Is airport security total BS?

[scottmandue]

This has been bugging me for awhile.
First off, the old hijacking SOP was let them have the plane and do whatever they want.
Correct me if I am wrong but that has changed to zero tolerance, no one is never ever allowed into the cockpit, cockpit doors have been made so they can't be broken in, I have also heard rumors of armed marshals on-board.

Be that as it may if someone tried to take over an airliner I was on I would take that as a threat on my life and do everything in my power to stop them, I don't think I'm the only person that thinks that way.

Also I am of the opinion that terrorist seem to be bigger is better mentality so hijacking a airliner would be small potatoes in their eyes today and a low priority.

Therefor I feel the terrorist are having a good laugh at us wasting millions of productive hours and dollars standing in long lines with our shoes off and giving up our privacy to be poked and prodded by airport security dweebs.

I have no problem taking a few extra minutes checking to make sure no bombs get on board... oh wait... we were already doing that.

What makes America great is freedom, every time we give up some of it, they win.

[Dantilla]

The hijacking days are over. September 11 proved that, because after the first three airplanes were comandeered, the passengers on the forth said "no way", and took matters into their own hands. Let's face it- Every passenger on an airplane today has been deputized. Anybody acts too suspicious, and they are tackled on the spot.

I think quite a bit of what the TSA (Thousands Standing Around?) does is for show. What we know for sure, is that there is a lack of common sense. Taking away nail clippers with a 3/4" blade from an elderly lady will not make anybody safer.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Yea, pretty much. The TSA ("Thousands Standing Around") is a joke meant to pacify the public and give the appearance of doing something in the wake of 9/11.

If the hijackers REALLY wanted to attack us again, they need look no further than air cargo - it's frightfully vulnerable (I used to fly cargo as a commercial pilot, so I have some first-hand stories that would make people cringe). The aircraft are typically in remote, not-very-secure areas of airports, large, long-haul types and heavy. Not as sensational as taking a planeload of innocent passengers with you, but it'd also get them around the obvious problems of passengers potentially "fighting back" or whatever too.

I have no doubt whatsoever that I could dupe my way onto a 757-or-larger cargo plane somewhere here in southern CA and get it airborne if I wanted to. None whatsoever.

I think the next major terrorist attack will likely involve radiological agents brought in through our relatively unprotected ports though - unfortunately for those of us that live near them. Either that or the evildoers will go to another country first, then to Mexico or Latin America, and simply stroll across the border like the thousands of others each day. If one REALLY wanted to get a plutonium suitcase bomb into the U.S., it'd be pretty easy, I'm sorry to say.

[m21sniper]

Forget radiological, you know what a super-tanker full of conventional liquid explosives could do to a US city?

You're talking six-figures casualties in some port areas.

[cashflyer]

Originally posted by m21sniper
Forget radiological, you know what a super-tanker full of conventional liquid explosives could do to a US city?

You're talking six-figures casualties in some port areas.

Liquid? Bah.
Huge amounts of liquid in a tank are not nearly an ideal explosive... ideally, liquids need to be atomized or vaporized to create a good FAE (that good ol' stoichiometric ratio).

Instead, mix up some ANFO or improvised Kinepak. Easily done by even the laziest terrorist, and delivers one hell of a big explosion.

Now if you parked a minivan full of ANFO next to a diesel tanker....

[scottmandue]

Okay so when... if ever... are we going to pull our collective heads out of our rectums and stop wasting our time and money on this farce?

I just love laying around the airport for two hours because I had to get there three hours in advance to be scrutinized. and those eight dollar beers are oh so tasty.

Anyone remember the Sprite commercial where the TSA dude commender's some poor guys Sprite as he walks through security... and when he protests they slap on rubber gloves threating to probe him if he doesn't surrender the Sprite. It's NOT funny because it IS true (not that you can carry a drink on a plane anymore but you get the point).

