TSA Security Directive SD-1544-09-06 : The Fallout From NW253
27/12/2009 – TSA Security Directive SD-1544-09-06 : The Fallout From NW253
Following the failed Christmas Day terrorist attack on Delta Air Lines Flight 253, operated by Northwest Airlines, from Amsterdam to Detroit, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has created a series of security measures in reaction to the incident.
Earlier today I wrote about Flight NW253 here, 27/12/2009 – Northwest Airlines Flight 253 : Myths & Facts.
The following is the complete text of the US DHS security directive as implemented by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
I post this text with no commentary or
opinion; it is posted in its entirety as fact for you to better
understand what is currently occurring in the realm of international
aviation security.
Happy Flying & remember to use the lavatory 61 minutes prior to arrival in the US from overseas
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Transportation Security Administration
Transportation Security Administration
Aviation Security Directive
Subject: Security Directive
Number: SD 1544-09-06
Date: December 25, 2009
Number: SD 1544-09-06
Date: December 25, 2009
EXPIRATION: 0200Z on December 30, 2009
This Security
Directive (SD) must be implemented immediately. The measures contained
in this SD are in addition to all other SDs currently in effect for your
operations.
INFORMATION: On
December 25, 2009, a terrorist attack was attempted against a flight
traveling to the United States. TSA has identified security measures to
be implemented by airports, aircraft operators, and foreign air carriers
to mitigate potential threats to flights.
APPLICABILITY: THIS SD
APPLIES TO AIRCRAFT OPERATORS THAT CARRY OUT A SECURITY PROGRAM
REGULATED UNDER 49 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR)1544.101(a).
ACTIONS REQUIRED: If
you conduct scheduled and/or public charter flight operations under a
Full Program under 49 CFR 1544.101(a) departing from any foreign
location to the United States (including its territories and
possessions), you must immediately implement all measures in this SD for
each such flight.
1. BOARDING GATE
1. The aircraft
operator or authorized air carrier representative must ensure all
passengers are screened at the boarding gate during the boarding process
using the following procedures. These procedures are in addition to the
screening of all passengers at the screening checkpoint.
1. Perform thorough pat-down of all passengers at boarding gate prior to boarding, concentrating on upper legs and torso.
2. Physically inspect 100 percent of all passenger accessible property at the boarding gate prior to boarding, with focus on syringes being transported along with powders and/or liquids.
3. Ensure the liquids, aerosols, and gels restrictions are strictly adhered to in accordance with SD 1544-06-02E.
2. Physically inspect 100 percent of all passenger accessible property at the boarding gate prior to boarding, with focus on syringes being transported along with powders and/or liquids.
3. Ensure the liquids, aerosols, and gels restrictions are strictly adhered to in accordance with SD 1544-06-02E.
2. During the boarding
process, the air carrier may exempt passengers who are Heads of State
or Heads of Government from the measures outlined in Section I.A. of
this SD, including the following who are traveling with the Head of
State or Head of Government:
1. Spouse and children, or
2. One other individual (chosen by the Head of State or Head of Government)
2. One other individual (chosen by the Head of State or Head of Government)
3. For the purposes of Section I.B., the following definitions apply:
1. Head of State: An
individual serving as the chief public representative of a monarchic or
republican nation-state, federation, commonwealth, or any other
political state (for example, King, Queen, and President).
2. Head of Government:
The chief officer of the executive branch of a government presiding
over a cabinet (for example, Prime Minister, Premier, President, and
Monarch).
2. IN FLIGHT
1. During flight, the aircraft operator must ensure that the following procedures are followed:
1. Passengers must remain in seats beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
2. Passenger access to carry-on baggage is prohibited beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
3. Disable aircraft-integrated passenger communications systems and services (phone, internet access services, live television programming, global positioning systems) prior to boarding and during all phases of flight.
4. While over U.S. airspace, flight crew may not make any announcement to passengers concerning flight path or position over cities or landmarks.
5. Passengers may not have any blankets, pillows, or personal belongings on the lap beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
2. Passenger access to carry-on baggage is prohibited beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
3. Disable aircraft-integrated passenger communications systems and services (phone, internet access services, live television programming, global positioning systems) prior to boarding and during all phases of flight.
4. While over U.S. airspace, flight crew may not make any announcement to passengers concerning flight path or position over cities or landmarks.
5. Passengers may not have any blankets, pillows, or personal belongings on the lap beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
AIRCRAFT OPERATOR
ACKNOWLEDGMENT: The aircraft operator must immediately provide written
confirmation to its assigned PSI indicating receipt of this SD.
