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Reality-based commentary on politics.

Airline Security – Time to Reconsider

By

If you’ve ever traveled through Heathrow Airport, you’ve probably watched the evolution of U.S. airport security with some skepticism.  I worked behind an airline ticket counter before 9/11, and I know that the notion of liquid explosives was not new in 2006 – only the ban on toothpaste and water bottles was new.

Read this NY Times op-ed for a brave and cogent discussion of the lack of true security at airports, in combination with random inconveniences and insults to our intelligence and freedoms.  

Let’s hope this leads to a re-examination of the so-called system for security that has been created in recent years.

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  1. With regard to the attentions paid to shoe removal, certain sharp objects, liquids and gels and wrapped gifts, Smith sums up:

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    In the end, I’m not sure which is more troubling, the inanity of the existing regulations, or the average American’s acceptance of them and willingness to be humiliated. These wasteful and tedious protocols have solidified into what appears to be indefinite policy, with little or no opposition. There ought to be a tide of protest rising up against this mania. Where is it? At its loudest, the voice of the traveling public is one of grumbled resignation. The op-ed pages are silent, the pundits have nothing meaningful to say.
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    How we got to this point is an interesting study in reactionary politics, fear-mongering and a disconcerting willingness of the American public to accept almost anything in the name of “security.” Conned and frightened, our nation demands not actual security, but security spectacle. And although a reasonable percentage of passengers, along with most security experts, would concur such theater serves no useful purpose, there has been surprisingly little outrage. . . .

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    p>(Emphasis added.)

    • Nice job (and I think you’ve quoted the best part) but this line

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      Conned and frightened, our nation demands not actual security, but security spectacle.

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      p>strikes me as blaming the victims. Unless by “our nation” we mean the political class.

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      p>We have nothing to fear fear itself–specifically, that of other people.

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      p>Someday someone will threaten an airplane with exploding underpants, and the TSA will respond with searches that are really really weird.

  2. …his contempt for American security regulations in his weekly “Ask The Pilot” columns for Salon.com  and he has given persuasive reasons for his contempt.

  3. is something that needs to be shown the light of day.  When fear is the basis for actions, logic and reasoning go out the window.  It’s not just the obvious and visible in airport security that’s so screwed up.  I found a New Yorker article in researching the pitbull fear frenzy that lists some of the traits the DEA has used for profiling potential drug smugglers at the airports (although now altered to be something other than generalizations about generalizations):

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    Arrived late at night, arrived early in the morning, arrived in afternoon, one of the first to deplane; one of the last to deplane; deplaned in the middle; purchased ticket at the airport; made reservation on short notice; bought coach ticket; bought first-class ticket; used one-way ticket; used round-trip ticket; paid for ticket with cash; paid for ticket with small denomination currency; paid for ticket with large denomination currency; made local telephone calls after deplaning; made long distance telephone call after deplaning; pretended to make telephone call; traveled from New York to Los Angeles; traveled to Houston; carried no luggage; carried brand-new luggage; carried a small bag; carried a medium-sized bag; carried two bulky garment bags; carried two heavy suitcases; carried four pieces of luggage; overly protective of luggage; disassociated self from luggage; traveled alone; traveled with a companion; acted too nervous; acted too calm; made eye contact with officer; avoided making eye contact with officer; wore expensive clothing and jewelry; dressed casually; went to restroom after deplaning; walked rapidly through airport; walked slowly through airport; walked aimlessly through airport; left airport by taxi; left airport by limousine; left airport by private car; left airport by hotel courtesy

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    p>This is just another example of how fear of one thing is virulized and propogated to the point of impacting everyone.  Perpetuating fear can and has ultimately robbed people of civil liberties.  Absurdity.  We are so much safer now, aren’t we?

