Consumerist
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failure
Company Offering Paid Security Lines For Special People Fails
A company offering special, more efficient security lines for frequent travelers has failed and ceased operation on Monday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. More » -
harassment
Traveler Detained For Carrying "Too Much" Cash Sues TSA
Back in March, Steve Bierfeldt was pulled aside while going through the security line at Lambert-St. Louis (Missouri) International Airport, taken to a room, and questioned for half an hour about the box of cash he was trying to check through. Bierfeldt, who works for a Ron Paul organization, recorded the conversation. Now with the help of the ACLU he's suing the TSA. More » -
travel
Bill Would Boost The Size Of Carry-On Bags, Charge TSA With Enforcement
H.R. 2870 would require all airlines to accept slightly larger carry-on bags, which is great if you actually abide by the published carry-on limits. If you don't, well, get ready to change your scofflaw ways because the TSA will enforce the new limits, and even slightly oversized bags won't make it past security checkpoints. More » -
stupid
US Airways Employee Helps Roommate Smuggle Gun Aboard To Avoid Checking It
The AP is reporting that the employee charged with smuggling a unloaded handgun and ammunition aboard a US Airways flight was trying to help his roommate avoid checking it. More » -
taking it seriously
Passenger Spots Handgun Being Smuggled Past Airport Security
An eagle-eyed passenger at Philadelphia International Airport spotted another passenger handing a bag directly to an airline employee — skipping airport security. The passenger alerted the TSA, who located the US Airways flight and searched the bag. Guess what was inside? An unloaded handgun. More » -
delta
Traveler Arrested For Bathroom Emergency On Delta Flight
Is there a worse place to have sudden diarrhea than on an airplane? Well, yes, and that would be on a water slide, but let's stay with the airplane for a bit. Joao Correa was on a Delta Airlines flight from Honduras to Atlanta last week when something bad happened down below, and he had to immediately use the bathroom. Unfortunately, there was a drink cart blocking his way and the flight attendants wouldn't let him by. More » -
lawsuits
Yale Student Files $1 Million Lawsuit After US Airways "Loses" His XBOX
A 21-year-old film studies major at Yale University is really annoyed that his XBOX 360 went missing from his luggage on a US Airways flight, so he decided to sue them. For a million dollars. More » -
jetblue
JetBlue Passenger Forced To Cover Arabic Shirt Gets $240k From JetBlue, TSA Employees
In 2006, Raed Jaer, an Iraqi-born U.S. resident, was forced by TSA officials and JetBlue to cover his t-shirt—it read, "We Will Not Be Silent" in both Arabic and English—before he could board a flight. The airline and the two TSA officials (TSA was not named in the suit) settled out of court last week for $240,000, although JetBlue still denies they did anything wrong, and the TSA says they don't "condone profiling in any way shape or form." More » -
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security theater
Homeland Security Boss: Before 9/12/01 Hijackings Were "Regular, Routine"
BoingBoing's Joel Johnson recently interviewed departing Homeland Security boss Michael Chertoff — and we all know how much you love "security theater"... More » -
tsa
Woman Says TSA Made Her Take Brace Off, Stand On Sprained Ankle
A Washington woman says the TSA made her take off her ankle brace before passing through security. Now her sprained ankle is fractured. "Then she made me lift up each foot individually and put all the weight on it. It was incredibly painful," said Lona Dunlap. According to the TSA website, TSA agents don't make you take off your brace. Rather, they're supposed to swab the brace and look for trace explosive elements. The TSA is reviewing video footage and says it takes the allegation very seriously.
Woman Claims Pasco Airport Security Agent Hurt Her Foot [KERPTV] (Thanks to Matt!)
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crime
TSA Screener Helped Himself To $200,000 Worth Of Your Stuff
Meet Pythias Brown. Until recently, he was a TSA screener at Newark airport, and if you're missing any pricey electronics, you might have Mr. Brown to thank for it. He's accused of stealing more than $200,000 worth of electronics, including a $47,000 camera from HBO. Oddly, it was CNN that helped bust the "one man crimewave" when an employee noticed some of their equipment being sold on eBay. More » -
breaking
TSA To Stop Being So Crazy About Liquids
Soon you might be able to take your shampoo and booze on the plane once again without trouble. The head of the TSA told WSJ's The Middle Seat Terminal blog, "I think realistically in one year we, the TSA and foreign colleagues, will be a position to relax liquids restrictions...We are within a year of having the ability to differentiate threat liquids through the screening process.” The rule relaxation is thanks to airports deploying new x-ray machines and scanners that should be able to tell the difference between a bottle of water and a bomb. Just don't expect it to happen any time before 2009.
TSA Likely to Relax Restrictions on Liquids in 2009 [The Middle Seat] (Photo: AP)
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security theater
Woman Removes Bra To Get Through TSA
Nancy Kates's large underwire bra set off the metal detector in the Oakland, California airport. A TSA agent pulled her aside and patted her down, which set off Kates' personal privacy alarm. "I said, 'You can't do that.' She said, 'We have to pat you down.' I said, 'You can't treat me as a criminal for wearing a bra.'" Kates was given the option to "submit to a pat-down in a private room" or not fly. Instead, she took off her bra and passed through security just fine. Hooray for personal freedom! More » -
tsa
TSA Employee Grounds 9 American Airlines Planes By Attempting To Break Into Them
A TSA employee used sensitive avionics equipment as a ladder while attempting to break into 9 American Airlines planes to test how well they were secured. The TSA agent was able to break into 7 of the planes, raising questions about the security of the aircraft, but also managed to ground the aircraft — causing at least 40 flights to be delayed at O'Hare. More » -
tsa
TSA Martinet Claims Her Unpublished Rules Trump Real Ones
TSA, can you at least train your agents to do their jobs properly? We'd appreciate it even more if you'd discipline (read: fire) those who go all stupidly power-mad and think they have to "win" every encounter, even when it means making up new rules on the spot. Here's a story of a soldier who lost a day of leave because one of your agents caused so much trouble. In the end, the soldier says he's happy with the outcome—"Using standard Consumerist customer service doctrine (polite, patient, proper channels and then EECB), I won"—but we're still floored by how difficult you made his trip home. Oh, and NWA, you were no help either. More » -
privacy
Forget Your ID? TSA Places Forgetful Fliers On A List That Helps Track "Potential Terrorists"
USAToday says that the TSA was placing fliers who forgot their ID in a database along with people who have been questioned for "suspicious behavior" or who "violated security laws." In an interview, TSA chief Kip Hawley told the paper that the "the information helps track potential terrorists who may be "probing the system" by trying to get though checkpoints at various airports." More » -
The TSA congratulates itself for confiscating a homemade battery pack and an empty water bottle, despite the fact that they were aware at the time that neither item was a bomb. According to their website, they were afraid the batteries would "be seen by other passengers as a threat." The other government agencies must really dislike the TSA. Can you imagine if the U.S. Customs website touted how they took down an entire truckload of Domino sugar? [MAKE]
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tsa
Things You Should Memorize When Flying Without Identification
You may be familiar with the TSA's new rules that went into effect June 21st regarding travelers who try to fly without identification. These travelers are essentially made part of a mini game show where they are the subject of all the questions. Your prize, if you answer correctly, is that you are allowed to board your flight. If you need to travel without ID, Wired magazine has assembled some items which if committed to memory, might help you get through the (game show) process more easily. More »
tsa
New York, 1:21 PM
Sun Jul 5
6 posts in the last 24 hours
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