• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home  >  TSA  >  Latest TSA Antics Further Impugn Their Credibility
TSA

Latest TSA Antics Further Impugn Their Credibility

Matthew Klint Posted onDecember 27, 2010 Leave a Comment

So much for whistleblower protection…

The mission of the TSA is to "protect the Nation’s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce." You would think that when someone brings to their attention a security flaw, they would be grateful. But plainly the TSA doesn’t take kindly to those that fail to parrot the party line.

A pilot, whose name and airline have not been released, was deputized by the TSA to carry a handgun in the cockpit as a Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO). The FFDO program is run by the TSA’s Federal Air Marshal Service and was created after 9/11 with the goal of allowing select pilots of commercial airline flights to carry firearms.

In a series of six videos posted on YouTube (now removed), the pilot highlights the irony of allowing ground crew to access secure areas of airports with the swipe of the card while pilots and flight attendants must go through standard TSA screening. In one his videos he states "As you can see, airport security is kind of a farce. It’s only smoke and mirrors so you people believe there is actually something going on here."

That was apparently a bad choice of words. Within days of the videos appearing on YouTube, federal agents stormed his house in Sacramento and demanded he relinquish his firearm and California-issued permit to carry a concealed weapon.

An investigation is currently underway.

A couple of points merit mentioning. First, he filmed his video clips at SFO, where airport security is run by a private company. Second, SFO officials have vociferously protested, claiming the pilot’s clips are misleading and the employees were merely accessing an employee break area, not a sensitive area.

Both points should fail to persuade you. First, although SFO security is run by a private company, it is closely supervised by the TSA and follows the same protocols that the TSA does. Second, SFO officials have not denied that ground employees are able to avoid security screenings by simply swiping a card to access a secure area.

This is yet another story that illustrates that the TSA and DHS are more concerned with their own image and power than actually keeping us safe from those who would do us harm.

I leave you with this, the definition of terrorism:

S: (n) terrorism, act of terrorism, terrorist act (the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear)

Think about it…

Previous Article Departing on My Asia Award Trip Today!
Next Article Review: Park Hyatt Washington D.C.

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

  • United Airlines Now Offering Easy TSA PreCheck Enrollment In Denver

    August 17, 2023
  • TSA Abolish ID Checks

    The Points Guy Calls TSA Relatively Unskilled, Is He Wrong?

    May 28, 2023
  • TSA Pranks Traveler By Making Him To Do “The Robot”

    May 10, 2023

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for September

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Capital One Venture X Business Card
Earn 150,000 Miles Sign Up Bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 60,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • Airport Codes Jeopardy
    Fun: “U.S. Capital Airport Codes” On Jeopardy! September 27, 2023
  • Pathetic: Another No-Notice Delta SkyMiles Devaluation On Redemption Side September 27, 2023
  • Flight Attendant Dead Philadelphia Marriott
    Death Of American Airlines Flight Attendant Leaves More Questions Than Answers September 27, 2023
  • Naughty British Airways Pilot
    British Airways Pilot Boasts Of Being “A Very Naughty Boy” During Wild Layover September 27, 2023

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Lufthansa Panorma Lounge Review
    Review: Lufthansa Panorama Lounge Frankfurt (FRA) September 25, 2023
  • Hyatt Place Frankfurt Airport Review
    Review: Hyatt Place Frankfurt Airport September 25, 2023
  • Pervert American Airlines Flight Attendant
    Update: Teenage Girl Found Hidden Camera On American Airlines Aircraft Toilet (Photo) September 18, 2023
  • Dine And Dash Shame
    Genius: Florida Restaurant Owner Shames “Dine And Dash” Customers September 6, 2023

Archives

September 2023
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  
« Aug    

As seen on:

facebook twitter instagram rss

Privacy Policy

© Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.