jmc1971

I've been hearing reports of women airline passengers being ordered to remove their shirts at security screening in airports and of overly aggressive searches. Some of the screeners are female, but there's no guarantee of that.

This article about the searches details some of the incidents that have happened. I'm 100% behind making sure our flights are safe and have never objected to removing shoes, jackets, and having all my carry-on items inspected. I don't mind being wanded. I don't get upset about a brief pat-down. But what some of these women are describing is outrageous. There has to be a solution that keeps flights safe and allows women to keep their shirts on.

What would you do if this happened to you (or your mother or spouse or daughter)?

Ludedude

Tell me honestly, do you feel safer on flights now with all the added "security?"

Personally I don't, but I'm sure glad they prevented my gf from boarding a return flight home with a pair of manicure scissors (obviously they didn't pose a security threat on the way there....or....did they just not see the deadly weapon?).

lig

I would just get naked. I dropped my pants in Honolulu because the TSA "agent" was a moron. They were giving me and a 85 year old gentleman the full wanding/pat down. The sensitivity was set so high on the wand that my zipper was setting it off. He wanted me to roll down my waistband.

I told him that I had nothing to hide and just dropped trou. Luckily I was wearing nice underwear. I was pissed. Resonable security measures are fine. That was ridiculous.

These jokers have lost my clothes. I've had money missing. I've seen them break open a packaged toy (a GI Joe) and snap the plastic bayonet off. They have left a wand in my luggage

Sad to think that until recently the folks responsible for our security didn't even have to have a high school diploma or GED.

I've had a few that must have been grandfathered in before the new requirements kicked in.

If this were to happen to my wife or mother I would just subtly berate the TSA monkey using words that would be beyond their comprehension and ask for a supervisor.

I hate the TSA. If terrorists want to blow up a plane - they will find a way. It would be so easy to do without getting on board - they can just get a shoulder fired rocket and *boom*.

And to your point Ludedude - I feel less safe today flying than ever before. As to the reasons - I'm just going to leave that alone.

Legal Bill

I fly all the time. Several times per week. I feel much safer now. The bottom line is it is more difficult to hijack a plane. Yes, I'm sure it can still be done, but lets make it more difficult. I get through the lines quickly most of the time. sure, there are times I get frustrated. And then I look at my watch and see that the whole process took less than 10 minutes in almost every case.

Two months ago they started the policy of removing sport coats and outer coats and putting them through the xray. I'm glad they change the routine from time to time. I notice US Airways is xraying checked baggage too.

I'm not sure what they are looking for with these near-strip searches. I think they are acting on some information that isn't being divulged. It may be nonsense, but after 9-11 they will try to take action on information that they are able to process.

Thye should do these searches in screened off areas and provide female gaurds. I'm not sure why the metal wand isn't sufficient. I don't mean to make a joke of this, but does it have to do with the construction of bras? Metal wire, etc?

jmc1971

Lude--Yes and no, to answer your question.

If someone wants to get something on a plane, I think they will. That said, I don't think we should forego security altogether. Getting on a plane is voluntary, so passengers are implicitly consenting to searches and are giving up some privacy. But I think there has to be a balance between how we treat our citizens and how we secure our flights.

I don't like the TSA--IMO it's a bottomless pit of inefficacy and money-sucking bureaucracy. They stopped my mom and her tiny nail scissors of death back in September.

Maybe we should get El-Al to run our security. I doubt they'd much care who they offend, but at least I'd have some confidence in the results of the process.

lig

El-Al kicks ass. Matching bags to passengers makes sense to me. I certainly wouldn't advocate no security whatsoever - just reasonable measures.

"nail scissors of death"

jmc1971

Some bras have underwires and other parts that are metal. Some bras have all plastic parts. I've had a bra set off buzzers, but was simply wanded and sent on my way. I've also had the same style bra go through without setting off buzzers.

mikegarrison

The threshold for setting off the alarm is adjustable.

Ludedude

El Al does seem to have the security thing under control. The downside is that you need to get to their flights 2 or 3 hours ahead of time. Not a big deal for a 13 hour flight but a little excessive if I'm going from Des Moines to Cleveland don't you think?

The "nail scissors of death" are a perfect example of the TSA foolishness....sure, confiscate those things but leave a wand in the luggage?

I don't feel any safer because the level of people that are responsible for our safety should be flipping burgers.

mikegarrison

I'd prefer it if you phrased that as "the level of people that are responsible for our SECURITY should be flipping burgers". The level of people who are responsible for the SAFETY of air travel is actually pretty darn high.