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travel
Posts Tagged “
Tsa
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travel
security theater
Privacy: What It's Like To Fly With No ID Under The TSA's New Regulations
David becomes our first reader to fly under the TSA's new ID policy. Formerly, if you refused or were unable to show ID you could still fly — but were required to undergo secondary screening by the TSA. Now they've altered their position slightly— fliers who willingly refuse to show ID are now barred from flying. The new rule went into effect over the weekend, and David says that in order to board the plane after forgetting his driver's license he had to answer questions about his political party affiliation and previous addresses. More »
tsa
Do You Have Any Naked Pictures Of Your Mother? The TSA Does
The TSA recently announced that airport security scanners which can see under clothing are being installed at 10 U.S. airports, according to the AFP. Travelers will enter glass booths while a 3-dimensional full-body image is rendered using "millimeter waves." Because the image gives a clear representation of travelers' bodies and genitalia, it has some people concerned about their privacy. More, inside... More »
tsa
New "Checkpoint Friendly" Laptop Cases Will Help Travelers Breeze Through Security
According to the USA Today, the Transportation Security Administration is likely to approve new "checkpoint friendly" laptop cases which would allow passengers to put their laptops through x-ray machines without removing them from the case. The new policy, designed to streamline airport security, is likely to be enacted within a few months. Details, inside... More »
homeland security
Court Rules Customs Agents Can Collect Data From Laptops & Cellphones Without Cause
Some visitors and citizens of the United States may be shocked to learn that their computers, cell phones and data devices are now subject to search and data retrieval upon entry into the U.S., even without cause or suspicion. On April 19th, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that all computers and data devices are the same as luggage in that they can be searched without cause, and that all collected data may be stored indefinitely. More, inside... More »
Since its creation in 2001, the TSA has fired over 200 employees for stealing. Since the TSA will invariably deny your request for compensation if you file a theft claim, your best bet is to either pack valuables in your carry-on, or just leave them home all-together. [MSNBC]
Due to recruitment difficulties, the same guy making sure you don't bring on more than three ounces of deadly shampoo is now getting trained as a US Air Marshal. [CNN]
security
TSA Freaks Over Speakers, Lets Knife Pass Through. Twice.
TSA throws away passenger's toothpaste, freaks out over his JBL On Tour speaker system, and lets him pass through with a lock-knife keychain, twice. Couple this with that story a few weeks ago about the Apple Air trying to go through security (it doesn't have a hard drive! there's no ports!) and it seems that the TSA's main concern is that the next terroristic attack will have incredibly attractive design.
The TSA is a complete joke...and not a funny one [thank gilligan it's safe for work] (Thanks to Chris!)
security
TSA Will Allow Women With Nipple Piercings To Fly If They Flash Officials
Your nipple piercings are still a threat to national security, but the TSA will let you fly if you "allow a visual inspection of [your] piercings." The announcement came after TSA officials in Texas forced Mandi Hamlin to remove her nipple piercings with a pair of pliers before allowing her to board her flight. The TSA stopped short of apologizing to Ms. Hamlin, instead saying: "TSA acknowledges that our procedures caused difficulty for the passenger involved and regrets the situation in which she found herself."
TSA Responds to Nipple Ring Complaint [AP] (Thanks to Louis!)
PREVIOUSLY: TSA Forces Woman To Remove Nipple Piercings
security
TSA Forces Woman To Remove Nipple Piercings
Your nipple piercings are a threat to national security. A Texas woman says she was in tears, and pain and left feeling humiliated after TSA employees made her remove her nipple piercings before being allowed to pass through security. In response, a TSA spokesman said that if an alarm goes off, "until that is resolved, we're not going to let them go through the checkpoint, no matter what they're wearing or where they're wearing it."
Woman Says TSA Forced Piercings Removal [AP] (Thanks to Benny!)
The TSA is expanding it's skiing-themed "self-selection" security lanes beyond Denver and into Orlando, Boston, and Spokane [TSA via Gridskipper]
taking it seriously
US Airways Pilot's Gun Fires During A Flight
WHO: US Airways and the TSA
WHAT: A gun carried by a US Airways pilot accidentally discharged during a flight from Denver to Charlotte on Saturday, according to airline and federal officials. No one was injured, and the aircraft was not in any danger during the flight, officials said. The pilot had been approved by the TSA to carry the weapon.
WHERE:Pilot's gun goes off on US Airways flight [Charlotte Observer]
THE QUOTE:In a statement, the TSA said that the agency and "Federal Air Marshals Service take this matter seriously and it is receiving immediate attention."
"Taking it seriously" is a phrase companies use over and over again in public statements whenever they have bad PR. Our series of posts on occurrences of the phrase is our attempt to question how seriously companies are really taking these matters if every time they trot out this phrase by rote. To see more examples of how companies are "taking it seriously" click here.
(Photo:Flying Photog)
airport security
What Does A "Clear" Membership Actually Get You At Airport Security?
A PR hack sent us a stupidly long press release a few hours ago about Clear, the company that—for an annual $100 fee—will pre-authorize you with TSA to speed up your passage through security. Clear started operating in select airports over a year ago, and this month will add Reagan National and Dulles International airports to its list. So, is the service worth it? We guess that depends on how much you're willing to spend to be able to jump ahead of all the poor people waiting in line like the common criminals they surely are. We wanted a slightly more objective way to evaluate it, though, so we started looking around online for first-hand experiences of what exactly happens when you flash your Clear card. More »
A traveler reports that the TSA freaked out over his new Macbook Air when he brought it through security. Apparently the guy manning the x-ray was alarmed at the alleged laptop's lack of a hard-drive and ports on the back. [Engadget]
A TSA screener contaminated a 14-year-old boy's sterile backup feeding tube in the name of national security: "If I can't open it, I can't let you on the plane." [WFTV via BoingBoing]
blogs
TSA Takes "Rights Of Traveling Public" "Very Seriously"
WHO: The TSA
WHAT: A lawyer responds in general to some of the comments they've seen pop up on their blog.
WHERE: The "Evolution of Security" TSA blog
THE QUOTE: "TSA takes the rights of the traveling public very seriously, and in implementing security screening measures, carefully weighs the intrusiveness of those measures against the need to prevent terrorist attacks involving aircraft. Balancing the same considerations, the courts have long approved searches of airline passengers and their bags for weapons and explosives as constitutionally permissible under what is now commonly referred to as the "administrative search" or "special needs" exception to the Fourth Amendment warrant requirement." (emphasis added)
(Photo: nedrichards)
airports
TSA Brings All The Signage Of Skiing To Security Lines, None Of The Fun
The TSA is testing a new crowd management system at two airports in Denver and Salt Lake City that they hope will make the security process less troublesome. No, the new system isn't less invasive or more security-sensible, but it does give families with kids/strollers/bags their own lane, both for their sanity and for ours. Early reports indicate families are happy with it but too many casual travelers think they're experts and head to the black diamond lane, which is only for people who walk briskly and frown a lot. More »
fear
