*My personal concerns with current airport security.*

[ThatsMyBarack]

I don't fly much anymore but, every few years or so, the Ice Skating Institute holds its annual Adult Championships in Las Vegas. When I hear about it, I make it a point to be there to skate in that competition as well for a rare vacation. Because of the extra cost to check bags, and horror stories about lost/stolen baggage, I feel it necessary to take my skates WITH me as a carry-on--for the trip TO Vegas, anyway. Unfortunately, I've heard too many horror stories about my fellow skaters who were forced by TSA screeners to check their skates (Skates aren't on the list, but they have a blade and blades ARE on the list") only to never see their skates again--and have to withdraw from their (paid-for) skating events.

In the past, I've had no problems (KNOCK WOOD) because:

a) I've managed to sneak my skate bag without TSA screeners looking inside it, or....

b) I've checked my skate bag and actually had found it at the baggage claim on "the other side."

I've already got a ticket on United (where I've been a frequent-flyer mileage customer for over 20 years) from O'Hare to LAS in October 2010. Sadly, given the fact that the powers that be at FAA and TSA are staying up nights to come up with more ways to make flying invasive and unbearable, who knows how much worse the situation(s) will then? I've come up with the following ideas:

1. If a screener sends you back to check your skates, just get back in the security line and try a different screener.

2. If that fails, RUN!!!!

People say that I should just be grateful that TSA is there to "protect" us, but do I care anymore? :shrug:

[paulsby]

1. let me tell you how bad it USED to be...

i used to do a fair # of extraditions.

the first time i arrived for an extradition (i was armed of course), i arrived at the security gate, and showed my badge and the guy waved me through.

seriously.

that;'s it. didn't check my ID, didn't check with my (alleged) agency.

all it took to walk on board a plane WITHOUT ANY x-ray or other scrutiny was to flash a badge. any nimrod can get a badge.

these days they CHECK you . they check with your agency and look at your badge and id, etc.

it was amazingly simple to walk on a plane with a gun. the reason it wasn't done like i described it is most criminals are morons.

[ThatsMyBarack]

2. Why the UNrec?

:wtf:

[IndianaGreen]

6. I have no clue--it has gotten out of hand

there was a new year's thread by another DUer and it was unrec.

[liberal N proud]

3. There is no consistency in TSA from airport to airport

and from checkpoint to checkpoint.

Some airports have multiple checkpoints and what passes at one, does not at another. I have traveled many times where they never even checked my quart baggie with the 3 oz toiletries and others where if the baggie is not exactly the size they call for, they are in your face and taking you down.

We need consistent rules to start, but this failure was overseas. My last trip abroad the return trip was a very thorough screening checking things in the bags. But when I cleared customs and went through screening in the US they were mostly worried about computers and shoes.

Will underwear have to be removed at security checkpoints next?

[lazarus]

4. I've carried knives on planes

without realizing it, had a small pen knife on my key chain. My daughter's flown several times with an Xacto knife in with her art pencils.

The TSA does nothing, it's just to make us feel safe.

The easiest way to shut down air travel in the US would be to have several bombers hit the security checkpoints at LAX, O'Hare, Atlanta, and JFK. Maybe hit DC, too. Just blow up the check points. Can you imagine the response to that?

[ThatsMyBarack]

5. I don't want to know....

[rantormusing]

7. I can believe that

I used to work in two airports, and there is a probable chance of getting away with it. Eventhough I'm too chicken to try. They have fake weapons pop up on screen, and those are occasionally missed. ALso the secret shoppers, maybe bombers!?!?, come through at times, and i was around once to hear about someones big time fail. SO there you go. I can't believe they missed big ol skate blades, unreal. These guys are making 30k a year going through the motions, spending their free time in fear of privatization. Someday they're going to get privatized hard, and that day will be a drinking day.