Close Call! What's the deal TSA...?!

[DennisS]

People not clear on the Concept

"Once the incident occurred, the system worked" Janet Napolitano on ABCs This Week



The only reason that hundreds aren't dead is the incompetence of the bomber, not any action of Homelad Security or the results of billions of dollars spent.

Now stay in your seat, don't pee for the last hour of the flight, put your book away, put away your blankets and pillows, turn off your electronic devices, while the nice man reaches in his shirt pocket and clicks his pen, triggering explosives in the baggage hold or nose wheel well.

 

[DandyDon]

People not clear on the Concept

"Once the incident occurred, the system worked" Janet Napolitano on ABCs This Week



The only reason that hundreds aren't dead is the incompetence of the bomber, not any action of Homelad Security or the results of billions of dollars spent.

Now stay in your seat, don't pee for the last hour of the flight, put your book away, put away your blankets and pillows, turn off your electronic devices, while the nice man reaches in his shirt pocket and clicks his pen, triggering explosives in the baggage hold or nose wheel well.

I can envision mutinies on planes, all the passengers banding together an refusing to accept ridiculous rules. Will they arrest the who plane or just the leaders?

 

[DennisS]

I can envision mutinies on planes, all the passengers banding together an refusing to accept ridiculous rules. Will they arrest the who plane or just the leaders?

These are the same passengers that will stay on a plane with no water and overflowing toilets for six hours while it waits on the tarmac. The passenger rights law now says they only have to stay on the plane for three hours. Mutiny, not likely, they don't want to get arrested and put on homeland security's no fly list. The law abiding passengers are totally under control.

 

[DandyDon]

These are the same passengers that will stay on a plane with no water and overflowing toilets for six hours while it waits on the tarmac. The passenger rights law now says they only have to stay on the plane for three hours. Mutiny, not likely, they don't want to get arrested and put on homeland security's no fly list. The law abiding passengers are totally under control.

Yeah, I would be afraid to lead the mutiny. :blush:

 

[OldNSalty]

Despite (or becuase) of my years of military service I tend to think that violence is rarely the answer...In the case of things like this I honestly think that if the passengers had literally beaten the suspect to death and left a corpse that looked like an elephant had trampled it then we would prbably see fewer of these types of attempts.

As for the silly rules that have come out-rubbish. We have at best the illusion of security in these stupid rules. If common, decent people of all faiths and heritages band together and say that we will not tollerate terroism is when this will end...and maybe we should all start taking the train

 

[DennisS]

Yeah, I would be afraid to lead the mutiny. :blush:

Antagonize your seat mate until they end up running and screaming down the aisle

 

[OldNSalty]

Actually the mutiny should be a simple refusal to fly under those conditions and a demand to the powers that be to implement useful and meaningful security measures-not just eye candy attempts at pacifying the masses like issuing badges to an untrainined/uneducated civil service work force.

 

[Doc]

Actually the mutiny should be a simple refusal to fly under those conditions and a demand to the powers that be to implement useful and meaningful security measures-not just eye candy attempts at pacifying the masses like issuing badges to an untrainined/uneducated civil service work force.

Israeli airport security procedures.

Let me know when the American traveller is ready to accept that. Think they're complaining now?

From Wikipedia:

Passengers are asked to report three hours before departure. All El Al terminals around the world are closely monitored for security. There are plain-clothes agents and fully armed police or military personnel who patrol the premises for explosives, suspicious behavior, and other threats. Inside the terminal, passengers and their baggage are checked by a trained team. El Al security procedures require that all passengers be interviewed individually prior to boarding, allowing El Al staff to identify possible security threats. Passengers will be asked questions about where they are coming from, the reason for their trip, their job or occupation, and whether they have packed their bags themselves. The likelihood of potential terrorists remaining calm under such questioning is believed to be low (see microexpression).[40] At the check-in counter the passengers' passports and tickets are closely examined. A ticket without a sticker from the security checkers will not be accepted. At passport control passengers' names are checked against information from the FBI, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Scotland Yard, Shin Bet, and Interpol databases. Luggage is screened and sometimes hand searched. In addition, bags are put through a decompression chamber simulating pressures during flight that could trigger explosives.[41] El Al is the only airline in the world that passes all luggage through such a chamber.[42] Even at overseas airports, El Al security agents conduct all luggage searches personally, even if they are supervised by government or private security firms.[43]
[edit]Flight security measures
Undercover agents (sometimes referred to as sky marshals) carrying concealed firearms sit among the passengers on every international El Al flight.[44] All El Al pilots are former Israeli Air Force pilots.[45]

