Posted on 02/18/2005 10:42:08 AM PST by ambrose
A burst of anger spurs airport bomb scare
By Mark Arner
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
February 18, 2005
A woman trying to catch a flight to San Diego caused an emergency search of the plane when it landed at Lindbergh Field yesterday by berating security officers and saying they were incapable of finding any weapons, authorities said.
The comment kept the 46-year-old New Jersey psychiatrist from boarding the flight in Phoenix. The plane, however, took off with her luggage, prompting an emergency search of it once the plane landed here.
When the woman boarded another flight to Lindbergh Field later in the day and tried to reclaim her luggage, she learned that it had been destroyed by the Metro Arson Strike Team while checking to see whether it contained a bomb.
The woman could not be reached for comment yesterday.
The problem started with security officers at Sky Harbor Airport, where the woman was preparing to board an America West flight.
"She was unhappy about being called over for a secondary screening, and was unhappy and began berating the screener," said Phoenix police Sgt. Randy Force. "She said something to the effect of, 'If there was an item in my baggage, the security screeners probably couldn't find it.' "
Officers detained and questioned the woman, who has extensive training in crisis intervention, according to her company's Web site. When they determined her comments did not constitute a threat, they let her leave.
But she missed her flight.
Nico Melendez, a spokesman for the federal Transportation Security Administration, said the plane was permitted to fly with the woman's luggage because it had been cleared by screening devices at the Phoenix airport.
Federal regulations allow baggage on flights if it passes such screening and whether or not the passenger is traveling on the same flight, Melendez said.
Federal Security Director Michael Aguilar, in charge of Lindbergh's security, said the Federal Aviation Administration disagreed with the Phoenix police assessment. The FAA notified Aguilar that a bomb threat had been made, and he said his staff had to follow protocol by removing all baggage from the plane and rescreening it.
After landing at Lindbergh Field about 7:10 a.m., the plane taxied to a remote area of the airport. Passengers were ordered onto the runway apron, where they were put into two buses, airport officials said.
A police dog then screened the plane for explosives. Members of the region's Metro Arson Strike Team, who checked the luggage, isolated the woman's bag, a small suitcase with wheels, Harbor police said.
They X-rayed it and probed it with an explosive detector, but their findings were inconclusive. So they dunked it in water and then used a mechanical device to rip it open. They found only clothing inside.
Mark Arner: (619) 542-4556; mark.arner@uniontrib.com
Congressman Billybob
LOL! This won't help her portfolio.
Would love to have been there we she came to reclaim her stuff.
She wound up being taken out of airport in shackles, facing assault on federal officer charges (a felony, and she touched his forearm), and spent a night or so in jail. Needless to say, she missed her meeting. $15k or so later she had pretty much bought off everyone who wanted a piece of her.
Anyone who thinks this is acceptable is drinking some powerful kool-aid. This is jackboot stuff in the good ol' USofA.
I don't understand why she was allowed to get on any flight after the fuss she put up. People like this should be banned from all commercial flights. If she thinks she is so important
she can charter her own airplane and come and go as she pleases.
physician heal thyself
Crisis intervention expert. Give that woman a promotion!
Tip to all airline travellers:
Keep your sarcasm to a minimum when talking to TSA folks. Never mention anything they "wouldn't find if you had it." Just let them screen you and your bags and go on with your day.
Wisecracking in the security line will slow you down, and will slow down the people behind you as well.
The TSA security screenings aren't perfect, but they're going to happen, whether you like it or not. You'll notice that there hasn't been another hijacking in this country since 9/11. That's a good thing.
I think they destroyed her luggage because she dared point out they are incompetent.
"I happen to have a dear friend was going to miss a plane for a very important engagement and wound up drawing the pent-up ire of the TSA rentacops.
She wound up being taken out of airport in shackles, facing assault on federal officer charges (a felony, and she touched his forearm), and spent a night or so in jail.
"
There are about three paragraphs missing from your post. Why was she going to miss the plane? Was she late? What did she do at the airport?
Fill in the details, please.
ping
I wonder if she figured that her inflated opinion of herself really didn't matter to the security people. It's very obvious that her ego needs to be taken down a few pegs. All of us are subject to the same treatment, and it's not fun for any of us, BUT, after listening to people like her I'm sure glad they search them before I get on a plane with them.
"She was unhappy about being called over for a secondary screening, and was unhappy and began berating the screener," said Phoenix police Sgt. Randy Force. "She said something to the effect of, 'If there was an item in my baggage, the security screeners probably couldn't find it.' "Apparently, "Hard Harry" in Pump Up The Volume was prescient. To the TSA, the truth is a virus.Officers detained and questioned the woman, who has extensive training in crisis intervention, according to her company's Web site. When they determined her comments did not constitute a threat, they let her leave.
-Eric
Do you think that reverse psychology will be taken out of her bag of tricks?
It's very obvious that her ego needs to be taken down a few pegs.Is this the job of government these days?
All she did was state her opinion. It's my opinion that many of the "screeners" they employ today couldn't find their own backsides with both hands, a mirror, a map, and detailed instructions. Is such a view against the law now?
-Eric
Never mess with airline people, or the people who serve you your food.
Definately a bad hair day!
I agree with MineralMan.
Don't make this type of comment in an airport. Don't mention the word, "bomb", in any context.
Not even, "That stage act bombed."
Whether anyone else takes the TSA seriously, the TSA take themselves seriously. Sometimes too much so and they have the power to seriously disaccommodate you.
Never want this woman on the payroll.
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