Airport Security

[DJD]

This is stupid!! what about screening cargo? The passenger ail lines carry more cargo trhan fedX or UPS, and very little of it is screened.Of course if they did start to examine cargo. there would be more screaming anout a police state.

No me bring it on heck scan the dang plane!

BTW....since this thread started I asked a few of my fellow travellers at work and they agree with more security and showed less interest in Conspiracy issues or civil rights violation. Or if they felt put out by taking their shoes off, potentially scanned, sniffed or whatever....which they don't.

So I'm wondering since I fly 4-5 times a year and they do as well are we just more concerned because we are getting first hand experience every few months and some of the nay sayers are not? Any of you that don't agree with the security measures or increased security fly much? So before any of you get your underoos in a wad it's not scientific I'm just curious.

[apb]

You know, Israel deals with terrorists on a regular basis. Hasn't had any on planes in a long time. They do not use scanners and such. Trained people questioning travelers rather than Wally world greaters like we use here. May be we can learn something from them.

I also wonder about the over compensation. Too many stories of young kids being patted down rather inapproripately (you would arrest someone for pedifilia if they did it elsewhere), old ladies, etc. Seems like we gotta make it look like we are on top of things even if we aren't. Its a false sense of security that will end up biting us in the ass. Waaay too many stories of people going through all of the security stuff and learning AFTER they've flown that they had a pocket knife or something similar on them that they had forgotten about. Had the same thing happen to me while flying a couple of years back. While unpacking after flying (went through two security stations) I found a swiss army knife in my carry on luggage. Better blade on that than on the box cutters used to hijack planes on 9-11. Good thing they made me take off my shoes

How much business does all of this take away from the airlines? Getting to the point where its really not worth flying anymore unless it is long distance. What about all of the other inconveniences? Have we let our fear of the boogie man dictate how we live our lives? I have no problem with security and making sure problem people do not get on planes, or other public mass-transit for that matter, but lets do something that actually works.

Andrew

[Catfish Bob]

My hero, Texas Congressman Ron Paul.

Ron Paul to TSA: Enough is Enough!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vjrNmlU9is

[DJD]

I wonder if Israel does any profiling? I wonder if they use soldiers? Trained civilians? Armed soldiers? I ask because when I flew in Germany there were armed law enforcement/soldiers walking around with machine guns and it was understood not to play games.

We have so many groups that want their "feelings" understood and so we have to tap dance around common sense approaches to dealing with issues such as this.

Nothing is perfect. Toss a bunch of people in the mix and your playing the guessing game on how good they will perform their jobs.

Andrew you made it through with your weapon because you look so honest and innocent.

[Mean Morone]

If this is acceptable and is considered necessary, why stop there. I say we all strip down to our birthday suit and anticipate a good probing in all body cavities. That would be more security and we would all feel safer. I can just see it now. 85 yr old men standing in line next to 3 yr old girls. Yeah, we need that bad.

Of all the terrorists that have either blown up or tried to blow up a plane, how many of them looked like you or spoke with the same verbage you use?(sorry, not PC) I think it is funny that the pilots have to have their junk checked. If they want to fly a plane into a building they dont need their junk(or maybe they do, might take some big ones to do that).

I still find it funny that we put ourselves through this at airports but anyone can walk across our borders. HMMM!

[peter]

If this is acceptable and is considered necessary, why stop there. I say we all strip down to our birthday suit and anticipate a good probing in all body cavities. That would be more security and we would all feel safer. I can just see it now. 85 yr old men standing in line next to 3 yr old girls. Yeah, we need that bad.

Of all the terrorists that have either blown up or tried to blow up a plane, how many of them looked like you or spoke with the same verbage you use?(sorry, not PC) I think it is funny that the pilots have to have their junk checked. If they want to fly a plane into a building they dont need their junk(or maybe they do, might take some big ones to do that).

I still find it funny that we put ourselves through this at airports but anyone can walk across our borders. HMMM!

Right. If you have a $400 fishing boat you can troll back and forth across the Canadian border all day long no questions asked.

What's the deal with terrorists wanting to blow up airplanes anyway?
Where did this get started?
There are a lot of easier things to blow up that would kill more people.
Is it some sort of symbolic thing to them?
Is it really how they get their jolly's

What ever happened to hijacking airplanes?

It does not add up.

A couple years ago I checked my bags in at the counter. I had walked pretty far away when I remembered I had a cigar cutter in my pocket. I hurried back to the counter to put the cigar cutter in my check in bag. When I got there and told the lady what I wanted to do she informed me that cigar cutters were OK to carry on. ... Now a cigar cutter is basically a utility knife blade (or two and sometimes more substantial) that slides up and down in a cheap plastic "handle". Yes that last word is "handle". What's with that?

[roadrunner]

Peter Peter Peter anyone who would enjoy a good cigar is NOT going to blow up a plane.
Now that is profiling.

[Mean Morone]

Peter, in my world, a couple of guys charging the cockpit with box cutters(or cigar cutters) would be looking down the barrel of many guns because everyone on that plane would be packing heat. No need to check peoples junk then because everyone is packing. That would be exercising constitutional rights. Dont have to worry about being PC or giving up liberties. Our Government wouldn't stand for all the citizens packing heat so my ideas wont go anywhere. Proceed with the junk feeling.

[HURRICANEBOB]

I wonder if Israel does any profiling? I wonder if they use soldiers? Trained civilians? Armed soldiers? I ask because when I flew in Germany there were armed law enforcement/soldiers walking around with machine guns and it was understood not to play games.

We have so many groups that want their "feelings" understood and so we have to tap dance around common sense approaches to dealing with issues such as this.

Nothing is perfect. Toss a bunch of people in the mix and your playing the guessing game on how good they will perform their jobs.

Andrew you made it through with your weapon because you look so honest and innocent.

DJ:

I spent time there. Yes they do profile, real easily. They ask some basic questions, and watch your eyes and mannerisms. You either pass with flying colors and move on in a very few moments, or you have a REALLY long and potentially painful afternoon.

Example, at Ben Gurion International Airport one afternoon waiting for an inbound visitor, I thought it would be neat to give my visitor a picture of his plane as it was arriving to land at the airport. I pulled out the camera while on an observation deck, and when my camera went "click", I heard the sound of an UZI bolt slam forward. A dark haired, mid 30's guy in civilian clothes with his hand stuff in an overshoulder carrying case, stepped up to with in about 6 inches of my face, and with a grin asked me "Why do you take pictures of that plane?". I answered calmly and honestly. Long story short. 9 hours later, they accepted by story as truth, and that was after they saw my US Passport, my Military ID card, confirmed my base of assignment in Egypt, talked to my Commander to confirm he knew I was there, and asked me something close to about 1000 questions/several times over.

Short answer. They are darn good at what they do, and they don't play any games. I'd love to see TSA protestors try to play games in Israel.....that would really be funny!

In Israel, its simple. You play by Airport security rules as they see fit to play them, or either you don't fly, or don't breathe anymore

[HURRICANEBOB]

And, I wish they screened for stinky people too. I always have some guy or gal sit beside me that hasn't changed their shorts, socks, or shirt for the passed 3 weeks.

Real simple test.....the sniff test.