Security

Travel Tidbits: private screeners & fish

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TSA LINES

Later this month, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was scheduled to send out requests for proposals (RFPs) for private security screening firms to replace federal screeners at Sacramento International Airport (SMF) in California and Orlando-Sanford International Airport (SFB) in Florida as part of the Screening Partnership Program (SPP). The contract for private screening services at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which was one of the first airports to be part of the program, is also going out for re-bidding.

Sixteen airports are currently part of the program, which was set up under the Aviation Transportation Security Act (ATSA) of 2001 and requires private contract companies approved by the TSA to adhere to the agency’s standards.

Some airport administrators believe private screeners do a better job than their federal counterparts but, as you might imagine, the union that represents federal TSA employees – the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) – isn’t too happy with the prospect of some of its members possibly losing their jobs.

In California, the union has been lobbying against the move to have Sacramento International Airport join the Screening Partnership Program and on Tuesday the Sacramento County’s board of supervisors voted to back out of the program.

BOS LEGAL SEA FOOD

Meanwhile, at Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS), which has been the site of some 787 Dreamliner problems, there’s some news on the fish front:

On Wednesday, January 9, Legal Sea Foods, which has been a welcome dining amenity at the airport for almost twenty years, is moving the first of its four airport restaurants from its pre-security location in Terminal C to a new, snazzy post-security spot that will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The new restaurant has a fish sculpture at the entryway, a digital board displaying flight information, a 54-person dining room and a 27-seat bar with stools designed to store carry-on bags underneath.

Here’s what’s inside the TSA Museum

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A lot of people were surprised to learn that there’s a TSA Museum inside TSA headquarters. Here’s a look at what’s inside:

 

An original handheld metal detector used by TSA at Washington Reagan National Airport in 2002.

 

A metal detector which screened hijackers on the morning of September 11th.

This flag was flying over Terminal B at Boston Logan Airport when the airport was federalized in 2002. American Airlines Flight 11 left from Gate 32 in this terminal on September 11th.

 

The first uniform issued to TSA federal screeners beginning in 2002.

 

TSA goes pink at Dulles Airport

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It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month and even the TSA is going pink.

TSA screeners don pink gloves for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

According to TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein, during the month of October the 650 TSA officers at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) will be be wearing pink gloves instead of the more familiar blue gloves as a sign of their support in the fight against Breast Cancer.

Farbstein said this is the first year the officers have chosen to wear pink gloves, but that doing so is voluntary, So while there are 210 cases of pink gloves at the ready, you may still see some officers wearing blue gloves. She notes that the pink gloves come in sizes small to extra large and that pink XXL gloves aren’t available.

(Photos courtesy TSA)

“Operation Last Call” nabs 18 who nipped 100,000 nips at JFK Airport

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Some of the nipped nips, courtesy of the Queens (NY) District Attorney’s Office

In one of those ‘only in New York’ stories, on Wednesday, the Queens District Attorney
announced that 18 airport workers – fifteen present and former
truck drivers employed by LSG Sky Chefs, the food and beverage subcontractor for American Airlines, along with several security guards, were arrested and charged in connection with the theft of more than 100,000 mini bottles (nips) of liquor and other items, including perfume and cartons of cigarettes, from John F. Kennedy International Airport over the last five months.

The investigation was dubbed “Operation Last Call” and the defendants are charged with stealing more than $750,000 worth of items. According to the press release from district attorney Brown’s office, most of the defendants were arrested “after they were summoned to attend an important security meeting at the airport” and, at the residence of one of the defendants “…alleged items seized … were 500 to 600 garbage bags filled with mini liquor bottles (each bag containing approximately 100 bottles) worth between $385,000 and $420,000, as well as $34,000 in cash.”

A look-see at TSA’s take at airport checkpoints

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It’s bad enough that we have to sit next to strange, smelly, arm rest-hogging people on airplanes. The thought that my seatmate might have a dagger or a gun in that greasy paper bag they’ve shoved down there underneath the seat in front of them just makes it worse.

Which is probably one the reasons I scour the weekly run-down of weapons and other items the TSA finds at airport checkpoints and lists – with photos – on the TSA blog.

No, the 13 people caught last week with stun guns and the 28 folks nabbed with loaded guns in their carry-on bags may not have been card-carrying terrorists, but they’re potentially dangerous just the same.

(Photos from the TSA Blog)

What a world: TSA more popular than Congress

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Spokane Airport TSA

A majority of Americans believe the Transportation Security Administration is doing a good job, according to a new Gallup poll released Wednesday.

The poll shows that 54 percent think TSA is doing an excellent or good job of handling the screening responsibilities at U.S. airports. Just 30 percent rated the agency’s overall performance as fair.

Compare that to public opinion of Congress, which has an approval rating hovering around 16 percent.

“We asked a different question about TSA than we typically do about Congress,” said Jeff Jones, managing editor of the Gallup Poll. “But since the ratings of TSA are generally good and ratings of Congress are so low, I think it is safe to say people are more positive about TSA than about Congress.”

