PDX (Portland airport) Concourses A,B,C closed: Suspicious device found

KGWN News (Local TV) | January 5, 2004 | nwrep

[nwrep]

Suspicious device found in terminal. A,B,C serve Alaska, NW and Southwest.

Developing.

[tubavil]

How many pilots does it take to fly a NW plane?

Two and a fifth.

[California74]

KGW says the concourses have reopened, but I am not subscribed so I can't view the story.

http://www.kgw.com/

PDX airport reopens after suspicious package scare

[Inspectorette]

PDX has a reputation for its stormtrooper-mentality TSA employees

True. I got jacked up there last year: we had already gone through security to our gate, but had so much time before our flight, we decided to go back to the main terminal to check out the shops. (There are some GREAT stores there: Pendleton, Made in Oregon, Norm Thompson). We brought our drivers' licenses, boarding passes, and credit cards with us.

When we came back through, I set off the alarm. I tried to explain that I had been through there 30 minutes before, but to no avail. Turned out it was my shoes! When I asked why I didn't trigger the alarm the first time through, they explained that the scanners are NOT ALL CALIBRATED UNIFORMLY!!

Gee, that sure bolstered my confidence about the accuracy of the system. Can anyone say "Richard Reid?:"

[Eala]

Terminal serves NW Airlines. Suspicious object likely was an unopened bottle of Jim Beam.....

I fly a lot on NWA. What is it I should know...?

[Redcloak]

I'm prepared. Showered and ready for anything!

[xjcsa]

Oh, you were here 30 minutes ago? Well then go ahead; I'm sure in 30 minutes there's no way you could have gotten ahold of anything illegal...it would take WAY longer than that to have your friend hand you a gun, grenade, or knife. Just walk on through; no need to screen you at all. Anyone who's gone through any checkpoint in the last two weeks is still fine, as long as you promise you won't do anything bad.

By the way, Richard Reid's shoes did not contain metal.

</a**hole> (sorry, just making a point...security checkpoints do not operate on the honor system...)

[FBD]

A while back, some NWA pilots were arrested for being drunk. They were scheduled to fly that day, I don't recall the details...

[Bush Cheney]

Keep us informed.

[BagCamAddict]

The suspicious item, which was described as looking "like an explosive device", was determined by the bomb squad to NOT be an explosive device. The passenger was detained for questioning, then taken elsewhere for further questioning. Terminals reopened after approx. 1 hour 40 minutes.

[BagCamAddict]

Here's the article:

PDX Airport reopens after suspicious package causes scare
08:20 PM PST on Monday, January 5, 2004

By JIM PARKER, kgw.com Staff

A passenger's baggage that reportedly contained explosives residue prompted the closure of three out of five airport concourses at Portland International Airport for over an hour and a half on Monday, officials said.
The concourses were reopened about 5:30 p.m. after investigtors "cleared" a "suspicious package," said airport spokeswoman Elisa Dozono.

Officers with the Portland Police Bureau's Bomb Squad were dispatched to the airport to examine the bag. While it had tested positive for explosives residue at a security checkpoint, officials said a search of the item turned up no explosive devices.

Concourses A, B and C were shut down as a result of the discovery while the bomb squad investigated, authorities said. Two concourses on the opposite side of the airport, D & E, were not impacted.

At the time of the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration said a "security issue" had prompted indefinate delays to some incoming and outgoing flights from the airport.

Alaska and Horizon airlines operate out of concourse A, while carriers Frontier, Northwest and Southwest all operate out of concourse B. Several of those airlines reported flight delays on Monday evening as a result of the incident.

[JustPiper]

I guess we will find out.

Not necessarily true and you know that because of your tag ;)

[JustPiper]

Ping!

[JustPiper]

End of story right?

No more to be heard...

Under the carpet like the Hazmat SOS at the Capitol

[Inspectorette]

With all due respect, I think you missed my point: I had gone through the security checkpoint 30 minutes earlier with no problem. The point is that the scanners, so I was told, are not all calibrated the same. (Not that it matters, but I'm a grandmother in my 50's.)

[JohnnyZ]

Oregon, I assume?

The real Portland is PWM.

[BagCamAddict]

I heard a blurb on the news last night that said the guy tested positive for Nitro Glycerine, but that upon questioning, he didn't seem to be a problem. Also, that the "device" was something used for Christening babies. They don't know why he tested positive for Nitro, and he was released.

[tracer]

Only that whenever a news story emerges involving an intoxicated pilot, it's almost always one working for Northwest.....

[tracer]

"Terminal serves NW Airlines. Suspicious object likely was an unopened bottle of Jim Beam.....'

No they found it in the terminal not the cockpit.

Exactly. And you think that a missing NWA pilot is not a cause for concern?? 8~)

[DannyTN]

"Exactly. And you think that a missing NWA pilot is not a cause for concern?? 8~)"

I trust (perhaps mistakenly) that they have done background checks on all of our pilots.

But you could be right. Perhaps there is a missing NWA pilot. Did anybody check the guy puking his guts out in the restroom? Or perhaps it's that guy passed out under the newspaper who's taking up three seats?

[tracer]

Or both.....