scissors

[Motion Camaro]

<font color="blue">OH BOY!!! I can bring knives, screwdrivers &amp; scissors on the plane again!!!
I have been jonesin' for this;
I haven't flown since they started checking bags.


I swear these are just for my hobby ...

Oh Yes ... it's a hobby.... really. </font>

[mssl72]

I heard that the other day. It ticks me off that they're letting them back on. Nothing like making it easier for the wack-o's to try something. I just flew yesterday to the East coast and everything was fine. I wonder what their reason is for letting us bring them back on board?

[ANDY M]

Bullit-proof and break-in proof cockpit doors. Hard to hijack a plane when you can't get into the cockpit.
Explosives, on the other hand, are a whole other issue.

[indyjps]

knives i dont agree with, but having to throw out moustache scissors, 1 inch blade pocket knives, finger nail clippers etc was a little ridiculous.

[CamarosRus]

While on this general airline/security subject, please allow my comments. With all the technology this country has available.....why do YOU have to be screened at the airport each and every time. Why cant you be in a data base and your name and or S.S. number be allowed more lee way each time you access secure areas. I personally HATE the removing of my shoes each and almost every time.
I hope they get the eye/iris I.D. technology OR your hand/ finger print technology in place soon, so some of this other nonsense can stop.
Do you have any idea the staggering $$$ payroll the TSA
people at airports around the country are bringing down..

[MosportGreen66]

Even with these locking cockpit doors it is easy to break into the pilot area. The terrorists that broke into the cockpit of the plane that crashed in PA busted the door open with an industrial size fire extinguisher. To me, that is no different than a police officer, breaking open a door with the cylinder type entry tool used to catch criminals. If there is a will, there is a way. We live a sick world. This is something we should become accustomed to. I have ALWAYS said, better safe, than sorry. While inconvenient, I will always remove my shoes, open my bags numerous times (if need be) and participate in any action the security officer needs. The extra waiting is just to ensure our safety. Nothing we can do.

[Dusk Blue Z]

Check out how old the TSA employees are the next time you fly.

They relaxed the rules because all terrorists know you “don’t run with scissors”.

Happy Holidays,
Mike

[mssl72]

NO blade should be let on a plane...period. We've done without them now for a few years and I for one can live with it for the rest of my life. I don't mind taking my shoes off or being selected for a further "security check". We need to do it and not complain. Think about it, a terrorist gets one of those small Swiss Army knives on board, grabs a hostage and theatens to kill this person by slitting their throat. The skin isn't very thick on your neck. It doesn't take a long blade to do the damage. Sure the pilots aren't supposed to open the door for any reason, but how many people will die before they do. All of them??There were multiple terrorists onboard the 9/11 planes. Passengers can try to stop them, but how many will it take? Can they actually stop them? Nobody can answer those questions because every situation is different. Not everybody is combat ready. These guys train to kill us. I heard that they're (TSA,etc.) more worried about explosives getting on-board. How long will it be before they implant explosives in their own bodies to get through? Can that be sniffed out? I hate to state the obvious, but they want to kill us and they will keep on trying anything to do just that. We don't need to make it easier for them.

[427TJ]

As an airline pilot let me say that the cockpit doors, at least on my airplanes, are much stronger than they were before 9-11. Now that we know that hijackers want to take over the controls of the airplane the procedures for opening the door in fight have been enhanced and it is extemely unlikely that anyone will get into a cockpit in the future. If anyone got close to the door with the intent of getting into my cockpit then everyone's going to be on the ceiling. Again, now that I know the score, I will immediately zero-G the airplane and let the wacko(s) float around for a while. Believe me, there isn't a single pilot in the U.S. airline industry who doubts what they'd do if anyone tried to breach the cockpit door.

As for TSA, there have been times when they search airline crews with such vigor that you'd think they'd been instructed to treat us especially poorly. Flight attendants getting groped regularly, pilots having to stand with their arms outstreched while passengers walk past wondering if they're going to be safe because the crew is under such scrutiny. If you complain it's likely that your employer airline will not support you and side with TSA.

RAMP WORKERS, MANY OF THEM FOREIGN NATIONALS IN THE U.S. ON WORK VISAS DO NOT, REPEAT, DO NOT PASS THROUGH ANY SECURITY SCREENING WHATSOEVER BEFORE THEY ARE ALLOWED TO BOARD AIRPLANES TO CLEAN, CATER AND LOAD BAGGAGE.

How's that? They jack-up the crew but foreginers who work on the ramp go through doors down in Baggage Claim and walk right onto the ramp with backpacks, etc., and NO ONE searches them.

That's because all the TSA show-boating is for public consumption, not really to actually catch anyone. The traveling public sees all the wanding and bossing-around and thinks that the "War on Terror" is being successfully waged. Uhh, not so fast. In the wake of 9-11 and the subsequent economic downturn airlines have been firing their salaried and benefitted workers and hiring out-sourced foreign workers, many of whom have had scant background checking done on them. Why?, because they're CHEAP. And, because they're in the U.S. on work visas, they are afriad to lose their new jobs and thus don't complain about lousy pay and work conditions. Yes, they're good for business ($$$) but they are not screened nor searched at any time while they are at the airport. The typical airport ramp worker population has gone from being staffed by American citizens to being staffed by foreign nationals, many of whom can barely speak english and they ARE NOT SCREENED. Meanwhile, the flight crew is up in security being stripped and humiliated in front of the traveling public by people who were rejected for employment by Wal-Mart.

In defense of TSA, they make low wages and often work double shifts due to (typical) under-staffing. Again, great for business but bad for true security. I've seen them asleep at the X-ray screen when they're supposed to be looking at the video of your bag and looking for those nail clippers. What are supposed to be standardized nationwide screening procedures often differ from airport to airport and I always ask what the local procedures are before I 'beep' and get shaken-down. Local TSA guys develop their own power structure and harass anyone they wish. Ask too many questions and they call out the "supervisor" to get in your face. So, in lieu of good salaries and benefits, the government has given airport security employees POWER. Power is much more satisfying than better wages and benefits and now even the airport employee parking lot bus driver can shake you down if he doesn't like you.

Bin Laden must be laughing out-loud at how he's turned us against each other.

Rest assured that as far as I and my fellow airline crews are concerned, your safety is ALWAYS JOB ONE. If you're not safe then I'm not safe and that's unacceptable.

Oh, and those rare a$$holes who show up to fly their jet drunk and then hassle TSA deserve to be fired. Good riddance.

Lastly, flight attendants are often crabby because people buy internet tickets on the cheap and then expect, no, DEMAND first-class service. Do the F/A's a favor: next time you want to take a airline trip, PLEASE do not board the airplane drunk. PLEASE do not demand more service than your ticket price deserves. PLEASE do not blame the crew for things that are COMPLETELY OUT OF OUR CONTROL, like fog or a broken airplane. We're working harder than ever these days and we know most of you are too.

[PeteLeathersac]

Great comments Bill and nice to understand things from your side of the cockpit door....hope you feel better after letting that all out too? . Last night I sent my kids for Christmas break to the ex in California from Toronto International airport. . I'm far from prejudice but I couldn't help but notice every airport worker I saw looked like Bin Laden's brother?? . It was very apparent and had me thinking about it all....then came your post of today! . If these characters aren't screened, shouldn't your pilot's union threaten to strike unless something changes? . And working anywhere, you'd think those loose robes and headgear would be a hazard for sure? . On a better thought, how's it feel tooling around w/ 10,000 HP on tap? ~ Pete