What is the most silly thing you have seen at a check point??
#121
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: AA, WN RR
Posts: 3,122
Originally Posted by eyecue
Umbrellas are pain in the butt to screen! IF you look at the signs that are posted at check-in some still say that umbrellas have to come out of the bags.
#122
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Gaithersburg, MD
Programs: UA 1P
Posts: 184
Originally Posted by Gargoyle
Most of the listed examples make sense, but confiscation a 10-speed Osterizer blender? Just confiscate the cutting blades, leave the rest. Confiscating c-clamps? they are no more a weapon than the latest Harry Potter book (which is a pretty heafty club). A caulking gun? The handle from a rollaboard is more of a weapon.
"FLY THIS PLANE TO ELBONIA OR I CALK YOU ALL!" <said while wildly brandishing calk gun>
or
"DON'T MAKE ME SET THIS THING TO FRAPPE - I'LL DO IT!" <uttered by a desperate member of the Smoothie Martyr Brigade>
Well, it could happen
#123
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: USA
Programs: UA/CO(1K-PLT), AA(PLT), QR, EK, Marriott(PLT), Hilton(DMND)
Posts: 9,538
Originally Posted by red456
But I'll bet they didn't make him take off his shoes 'cause he was just a kid.
#125
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Colorado
Programs: TSA
Posts: 2,745
Originally Posted by PatrickHenry1775
Some signs still say that umbrellas have to come out? I thought that TSA was supposed to standardize security.
#126
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Colorado
Programs: TSA
Posts: 2,745
Originally Posted by Gargoyle
Article today on the "arsenal" the TSA collects every day at ORD. About 1,300 items per day. They've only made $33,000 in two years selling that stuff on line, so they clearly are pretty bad at marketing (or the best items are going elsewhere?).
ORD collecting "arsenal"
Most of the listed examples make sense, but confiscation a 10-speed Osterizer blender? Just confiscate the cutting blades, leave the rest. Confiscating c-clamps? they are no more a weapon than the latest Harry Potter book (which is a pretty heafty club). A caulking gun? The handle from a rollaboard is more of a weapon.
ORD collecting "arsenal"
Most of the listed examples make sense, but confiscation a 10-speed Osterizer blender? Just confiscate the cutting blades, leave the rest. Confiscating c-clamps? they are no more a weapon than the latest Harry Potter book (which is a pretty heafty club). A caulking gun? The handle from a rollaboard is more of a weapon.
#127
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,175
Originally Posted by eyecue
NO TOOLS are allowed. THere is not a distinction between c-clamps ,caulking guns or fastener removers.
#128
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Under an ORD approach path
Programs: DL PM, MM. Coffee isn't a drug, it's a vitamin.
Posts: 12,935
Originally Posted by eyecue
NO TOOLS are allowed. There is not a distinction between c-clamps ,caulking guns or fastener removers.
Tools used by scientists are allowed if they only use their fingers on the tools (iPods, calculators, pda's, etc.) but not if they use their entire hand (measuring tools, specimin gathering equipment, etc.).
Tools used by salespeople are allowed, but product samples are subject to the inspectors whim, er, I mean discretion.
Yardsticks are allowed, but tape measures are prohibited?
Do I sense a socio-economic discrimination/ economic profiling going on here?
Seriously, you make it sound like a simple, clear cut rule, but it isn't. It's all up to the individual inspector, and there is a huge grey area.
#129
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: The Sunshine State
Programs: Deltaworst Peon Level, TSA "Layer 21 Club", NW WP RIP
Posts: 11,370
I could have won $10K on Americas Stupidist Home Videos
Went through an airport, got to be one of the smallest to have pax service. About the size of the bus station in town. One gate, one security line, which opens 15 min. before boarding time. About 25 feet total from ID check to end of single file security down a straight hallway, so many family and friends wait at the rope by the ID check and give their final wave goodbye as the pax exits security.
On the other hand, if someone trips the MD it tends to hold up the whole line while the few screeners sort it out.
One of the first in line was an 18 year old girl who tripped the MD. Jeans and t shirt type, not a business FF type. Might have been her first flight. Rest of the RJ pax wait while they wand and wand her and finally figure it out and release her. The girl turns to face all of us in line behind her, and her four friends waiting at the rope, points an index finger directly to the center of each breast, and silently mouths the word "piercings" to her friends with a great big grin.
How I wish I had a video camera rolling. . .
On the other hand, if someone trips the MD it tends to hold up the whole line while the few screeners sort it out.