  4. Quite frankly, I, too think that today’s airline security policies are ridiculous.  I will not, however, stand for this kind of harassment, nor do I have the patience to deal with long, slow lines at the check-in counters and people screwing up and losing luggage, which I’ve also had happen,  and, when I go long distances, it’s a lot easier for me to just throw my stuff into the trunk or the backseat of my car and just take off.  I feel that I’ve got much more freedom and control and independence that way.  To detract from this a bit:  I use common sense when I drive:  As a woman driving long distances alone, I don’t drive really late at night,  or pull into a place that seems too isolated from everything and really looks questionable when I go to bed down for the night.

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    p>That, to me, is using my own, self-imposed security measures.  On an airplane these days, there is no such opportunity–one’s totally at the mercy of others, which I don’t like.

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    p>There was a time when I loved flying–and found it a pleasure..even exhilerating, in a way.  Even before 9/11, I’d changed my mind about flying.

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    p>Although I continue to ride Boston’s MBTA as needed, I do not like or trust the idea of going on long-distance public transportation, just generally, but that’s just me.

  5. It’s airline assurance.  The more tickytack, insidious, and pointless the measures, the more people feel that they’re being protected.  Me, I’d rather have someone looking at my checked luggage with some understanding (I’ve seen them go through it at PVD, and it’s not inspiring) than explain my tenth ounce of mouthwash.  But for plenty of people — particularly older folks whose accustomed standard of security was a greeting by the boarding agent — this feels complete and intimidating so it proves how thorough the system is.

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    p>The airlines and government have decided that a couple explosions a year are acceptable losses to keep our air transport network moving at its current rate…it’s just that nobody has taken them up on the offer yet.

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    p>When I went to a Pats’ preseason game, I walked in with cargo shorts loaded down with a bulky camera, sunscreen (was at Fenway that afternoon), cell phone, keys, wallet, binoculars, and mp3 player.  Security patted me down and pronounced me good to go without a second thought.  Why even have security if I can walk in with 20 lbs of lumpy objects in my pockets with no explanation?

  6. …it has everything to do with giving people useless jobs who would probably not otherwise be employed.

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    p>When we go through Munich’s airport to get onto a flight to the US, we go through two levels of security, which are basically repetitive.

    • …the TSA uses the excessive fake-secrity inspections to try to boost their budget.  It’s largely about money.

      • Certainly the screener making $23,837 is just the pawn on the game where the managers and appointed executives are raking in real dough.  The “security personnel” have nothing to do with public safety.  Agreed.

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        p>I like the term “Bureaucratic Goonism” to describe what goes on.  We’ve all seen it.  The government official, hiding behind some regulation(s), bullies a citizen perceived as weak.  The result might be just inconvenient delay by TSA, or being murdered by police.  It happens all too frequently.  The agency could be TSA, IRS, DOR, the police, or the alphabet soup of hundreds of “enforcement” authorities.  

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        p>Personally, I hate to fly.  Little more than a flying bus, I liken it to cattle cars.  Last spring I had to fly to Texas for business.  The first time I had to fly since 9/11 I went to the AA terminal at Logan.  There was a mob at the desk before the security inspections.  I waited.  A man in a suit (manager?), not uniform, eventually came out of an office.  “I TOLD YOU BEFORE!  FIRST CLASS TO THE RIGHT, COACH TO THE LEFT!”, he shouted.  I moved over to the side to see what was going on.  

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        p>It seems that there were signs that indicated that first class passengers must go to the right and coach passengers to the left.  Trouble was that the signs were belly high and the first couple people in the line blocked all subsequent people from seeing the signs, thus obeying the signs.  A mob then forms, slowing passage.  The line cleared up after the shouting and I remained out of the way to see what was happening.

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        p>Sure enough, the lines became a mob again as people blocked the signs by standing at the counter and the man came out of his office again.  “I TOLD YOU BEFORE!  FIRST CLASS TO THE RIGHT, COACH TO THE LEFT! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!  I’M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU AGAIN!”  Of course this was an entirely new confused mob and hadn’t heard the previous shout.  The man seemed not to realize that the people he spoke to before had gone and new, untrained, people had taken their place.  I assume this goes on all day.

