TSA got you down?

[iztok]

My family and I fly frequently from LGA or JFK to Toronto Pearson and return. We have never gone through customs and immigration at either NYC airport. Only in the US controlled areas at Pearson.

Ditto, flying US Airways to PHL.

 

[kombiguy]

Who would protect us from the government? And why did you select the first amendment for your thought experiment, when the fourth is most germane?
By the way, that experiment has been in progress for a half century in Singapore. They had to give up the protections in our second, fourth, fifth, seventh, and eight amendments, in addition to the first, but they got 8% annual growth* thrown in. They seem to be happy with the deal.
*made-up statistic that's probably not too far off.

I picked the first because it was first. The point isn't to be applicable to any particular situation. Ans as nice as they are, who cares what the Singaporeans think? I want to know whether you would make the trade.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I picked the first because it was first. The point isn't to be applicable to any particular situation. Ans as nice as they are, who cares what the Singaporeans think? I want to know whether you would make the trade.

I wouldn't ... programs like the ones currently being implemented by the TSA don't make me feel particularly safe ... only controlled ... someone who's truly bent on destruction will always find ways around them ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[DMDavid]

What makes you think this has anything to do with airline security?

Welcome to the new USSR ... next up, National ID cards ... your papers, please ...

Too late... The new drivers license that ALL states are issuing are compliant with the standards set forth by the feds and they call it Real ID.
So whether you know it or not Uncle Sam has tabs on you.

 

[tyesai]

Too late... The new drivers license that ALL states are issuing are compliant with the standards set forth by the feds and they call it Real ID.
So whether you know it or not Uncle Sam has tabs on you.

They've had tabs from the time they've required a nine digit number to gain meaningful employment my friend.

 

[DMDavid]

They've had tabs from the time they've required a nine digit number to gain meaningful employment my friend.

This is true, when my daughter was born the SSN was mandatory and not an option.
And here I thought the SSN was a retirement benefits account from Uncle Sam.
The SSN is now an official tracking number and serves no value towards social security benefits.

 

[Walter]

Too late... The new drivers license that ALL states are issuing are compliant with the standards set forth by the feds and they call it Real ID.

Not exactly true. Some states are not going along with the silliness.

ME, NH, VA, SC, GA, MN, MO, LA, OK, MT, ID, WA, OR, AZ, and AK have all passed legislation prohibiting Real ID. Other states may follow suit.

 

[fjpatrum]

You guys really need to get over yourselves....all we need is an airliner to be blown up, and you'll be begging to be patted down. This last one was close, we can be lucky....

Terrorism has been a problem for airlines and air travelers since the 1970s, when hijackings and bombings became the method of choice for subversive, militant organizations around the world.

Although security at airports has always been tight, the 9/11 attacks woke many people up to a harsh reality -- it wasn't tight enough.

TSA have a job to do, and it involves your safety, let them do it. If I wanted to see naked pictures, there are many other places I will look, infact, yours will never in my list of searches

PS. TSA is not pro-active, thus the current "draconian" methods, still better than nothing...in time, they too will learn.

Wow, interesting perspective... I don't know where to begin. Let's start with the fact that the measures being introduced don't do anything to add to the security of passengers? I have unintentionally carried on at least 8 flights in the last 4 months knives, pointy tools, lighters, and several other "prohibited" items. Furthermore, I routinely carry on equipment that are custom electronics. When questioned all I have to do is say "it's a computer" and no-one has ever asked me to verify that. Not that I could because the power cables are also custom/proprietary and don't travel with the computers. These computers could quite easily be bombs and no one would ever know the difference. Couple that with the fact that I've had food confiscated, yes food, not liquids but food and I say the security theater in place is utter nonsense.

Taking off our shoes... this is ridiculous. There are scanners in airports all over the world that allow passengers to stand on a pad for 10 seconds without taking off their shoes. But let's not spend money on those, we'll do "full body scans" instead, which haven't been independently vetted to prove they actually detect any of the "special" concerns they're designed to detect.

TSA has a job to do, I agree. That doesn't mean they should choose the most ineffective and disruptive methods at the highest cost they can find to do that job. The only way they will learn that is if we, the travelers and citizens, complain that the methods don't work properly.

 

[fjpatrum]

Its easy to attack the TSA and other folk trying to do there best to keep us secure while we are traveling. I have a problem with Political Correctness when it comes to these checks and I think that people should be profiled when they purchase there tickets and those who are a closer fit to a terrorist profile should be subjected to more intense checks. I discussed this with a security operative in Heathrow once and got branded a racist! I just thought it was common sense.

Just out of curiosity, which profile should they fit? Timothy McFeigh? Ted Kaczynski? Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab? Shoko Asahara?

I'm not saying you're wrong, just wondering what group we profile against? The problem is the only way you truly can profile is to be "racist" or "profile" everyone. Terrorists come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and creeds. The only thing they truly have in common is that they're nut jobs, for whatever reason.

 

[irishsquid]

Just out of curiosity, which profile should they fit? Timothy McFeigh? Ted Kaczynski? Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab? Shoko Asahara?

I'm not saying you're wrong, just wondering what group we profile against? The problem is the only way you truly can profile is to be "racist" or "profile" everyone. Terrorists come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and creeds. The only thing they truly have in common is that they're nut jobs, for whatever reason.

None of the terrorists you list, except for Umar Farouk tried to blow up a plane in the US, and Farouk boarded the plane in Amsterdam. So how does the TSA's Security today prevent the crimes they committed? Just wondering.