The cockpits in all El Al aircraft have double doors to prevent entry by unauthorized persons. A code is required to access the doors, and the second door will only be opened after the first has closed and the person has been identified by the Captain or First Officer.[45] Furthermore, there are reinforced steel floors separating the passenger cabin from the baggage hold.[46] This is intended to strengthen the plane in case of an explosion.
Following an attempt to shoot down an Israeli airliner in 2002,[47] all aircraft in the fleet have been equipped with an infrared countermeasures system called 'Flight Guard', developed by Israeli Aerospace Industries to defend them against anti-aircraft missiles.[48][49][50] Although comparable systems such as CAMPS are now available for civilian aircraft, there is no information to date about any other airlines deploying such a system. Switzerland and other European countries have expressed concern that flares dropped by the Israeli system could cause fires in the vicinity of an airport.[51] However none of the higher risk countries that El Al aircraft fly to have raised any concerns.

Security controversy and passenger profiling
Critics of El Al note that its security checks on passengers include racial profiling[52] and have argued that such profiling is unfair, irrational, and degrading to those subject to such screening. Supporters of El Al argue that there is nothing inherently racist about passenger profiling and that special scrutiny of Muslims may often be necessary for security purposes.

The airline was also criticised by the Hungarian courts for refusing to search luggage with the passenger present, acting against Hungarian domestic laws which stipulate that only authorized officials are able to undertake such searches.[52] A civil case was brought to Supreme Court of Israel on 19 March 2008 alleging that El Al's practice of ethnic profiling singles out Arabs for tougher treatment.[53]

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/sept11/2001/10/01/elal-usat.htm

 

[DandyDon]

Israeli airport security procedures.

Let me know when the American traveller is ready to accept that. Think they're complaining now?

Is there a missing link therein...?

Officials: In-Flight Restrictions Eased - CBS News

In-flight security rules have been eased after a two-day clampdown, airline officials familiar with the matter said Monday.

At the captain's discretion, passengers can once again have blankets and other items on their laps or move about the cabin during the tail end of flight. In-flight entertainment restrictions have also been lifted.

The airline officials spoke on condition of anonymity because federal safety officials had not publicly announced the changes.

Security rules were relaxed in the last 24 hours, one official said.

Passengers have been carrying on more since airlines started charging for bags, so now with us having to check more - more money to the airlines, as well as increased fees. As a scuba diver, I take a lot of gear and spare gear, but like my most important pieces in my roll-on and backpack. Looks like I'll have to replan...!

The Canadian Press: Ottawa calls in the Mounties to screen airline passengers to U.S.

TORONTO — As weary U.S.-bound travellers queued up to face heightened security measures at airports in Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton on Monday, the federal government called in the Mounties to help screen passengers travelling south of the border.

A spokesman for the RCMP said the officers will be trying to help clear up the backlog of passengers delayed by new, stricter security measures imposed after a failed terrorist attack on Christmas Day aboard a plane bound for Detroit.

New security measures facing travellers include a pat-down by security agents as well as tougher restrictions on what passengers are allowed to take on the plane.

Bags with wheels are no longer being allowed as a carry-on, and only one bag per traveller can be taken on the plane. All others have to be checked.

"If you have a purse and a computer, you have to choose between the two," said Lincoln Sivasanmugam, an Air Canada service agent at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

That had some travellers unpacking their bags at the check-in counters. Others had to buy new luggage at airport stores.

The long lineups seemed to be easing from those that snaked through Pearson over the weekend. Tired and frustrated passengers were trying hard to take it all in stride.

 

[Indian Valley Scuba]

Gosh, I didn't hear this on the news, just experienced it first hand today on a 7:00 a.m. flight out of Philadelphia - I boarded with all my regular gear, including two carry-on items and flew, no special accomodations. So much rumor mongering going on out there, just buy a ticket and go diving!