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        p>I wrote this off as simple “Bureaucratic Goonism”, which hurt no one.  What scares me now is that when S.1959 passes, it will be administrated by the same people that administer security in airports and elsewhere.  Brrrr!  The new “rehabilitation camps” will fill quickly.  

  7. Is this possibly because all of the hype is not about security at all, it is about indoctrination.  You citizen MUST COMPLY and not question authority.

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    p>Yes, I have been personally searched at Heathrow by a guy wearing a turban.  As an American shortly after 911 I was a bit taken back by that and I just assumed he was Indian or something.

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    p>Trade towers full of asbestos and recently fully insured naturally crash toward the ground at the accelleration of gravity shortly after oxygen starved fires “weakend the steel”, just like anybody can whip up ten pounds of C4 with bottled water containers in five minutes inside of an airplane bathroom.

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    p>In truth I actually don’t want or more truthfully need airport security.  The global company I work for is distancing us in favor of far cheaper research anywhere else.  My prospects of ever seeing an airplane are remote.

  8. He went on an airline security rant in 1999, two years before the hysteria really got started.

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    …I think it’s time we moved right into the Complaint Department….First thing on my list tonight?  Airport security.  I’m tired of this [stuff].  There’s too much of it.  There’s too much security at the airport.  I’m tired of some guy with a double-digit IQ and a triple-digit income rooting around inside of my bag for no reason and never finding anything!  Haven’t found anything yet…in ANYBODY’S bag.  Haven’t found one bomb in one bag.  And don’t tell me, “Well, the terrorists know their bags are going to be searched, so now they’re leaving their bombs at home!”  There are no bombs.  The whole thing is [flipping] pointless!

    And it’s completely without logic.  There’s no logic at all!  They’ll take away a gun, but let you keep a knife!  Well, what the [French Connection United Kingdom] is that?!?!  In fact, there’s a whole list of lethal objects they will allow you to take on board.  Theoretically, you could take a knife, an ice pick, a hatchet, a straight razor, a pair of scissors, a chainsaw, six knitting needles, and a broken whiskey bottle; and the only thing they are gong to say to you is, “That bag has to fit all the way under the seat in front of you!”

    And if you didn’t bring a weapon on board, relax!  After you’ve been flying for about an hour, they’re gonna bring you a knife and fork.  They actually give you a [flipping] knife!  It’s only a table knife, but you could kill a pilot with a table knife.  Might take you a couple of minutes, you know.  Especially if he’s hefty, huh?  Yeah, but you could get the job done.  If you really wanted to kill the prick!  

    Sh*t, there’s probably a lot of things you could use to kill a guy with.  You could probably beat a guy to death with the Sunday New York Times, couldn’t you?!  Or, suppose you just had really big hands.  Couldn’t you strangle a flight attendant?  Sh*t, you could probably strangle two of them; one with each hand!  You know, if you were lucky enough to catch them in the little kitchen area.  Before they break out the [flipping] peanuts, you know?  Yeah, but you could get the job done.  If you really cared enough.

    So why is it that they let a guy with big, powerful hands to get on board an airplane?  I’ll tell you why.  They know he’s not a security risk because he has already answered the Three Big Questions.

    Question Number One: Did you pack your bags yourself?  No, Carrot Top packed my bags.  He and Martha Stewart and Florence Henderson came over to the house last night, fixed me a lovely Lobster Newburgh, gave me a full body massage with sacred oils from India, performed a four-way Around the World, and then they packed my bags!  Next question!

    Have your bags been in your possession the whole time?  No.  Usually the night before I travel, just as the moon is rising, I place my bags out on a street corner and leave them there, unattended, for several hours.  Next question!

