fear from airport sec is overrated ...

[Pellidon]

I travel on average 15-20 times a year. In the early days of TSA, they were vandalizing/incompetently packing/breaking/stealing from my checked bags 4 out of 5 flights. I have the local manager's number on my phone from all the complaints I was lodging. In the past three years, I have had only one incident where they forgot to put something back in my bag.

The new thing now is the person that checks ID likes to flash the UV light in the face of the traveller. They don't do it on purpose. The light doesn't cast a beam like a regular flashlight so they don't pay any attention to where they aim it after scanning your ID.

I have had one run in with a light. It was classed as a striking weapon by the gate screener so I had to go back and have it checked. A minor fun one was my SF-style light confused the gate checker. Couldn't grasp the tail button aspect. And I got a laugh out of one when I had my Technology Associates Eternalight and told them it was a Phaser after he couldn't figure out how to power it up.

 

[Xacto]

[...]I had my Technology Associates Eternalight and told them it was a Phaser after he couldn't figure out how to power it up.

In 2008, I had my Star Trek Phaser kits (solid resin) in my carry on just to make sure they won't get damaged when in my check-in luggage I told them what they are, got an extra x-ray on my bag and went on the plane.
I did this because I had a rather bad TSA expericence with the screeners in 2004 when they tore up a few of my mint scale model kits in my check-in luggage.

Could you continue with your flashlight after it was considered a striking weapon. (They should try a rolled up airline-merchandise magazine :devil: )

Cheers
Thorsten

 

[Kindle]

Nowadays, those types of bags get you singled out for extra scrutiny. As does any bag belonging to any American soldier.

The incident that really steamed me was when the TSA harassed Gen. Foss over his Medal of Honor.

We also used to be allowed to travel armed on commercial flights while on courier duty. I don't think they can do that anymore. lol

On the topic of a cabin breach at high altitude...I was on a C-141 that had a hatch fail & suffered depressurization.

None of us were sucked out to our deaths. Of course your mileage may vary.

 

[wyager]

Nothing to do with research. It's all about hatred. Certain politicians with far too much power who literally hate the military, and are afraid of those who have both the inner desire and the outer strength to serve their nation. They believe that just because a soldier is trained to kill, then that means he's automatically a killing machine. And those politicians are afraid of that. It's like saying any woman can choose to be a "working girl," just because she was born with certain body parts.

It's a ridiculous thought process. But it's the same one behind why soldiers, and their bags, are specifically singled out at airports.

I agree. If you want to do extra screening, at least base it on real terrorism statistics.

The incident that really steamed me was when the TSA harassed Gen. Foss over his Medal of Honor.

We also used to be allowed to travel armed on commercial flights while on courier duty. I don't think they can do that anymore. lol

On the topic of a cabin breach at high altitude...I was on a C-141 that had a hatch fail & suffered depressurization.

None of us were sucked out to our deaths. Of course your mileage may vary.

It would be awfully convenient if military/LEOs were allowed to carry on the plane, I would think it would discourage any potential hijackers quite a bit.

 

[chanjyj]

I agree. If you want to do extra screening, at least base it on real terrorism statistics.



It would be awfully convenient if military/LEOs were allowed to carry on the plane, I would think it would discourage any potential hijackers quite a bit.

What if a would-be-terrorist enlists in the military... just so he can use his gun on the plane? 😱

 

[Monocrom]

A plane full of soldiers on leave . . . Would be really stupid for one individual who made it into the military, then onto the plane, to actually try something.

 

[chanjyj]

A plane full of soldiers on leave . . . Would be really stupid for one individual who made it into the military, then onto the plane, to actually try something.

Oh. You're referring to soldiers returning from deployment in a bunch.

I had a different idea. I thought he meant ANY LEO and ANY military guy should carry his weapon onboard. Aka Mr FBI on holiday traveling from NY to LA carrying his sidearm along.

 

[wyager]

Oh. You're referring to soldiers returning from deployment in a bunch.

I had a different idea. I thought he meant ANY LEO and ANY military guy should carry his weapon onboard. Aka Mr FBI on holiday traveling from NY to LA carrying his sidearm along.

Yeah, we don't want another fort hood. However, if we have large groups of soldiers going to the same place the chances of them all being extremist muslim converts is slim to none.

 

[Monocrom]

Yeah, we don't want another fort hood. However, if we have large groups of soldiers going to the same place the chances of them all being extremist muslim converts is slim to none.

Not to get too off topic, but Fort Hood never should have happened. That particular individual was very outspoken about his beliefs and views. He was also promoted far too quickly. His last rank should have taken several years longer, on average, to achieve than it did. And he was no genius.

I'm not saying "conspiracy."

I'm saying someone in charge at Fort Hood screwed up royally. Still, yeah a guy like that isn't likely to open fire on a plane if he were surrounded by a bunch of other armed military personel.

