• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
  • Advertising Disclosure
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
  • Advertising Disclosure
Home  >  News • TSA  >  As it Considers a Makeover, TSA Lets Man Slip Onto Plane with Three Box Cutters
NewsTSA

As it Considers a Makeover, TSA Lets Man Slip Onto Plane with Three Box Cutters

Matthew Klint Posted onMarch 3, 2011 Leave a Comment

Washington, DC is my favorite city in America and other than family and friends, that is the thing (well, place) I miss most as I enter my third month in Germany. DC is a bustling city filled with great restaurants, beautiful architecture, rich history, and all-you-can-eat politics. As a member of the American Bar Association, I received an invitation to hear Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John Pistole speak at the Capital Hilton in downtown Washington, DC earlier this week. Sadly, all I can do is report back what he said:

If we want to continue to ensure the secure freedom of movement for people and commerce across this great nation and around the world, there are solutions that go beyond the one-size-fits-all system…Everyone is familiar with the current system in place that screens nearly everyone the same way…My vision is to accelerate TSA’s evolution into a truly risk-based, intelligence-driven organization in every way.

I still have severe reservations with the federal government requiring passengers to submit to background checks in order to be deemed "trusted" when traveling internally within the United States, but the system is broken and maybe this will be a temporary patch until we become courageous enough to honestly reassess the airport security model in America. Recall that a TSA trusted traveler program is an idea that dates back many years.

The security framework we have in place today is broken. While we have not experienced a terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9.11, I think it is reasonable and accurate to say that the TSA shares no credit for this. Last week, I blogged about full body scanners failing to detect a handgun in Dallas and this week we see that the TSA at JFK was apparently asleep on the job.

A man flying on JetBlue from JFK to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic was asked to stow his carry-on bag while the aircraft was still on the ground in New York. As he lifted his bag up, out dropped three box cutters. A shocked FA alerted the captain, who called in authorities to question the man. Turns out he was just an industrial worker from Jersey City who wasn’t aware the box cutters were in his bag. He was released and even made it to the Dominican Republic, but the flight was delayed by more than three hours, costing JetBlue and its passengers valuable time and money

The TSA released the following statement:

TSA continues to review the circumstances under which prohibited items were discovered on a plane at JFK International Airport on Saturday. TSA takes this matter very seriously and we can assure travelers that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken and remedial training will occur for the officers involved. There have been a number of additional security layers implemented on aircraft since 9/11 that would prevent someone from causing catastrophic damage with small cutting devices. They include the possible presence of armed federal air marshals, hardened cockpit doors, armed pilots, flight crews trained in self-defense and a vigilant traveling public who have demonstrated a willingness to intervene.‬

To some extent, I think the TSA’s response is quite appropriate. If you read it closely, they essentially admit that it’s not them that will ultimately protect Americans from another hijacking attempt, but items like hardened cockpit doors and "a vigilant traveling public who have demonstrated a willingness to intervene." That’s nice to hear from an organization that has taken far too much credit in the past for the lack of a successful terrorist attack in America over the last nine years.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: perfect security is impossible and the game of security theater we are playing now is counterproductive. Let’s see how Pistole roles out this new security program. Conceding it is fraught with unresolved issues, it will still probably be better than the mess we have now.

Previous Article Ryanair Slams Airline Fuel Surcharges
Next Article Continental Eliminates Free Snacks in Economy Class

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • Catering Improvements Move Forward On United Airlines, Despite Quarterly Loss

    March 16, 2023
  • united require vaccine

    United Airlines CEO Explains Unexpected Quarterly Loss

    March 15, 2023
  • Villa Kennedy To Reopen As Luxury Hotel In Frankfurt

    March 11, 2023

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Recent Posts

  • Avianca 787-8 Business Class Review
    Review: Avianca 787-8 Business Class March 20, 2023
  • Color Blind Pilot Sues United Airlines For Firing Him March 20, 2023
  • Ryanair Twitter
    Ryanair Savagely Trolls Passenger On Twitter March 20, 2023
  • hyatt all-inclusive hyatt zilara rose hall
    Hyatt Acquisition Provides Hints About All-Inclusive Future March 19, 2023