    Has any unknown person asked you to take anything on board? Hmmm.  Well what exactly is an “unknown person”?  Surely, everyone is known to someone.  In fact, just this morning, Karim and Youssef-Ali ben Gaba seemed to know each other quite well.  They kept joking about which one of my suitcases was the heaviest!

    And that’s another thing they don’t like at the airport.  Jokes.  You know?  Yeah, you can’t joke about a bomb. Well, why is it just jokes?  What about a riddle?  How about a limerick?  How about a bomb anecdote?  You know, no punchline; just a really cute story.  Or, suppose you intended to remark not as a joke, but as an ironic musing.  Are they prepared to make that distinction?  Why, I think not!

    And besides, who is to say what’s funny?  Airport security is a stupid idea; it’s a waste of money, and it’s only there for one reason: to mane white people feel safe.  That’s all.  The illusion.  The feeling and illusion of safety.  To placate the middle class, ’cause the authorities know they can’t make an airplane completely safe; too many people have access.  You’ll note the drug smugglers don’t seem to have a lot of trouble getting their little packages on board, do they?  No, and God bless them too!  Yes.

    Oh, and by the way, an airplane flight shouldn’t be completely safe.  You need a little danger in your life.  Take a [flipping] chance once in a while, will you?  What are you gonna do, play with your prick for another 30 years?  What, are you gonna read People Magazine and eat at Wendy’s until the end of time?!  Take a [flipping] chance!  Besides, even if they made the airplanes completely safe, the terrorists would simply start bombing other places that are crowded: porn shops, crackhouses, titty bars, and gangbangs!  You know, entertainment venues!  The odds of you being killed by a terrorist are practically ZERO.  So I say, “Relax and enjoy the show.”  You have to be a realist.  You have to be realistic about terrorism.  Certain groups of people-certain groups-Muslim fundamentalists, Christian fundamentalists, Jewish fundamentalists, and just plain guys from Montana-are going to continue to make life in this country very interesting for a long, long time.  That’s the reality.  Angry men in combat fatigues talking to God on a two-way radio and muttering incoherent slogans about freedom are eventually gonna provide us with a great deal of entertainment.  Especially after your stupid [flipping] economy collapses all around you, and the terrorists come out of the woodwork, and you’ll have anthrax in the water supply, and sarin gas in your air conditioners; chemical and biological suitcase bombs in every city, and I say, “Enjoy it!  Relax, enjoy the show, take a [flipping] chance.  Put a little fun in your life.  

    …I also know that most Americans are soft and frightened and unimaginative and they don’t realise there’s such a thing as “dangerous fun.”  And they certainly don’t recognise a good show when they see one….As far as I’m concerned, all of this airport security-all the searches, the screenings, the cameras, the questions-it’s just one more way of reducing your liberty and reminding you that they can [French Connection United Kingdom] with you any time they want.  As long as you put up with it!  Which means, of course, anytime they want.  Because that’s what Americans do now.  They’re always willing to trade away a little of their freedom in exchange for the feeling-the illusion-of security.

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    p>He saw what was coming, and the thing is, although it was in 1999, what he said still holds true today.  

    • Either we have good airline security or we have none at all. What makes me most angry about the current situation is that security is arbitrary, improvised, and based around a totally flawed strategy. The security workers are poorly paid, non professional screeners that are trying to find objects that could cause harm to people. In effect trying to stop the weapons of terror instead of the terrorists themselves.

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      p>What we should have is a situation like Israel where we have professional counter terrorist and counter intelligence specialists and profilers looking at the people and screening out the terrorist type. This is not a racial profiling either, instead there are common actions and demeanors of terrorists and criminals that can be easily identified by these professionals. By doing that we would have more effective security and better still less invasive and less time intensive security. The problem is its far more expensive than the one we have now.

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      p>So the choice is do we do it right or do we do it at all?