One of the first in line was an 18 year old girl who tripped the MD. Jeans and t shirt type, not a business FF type. Might have been her first flight. Rest of the RJ pax wait while they wand and wand her and finally figure it out and release her. The girl turns to face all of us in line behind her, and her four friends waiting at the rope, points an index finger directly to the center of each breast, and silently mouths the word "piercings" to her friends with a great big grin.
How I wish I had a video camera rolling. . .
#130
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Greater Chicagoland Area
Programs: frontier Elite, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,455
Originally Posted by Flaflyer
One of the first in line was an 18 year old girl who tripped the MD. Jeans and t shirt type, not a business FF type. Might have been her first flight. Rest of the RJ pax wait while they wand and wand her and finally figure it out and release her. The girl turns to face all of us in line behind her, and her four friends waiting at the rope, points an index finger directly to the center of each breast, and silently mouths the word "piercings" to her friends with a great big grin.
How I wish I had a video camera rolling. . .
How I wish I had a video camera rolling. . .
#131
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,389
Originally Posted by Gargoyle
Not exactly. The rule is NO TOOLS which are used by blue collar workers, artisans, service workers or craftspeople. TOOLS used by white collar workers, consultants, politicians, bureaucrats, etc. are allowed.
Tools used by scientists are allowed if they only use their fingers on the tools (iPods, calculators, pda's, etc.) but not if they use their entire hand (measuring tools, specimin gathering equipment, etc.).
Tools used by salespeople are allowed, but product samples are subject to the inspectors whim, er, I mean discretion.
Yardsticks are allowed, but tape measures are prohibited?
Do I sense a socio-economic discrimination/ economic profiling going on here?
Seriously, you make it sound like a simple, clear cut rule, but it isn't. It's all up to the individual inspector, and there is a huge grey area.
Tools used by scientists are allowed if they only use their fingers on the tools (iPods, calculators, pda's, etc.) but not if they use their entire hand (measuring tools, specimin gathering equipment, etc.).
Tools used by salespeople are allowed, but product samples are subject to the inspectors whim, er, I mean discretion.
Yardsticks are allowed, but tape measures are prohibited?
Do I sense a socio-economic discrimination/ economic profiling going on here?
Seriously, you make it sound like a simple, clear cut rule, but it isn't. It's all up to the individual inspector, and there is a huge grey area.
There is no gray area. Tools aren't allowed if carried by a scientist, accountant or computer repairperson. If it can be used to cut, snip, screw, bolt, hammer, fasten, slice, solder, melt, pry, strip or disassemble, it ain't going in your carry-on.
Tape measures are not prohibited nor are electronic calibrators, sensors, and measurement devices. These are not considered tools.
The only profiling going on here is against those items which would allow someone to configure a bomb in flight. Is the list perfect? No. Is it complete? No. Does it address every single contingency? No. Is there some discretion allowed? Yes, but not in the way you describe it.
#133
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Land of ORD
Programs: AA Plat UA Premier
Posts: 9,164
Originally Posted by Bart
There is no gray area. Tools aren't allowed if carried by a scientist, accountant or computer repairperson. If it can be used to cut, snip, screw, bolt, hammer, fasten, slice, solder, melt, pry, strip or disassemble, it ain't going in your carry-on.
Back then we were allowed to carry retractable knives to open boxes. I mean if you had told someone you were going to hijack a plane with that they would have laughed at you. Times have changed.
#134
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Programs: QC, QF, Avis Preferred, BW Crown Club, Priority Club
Posts: 1,451
Originally Posted by Cholula
I could almost buy this “computers out“ farce if a few planes had been brought down with a laptop.
He was flying the flight on MS Flight Sim in real time.
Not really actioned by a TSA, but still quite an amusing responce to "terror".
#135
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Under an ORD approach path
Programs: DL PM, MM. Coffee isn't a drug, it's a vitamin.
Posts: 12,935
Originally Posted by SirFlysALot
Sad to say, early in my career I used to carry all of those for computer and software installations.
Last time I did that was pretty funny, since I also had a 4-1/2 inch angle grinder with a diamond tipped blade and a 4 foot electrical cord. The inspector and the supervisor had no problem with my thirty sharp chisels, rasps, files, and hammers, but were really concerned about the angle grinder. I finally pointed out that the electric cord was only 4 feet long... to threaten someone I'd have to plug it in, stand there, and beg the "victim" to please come closer to me. They gave up and let me through.
Now when I need tools on site, I'll pick some of my second quality ones, not the best ones, and fedex them ahead of time.