see it, the issue is not one of blaming the guard as such. It's the fact that these guards have a serious responsibility to protect the security of our airports. Our country has been infiltrated by up to 5,000 al-Qaeda foreign agents seeking to wreak destruction and murder us on our soil using any means at their disposal, and they have alread used airplanes to murder close to 3,000 total strangers, thus, the concern when someone manages to succeed at something that provides a potential terrorist with an opportunity to do something bad, like the recent El Al incident in L.A. (and she sells seashells by the seashore...)

I don't mean to "get serious" with you, cordelli, just stating the facts. Your tone is sort of condescending, but I just think it's unwarranted. I think she was simply searching for info on how to make security at the airport better.

And I don't really have any suggestions except to report that person to his/her supervisor, perhaps in a letter, and cc: the DOT or your congressperson. ?? I don't know if it would be any good, but now do you understand why people aren't flying so much anymore? I know that I, for one, have cut out almost ALL of my flying...

Edited to let you know, fscher, I posted this before I saw your response just previous to mine, but that's exactly how I saw it, too.

[This message has been edited by anonplz (edited 07-22-2002).]

Thank you for your help and suggestion! That is what I wanted. I did not know if I should call vs. write AA or IAH, and what dpt. to address it to. The congressman idea is good! I will do that. Yes, my husband knows he is a good man and was interested in getting to the gate to get me. You certainly understood the situation and the question. Thank you for that.

Call the FAA or TSA security hotline at 800-255-1111 and let them know what happened.

d

Not being screened isn't a good thing.

However, I think the TSA should not be able to restrict airside access to ticketed passengers only. Airports are public facilities paid for with public and private funds. People should be able to enter them at will, no ID required, provided they pass through the metal detector.

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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

And pay for the cost of that security screening.

d

Give the screener a quarter on the way in?

How about the value instead? Get paid to visit the airport??



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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry