What is Digg?281 Comments
- weirdralph, on 06/18/2008, -5/+311I'd like to digg this an extra 7 times just for the "security theater" comment. Is there any sane person in the country who thinks that my flight will be safer because a government employee prevented me from carrying my Swiss Army knife? Or that we're better off because Grandma no longer has her slightly larger than travel size bottle of blue hair coloring?
I didn't think so.
(Grrr!) - datagod, on 06/19/2008, -4/+208Just shut up, humans. Chew your food and stay calm. We will be harvesting you shortly.
- str3ama, on 06/19/2008, -3/+141I was in Canada a few months back getting on an Air Canada flight to New York, what was hilarious was that you could really tell who was American on that flight. As everyone lined up to go through the security check in, all the Americans removed their shoes without even being asked - everyone else kept their shoes on and walked through. At no point was anyone ever told to remove their shoes, as Americans we're just so used to being herded through the gates and having our rights violated. All the Canadians and non-Americans kept their shoes on from what I saw.
- sockpuppets, on 06/19/2008, -4/+117You ever been a cockpit before?
You ever seen a grown man naked?
You ever hang around a gymnasium?
Do you like movies about gladiators?
Have you ever been in a Turkish prison? - nahsrocketeer75, on 06/18/2008, -3/+107This is a terrific read. The author, Patrick Smith, has been a valuable voice of reason regarding air travel for years now.
- desuexmachina, on 06/19/2008, -0/+83When Reader's Digest is putting your security policy down it might be time to re-think it.
- DeskFlyer, on 06/18/2008, -5/+80Dude is spot on. Pretty much the only reason why I like flying nowadays is, well, marveling at the whole lift-overcoming-gravity part. Kudos to Patrick for putting things in perspective; things really aren't as bad as they seem.
- inactive, on 06/19/2008, -1/+74"Unfortunately, the government insists that security theater, and not actual security, is in the nation's best interest." Very True
- GreenGrassyNoel, on 06/19/2008, -3/+61US Government: please stop bailing out the airlines. If air travel is not economical then it is not economical. People will find other ways of doing business. And while you're at it, please stop subsidizing high fructose corn syrup.
- PeninsulaBoy217, on 06/19/2008, -0/+51What's our vector, Victor?
- emomakesmecry, on 06/19/2008, -0/+49We have clearance, Clarence
- mrwesticles, on 06/19/2008, -1/+49Surely you can't be serious.
- davidg11, on 06/19/2008, -1/+47This is true. I am a commercial pilot. And you have to think the personality type that takes our job. We LOVE flying! Everyone and their mother knows what to expect from the next attack. So all these crap security measures are nuts. Every passenger and every pilot will fight to their last breath to stop future terrorists.
- Peck3277, on 06/19/2008, -1/+46I am serious, and don't call me Shirley
- inactive, on 06/19/2008, -2/+45I had to remove my pants in front of 1000+ people at heathrow. I had a security guard accompany me to the toilet. All because my name was ***** different. I lost 3 hours because I had a suspicious name.
- TremorX, on 06/19/2008, -0/+43It's one thing to be delayed, but to be delayed for several hours, given food and beverages, then told that you can't use the bathroom is sort of inhumane.
- kappuru, on 06/19/2008, -1/+37Yeah, American "security" is ridiculous. A few years ago, I was in Japan and as usual, bought a few lighters for my friend who smoked, as Japan is full of neat little novelty lighters, such as ones that are the size of a credit card that you can slip into the plastic lining of a softpack.
When I was in Japan, ALL US carriers enacted a policy banning cigarette lighters, including checked luggage, which I didn't find out until I got to the airport. The security personnel were very apologetic and helpfully pointed out that if I had flown JAL or ANA they had no restrictions of the kind.
US airlines are at the bottom of the rung when it comes to customer service (and the top when it comes to age of flight attendants, but that's another story.)
Do yourself a favor and fly a foreign carrier if you're going to be on a plane for more than 4 hours, the service is worlds apart. - PeppermintPig, on 06/19/2008, -0/+34"Ohh, your name is Ortheos? What is that, like a super villain? I'm going to have to ask you to step aside for our super special service screening, sir."
- Snappysnap, on 06/19/2008, -9/+42"Is there any sane person in the country who thinks that my flight will be safer because a government employee prevented me from carrying my Swiss Army knife?"
I'm not in your country, but I really would prefer it if people didn't carry knives on any plane I'n on. However, I'm with you on the blue hair colouring. - c0mputar, on 06/19/2008, -3/+34As much as those were horrific... the reality is that such things are so monstrously rare that you're more likely going to die from choking on pretzel, but we don't outlaw pretzels. Too bad our president didn't die though.
- grndslm, on 06/19/2008, -3/+34Someone took over a coupla US commercial planes because of some box cutters.