 

[chanjyj]

Not to get too off topic, but Fort Hood never should have happened. That particular individual was very outspoken about his beliefs and views. He was also promoted far too quickly. His last rank should have taken several years longer, on average, to achieve than it did. And he was no genius.

I'm not saying "conspiracy."

I'm saying someone in charge at Fort Hood screwed up royally. Still, yeah a guy like that isn't likely to open fire on a plane if he were surrounded by a bunch of other armed military personel.

I don't know Monocrom.

To our logical minds yeah, I'd agree with you 100%.
But prior to posting this post I was thinking about what exactly goes through a fanatic's mind. I'm no psychologist but if they are willing to commit suicide..

 

[Connor]

There is no security against someone who is willing to give his/her life to kill others in the process.

There is no way around this. You can make it a little bit harder to achieve his/her goal, but that's about it.

 

[Pellidon]

I had to go back and check the light. It was on a return flight where my local airport allowed it on the plane. For a striking weapon, there is a Mag sized light next to the lavatory. :shrug:

A later trip I had a sleek sculpted shiny light. The screener looked at it for several minutes. I told him it was a sex toy and he got very embarrassed.

Hey. It was for a light fetish.... :thumbsup:

In 2008, I had my Star Trek Phaser kits (solid resin) in my carry on just to make sure they won't get damaged when in my check-in luggage I told them what they are, got an extra x-ray on my bag and went on the plane.
I did this because I had a rather bad TSA expericence with the screeners in 2004 when they tore up a few of my mint scale model kits in my check-in luggage.

Could you continue with your flashlight after it was considered a striking weapon. (They should try a rolled up airline-merchandise magazine :devil: )

Cheers
Thorsten

 

[Monocrom]

I don't know Monocrom.

To our logical minds yeah, I'd agree with you 100%.
But prior to posting this post I was thinking about what exactly goes through a fanatic's mind. I'm no psychologist but if they are willing to commit suicide...

You don't get your 70 virgins if you fail in your suicide plot because armed soldiers sitting next to you stopped you.

(I hate the fact that tone can be so difficult to convey over an internet forum. I realize that my above comment might come off as a joke or a sarcastic comment. However, it was meant in all seriousness.)

 

[SureAddicted]

There is no security against someone who is willing to give his/her life to kill others in the process.

Yes there is, you just have to out think the BG's. There are ways to significantly reduce the number of weapons getting onboard. It's do-able but the government wont spend that kind of money upgrading security.

 

[GregWormald]

Yes there is, you just have to out think the BG's. There are ways to significantly reduce the number of weapons getting onboard. It's do-able but the government wont spend that kind of money upgrading security.

This could be quite hard--I know of at least half a dozen ways to kill with my bare hands.

Greg

 

[Connor]

Yes there is, you just have to out think the BG's. There are ways to significantly reduce the number of weapons getting onboard. It's do-able but the government wont spend that kind of money upgrading security.

I disagree. The mind is the ultimate weapon.
If they finally make you fly naked with no luggage at all to prevent "everything", they will just pick an easier target or go with an implanted bomb[*] or something else noone has yet thought of. Problem not solved.


[*] This actually already happened a couple of months ago in Saudi Arabia, if I remember correctly

 

[chanjyj]

I disagree. The mind is the ultimate weapon.
If they finally make you fly naked with no luggage at all to prevent "everything", they will just pick an easier target or go with an implanted bomb[*] or something else noone has yet thought of. Problem not solved.


[*] This actually already happened a couple of months ago in Saudi Arabia, if I remember correctly

Huh? Implanted bomb? For real? 😱

 

[wyager]

This could be quite hard--I know of at least half a dozen ways to kill with my bare hands.

Greg

By the time you killed one guy (if you were lucky) you would be on your butt with a concussion. One person dying on a plane is just one person dying.

I disagree. The mind is the ultimate weapon.
If they finally make you fly naked with no luggage at all to prevent "everything", they will just pick an easier target or go with an implanted bomb[*] or something else noone has yet thought of. Problem not solved.


[*] This actually already happened a couple of months ago in Saudi Arabia, if I remember correctly

That's what metal detectors are for, as well as chemical sniffers.

 

[Connor]

Huh? Implanted bomb? For real? 😱

I just read up on it: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6862247.ece
This bomb wasn't implanted .. more like inserted. Rectally.
But implants are the obvious next step, after mandatory rectal screenings have been established on every flight. :nana:

 

[moj]

I once forgot a handful of .22LR rounds in my backback... That backpack was my carry-on on a flight from the US to Europe (passed three security checkpoints) without anyone noticing. 😱

They also opened my luggage and looked at the Dr Pepper I had in there, but left the (empty ) .50 and .45 cartridges untouched.

Of course they make you take off your shoes, look at batteries you have in your bag and have you go through the metal detector three times because of a necklace you didn't take off... but they'd never find the dangerous stuff.