AIRCRAFT OPERATOR
dissemination required: The aircraft operator must immediately pass the
information and directives set forth in this SD to all stations
affected, and provide written confirmation to its PSI, indicating that
all stations affected have acknowledged receipt of the information and
directives set forth in this SD. The aircraft operator must disseminate
this information to its senior management personnel, ground security
coordinators, and supervisory security personnel at all affected
locations. All aircraft operator personnel implementing this SD must be
briefed by the aircraft operator on its content and the restrictions
governing dissemination. No other dissemination may be made without
prior approval of the Assistant Secretary for the Transportation
Security Administration. Unauthorized dissemination of this document or
information contained herein is prohibited by 49 CFR Part 1520 (see 69
Fed. Reg. 28066 (May 18, 2004).
APPROVAL OF
ALTERNATIVE MEASURES: With respect to the provisions of this SD, as
stated in 49 CFR 1544.305(d), the aircraft operator may submit in
writing to its PSI proposed alternative measures and the basis for
submitting the alternative measures for approval by the Assistant
Administrator for Transportation Sector Network Management. The aircraft
operator must immediately notify its PSI whenever any procedure in this
SD cannot be carried out by a government authority charged with
performing security procedures.
FOR TSA ACTION ONLY:
The TSA must issue this SD immediately to the corporate security element
of all affected U.S. aircraft operators.
FOR STATE DEPARTMENT:
Retransmittal to appropriate foreign posts is authorized. Post must
refer to STATE 162917, 201826Z Sep 01, Subject: FAA Security Directives
and Information Circulars: Definitions and Handling, for specific
guidance and dissemination.
Gale Rossides
Acting Administrator
Acting Administrator
Seriously? These rules are not only absolutely draconian but are going to end up putting business out of business & people out of their jobs. Welcome to making air travel absolutely uncomfortable. There comes a time when the people need to speak up and make their voices heard that a government does not have the right to decide what their citizens do or think. If they believe that removing WiFi inflight will make us safer, they are sorely mistaken. Blankets on someone one hour prior to landing, are you kidding me? That is going to make US as the traveling public safer, really?
How about the TSA implement explosive screening at their checkpoints along with cargo and checked bags first. THAT will make us safer.
Things that make NO SENSE:
3. Disable aircraft-integrated passenger communications systems and services (phone, internet access services, live television programming, global positioning systems) prior to boarding and during all phases of flight.
4. While over U.S. airspace, flight crew may not make any announcement to passengers concerning flight path or position over cities or landmarks.
5. Passengers may not have any blankets, pillows, or personal belongings on the lap beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
Slowly but surely people’s civil rights will be violated freely by those who think they have power.
3. Disable aircraft-integrated passenger communications systems and services (phone, internet access services, live television programming, global positioning systems) prior to boarding and during all phases of flight.
So now instead, on this huge ass rock with, I don’t know, say 6.5 billion people if one little insignificant human does something destructive from our perspective, all the brainwashed sheep overreact by dealing with it on a GLOBAL scale.
Here’s an analogy to help illustrate the idiocracy that is the modern people. If you were to apply this same logic consistently accross all facets of life, than….well remember when that flock of birds accidentally managed to get sucked into the engine of that plane in New York and the pilot did some kind of James Bond landing and saved the day?
Well if there was any consistency to the above logic, than there would have already been a world-wide movement to rid the sky of all the fuckin birds! haaahaaa
30 years from now, people will look at how much economic damage TSA did to the US and ask themselves why we let it happen.
“Unauthorized dissemination of this document or information contained herein is prohibited by 49 CFR Part 1520 (see 69 Fed. Reg. 28066 (May 18, 2004).”
Shh!!!!
I wonder if the TSA officers at the customs checkpoint will refuse to tell you what city you’ve ended up in.
I think the extra pat downs and searches are a good idea – it might help them find some clue – they certainly don’t have much at the moment.
What’s next ? reporting to a pre-boarding centre to be strip searched and dressed in paper suits, blindfolded and handcuffed..?
Until they actually do security like they should meaning profiling – be it psychological or accent or where the passengers are from, we will be on a merry go round which isnt too merry. People are frustrated with security because they know TSA is going after the wrong people so they could play the PC game. Well bleep PC!
Happy Flying!
-Fish
Happy Flying!
-Fish
These rules are absolutely ridiculous and will not make anyone one bit safer — definately inconvenienced and probably less safer…..
What needs to be done, as distasteful as it seems to the basic American principles, is to use profiling, be it ethnic, behaviors, travel patterns, ect rather than having old white women, small children and the obviously non-terrorist travelers have to comply to such procedures.
What happens if someone decides to sneak contraband onboard in his anal cavity? Do we all have to undergo an anal cavity search?
What about all of the diabetics that must have their insulin and needles with them all the time?? do they stop travel now?? what happens if a baby has to get a diaper change?? are we all to smell and hear a screaming child for the last hour of flight?? should that child suffer as well??
Ya they won.. and they will continue to do these type of things.. its easy, and it pays off their efforts with big returns.. This is the civil version of an IED and the traveling public is the target..
“The Terrorists” are TSA. They take away are freedom and imprison us in our seats while telling us it is for our own good and treating us like children. F them.
One can only think that the TSA assumes that terrorists want to blow up airliners over populated areas to achieve maximum fatalities.Now they will limit their activity to blowing up airlines two or three or four hours out.
Stopping maps showing where we are is asinine as most of us can look out the window or at our watch during a flight and know roughly where we are.
The issue is in third world countries and slack airline employees.
The Nigerian government says this guy entered the country unknown to them
and yet they let him board a plane when they knew his name was on a local of turned men.
The booking agent who accepted cash should have red flagged this guy.
Northwest security in Nigeria should have stopped him boarding on the basis that he paid in cash , one way with no checked luggage.. sounds like a red flag to me.
Another huge weakness seems to be in transit in Amsterdam where they assume the passenger has already been checked by security and do not recheck when they board him for the next flight.
Bottom line: Profile airports and countries we know have have poor security and triple check anyone coming from those countries.
Maybe TSA shouldn’t get a rid of their BEST OFFICERS!!!!!!!!!!
Please read my posts on the Myths & Facts regarding NW253.
-The flight from Lagos to Amsterdam was KLM, not NWA
-Airport security is not handled by the airlines, it is handled by a 3rd party agency are virtually all airports worldwide
- Paying for tickets in cash in some African nations is completely normal due to the economic instability of financial institutions in the region.
- Have flown around the world with a single carry-on backpack, no checked luggage is not a red flag for security
- All Passengers departing Amsterdam-Schiphol undergo security screening at the gate for all non-Schengen flights
Please check your facts.
Happy Flying!
-Fish
Puffers were removed once they were found to be inaccurate quite often. They need to make them more reliable then reinstall them.
Happy Flying!
-Fish
I’m a pilot an hope to buy a GA aircraft this year and fly myself to small reliever airports as far from TSA screeners as I can!
They’re not about preventing terrorism, they’re about getting people accustomed to following orders.
At the end of the day, our freedom and rights are being taken away. And don’t give me any “it’s for your safety” stuff. These measurements don’t make it much safer but big time more inconvenient for everyone to fly. These steps address one small area of a big problem.
All I can say – big fail to the TSA and the US Government to let it get this far.
My prediction: We soon will only be allowed to fly in a Speedo and don’t think about moving at all during your flight.
I went to Europe recently and it was so much quicker and pleasanter there.
Would it get attention if everyone on a plane wet their seat every trip? Maybe if it could be managed with a plastic bag or the like, without ruining clothes. Actually, how about a tiny envelope of DRIED pee that could mixed with the remains of one’s drink and “left behind.”
If it wasn’t for the secret air marshals, it would be funny if the pilot came out just before takeoff and asked if anyone minded or would tell if they just “forgot” the security rules.
My son did not have to strip or be searched. And he gave the muslim a thourough toungue lashing.
As for not being allowed to use the bathroom at all during the last hour, that’s a violation of basic human dignity. If this stays in effect, I’m tempted to just piss all over the back of the seat in front of me on purpose.
Instead of coming up with all this bullshit, they should instead actually search people and baggage before allowing it onto the planes. There shouldn’t be much of any restrictions on what you do on the plane, because they’re supposed to ensure that no one has dangerous items on them BEFORE they board.
What really makes me want to /facepalm is their saying that we can’t use wi-fi during the flight. So much for the brand new emerging market of offering internet access to travelers on board planes. Good job shutting down a new industry before it can take off!
However now, years later, DHS had announced that it will push back its proposed 100% Cargo Scanning Deadline for two years to 2014. There was avid domestic and international concern over who would pick up the tab for the implementation, estimated $8 million per trade lade or $16.8 billion worldwide. IES: The Software Solution for the Future of Freight. IES Ltd serves Customs Brokers, NVOCCs, Freight Forwarders and more. Many also voiced concerns that these costs would affect the entire industry, from the manufacturer, to the consolidator, to the carrier, the ports, customs broker, freight forwarder, warehousing and distribution, to the importers and ultimately, the consumer.
My concern can be summarized as this: If the tab for cargo screening has been pegged at 16.8 billion, imagine the cost if these same security measures were applied if another crisis arose. If implementation is not feasible, then a solid contingency plan should be in place. Although it is does appear valid that 100% Cargo Screening would be an enormous undertaking, I believe that there should be some sort of plan in place right now for cargo screening in case of such an another similar event such as Flight 253 that affects cargo.
Not to delve into politics or religion here…but I am Jewish and I have traveled in the Middle East, worked in the Middle East and counted the Kuwait Ministry of Awqaf & Islamic Affairs as one of my clients. What we need in this world is not to expel people, what we need is common ground. Common ground is very hard to find, but as a Jew look back in our history and you will find Jews & Muslims intertwined on many peaceful levels throughout history.
I am not an apologist, I am however comfortable in who I am and my history and being comfortable with who I am, and my history, I able to look at everyone I meet on a level of who they are as a person…not base my opinions on culture, religion, race or other common dividers.
Your son is in the Military and I applaud that. As part of your son’s oath he swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States…and the Constitution affords religious freedom for all.
Happy Flying!
-Steven
Oh, and @Debbie.. Why don’t we just round up all the Muslims and put them in concentration camps? They’re the ones causing all the trouble any way, right? And then once they’re in these camps, we can put them to “work”. Just pay no attention to all the “black smoke” the factories they work in produce…..shame on you, Jew. For shame that you would even suggest starting to treat Muslims as your people were treated leading up to the holocaust. For shame…
I did in no way shape or form say that they should be put in Death Camps. My grandmother, (my mother is from Netherlands), was in a Concentration Camp during WWII , and I would wish that on noone.
But the Jewish people are not the ones who are killing the Infidels,(anyone who is not a muslim). The Jewish people and the muslims have in many years gone had intermitent good relationships. And there are I am sure good muslims as there are bad Jew’s. But the muslims are training their people to kill all infidels… guess what unless you are a devout muslim that means you and me and most US citizens. My cousins in the Netherlands tell me that the muslim people scream and curse at them and yes they are killing their people. So your hatefilled words toward me would be better spent trying to figure out how you will save you and your loved ones when the muslim take over yet another country… ours.
A “pat down” won’t find the new a** bombs that the crazies are just starting to use. Is “drop your pants and bend over” next? With the possible exception of the Swedish Bikini Team, all foreign nationals coming into the USA should be suspect and profiled, ESPECIALLY ones from middle eastern and third world countries. When the Swedish Bikini Team members start blowing themselves and others up, they get added to the list too.
Of course the common denominator in 99.9% of ALL terrorists activities in the last 25 years or so is Islam. We are at war with Islam because Islam is at war with us (and all non-Muslims). The problem is that our P-C politicians and liberals just can’t bring themselves to admit it because they have their head up their a**.
If there is any justice in the world, some P-C, see-no-evil politiicans will be on the next plane that gets blown out of the sky.
BTW, JasonHears, if Sharia Law ever comes to the USA, I’ll bet you will have your head chopped off before most of the folks here that you disagree with would, even though you are probably anti-semitic. Why don’t you try going to a Muslim dominated country and spew your “freedom” BS.
Oh, and I have about 700,000 flying miles. How many do you have?
The security for planes will get under control – even if we do have to surrender some more of our personal freedoms to have it done. While I haven’t tried it, I doubt you are “free” to urinate in the aisle. Rather than be so concerned about flying, people really ought to be concerend about soft targets, like elementary schools, and whatever is being smuggled in inside the millions of completely unscreened cargo containers that are trucked all over the USA.
Its time to drive more or take Amtrak.
it is people like you who are the idiots.
Yeah right, all bad things happen because of Muslims. Maybe Bush was a Muslim as well, since he’s the one who initiated WWIII (yes we are in it now).
It has nothing to do with religion. It has to do with being brainwashed, albeit, Muslim, Christian or Jew.
Believing in something that doesn’t exist, proves that you are just as acceptable to being brainwashed and doing something you believe is right.
Face the facts, religion is for the weak, who have no self moral’s or guidance of their own so they need someone to “coach” them through life.
Everyone knows whats right and wrong, religion distorts this.
Anyway, back to the subject….
I agree with post 79, apart from the catheters. Either gas everyone, or restrain everyone for 100% safety…. unless its a Muslim restraining us… right??
Enjoy Americas Land of the Free….
They cost less than those damned backscatter machines and can cover more people faster than any xray machine ever will.
Pat down? Hah! How can you tell if the person has a really thin layer of explosives on them patting them down through their clothes?
If it is hidden in your waistline how are they going to find explosives under your belt?
I think their next step is that you have to take you underwear off before you get on the aircraft.
We have idiots running TSA! Thats for sure.
The one hour ban to overhead luggage? That’s stupid. At any time before that I could get something I needed to do what that fool did on Northwest. It will be only a matter of time before TSA screeners will get lazy in their screening of bags.
Everything they have stated now for security purposes does not make any logical sense.
They forgot to mention that the Captain should also turn off the channel that lets you listen to the cockpit and tower talking. If you have a scanner, you could follow the conversation that way and still know where you are.
Short of this, someone will always be able to (in some way) cause a problem on an airplane. Of course this wouldn’t stop sabotage to an airplane before take-off, or a pilot going terrorist. Even if air travel was magically made terrorism-proof, there is no way to prevent an unknown person from hurting other people. It is impossible. These random restrictions the TSA comes out with are not risk management, it is terrorism – the use of fear as a means of coercion.
Would someone please apply a bit of forethought to ANY of these security policies?
Oh, and as a parent of small children – shutting down the lavatory 60 minutes before landing just isn’t realistic. Little bladders don’t come with timers or schedules.
Almost 25% of the world’s population is Muslim. If “muslims are training their people to kill all infidels” we would all be dead.
All religions have fanatics who use violence to bully others. We don’t stereotype Christians as Branch Davidians, or any number of other crazy sects that have showed up over the years. We don’t stereotype Mormons based on the Yearn for Zion polygamist sect. Despite “Zealot” now being synonymous with a person in a crazy sect, we do not stereotype Jews based on the Zealot sect, or any number of other crazy sects over the years.
Don’t you realize the stereotypes you espouse are the kind of stereotypes that led to the Holocaust?
There has not been a true religion-wide holy war in over seven hundred years, the Crusades. Before that, the Islamic expansion that ended over a thousand years ago. The terrorism happening today is not a even remotely close to the religious war you have made it out to be. Such a war would be very short and more than likely end in global extinction.
I am an American of Japanese descent. I serve in the US military. I have worked hard all my life and have taught my children to work hard, respect the Constitution, and treat people around them with respect.
What you typed up in your first post [December 28th, 2009 at 2:06 pm], is scary. Talk like that spread through the US like wildfire during WWII and put people like me and my children in detention camps within our own country and robbed those US CITIZENS of everything they had earned. You need to do some serious self reflection to imagine someone saying those same words about whatever nationality or faith you belong to and seeing what it feels like.
To give you an example of how what you said sounded: probably 1% of the US teenage population are criminals. Based upon your logic, every teen should be thrown into jail to avoid problems with that 1%.
Seriously, we need to hire an ex El Al security person to run TSA and give them the authority to do it right. It’s time for the amateurs to step down and get a serious professional to do the job. As a matter of fact, it’s time for all of the children in government to find something new to do, and get the adults in, in their place.
The real problem we face in American air travel is that we are trying to patch together a higher level of security with security equipment from many years ago when the recent events were deemed something that could never happen to us in America. 9/11/01 canged all this, but, 8+ years later, what has the airline industry really changed to increase safety on an airplane:
-replaced for-hire security with TSA – an improvement? That is a chin scratcher!
- limiting carry on liquids to 3 ounces per container
- making you show said liquids separate in the x-ray process
- taking off your shoes and removing coats/hats prior to the same screening technology from decades ago.
- sometimes removing your belt???? (who are we James West or Artemis Gordon with secret belt bombs?
The bottom line is if travel is going to become really safe and not a huge inconvenience, there will have to be investment in new technology, just like any other industry has to do to stay ahead. Remember the brick cell phones? now my family members can surf the web on a phone the size of a deck of cards. Industry must and does change with the times if it wants to survive.
What has the airline industry done in the past 25 years to update their commercial offering and why should the airline industry be any different than other for-profit companies?
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BN0S220091224
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6969892.ece
“I wonder if the TSA officers at the customs checkpoint will refuse to tell you what city you’ve ended up in.”
- This only applies if your Northwest Airlines flight overflies its final destination by 150 miles or more…….
No one should feel safe on any flight especially on a larger jet. Napo is so stupid she had the audacity to claim the system worked and only after being taken to the wood shed over that moronic statement did she backtrack insisting that her comments were taken out of context, the usual refrain from idiots and liars when confronted with their exact words. Installing the necessary detection systems at airports over the objections of that hate-america organization masquerading as a guardian of civil liberties, the ACLU, is what should be immediately done at all costs. Such systems are available but were kept from being installed by the ACLU and their leftist lackies in Congress. It is just a matter of time until a massive and deadly attack succeeds in killing many innocent americans because of the sheer incompetence at the executive level of our government.
The measures are not going to be effective as a solution.
We need a root and branch review of security and some new thinking.
There is surely much to learn from frequent flyer programs with separate lounges and tier levels. That’s what I would like to see – which is why I sacrificed my privacy in order to take advantage of the iris eye scanner to jump the queues at immigration in the UK.
I shall watch developments with interest and report on my upcoming LGW to MCO flight
Angus (mystery flyer dot com)
Obama preached accountability. I expect to see many fired over this incident.
Taking away my internet, pillow and blanket or making me pee in my pants during the last hour of the fight will not stop the next terrorist.
People world-wide are laughing at us. Is this the best America can come up with? Is this the best the former super power can do to stop terrorism? If anything it gives confidence to terrorists world-wide, they must be reading the TSA security directive and thinking to themselves that they are definitely smarter than the US and they should only try more and harder now to destroy us.
1 hour being screened? get real. when is the last time anyone has made it through airport security/screening for a flight in an hour or less? probably not since 09/10/2001. try 3 or 4 hours and dealing with this kind of b u l l s h i t.
seems that the terrorists have indeed ‘won’. if anyone thinks this kind of draconian action by our government with regards to travel and so much else isn’t an obvious goal of terrorists is blind. they don’t just wish to terrorize and kill people. they want our government to slowly remove, and justify removing our freedoms because of it. sad part is, it is working like a charm. and people like bert are ok with that. well right now they are taking away minor things. lets see what you have to say when the government removes our basic freedoms and rights to ‘protect’ us from terrorism.
nothing.
this is an intelligence community failure. this was not caused by the travelling public at large.
way to make a failure of a failure of a failure TSA. subpoenaing the travel bloggers that published this? FAIL.
http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/flying-home/
I can totally support these necessary security measures because I am not going to fly again anywhere if I can help it.
…
hello people it says FOREIGN so
1.unless you are comming from Canada or Mexico you cant drive
2.this isnt your CONUS flight…
——————————————————————————————
Perform thorough pat-down of all passengers at boarding gate prior to boarding, concentrating on upper legs and torso
…
i disagree with this entirely, it is a bit over the top. I mean comon are you really going to expect people to wait while every single passenger recives a “thorough pat-down”?
Everything that’s listed in regards to the “Gate” should have been adhered to ALREADY. Why is this NEW?
The in-flight stuff is ridiculous too. No blanket or pillow within in hour of landing? Not telling people where you’re flying over? Whatever happened to the pilot saying, “Ladies and Gentlemen if you look out your window, you will notice we are flying over the beautiful Sierra Nevadas (or other landmark)….”
BTW, I don’t trust TSA as far as I can throw my car.
Just like the illegal immigration problem, the US government is putting a band-aid on the problem instead of getting to the root of it. What good are all the directives listed above IF TERRORISTS aren’t showing up on the NO FLY LIST for crying out loud?
according to airline pilots @ http://www.secure-skies.org -TSA has never properly done their jobs, at a cost of millions per year.
How could a country that facilitated the winning of WWII, build an economic powerhouse unlike History has ever seen in 200 years, and for cliche’s sake, put Man on the moon (multiple times), be failing so miserably in so many ways?
The only thing that makes sense is the lack of disciplined, pragmatic people in positions authority, and to a degree, the lack of the same in the general population.
Imagine after WWII and Korea, and even Vietnam, the number of military trained people that entered public service in many arenas. Imagine the number of those in the general public who were actively engaged in support of these events. (especially WWII)
We now have very few people like that in charge , and those in power (state and national lawmakers) are for the most part those that despised the military in their youth.
Garbage in, garbage out.
Perhaps the large number of military trained people in theater since 2003 will strengthen us in the future as they rise through the ranks of public authority. Until then we are doomed with the unqualified ruling hand of the hippie generation, and their undisciplined, entitlement minded children (the 35-45 y.olds) who hold lower posts of authority and run departments within these agencies..
Perhaps all US citizens should be required 1 year of military service, just for the fact that discipline will be learned. All positions held would be in the US and non combat and require community service as part of the training. Then one could be released back into the public with a mind slightly more aware of more than itself.
Just an idea.
Seriously, if you still do business with these people you are part of the problem. Drive, take a train, take a cruise – so may ways to get around that do NOT involve this BS.
Oh, I guess they will have to do a full cavity search first before boarding then?
hitting them and they will stop hitting us, it is that simple..
Please remove all of your clothing,
and step into ze (er the) showers.
Also I was on a 16 hour flight from Dubai to Atlanta less than 24 hours before the attempted bombing, and I was sick with a nasty virus to boot (no I didn’t go anywhere near the lavatory). If there was no entertainment system, I don’t know what I would do.
