Bomber is CIA agent

[MLU]

Originally Posted by El Caliente

Uh, what? No it's not. Do you remember flying before TSA? No weird people touching you. Didn't have to take your shoes off. You could come through with a drink in your hand and Popeyes in the other. It was a metal detector and freedom to fly. Now it's questioning, and people trying to cop a feel.

Not only do I remember flying before TSA, I worked for an airline before and after TSA. Before TSA, airlines were responsible for testing and maintaining training at the security checkpoint. That's like trusting Wall Street banks to audit themselves.

The quality of personnel and equipment was far, far lower than what we have now in airports. You did get patted down when alarms went off, just like you do now. You could carry liquids through the checkpoint and you didn't need to remove your shoes. You could carry knives, but a lot of stuff got through. It wasn't reported because it didn't receive the same kind of focus it receives now. I once saw a chainsaw make it through the checkpoint, pre-2001. I know your position on TSA and quite frankly, you simply don't know what the **** you're talking about.

We (the airline) used to run the same (beautiful harvest gold) suitcase, wearing a company uniform, all but announcing that there was a test being conducted with the same test objects (encapsulated pistol, length of steel pipe, grenade, etc.) in them every week and the checkpoint staff would still miss them.

You can still bring Popeye's through the checkpoint. In fact, I did it last week.

[El Caliente]

I know what I am talking about on this because I did work for TSA. TSA is a joke. The lifers there are people who couldnt cut it in the military, police, or Burger King looking for a way to feed their need for power.

While back in the day it was a headache for the airlines, it was easier for the traveler Heck maybe if they satisfied the traveler more, many of those airlines wouldn't be neck deep in red, but whatever). As a traveler, pre-tsa was great, and easy going. You could get away with a lot more.

I guess I just picked a bad line to go through a few months back, because the woman running the x-ray said I couldn't take my Popeye's 3 piece.

[IntenseSaint]

Here it the rule on food from TSA's website.

TSA: Food & Beverages

[El Caliente]

That may be the rule, but I still wasn't able to take my food. I guess they thought my food would cause a disturbance on the plane, but isn't that what they make gas-x for?

[JimEverett]

Originally Posted by MLU

Regardless of TSA's issues, its still FAR better than the airlines handling it like before.

What is the position of the airlines on taking security back over?

[Geldo]

Originally Posted by JimEverett

What is the position of the airlines on taking security back over?

They're profit-based private companies who have shareholders to please and therefore want to make as much money as possible for as little outlay, training, and hassle.

I think I'd rather see security placed in the hands of eight-year old kids high on Mountain Dew than have the privateers running the show.

[Saintslfc13]

Wouldn't the obvious solution for those who don't want to trust the airlines, and don't like the TSA either to advocate for the hiring of 3rd-party security guards to run security there?

The airline wouldn't really have to outlay on training, they'd simply be contracting with a security company, I suppose they'd have to train them on using the x-ray machine but that's all.

Either way the TSA is a joke. I withdrew my application from consideration there just after they started to roll out the body scanners and around when they put emphasis on the 4th amendment violations - I mean "pat downs"