      • The security personnel is so busy patting people down and looking for so-called “contraband”, that they don’t ever get the real terrorists.  By the time the terrorists have gotten to the airport, it’s too late.  That’s partly how 9/11 happened.

    • Angry men in combat fatigues talking to God on a two-way radio and muttering incoherent slogans about freedom are eventually gonna provide us with a great deal of entertainment.  

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      p>Thanks for that.  That’s one for the quote collectors both here and abroad.  

  9. This past year, I have gone through security with an invalid ticket, and boarded a plane with an invalid ticket.

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    p>I did the former in LAX when I was confused about which terminal I was supposed to be at. The security guys looked at my ticket and let me through. So much for doing any meaningful visual check; hand them something with the right colors and letters and you’re golden.

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    p>I did the latter in Cincinnatti, when I accidentally passed through the boarding gate for the flight before mine. The woman at the gate scanned my ticket and let me through. At best, the scanner checked that I was at the right gate, but didn’t notice I was on the wrong flight. At worst, the scanner didn’t check anything at all; or perhaps she just wasn’t paying attention.

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    p>Not that the ticket check is a vital part of security — since terrorists could buy genuine tickets and would have no reason to fake them.

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    p>But for whatever reason, airports are doing a ticket check, and they are apparently not doing it right. At a minimum, they should ditch that procedure to allow more time for the important stuff.

      • As I boarded the plane, a stewardess was asking the folks behind me, “Are you folks going to (the city I was going to)?” I turned and said, “I am.” She explained that I was on the wrong plane, and I got off the plane and went back to the terminal to wait for the next one.

        • Glad you finally made it to your right place though.  sorry to hear that you missed your original connection as a result.  What a drag!

        • It would have sucked to end up in a completely wrong city.  I wonder if they would have turned the plane around.

    • …you got the number of “n”s correct in Cincinnati, but there’s only one “t”.  But, you did better than most.  Cincinnatians usually can’t even spell it correctly, which is why they abbreviate it to Cincy.

  10. But, due to a strange set of circumstances, I had to arrive at RDU 3-4 hours early.  So, I did an experiment.

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    p>At the TSA guarded entrance to the security process, when asked for ID, I told him “no”.  Yes, I lied — I had stashed my drivers license and my passport deep in my carry on bag, and by deep I mean at the bottom of the outside pouch of my backpack.  What happened?  They pulled me aside, asked me a few questions [“where’s your ID?  I must have lost it.”] and let me in to the security line anyway.  It turns out that lots of people lose their ID while on vacation, and they’re all allowed to return home.

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    p>Then, it came to taking off the shoes, etc.   I opted for a private screening.  I told them that I wasn’t comfortable taking off my shoes and walking in the same place that 10,000 other people walked in the last few hours.  No problem, they pulled me to a private room where they gave me the “beeps” hand held machine and I was provided a chair on which to sit so I could take my shoes off instead of doing the little take-off-shoes-standing-while-watching-luggage dance in the security line.

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    p>Total time: 30 minutes.  No ID required, a much more pleasurable experience in my opinion.

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    p>Having written that, next year I’ll be returning from Fayetteville NC to Boston via New York on Amtrak.  I’m at the point where I’m willing to pay more for a longer trip to avoid the airlines.  If we had functioning competition for long distance travel, neither the airlines nor the travelers would tolerate the ridiculous show the TSA puts on in the name of security.

    • Really….seriously….It’s hard to believe that people are putting up with this nonesense just to supposedly get to where they’re going quicker…all in the name of “security”!  Absolutely asinine, imo.  Hell….it’s easier for me to just throw my stuff in the trunk or the back of my car and just take off!!!

  11. Airline security is very important issue. I think we need ticket checks or some other checks.

    • Good for you for writing the letter of complaint to Continental!!  Bravo!!
      They needed somebody to give them a piece of their mind.  Maybe, just maybe, if enough people did that, the airllines people would clean up their act–hopefully.

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