Highly Qualified TSA Employees--Just Need to Be Breathing

[TrainTrac]

I guess this shows that the TSA is definitely not hiring rocket scientists!:lol:

Qantas boss frisked as suspect



11 January 2006



From: Herald Sun



QANTAS chairman Margaret Jackson was suspected of being a terrorist and frisked during a visit to the US last year.



The airport security guard who checked her was reluctant to believe that a woman could be the head of an airline.



Mrs Jackson said yesterday her briefcase was searched after she went through a security check at Los Angeles airport.



Among her documents were detailed plans of new aircraft, including cross-section diagrams showing seat layouts.



"The guy said 'Why have you got all of this?'," she told the Herald Sun.



"And I said, 'I'm the chairman of an airline. I'm the chairman of Qantas'. And this black guy, who was, like, eight foot tall, said, 'But you're a woman'."



Mrs Jackson revealed the incident yesterday in Beijing during a media conference to promote Qantas' new direct flights between Australia and Beijing. She raised it after a Chinese journalist complained that airport security at Australian airports was the most strict after the US.



Mrs Jackson, who was travelling with her husband, said her LA experience took about an hour.



After proving her identity, Mrs Jackson produced paper with her letterhead on it and wrote a note to the guard, whose name was Bill.



"And I wrote, 'Dear Bill, this is from the chairman of Qantas, who is a woman'."

 

[TomT]

I have always said the scariest part of airport security is the minimum wage security guards. If you think for one moment that they are going to stop a real terrorist, your living in a dream world.

 

[Dre L]

"And I said, 'I'm the chairman of an airline. I'm the chairman of Qantas'. And this black guy, who was, like, eight foot tall, said, 'But you're a woman'."

She's upset about his demeanor towards women, I'm willing to bet there is more to the story. Consider that she doesn't say "This TSA officer says "but you're a woman"", she says "this black guy, who was, like, eight foot tall, said"

 

[EddieS'04]

I agree, not all TSA employees are the smartest....but if I have to be searched..I dont think anyone should exempt...

 

[Andy G]

What cracks me up though is when the 98 year old granny is over in the corner getting a cavity search while Achmed, Hassan, and Muhammad pass on through.

 

[Keith McElroy]

If you stop every Achmed, Hassan, and Muhammed, then you will be "profiling".



I always thought "profiling" was how you found criminals, but according to the ACLU, it is done to harrass.

 

[Dre L]

You're right about that, not that I think a terrorist would bring schematics aborard, but if she has sensitive materials that only airline execs should have, she should need to prove her identity, or have special credentials.



I don't think he was wrong for delaying her, but his "you're a woman" comment is what is in focus, not his competance as a screener.



Maybe he honestly thought the exec was a man from prior knowledge. In which case, he's a good TSA agent.



Qantas' CEO is male, and there are only 2 women on the board, and 2 on the exec mgmt team.

 

[WXMotorSports DecalsPartsAccs]

TomT - I agree with 100%. And, most have a chip on their shoulders. My last trip I put my bag on the x-ray belt and proceeded to go through the security scan arch. The TSA agent yells at me to stay with my bag until it goes through the x-ray machine. I ask is this new procedure? She starts going over the procedure and says it's been the same since 911. I replied - interesting first time for me and I fly 30+ round trips a year. And, I said this politely. She continued to give me attitude and said if I don't comply I will be pulled out-of line and searched. The three pilots ahead me in line coudn't believe it and and told me first time they have heard that as well.

 

[Nelson Atwell]

Barney Fife syndrome...you give some folks a little authority, and it goes to their heads. I see it all the time in the military.

 

[Richard L]

I think the guy was just doing his job, and I'm glad he did it. The remark "but you're a woman" was ignorant, but anyone found with airplane blueprints in their briefcase needs to be scutinized more closely. Anyone can say they are the CEO of some airline, but only the real ones can prove it.



...Rich

 

[TrainTrac]

The remark "but you're a woman" was ignorant

I'm not saying that he shouldn't have been cautious upon discovering the airplane schematics in Mrs. Jackson's briefcase. On the contrary, I commend him for his vigilance in this regard. I was simply pointing out that you'd think that a black American would get it that finally in 2006 people who had been discriminated against now have opportunities they didn't in the past. The TSA employee's surprise simply confirms that, after all decades of progress, there are a few things that are color blind--like ignorance and gender bias.

 

[Richard L]

I wonder what upset her more, the remark about her being a woman or the fact that it took her an hour to get clear through the airport security???



I think the fact that she made fun of the TSA employee's statement tends to display her ignorance. One could easily take her statments about the black man as racist in retaliation for his sexist remark. A good leader and CEO would not have made an issue of it in public or mentioned that the TSA employee was black.



...Rich

 

[Dre L]

airplane schematics in Mrs. Jackson's briefcase

TrainTrac, You are being sexist for referring to her as "Mrs." You are negating her individuality as a woman by inferring that because she is married, she must now be identified by it and referred to as Mrs.

 

[Kevin Palmer]

Hey come on.... If these guys were perfect I wouldn't have a job....

 

[Richard L]

Kevin,



I agree, we are all human and make mistakes. That's why we try to build our security systems in layers. That way we have a backup contingency for someone who slips through the cracks. I don't believe we need $50/hour rocket scientist to work baggage checking at the airport. However, I am not sure how much training these Phd's (Post hole diggers) doing the baggage checking received to identify suspicious behavior, or when something about a passenger just doesn't ring true.



...Rich

 

[TrainTrac]

The worst thing to happen to for airport security post 9/11 was for the government to take over running it. If they'd have left it up to private sector, we'd be seeing much better security, with a more common sense approach (i.e. profiling for those who are likely to be perpetrating terrorism) and a lot less bureaucratic crap.



One of the first edicts handed down by SECTRANS after federalizing airport security was a directive expressly forbidding profiling. Stupid is as stupid does!:blink:

 

[JohnnyB]

I went through the hiring process for the TSA to be a security screener. After all was said and done and I was hired I got notice from NYC that I was accepted as a Sanitation Worker. After seeing the people that I would have to work at the TSA I opted to throw 15 tons of garbage into the back of a truck for the next 20 years.



I made by far the best decision of my life!