Archive | Airport Security

A few weeks back, Orin polled VC readers for their views on airport security. The obvious question for those of us who are critical of the TSA’s approach is “what is the alternative?” As a recent House Transportation and Infrastructure hearing, the Consumer Travel Alliance’s Charles Leocha outlined a set of alternative policies that would […]

Stewart Baker’s “Sex Secrets of the Security Line” (aka “50 Shades of TSA”) seems to have touched a nerve out there. Here are comments by Ken at Popehat, Scott Greenfield at Simple Justice, and Mark Bennett at Defending People. (Note: Credit for the “Fifty Shades of TSA” line goes to Max Kennerly.)

Thanksgiving weekend is usually the most traveled in the United States. With so many travelers, TSA screening incidents are inevitable. According to reporter Scott MacFarlane, the TSA has received over 17,000 formal complaints about pat downs since October 2009. Since the agency is averaging around 15 complaints per day, some Turkey day mishaps are inevitable. […]

The Transportation Security Administration “does not prohibit the public, passengers or press from photographing, videotaping or filming at security checkpoints, as long as the screening process is not interfered with or slowed down.” Specifically, so long as a traveler does not photograph or videotape what’s on the TSA’s monitors, and does not violate any local […]

The Hill reports Senate Democrats want to increase air travel fees to make up a shortfall in the Transportation Security Administration’s budget. The stated rationale for the move is that the burden of the TSA should be borne by those who benefit from it, but that’s no reason to charge air travelers.

The Washington Post reports that former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger got a full pat down by the TSA at Laguardia. Maybe one of the TSA agents had been reading Christopher Hitchens. UPDATE: Kissinger told James Taranto there was “nothing untoward” about his search and that the patdown was necessary because of his leg brace.

Noah Shachtman suggests the Transportation Security Administration may (finally) be adopting a more rational approach to airport security. Let’s hope so.

The new airport screening measures involving millimeter wave technology and backscatter technology — together with the opt-out of a pat-down — have received a great deal of public attention. Back when the new measures were first widely introduced, I blogged about why a Fourth Amendment challenge to the new practices was an uphill battle. Today, […]

Back in March, the Transportation Security Administration’s Blogger Bob trumpeted a study that supported the TSA’s claims about the relative safety of its Advanced Imaging Technology body scanners. Case closed, right? Maybe. The study made several qualifications, and at least one of its co-authors thinks the scanners should be subject to outside testing. Now ProPublica […]

CNN has obtained a list of behavioral indicators that TSA personnel are supposed to use to identify “high risk” passengers who should receive extra scrutiny at airport security. Among the indicators is arrogance or “contempt” toward TSA screening. From CNN: Many of the indicators, as characterized in open government reports, are behaviors and appearances that […]

ABC News reports on the TSA’s invasive pat down of a six-year-old girl, complete with hands along the thighs and inside the waist-band. (Video at the link.) The Drexels said they stood powerless, watching as their daughter was patted down. “I did ask for alternatives, I asked for her to be rescanned,” Selena Drexel said. […]

CNN reports that the Transportation Security Administration has decided it will no longer approve applications from airports seeking to replace TSA screeners with private contractors. This is an abrupt reversal from the agency’s alleged “neutral” stance it announced just several weeks ago. TSA chief John Pistole said Friday he has decided not to expand the […]

This year’s holiday travel was relatively uneventful.  We avoided the blizzard-induced air traffic snarl, and didn’t even see (let alone have to use) a body-image scanner.  The only real problem was the TSA inspection of one checked bag.  It wasn’t anywhere near as bad as what some have endured, but it was annoying nonetheless. I’ve […]

The Washington Post reports that more airports are considering whether to hire private contractors to replace TSA personnel for airport security.  Such a shift would not alter the screening protocols — these requriements are imposed by federal regulations independent of whether TSA personnel man the security checkpoints — but could alter the efficiency and attitude […]