I'm not saying that we should restrict sharp objects, but all cockpits should have LOCKED doors!!! The answer to anti-plane-jacking was solved with locks long before 9/11. We just didn't care then. - TremorX, on 06/19/2008, -0/+27Nothing.
But seeing an old man who looks about 70 have to remove his belt and let a TSA inspector look down his pants sort of is. - mrgreg, on 06/19/2008, -5/+32He's very right about the antiquated Air Traffic Control system. You'd be amazed at how underpaid and overworked the people your lives depend on when you fly are. The best part is, the government and FAA don't care, as they're the ones who imposted the strict labor contract on controllers, and Bush appointed the lapdog of the previous Administrator as the new one. Terrible.
- ganjaguru, on 06/19/2008, -0/+24I always get selected for SSSS "Selected for Some Security *****", and then I have to go through some weird chemical residue detecting machine. Air is blown onto you thru six nozzles. Not fun. Oh and they wipe my macbook pro with a paper and check for drug residue.
- Velnich, on 06/19/2008, -2/+23Why... no, no they're not. America is unique in it's "airplanes regularly crashing into skyscrapers in a major metropolitan city"'ness.
- besheer, on 06/19/2008, -0/+21Pilots need to piss too.
- ywgflyer, on 06/19/2008, -3/+23Bang on.
as you can probably guess from the username, I'm a pilot too, from a small airline. We have our issues. Every place does. The system has its issues as a whole. I can probably tell you if we're going to have to hold at a certain airport before we even leave - - some airports are like that, particularly those without a tower when the weather gets bad. I fly to a lot of places "off the beaten path", and so do a lot of other operators, and the fact that we get in, get out, and manage to maintain a schedule, all while operating safely and within limits speaks quite a bit for the way the system is, despite how things can be when it gets busy.
I guess what I'm trying to say is... Put up with the delays, the shoe-removal (thankfully, we don't have that crap where I work), the long lines and the arcane security. The system IS getting better, just slowly, and it'll be fixed in time. - callingshots, on 06/19/2008, -6/+26Great Read!
Bring back the airship! - invinciblechunk, on 06/19/2008, -0/+19Having a TSA goon complain about how they smell. (Another true airport story.)
Bitch, I would have been just as happy to keep them on. - Nadare, on 06/19/2008, -0/+18I work at Pearson Airport (Toronto) doing passenger screening I'm sorry about the shoe removal as well, its only mandatory for flights going to the US, everywhere else we only ask you to take your shoes off if there is a high chance you will set off the metal detector with them, unfortunately almost all high heels set it off. It speeds things up if you just take your shoes off before you go through the metal detector.
As for aircrew we are lenient with them to a certain point, there are some objects we cannot allow anyone to come through security with, such as knives or guns but if pilots or flight attendants have bottled water or some shampoo or if they don't take their shoes off that's ok we'll let it slide. And there is an aircrew/employee screening point where there is no searching involved just a matter of having the right ID and passing a biometrics identification but this is only available to people who work at the airport or for aircrew that are based in Toronto.
If anyone has any questions for me about security at the airport I will do my best to answer it. - Aieces, on 06/19/2008, -0/+18It leaves your feet in their underwear... duh!
- cawpin, on 06/19/2008, -0/+17Well, unless they have 300 rounds, keeping the door locked and landing ASAP is still a better option. Also, good luck getting a firearm on a plane, even before 9-11.
- erekose, on 06/19/2008, -0/+17I'm living in Japan now, and I have to take off my shoes at Narita Airport.
Then again, when the US tells Japan to jump the response is usually, "how high?" - brundlefly76, on 06/19/2008, -1/+18Yeah they also need to eat, sleep, and I am sure they appreciate being able to interact with other humans beings.
And why are people in first class 'monkeys'?
A lot of people think people in first class are pretentious and rich. However, most are just frequent flyer business travelers who have to put up with air travel BS 20x more often than you do, and use their miles for upgrades to first class so they can make their miserable travel just a little less miserable.
I once had a multi-leg international flight where I had to spend 10 hours at Heathrow airport - when I made my connection in DC, a passenger standing in the check-in line was *yelling* at me because I was in the first class line and didnt have to wait. She had no idea that I had spent more of that day in airport agony then she would the entire year.
Its always the people who travel less that complain the loudest. - Flipdawg27, on 06/19/2008, -0/+17That's easy to say after the fact. There was a time when hijackers wouldn't necessarily crash planes they tookover, so much as divert them to alternate locations. That phenomenon wasn't the assumption at the time, so people wouldn't want to risk a stab wound at 20,000 feet. Of course these days... I completely agree.
- CrazyChair, on 07/21/2008, -0/+16Hehe I got all that on my first visit to the US. I can't believe the fingerprinting and retinal scan...
On my first visit to Canada, I was pulled aside at customs, and they searched through all my luggage (including my phone) and asked me a bunch of really specific questions about my holiday (stuff I hadn't even planned ahead for yet). They even swabbed my toothbrush for drug residue or something. Then they waved me through. On my second visit to the same airport, they couldn't care less.
