Man boards plane at IAH with loaded gun in carry-on

[CainA]

I haven't seen this posted yet, so here it is:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?secti ... le-7848683" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I love this line:
"Authorities tell ABC News the incident is not uncommon,..."

Wow, that's scary!

-Cain

[A-R]

"The failure rate approaches 70% at some airports."



Maybe if you stopped groping passengers and PAY ATTENTION to the monitors!!!!!

[Scott in Houston]

I saw that report this morning. They also said the TSA has been tested by other govt agencies with bringing on knives, guns, and bomb parts. The result showed a 70% failure rate!!! (edit: I was typing while the above was posted. Sorry for repeating this fact)

I travel about 120K miles/year. I have for 15 years, and I've always thought I could easily, if I wanted to, sneak on a weapon of almost any kind once you learn how these people screen and how incompetent they are.

I once, pre-9/11 flew to dallas with a duffle bag full of shotgun shells. 10 shells made it to Dallas.
I also once flew to Columbus, Ohio and back to Houston (post 9/11) with a large, what my wife calls, "OJ Simpson knife".
When I unpacked it, I think I turned sheet white. I literally felt light-headed at the thought of what could have happened had they found it.
Needless to say, now I have a separate bag for hunting that never flies anywhere!

[hirundo82]

Maybe if you stopped groping passengers and PAY ATTENTION to the monitors!!!!!

I don't think they get it. From the story (emphasis mine):

A TSA spokesperson says the agency has conducted an investigation, saying remedial training was provided to the security officers involved in the incident. Advanced imaging technology and more stringent pat downs have also since been implemented.

[Crossfire]

Really? We got booted out of line for a tube of toothpaste.

If we had just hid it in a Glock, guess it would have been fine!

[Thomas]

Really? We got booted out of line for a tube of toothpaste.

If we had just hid it in a Glock, guess it would have been fine!

Now that you mention it, I think that most banned items are of the personal care nature. Maybe this whole thing is just a conspiracy that TSA does not want us to be clean or well groomed.

[VMI77]

Maybe if you stopped groping passengers and PAY ATTENTION to the monitors!!!!!

I don't think they get it. From the story (emphasis mine):

A TSA spokesperson says the agency has conducted an investigation, saying remedial training was provided to the security officers involved in the incident. Advanced imaging technology and more stringent pat downs have also since been implemented.

I don't believe the groping has anything to do with "safety" or finding weapons. You really believe they think 70 year old women are hiding weapons under their breasts, or that Americans are boarding planes with weapons strapped to their children or explosives in their baby formula? You think the TSA seriously believes Americans are going to board a plane with their children and then blow it up? If that is a realistic possibility then it is already game over.

At best, the TSA is security theater, but I think other purposes are conditioning and making money for the politically connected selling "security" and all the paraphernalia that goes with it, like big expensive scanners. The metal detector market was saturated, so now we've got scanners. As a bonus, they've conditioned a large part of the population to being scanned and groped to ease acceptance when they starting rolling the new scanners out at bus and train stations and shopping malls.

[Dave2]

From the article:

A person briefed on the latest tests tells ABC News the failure rate approaches 70 percent at some major airports. Two weeks ago, TSA's new director said every test gun, bomb part or knife got past screeners at some airports.

"Look, this is simply human error," Conway said. "When something like this happens, it's human error. I mean, these folks are doing the best job they can."

A 70% failure rate is the best they can do? Seriously?!? Taco Bell has higher standards!

[CainA]

Approaching 70%? Does that mean it is <70% as in 60-something %? They should only charge ~70% of all the extra security fees based on that.

-Cain

[Scott in Houston]

A 70% failure rate is the best they can do? Seriously?!? Taco Bell has higher standards!

Taco Bell is the private sector. Of course they're more efficient. TSA is government. Is anyone surprised?

[Cobra Medic]

Based on their competence, are these really people we trust to use radiation on ovaries, testes and fetuses?

[Cobra Medic]

At best, the TSA is security theater, but I think other purposes are conditioning and making money for the politically connected selling "security" and all the paraphernalia that goes with it, like big expensive scanners. The metal detector market was saturated, so now we've got scanners. As a bonus, they've conditioned a large part of the population to being scanned and groped to ease acceptance when they starting rolling the new scanners out at bus and train stations and shopping malls.

Experts agree.

'How many times in the history of aviation have the scanners and security procedures that currently cause such huge anger and inconvenience actually found explosives in baggage or on a passenger?' Sela asks.

The answer, shockingly, is zero.

[Dan20703]

I recently boarded a plane with a folding knife (Buck Hunter, 3.75" blade) in my computer bag. Forgot about putting it in my checked luggage and discovered it as I was looking for my boarding pass at the gate. Of course I never said a word and just made a mental note to double check the bag before each flight. I would have hated to lose that knife.

[Kawabuggy]

What really gets me is that if the "screening" is so poor at finding these items, then what is the point? They are inconveniencing all of us by making us wait in long lines, and then practically disrobing us to get through the check points, and then we find out that 70% of the time they ARE NOT FINDING those things that can harm, or kill, us? That is absurd.

Are we doing the screening in the hopes that it will simply deter people from trying? Apparently the success rate of actually finding banned items is so low as to be a joke so why else would we even be subjected to it....?

[surprise_i'm_armed]

TSA = Thousands Standing Around.

SIA