Jones said that may be because “it’s easier as a task to screen a passenger than to fix the economy.” While it’s more difficult to get on an airplane now than before 9/11, “the mission of the TSA seems to be something people are taking into account, which may be why they are more positive than negative about the TSA.”

When it comes to TSA’s effectiveness at preventing acts of terror on U.S. airplanes, 41 percent of Americans said TSA was extremely effective or very effective and 44 percent considered the agency only somewhat effective.

TSA administrator John Pistole said the poll “reaffirms TSA’s commitment to carrying out these responsibilities with efficiency, integrity and in a customer-friendly manner.”

The poll showing public support for TSA comes at a time when some members of Congress have been critical of the agency. Sen. Rand Paul (R.-Ky.) has advocated privatizing the airport screening program. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and who helped set up TSA after 9/11, has been an outspoken critic of the agency.

The Gallup poll on TSA performance found that just over half of Americans have flown at least once in the past year and that those who have flown had a slightly better opinion of TSA’s performance than those who haven’t been inside an airport recently.

Fifty-seven percent of Americans who have flown at least once in past year and an equal number who have flown at least three times in the past year gave the TSA excellent or good marks. Of those who stayed out of airports, 52 percent ranked the TSA’s performance as excellent or good.

A majority of parents with children 18 and under at home — 54 percent — gave TSA an excellent or good rating, about the same as those who do not have children at home. Gallup researchers found this significant, given that in the fall of 2011 TSA revised and relaxed its rules for screening children age 12 and under.

The Gallup poll results are based on a telephone interviews conducted July 9-12, 2012, with a random sample of 1,014 U.S. adults.

According to the TSA Blog , during the week this Gallup poll was taken, TSA officers found seven guns, a six-bladed throwing star and 27 guns (26 of them loaded) at airport checkpoints around the country.

Souvenir Sunday: snow globes and pet tornadoes

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(courtesy Museum of the Modern Snow Globe)

A lot of souvenir hunters were delighted when the Transportation Security Administration announced that, by mid-August, snow globes would once again be permitted in carry-on bags at all airport security checkpoints.

“Snow globes that appear to contain less than 3.4 ounces (approximately tennis ball size) will be permitted if the entire snow globe, including the base, is able to fit in the same one clear, plastic, quart-sized, resealable bag, as the passenger’s other liquids, such as shampoo, toothpaste and cosmetics.”


The news had the folks at Kansas City International Airport wondering if the rule change meant they’d soon be able to once again stock Pet Tornadoes in the airport shops, which at KCI are all located pre-security. Airport spokesperson Joe McBride said the tornado toys – which are small, liquid-filled cylinders that create a little tornado or water spout inside when shaken- used to be big sellers at the airport.

I asked the TSA if pet tornadoes will now be allowed past airport security along with snow globes. And, after a bit of back and forth with a spokesperson about the definition of a snow globe, I got this response:

“Pet Tornadoes are not specifically listed on the prohibited
items list. With that said, if you have a liquid of 3.4 ounces or
smaller and you put it into your 3-1-1 bag with your other 3-1-1 items,
then it should be permitted. As long as it’s in that one sealed clear
quart-sized bag and nothing in the bag is larger than 3.4 ounces-whether
it is in a shampoo bottle, a snow globe, or a tornado souvenir novelty.”

So it seems like the answer is “Yes!”.

TSA will allow snow globes through airport security checkpoints

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Souvenir hunters rejoice: Later this summer, you will able to pack snow globes in your carry-on luggage when you go to the airport.

Transportation Security Administration officers will permit the items as long as they are packed in a passenger’s plastic, quart-sized, resealable bag along with other gels and liquids.

TSA will permit snow globes “that appear to contain less than 3.4 ounces (of liquid), which is approximately the size of a tennis ball,” spokesperson David Castelveter said, “but only if the entire snow globe, including the base, is able to fit in the bag.

“And it has to be the same bag. You don’t get a 3-1-1 bag and a snow globe bag,” he added.

Tennis balls will not be used to determine the size and volume of snow globes. Instead, TSA officers will be aware of the size requirement and apply “some discretion in their evaluation of the item being transported,” Castelveter said. As a general rule, he said, if a snow globe is the size of an average fist, it should get through.

The move is part of TSA’s ongoing reassessment of its rules and is expected to be fully in place by mid-August — just in time for end-of summer trips to Disneyland, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens.

(My story ‘TSA relaxing rules on snow globes at airport checkpoints‘ first appeared NBCNEWS.com)

Reviewing TSA’s weekly gotcha’ list

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On most Fridays, TSA’s blogger Bob Burns posts a tally of the number of guns (loaded and unloaded) caught during the prior week at US airport security checkpoints and gives a review of the forbidden, and often truly far-out, items TSA officers find.

Last week was no different. According to the TSA blog, last week 26 guns (only one unloaded!) were discovered along with at least seven stun guns, throwing stars, inert novelty grenades, fireworks and loads of knives.

(Photo courtesy TSA)