I can understand shutting down the GPS systems to prevent a terrorist from knowing where to blow the jet over the Atlantic/Pacific to hide evidence of explosive residue etc., but what sense does it make to turn off entertainment systems, and other fun stuff????
I do not mind being profiled and I do fit a certain profile. Use the body imaging machines, question people more who needs to be questioned and don’t strip search granny or a 5 year old kid, while a known terrorist from Nigeria is moments away from blowing up a jet in Detroit.
On the way to the airport, stop at any sex shop. Buy the biggest dildo you can. Stick it in your trousers before getting in the security line. Wait for the scans, and the pat downs.
When the pat down finds said object (and it will), loudly state that they can take their hands off your penis now. Ensure you are loud enough to be heard… Double points if you offer the TSA worker a tip.
If they ask any questions about it after that, announce that you are unzipping your pants to show it to them. Take it out and make an obvious show of handing it to the person patting you down.
If ten people a day… every day… did this, the TSA would have people resigning for PTSD.
Dont you think its time they draw some conclusions and do some RACIAL PROFILING to decide who is and who is not getting on the plane without a full strip search…and that includes cavity search for stuffed condoms etc…?
You are right to be upset if your son was chosen because of anti-Jewish sentiment. But it easily could have been some white supremacist. Do you think we should expel all white supremacists and never let any of them in the US, too?
While I absolutely, unequivocally do not excuse violence in the name of any faith, or violence against anyone at all unless it’s defensive, I’m Jewish too, and I have several Muslim friends and coworkers who are perfectly decent people. I wish you would try to let go of your prejudice. Be angry at the people who are actually doing evil, no matter what they say their faith is.
Look, the El Al Airlines has had a “profiling” system in place for years and it is to my understanding quite effective. It’s not just racial, it evaluates the entire package – luggage, national origin, destination, behavior, etc. No “puffers”, no virtual strip search of every person. These types of things have a checklist sort of procedure with ratings for evaluating whether someone is a potential risk. Have a random number generator between 1 and 10 and do a thorough personal and luggage search of the next Nth person. Don’t leave it up to people’s gut instinct because those prejudices aren’t rational and they can be exploited.
Finally, these security measures don’t make us more secure. People just find ways around this stuff, like with bribes, infiltration, etc. If a suicide bomber can find a way into a protected MILITARY fort in Afghanistan and blow himself up in a gym full of CIA agents, what the hell makes you think the TSA can make a public airport safe?
It’s ridiculous. This is getting to be more like the old Soviet Union all the time. If this keeps up we’ll have to have papers to cross state lines on any form of transportation at all. People have to put their collective foot down. I urge all of you to write a paper letter to your representatives and senators and follow up with an angry phone call.
Seriously, think about it…If Muhammad Da-goonka-doonk told his buddies of his terrorist plans, and those buddies knew his actions would cost a cruise missile hitting their capital city, wouldn’t his buddies turn him in? Would you turn in Timothy Mcveigh (the OK city bomber) if he was your best friend? Obviously, cause we’re Americans, and we don’t stand for such bullshit. But, you have to understand that Mcveigh’s best friend was probably just as fucked up as Mcveigh was, he might not have turned him in. But, what if Mcveigh’s best friend new that if he let Mcveigh go on with the OK city attack that his hometown would be hit with a cruise missile.
Went off on a tangent there, but honestly, spending billions to stop terrorism is a waste of US money, just like the 30,000 dollars the government spent surveying inmates trying to answer a simple question…Why do inmates want to escape? Give me 10 bucks and I’ll tell you why prisoners want to escape. Just an example of what morons we have running our COUNTRY!
They want us to get all upset and scared and fearful for our safety. They want us to follow along with their orders and follow them whever the hell they (TSA) goes with this Security Directive after wednesday. I know I’m not going to follow them, I wouldn’t even go grocery shopping with half of the TSA individuals.
Ami stay home in your homeland concentration camp!
This is pretty much the same as if I somehow got your credit card information, along with your SSN and ID information and I just went ahead and post it online for everyone to see. Sure, I just verified that your bank has some kind of security problem (leaking), but does that benefit you in any way? No. The way this should of been handled is that both bloggers that got a subpoena, should have gone to the authorities and make sure that the issue is resolved BEFORE posting anything related to the matter.
Lives are at risk here, this is not about who posted valuable information first.
Some of the points in the directive are stupid though:
- Removing blankets? I understand why they are doing it but it’s really not going to fix anything. This is so a “terrorist” can’t arm a device under the blanket when closing in to the destination, but then they can arm it before then and just do whatever they need to do before even close to landing. So this measure is totally useless.
