Posted on 02/22/2002 8:38:59 PM PST by Timesink
I flew through JFK Terminal 9 last Monday on American Eagle. I was supposed to be flying LHR-JFK-PIT-ORD and had an E-ticket receipt issued on AA stock giving the ticket number. I arrived at the checkpoint (after clearing customs) at around 345pm for a 415pm flight and was shocked to see a handwritten sign on the ID checker's podium saying "TIPS ARE APPRECIATED". I made a comment that that was not an appropriate thing to display, at which time Mr. Herbert Silva of Worldwide Flight Services (the security contractor) told me that my documents were not in order and that I would not be allowed to go through his checkpoint. He said that "E-Tickets are not valid on American Eagle". I am not certain if his attitude was due to ignorance, or in resentment of my comments about his sign. I immediately asked to see the GSC (Ground Security Co-ordinator) running the checkpoint. He arrogantly told me that there was "no such thing as a GSC" and that I needed to move or he would have me arrested. I stood my ground and demanded to see the GSC. He refused and called one of the National Guard over to remove me. I calmly explained that I was waiting for the GSC and the Guardsman backed me up, telling Mr. Silva to fetch either the GSC or his supervisor. He said that he would do so "in a few minutes". I waited 21 minutes at the checkpoint, announcing every 5 minutes how long I had been waiting, before Mr. Silva finally left to fetch his supervisor. She arrived at 413pm and I explained my situation and told her that I was waiting for the GSC. Her response was that the GSC was "not available right now". I told her that if the GSC was not physically present at the checkpoint, FAA regulations required that the checkpoint be shutdown and the terminal evacuated, so perhaps she would like to reconsider her answer. She hastily reworded it to say that the GSC was "in a meeting with a FAA inspector". I immediately pulled out my business card (which gives my profession as an Aviation Consultant) and told her to go hand it to the FAA inspector saying that I would like to meet with HIM instead of the GSC. She was very flustered by now and wandered away. She returned at 422pm saying that the GSC had allegedly cleared my passage through the checkpoint. By now, I had missed my flight so I called AA and got myself rerouted on a JFK-BOS-ORD flight that got me into Chicago 2 hours late. Fortunately, the AA staff were very co-operative about the whole thing and went out of their way to help me out once they heard the details of the incident. I am curious as to WHO at AA I should write to about this. A contractor who unilaterally invents incorrect rules and solicits gratuities in a security screening function is completely unacceptable and reflects poorly on American Airlines.
They learned how to be good government employees REAL FAST, didn't they? Have any other Freeper flyers noticed such "tip jars" around airport security checkpoints?
(Note I'm not the author of this. Simply the messenger.)
Welcome to Mexico. Grease my palm and the doors will open Amigo. That's the way a lot of things work in third world nations. Isn't it great to watch as your nation is turned into one.
Check the third/largest paragraph and see who's in charge of the 'Federal Bureau of Airport Security'.
After her flight was canceled, she was re-booked on US Scareways and arrived at the gate minutes before departure. She was subjected to a gate security screening. While the screener conducting the wanding and pat-down -- making sure my wife was faciing away from her belongings, another "security" agent removed their "tip" from her purse. When she arrived at CLT and went to purchase something to drink, she discovered all her cash was gone.
The airline took a report and told her to contact the firm they pay for security, Globe. It is all but impossible to call them.
Our experience has been that airlines are very complacent toward their contract carriers and other contracted services. Especially when it comes to sheeple service, they simply could care less.
Never turn your back on a security screener!
I stayed in a beautiful Resort and drinking in all the warmth and sun when I noticed that there were cops literally everywhere armed with riot guns.
Since weapons are a good thing in my view, I was pleased at this. The more guns the better.
This one cop catches me on the end of the beach and (accidentally) points at me with his shotgun and says "peso"
I had a couple of beers and honestly couldn't care less so I just ignored him, but the thought of people in power asking for a tip just struck me as an abuse that shouldn't be tolerated.
It's not the asking so much.. I mean everyone there was panhandling practically it's the thought that that person might use their position to squash dissent or compel a contribution that's chilling. I mean, imagine being stopped for speeding and the cops asks you for a tip?
That's the perception and this screener should be fired immediately.
Should Be.. but since we "Federalized" (read unionized) them I bet there is no way to remove this person.
Actually, I would perfer Barney to those clowns. He was just as inept, but Barney was totally honest and without corruption. He took his job very seriously and you wouldn't catch him accepting a "tip" noooo sir.
Barney Fife, the butt of all Law Enforcement jokes till the end of the age had more professionalism in his little finger than these clowns have in their whole body.
That's quite a statement actually.
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