I hate airports. - drunkinbda, on 06/19/2008, -6/+22lol..typical mac user. "they wipe my 'macbook pro' ... "
its a LAPTOP... if you're tellin a story about security, we dont give a ***** what model the computer is
heck even just macbook would have worked ish... - DeskFlyer, on 06/19/2008, -0/+16Canada Customs trumps American airport security in regard to the pain-in-the-ass factor.
- simg, on 06/19/2008, -4/+19it always amazes me that you can fly half way (or all the way ) round the Earth in a few hours for a few hundred dollars, you get fed and watered at 56,000 feet with in flight entertainment and people still find something to wine about ...
yes, the security is a bit of a joke, but it's better than nothing and air travel is *amazing* ... - atgmac, on 06/19/2008, -0/+15No, please explain.
- cdigioia, on 06/19/2008, -0/+15Agreed it's amazing - but our predecessors thought steamships were amazing - it's good to always want more, it stimulates progress.
And you can't get halfway around the world in a "few" hours...nor does halfway around the world ever cost a "few hundred dollars". Unless our definitions of "few" are wildly divergent. - DMCer, on 06/19/2008, -0/+14So; it's not like you can voluntarily fly them in to buildings "without" gaining access to the cockpit.
- jerbaker, on 06/19/2008, -6/+20Yay deregulation. Now I can pay less for my late flight and missed connection while I get booted from a flight I had reservations on and my luggage full of camera gear goes to Dubai and the airlines cuts me a fat check covering about 10% of the cost of the lost items. Of course, that couldn't really happen in real life because market forces would cause any airlines that lost luggage, had late flights, or overbooked their flights to go out of business ... right?
- rancor01, on 06/19/2008, -1/+15Dugg for 100% truth. I also have noticed that foreign carriers (excepting Air Canada, and Air Koryo; I think they are owned by the same parent company) are better in almost every way.. And why are American stewardesses so old and bitchy? The attendants on Korean air are H-H-H- HOT and friendly. for my flights between Dallas/Tokyo I gave up on AA. I exclusively fly JAL or Vietnam airways and I'm a lot happier now.
- emomakesmecry, on 06/19/2008, -0/+14I've been red-tagged every single flight for the past two years. That's 8 flights in total. Tell me that's a coincidence...
- llurker, on 06/19/2008, -0/+13I always carry my Victorinox pocket tool kit which includes many sharp objects. Before 9/11 I never gave it a second thought as to it being a problem when flying, to me it was like an extra set of keys and out of habit it was always in my pocket.
When going through security I would empty my pockets into the little bowl and walk through the metal detector. Each time I thought, crap I should have left that at home, there's $125 that I have to throw out. But to my surprise the security never gave me any trouble. One even complimented me on it. I guess at that time there was a limit of 6" or so the blade had to be in order to be banned from the aircraft.
But think about this, lets say 9/11 tried to happen again with nail clippers and yes, even box cutters, small knives, etc. Do you really think a plane full of people are going to allow 4 thugs with small knives to take over the plane? These idiots would be over powered by passengers and crew in seconds and likely beat up pretty badly too. I know I would be all over the terrorist beating the living ***** out of him.
To me this 'extra security' is a joke, does nothing but cause frustrations, and condition people to be subjected to unnecessary searches.
So, no I am not afraid in the least of small knives on planes. - EnjoyTheFact, on 06/19/2008, -3/+15The best chicken sandwich I ever had was on a flight to Florida.
- PeppermintPig, on 06/19/2008, -1/+12Why don't we let the airline companies handle security on their own then? Maybe then we would have a choice, where security AND good service are possible, rather than the morons and kleptocrats which the government forces upon everybody?
This is offensive and a waste of money, and it's contributing to the destruction of the airline industry. If you like the lack of service and delays now, wait until it's completely nationalized. It is a violation of a companies right to choose in a supposedly free country. Nation-wide government enacted policies and practices of security have the vulnerability of being relatively uniform: In other words, individuals in several locations can each test the security and discover the best ways of getting around it. The government's own testers have been able to easily get weapons and bomb parts through the screening, which goes to show that you get what you pay for: low wage low skilled employees with no regard or accountability for providing any semblance of friendly service, hence the term security theater. - Nadare, on 06/19/2008, -0/+11That machine basically searches for trace amounts of common bomb making chemicals, it's not the only way to detect a bomb either. If by other other stuff you mean narcotics, we do search for it but its pretty minimal, the receiving destination does a more thorough job looking for narcotics.
Any information I'm giving you can easily be put together by frequent fliers or a person waiting to board a plane observing us. - yuanzhoulu, on 06/19/2008, -0/+11especially the restrictions on taking photos in various places. they think that you get higher security by preventing people from taking photos in train stations, yet all this does is piss off tourists and let through terrorists who will now have tiny cameras that you cannot see.
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