Categories

Popular Posts

  • American Airlines unaccompanied Minor Predator
    American Airlines Flight Attendant Freaks Out After Man Offers His First Class Seat To Child February 25, 2023
  • United Airlines Polaris Lounge Chicago Review
    Review: United Polaris Lounge Chicago (ORD) February 21, 2023
  • Bankman-Fried Alaska Airlines
    Poor Sam Bankman-Fried “Downgrades” From American Airlines Business Class To Alaska Airlines First Class February 20, 2023
  • There’s A Pilot In My Seat! February 21, 2023

Archives

March 2023
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Feb    

As seen on:

live_and_lets_fly

The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles is the most beautiful of all Polaris Lounges. Stay tuned for a detailed look and many more photos on the blog tomorrow. Well done @united.
@malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire i @malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire its A380 fleet. While not surprising, it is sad to see the growing list of carriers retiring this superjumbo jet. On Malaysia Airlines, I flew the #A380 once from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to London (LHR) and had the entire first class cabin to myself (full review on the blog). It was a beautiful flight that I will always remember.
Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited tha Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited that a new carrier, Avelo, has launched, especially from an airport just 12 minutes from my home!
I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxair I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxairport. Hopefully this summer it will return.

.
.
.
.
#Lufthansa #FirstClass #747 #747-8 #StarAlliance #Miles #Points
I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. This is not only a lovely, all-inclusive resort, but one of the best properties to use your @hyatt World of Hyatt points.
.
.
.
.
#Hyatt #BigSur #California #WorldofHyatt #CA-1 #Points #Hotels
In terms of a spacious first class product, the @E In terms of a spacious first class product, the @Emirates suite on a 777-300ER is hard to beat. My preference is Suite 2K.

.
.
.
.
#Emirates #777 #firstclass
Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from I Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from Instagram ahead of the birth of my first child. Goodness, how time flies. While I’ve enjoyed catching up on others over the years, now it is time for me to return to Instagram. In this first post, I highlight two joys in my life, my two children, whom I trust will grow up to be prolific travelers that circumnavigate the globe as ambassadors of love and respect.

.
.
.
.
.

#travel #airplanes #airlines #miles #points #familytravel #human #integrity #honor
United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improv United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improvement over UA's current business class seat. Check out my blog at liveandletsfly.com for 70+ photos of how @united is transforming its entire business class experience starting this December!
The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben! The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben!
Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen - Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen -- oh, and I love 40°F summer weather!
One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure of flying with in all my years of flying. Thank you @flysas SK940 on 11 Aug 2016
Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I a Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I assign a window seat months in advance, don't move me to a center seat "for my convenience" with no way to get my original seat back... 😞
Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be rac Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be racing the #Delta flight to JFK at the gate next to us, which also departs at 12:45p. With @onemileatatime
Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregenc Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregencycasablanca #cassablanca #hyatt
Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the i Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the inside of the @grandhyatt_shanghai ... It is 40°C outside! 😓
From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minut From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minutes flat. I ❤️ #bur #burbankairport
@malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in se @malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in service at #kul -- beautiful livery!
View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful bran View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful brand new @parkhyattguangzhou -- look for a full review coming soon on the blog #hyatt #parkhyatt #guangzhou #parkhyattguangzhou
Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, which closes tomorrow and the Queen of the Skies #747 which will be retired in 2018.
The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. If you're ever here, get up at 5am and have a walk around the city before it gets busy. You can hear the birds instead of honking horns.
Load More... Follow on Instagram
facebook twitter instagram rss

This site is for entertainment purposes only. The owner of this site is not an investment advisor, financial planner, nor legal or tax professional and articles here are of an opinion and general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances.

 

Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. Outside of banner ads published through the Boarding Area network, this compensation does not impact how and where products appear on this site. While we do try to list all the best miles and points deals, the site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners.

 

Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.