- Disabling communication devices during the whole flight time. Totally understandable as this could be used to track the plan position and do whatever the terrorists are planning to do. I still think that location is not that important and all they (terrorists) want to do is get fear in everyone’s mind.
- Location and landmark comments by flight crew. Same as last point.
Anyhow, I don’t think any of these are effective and I wonder in what meeting was this discussed, since it was obviously not well thought out.
I am of the opinion that our government has no desire to make us safe. This guy’s own father reported him as a threat. And they did not pursue, nor even put him on the no-fly list. They ignore blatant threats in the name of not wanting to profile.
Meanwhile, our government releases memo after memo declaring how much of a threat my Ron Paul bumper sticker is. Along with people who are pro-life, veterans, etc.
No our government is not at all scared of islamic fascists. Instead it is terrified of it’s own people.
Shame…
The only thing the government’s policies ensure is to bankrupt the airlines so that our government can nationalize them.
So, because our government agencies have bungled it once again (sorry, but if they had been doing their jobs correctly the whole 9/11 incident most likely would never have happened, IMO) everyone who wishes to or needs to fly has just been stripped of even more of their rights and personal freedoms, now even including being able to use the bathroom when necessary. I hope they’re going to be providing those portable urinals like the hospitals use on the aircraft, because if I have to pee, I intend to do so. If it’s in the washroom fine, if not then its gonna be wherever I can.
How come the book that was run through a scanner and in a second search was manually looked at by a human becomes an issue at 60 minutes prior to landing while at 61 minutes it was fine to sit on my lap.
If they had done their job in the first place like paying $2,000 + in cash, one way ticket, no questions at checkin, no lugguge , sounds like basic red flag stuff to me.
And since when do Airline staff have the experience in pat down searches in the first place nor the staff at gates to handle each person for 2 – 5 minutes.
I can agree with tough security but wanting to control our lives and every moment. No way
The publice will soon revolt
How do I get out of Bizarro world and back to the universe where the US was strong and Americans did not accept this behavior?
We’re being set up once again. A clumsy Muslim Terrorist, a Dutch Jewish Hero Savior. It really is getting boring. It’s all about control, scare tactics and Muslim scapegoats. Is it just me? What’s next? Some Dancing Israelis with Turbans shooting missiles at our planes? It’s soooooooooooooo transparent, come on.
We’re being set up once again. A clumsy Muslim Terrorist, a Dutch Jewish Hero Savior. It really is getting boring. It’s all about control, scare tactics and Muslim scapegoats. Is it just me? What’s next? Some Dancing Israelis with Turbans shooting missiles at our planes? It’s soooooooooooooo transparent, come on.
hitting them and they will stop hitting us, it is that simple..”
Wonderful sentiment, false…but nice. It’s simply human nature, I’m sorry to say. Happens every day in every schoolyard in the world, the bully attacks apparent weakness. I’m sorry to say that the only solution to the bully is standing up for one’s self.
Now the murdering millions comment, it never helps the case to lie or exagerate. Stop, it only makes you look the fool.
I’m an American, we are the good guys and will help all the other good guys in the world from any nationality. It’s the good guy’s nature and it is the right thing to do.
Pacifism is great, I applaud pacifist. I’m proud of you and will stand up for you every day, even if you won’t.
We should stop meddling, and wait for the next hit, it is the right thing to do. Then we should hit back hard. Rinse and repeat. Take our hits, yes even if it costs us a million innocent lives, mine included, because that is what the good guy does.
Nobody ever said being the good guy was an easy or cheap job.
Why do people hate Jews?
I am not sure that is a relevant question in this debate.
Happy Flying!
-Fish
“it was clearly stated that the directive was NOT to be disiminated outside the TSA. ” In fact he directive was sent to thousands of people outside the TSA, in cities and nations high up on the DHS threat list.
Happy Flying!
-Fish
Also they should have same policy for those lunatics politicians who bring out laws that does not affect them but affects general public.
Please keep frisking 75-year old grandmothers flying into the USA, and focus on the upper thighs and torso. Granny will fly to see me more often.
RE-
Disable aircraft-integrated passenger communications systems and services (phone, internet access services, live television programming, global positioning systems) prior to boarding and during all phases of flight
I also like this section:
2. During the boarding process, the air carrier may exempt passengers who are Heads of State or Heads of Government from the measures outlined in Section I.A. of this SD, including the following who are traveling with the Head of State or Head of Government:
Just like our government to make it so they aren’t “bothered” like the rest of the cattle. Just like the Civil Rights Act and so many other laws that do not apply to those in Congress or in other parts of the Federal Service.