It’s bad enough when your run-of-the-mill bad consumer takes advantage of public situations and films what shouldn’t be filmed, but it feels even ickier when someone whose job it is to protect people does it. An air marshal arrested yesterday admits that he took cell phone pics up women’s dresses and/or skirts while they boarded a Southwest Airlines flight in Nashville. [More]
transportation security administration
Lack Of Boarding Pass & TSA Checkpoints Don’t Prevent Kid From Sneaking Onto Las Vegas Flight
By 10.7.13
While Kevin McCallister in Home Alone 2 will always provide inspiration to kids everywhere, the truth is, youngsters who can pull of similar adventures must be even wilier than he was. Sure, Kevin flew to New York City by himself, but security wasn’t as tight back then. Not like the 9-year-old who managed to evade Transportation Security Administration checkpoints and gate agents to get on a flight to Las Vegas all by himself. [More]
The TSA Frowns Upon Customers Bringing Stun Guns On Planes, Even If They’re Pink
By 9.18.13
There’s a handy tool on the Transportation Safety Administration’s web site, where you can fill in the following blank with whatever you’d like to take with you on a plane: “When I fly, can I bring my _____?” The TSA will tell you whether or not it’s fine to have your best friend Mark with you or even a pair of short scissors. But a stun gun? Nope, not even if it’s pink. [More]
The TSA’s Instagram Of Confiscated Items Exhibits Quite An Enthusiasm For Hashtags
By 7.3.13
If you have had it up to here — and I mean, all the way up here — with baby and food and baby food photos on Instagram, we’re here to let you know there are other options. The Transportation Security Administration’s new Instagram of confiscated items will likely not have any of the aforementioned pictures, unless your baby is actually a grenade. [More]
Flannel-Wearing Teen Claims TSA Told Her “You’re Only 15, Cover Yourself”
By 6.18.13
While I’m not totally down with what the kids are wearing these days, I do remember quite well being asked if I honestly thought I was “going out of the house dressed like that.” And from the photo one dad has posted of what his daughter was wearing when she says a Transportation Security Administration agent humiliated her and told her “You’re only 15, cover yourself,” a flannel shirt and stretch pants would likely never have elicited that parental reaction. [More]
TSA Agents Don’t Care If You’re Chewbacca Himself — That Lightsaber Is Suspicious
By 6.10.13
For any fan of Star Wars, it would be hard, nay — impossible — to contain the squeals of glee one’s mouth would emit upon meeting any of the franchise’s most important cast members (Jar Jar Binks, we are definitely not talking to you). But it seems the Transportation Security Administration either don’t know the man who filled Chewbacca’s furry shoes or aren’t willing to give Peter Mayhew special treatment. He was stopped while boarding a flight on account of his cane, which, of course, is shaped like a lightsaber. [More]
TSA Replaces Backscatter Airport Scanners With Technology That Won’t Show Your Private Bits
By 5.31.13
We’ve come a long way, baby, and it seems the days of worrying over whether or not Transportation Security Administration agents were snickering at your nude image on an airport scanner are over. The backscatter scanners are gone — so now we can get back to worrying about what kind of funk we’re picking up in our socked feet during the security line walk instead. [More]
In Case You Were Wondering, The TSA Frowns On Carrying Skull Fragments In Your Luggage
By 4.25.13
There are plenty of things you can’t take on planes — weapons, ginormous bottles of shampoo, whathaveyou — and oh yeah, also, human remains. That might seem like a no-brainer, but what if you don’t know you’re toting bones about? Two women apparently didn’t realize they had skull fragments in it, but the Transportation Security Administration soon clued them in. [More]
TSA Decides To Keep Ban Of Small Knives On Planes In Place For Now
By 4.23.13
After a few weeks of backlash against the idea from the airline industry, flight attendants and air marshals, the Transportation Security Administration has decided to delay lifting the ban against small knives aboard airline flights. A few weeks ago the TSA said passengers would be allowed to carry knives that met certain descriptions, as well as some sporting equipment. [More]
At The Airport It’s Best To Just Forget Your Sandwich’s Name If It’s Called “The Bomb”
By 4.18.13
Ah, lingo. Friend of businesses trying to come up with relevant names for products, say “The Bomb” sandwich, and nemesis of those not in the know everywhere else. Seems the Transportation Security Administration wasn’t amused by a man discussing his aforementioned sandwich, as you will note that “The Bomb” includes the word “bomb” in it. And the guy was at an airport. [More]
Yet Another Baggage Handler Behaving Badly: Man Accused Of Lifting $84K In Stolen Items
By 4.8.13
Around these parts, it’s almost sad that we’re not surprised to hear when Transportation Security Administration agents get into hot water for having sticky fingers. A baggage handler at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport has some explaining to do to authorities, after prosecutors say he was caught on video boosting $84,000 worth in valuables from passengers’ bags. [More]
Off-Duty Cop Tackles Woman Who Allegedly Attacked TSA Agent At Honolulu Airport
By 4.5.13
Plenty of us know that if we see something that just ain’t right, we should say something. But one off-duty cop on vacation in Hawaii took that “say something” and changed it into a “do something” after he saw a woman assaulting a Transportation Security Administration agent at Honolulu International Airport. [More]
TSA Chief Admits He Could’ve Rolled Out The Knives On Planes Policy In A Better Way
By 3.15.13
When the head of the Transportation Security Administration announced recently that passengers could start bringing certain small knives and golf clubs on airplanes, quite a few in the airline industry were a bit perturbed, including many flight attendants. Pistole admitted yesterday that he could’ve rolled that policy out in a smoother manner. [More]
Undercover TSA Inspector Gets Through Airport Security Just Fine With Fake Bomb In His Pants
By 3.11.13
Critics feeling a bit squirrelly about the Transportation Security Administration’s recent decision to allow certain small knives on planes are likely a bit steamed up at the news that an undercover investigator reportedly managed to get past Newark airport security with a fake bomb. [More]
Standing In A Long Line At The Airport Right Now? You Can Maybe Blame Sequestration
By 3.4.13
The Department of Transportation issued a foreboding warning about the effects of across-the-board government spending cuts if sequestration went into effect on March 1, which it did. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano is already warning travelers of delays, but if you’re currently standing in a long line at airport security, this isn’t news to you. [More]
DOT Head Ray LaHood Paints Nightmarish Travel Picture If Sequestration Hits March 1
By 2.22.13 — Updated: 2.25.13
Maybe you haven’t been paying much attention to all the hullabaloo surrounding automatic government spending cuts that could go into effect next week, known as sequestration. It’s a lot to take in, as those cuts will be across-the-board and could be a problem for a wide variety of government agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration. As such, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is painting a potentially annoying picture for air travel in the future. [More]
TSA Policies Are So Confusing It’s No Wonder A 3-Year-Old In A Wheelchair Gets Upset During Screening
By 2.22.13
The Transportation Security Administration is doing some quick apologizing after an incident that left a 3-year-old girl upset and crying when her parents were told she’d need to submit to a pat-down. The toddler has spina bifida and had reportedly already gone through security at Lambert- St. Louis International Airport, when her mom captured what appears to be TSA agents attempting to touch the tearful girl. [More]
You Can’t Bring A Loaded Gun In Your Carry-On Even If You’re An NFL Player
By 2.19.13
The human brain is a shifty thing — you thought you put your keys in your pocket but really they’re in the freezer! — but there’s no way the Transportation Security Administration is going to accept “I forgot a gun was in my bag and/or that it was loaded” as an excuse without a little bit of digging. Even if you happen to be a defensive end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. [More]