[Rearden]

A few weeks ago, I went through airport security. I had a 4oz tube of toothpaste. I knew the limit was 3oz, but my drugstore didn't have anything smaller than 4oz. The TSA guy saw it and took it out of my ziplock bag. "I'll have to confiscate this, it's larger than 3oz." I say, "Can't you just squirt 1oz into the garbage can right there?" He gave me a nasty look. Completely pointless event, if you ask me.

[DavidI]

The security is worthless. Complete waste of time.

David

[Hugh R]

The absolute easiest terrorist tool has to be the rail tankers of chlorine gas which go through our cities, including Washington, D.C. I used to do air pollution dispersion modeling as a consultant, and if someone blew up a chlorine tanker the downwind 100% lethality plume can be 1/2 mile wide and several miles long.

[Seahawk]

I travel way to much, but it helps me keep things in perspective:

- Fly El Al, then compare.

- Saudi Air. They inspect, by hand, everything in you carry on as you walk down the jet way. Tables are set out, 15 to 20 guys hit everybody. It works.

- Inyokern Airport. They inspect every piece of luggage!

What would make me feel better about flying? No carry on luggage.

[jyl]

Why would no carry on luggage make you feel better?

Most bombs on airliners have been in checked luggage, AFAIK.

[fingpilot]

Completely worthless.

Do you feel better? You shouldn't.

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by Seahawk
I travel way to much, but it helps me keep things in perspective:

- Fly El Al, then compare.

- Saudi Air. They inspect, by hand, everything in you carry on as you walk down the jet way. Tables are set out, 15 to 20 guys hit everybody. It works.

- Inyokern Airport. They inspect every piece of luggage!

What would make me feel better about flying? No carry on luggage.

I understand but the real issue is keeping them from using the airliner as a weapon ala 9/11 which is pretty much not a possibility so the whole TSA dog and pony show is a giant waist of time and money. AFAIK handheld antiaircraft missiles are available in the ME so if they wanted to knock planes out of the sky they would be doing it..

[Seahawk]

Originally posted by fingpilot
Completely worthless.

Do you feel better? You shouldn't.

I don't...never really have. Can you expand?

[m21sniper]

Originally posted by cashflyer
Liquid? Bah.
Huge amounts of liquid in a tank are not nearly an ideal explosive... ideally, liquids need to be atomized or vaporized to create a good FAE (that good ol' stoichiometric ratio).

Instead, mix up some ANFO or improvised Kinepak. Easily done by even the laziest terrorist, and delivers one hell of a big explosion.

Now if you parked a minivan full of ANFO next to a diesel tanker....

I was thinking specifically of liquid natural gas.

[red-beard]

Suitcase Plutonium bomb...ha! Silly boy, those are Uranium.

Yep, one of these days, some terrorist is going to get thier hands on a mini-nuke and set it off in a city. It will not be a US city. I would suspect Israel is a more likely target. Any city in Europe would be easier.

However, I think the next big terrorist attack will involve a natural gas tanker, but an ocean tanker. Split open one of the big LNG tankers, let it fill the air, then spark. Biggest non-nuke explosion. Again, I don't think it will happen here in the US.

[scottmandue]

If they were really smart they would get some software guy to write a computer virus that blocked all Internet porn on every computer in the USA.

Anarchy would ensue.

[legion]

IMO, the TSA serves the exact same function as Medicare, Social Security, the BATFE, and the DEA (to name a few). It assures the aging voting population that the government is there to take care of them and creates a perceived dependency that no politician is likely to defund.

The truth is just like Dantilla said, no plane is going to be allowed to be hijacked anymore by the passengers. I, for one, would put my life on the line to prevent that.

[jjone20]

Hum. If it was so easy, why hasn't it happened yet? I think TSA is a joke too, but all of the other suggestions are valid? Don't think the Saudis would finance a radiological device? Aren't the Iranians falling all over themselves to blow up something? Why hasn't it happened yet? We're overlooking the obvious.

[Moneyguy1]

We could counter with a virus that put that same pornography on every computer and TV screen in the ME. Talk about a terror weapon!!