Dear Airlines: An Oped Letter to All Air Carriers

The Sierra Times - Email ^ | 17 September, 2001 | J. J. Johnson

[brityank]

Just so you know; Philadelphia International Airport is hiring a bunch of new Security Officers for airport detail -- Starting Salary $7.00 to $7.50 per hour.
Do YOU want to trust these folks with YOUR life?

[Untouchable]

Until the Arlines are willing to run nationwide background checks on all their employees, it doesn't matter who they hire or how much they pay. The FAA can't enforce anything, they merely make suggestions. It's going to take an act of Congress to make these Airlines comply.

[Agog]

Not to worry, prospective employees must submit to tests to ensure they're drug free. Of course, at $7.00 an hour, we can probably count on them being free of good sense, judgment and intelligence too.

[Alberta's Child]

It's almost refreshing to see the airline industry go through this kind of upheaval. The notion that air travel could be affordable to almost every smelly, mouth-breathing, neanderthal Democratic voter who wants to take his family to Disney World is a joke.

When the airlines reduce their scheduled flights to about 20% of their current level, you'll find that air travel will be more expensive, and generally limited to those who have a lot of money and/or need it for business. At that point, security won't be a problem because these people will pay whatever it costs to travel safely.

[glock rocks]

any person who is a classified handgun competitor under the rules of the United States Practical Shooting Association or the International Defensive Pistol Association.

hmmm. now if i only flew...

[Untouchable]

security won't be a problem because these people will pay whatever it costs to travel safely

You seem to think that the Airlines will willingly increase prices and use the money on good security. Or, that it is best that only the upper class persons should fly. I have to assume you include yourself. You are not thinking clearly. The Airlines do not care if you are safe. They only want to make a buck. Get a clue.

[CHICAGOFARMER]

Five thousand American Citizens lost their life for the want of two thousand one hundred eight dollars.

(I will fly again when Pilots are armed)

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba6ac034145.htm

end

[CHICAGOFARMER]

Five thousand American Citizens lost their life for the want of two thousand one hundred eight dollars.

(I will fly again when Pilots are armed)

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba6ac034145.htm

end

[Thumper1960]

My fiance' flies more then 100k miles per year, on many different airlines. I can assure the airlines, and the FAA, that all she wants is to arrive at her destinations safely and on time. Just flying out this morning, her sewing kit scissors were confiscated. A fellow road warrior had his nail clippers taken. Of course, in the Air Mall, she could buy a new kit and the nail clipper confiscation "victim" bought another pair in another store.....inside the airport and past security!

Make no mistake: the flight crews and ticketing agents are on edge. One flight attendant she's seen many times on previous flights told her that her husband tries to steel her resolve to continue working, but it's hard. There's got to be a better way.

[tymesf]

You compete with a glock?

[brityank]

Of course, in the Air Mall, she could buy a new kit and the nail clipper confiscation "victim" bought another pair in another store.....inside the airport and past security!

Here in Philly they have taken all of the knives -- including the little plasic knives -- out of the secure passenger areas. That includes chef knives and anything that has a blade, no matter what size or implement it's attached to. And the blithering sheeple arew all saying they don't mind as it makes things 'safer'! Get a clue; they still let people through with ballpoint pens.

[brityank]

The FAA can't enforce anything, they merely make suggestions. It's going to take an act of Congress to make these Airlines comply.

Wake up. The airlines are already implementing every stupid idea that those faceless bureaucrats have recommended.

[Marauder]

The news is now that Brazil is allowing passengers to carry handguns. I presume there's some sort of vetting process, but I didn't catch all of it. I'm curious to see what happens with them.

[brityank]

... Brazil is allowing passengers to carry handguns.

That has been proven to be a hoax. Unfortunately for the Brazilians.

[Untouchable]

But, they still refuse to perform nationwide background checks on their employees.

[brityank]

If the aircrews and CCW holders were allowed to carry, you wouldn't need the stupid background checks. Even with those checks, people have been hired that should not have been because of snafus and mistakes in paperwork.

[Thumper1960]

Ballpoint pens, shoulder straps that could be used as a garrote, rubber chicken in in-flight meals.

The list is endless!

Philly International really never impressed me in the security, though. Most of them seemed to rather be somewhere else than scanning luggage.

[Mulder]

Excellent article. It makes a lot of sense.

[Untouchable]

If the aircrews and CCW holders were allowed to carry, you wouldn't need the stupid background checks

Who's to say that one of the CCW carriers or crew isn't a terrorist? What are we going to have? A shoot-out in the cabin? It is better to think of solutions that are plausible.

[max61]

The same morons who run the FAA and airport security are the same morons who adminstrate the school system. Why would you expect rationality from a bureaucratic moron?. Why would any rational person expect the new government security guidelines to be followed any better than the previous guidelines?. Sooner or later, people will figure out that the government is the problem, and not the solution.

---max