Here we go again… The associated press is reporting that a US Airways employee helped a passenger, who was apparently his friend, smuggle an unloaded handgun onto a plane. You can go read one of the articles yourself, but it basically boils down to this. The passenger was moving and asked his friend about transporting his handgun. His buddy, who was a TSA employee, apparently decided it was easier to just carry the bag through the employee entrance, rather than have it screened or checked. Before boarding, the TSA employee gives the bag back, is spotted by a watchful passenger, reported, and all hell breaks loose. They tear apart the plane, find the gun, and find a missed boxcutter in the process too..
So, stupid decisions by both, but it brings to light, again, the fact that security at the airport is nothing but a show put on by the powers that be to make it look like we’re safe. In reality, though, the only thing that this insanity provides is headaches.
I wonder if people realize how incredibly easy it is to smuggle things onto planes. Let’s look at liquids, since liquid explosives are apparently so easy to mix on a plane. Bruce Schneier posted a story about a lady who decided to test the TSA by going through security with the ingredients to make homemade gunpowder. She clearly labeled all of the ingredients, printed up a fake boarding pass, and waltzed through security. They scanned her fake boarding pass with no problem. She was questioned about the bamboo reeds she had in her carry on luggage. However, after inspecting them, and even running what was apparently an explosives test, she was allowed to pass through security. How’s that for secure? They TESTED for explosives, yet found none.
Here’s another, marginally less exciting, but concerning nonetheless. A gentlemen buys some salad dressing for his wife, puts it in his luggage and forgets it’s there. At security, he goes through the motions and the dressing is found. After talking to the TSA employee he finds out that they have to discard the dressing, but is told exactly where they’ll be throwing it. After they throw it away, he wanders over to the garbage can, in full view, grabs it back, and flies it home to his wife. All in front of the TSA.
So tell me, is this security? How about we deal with the terrorists before they get to the airport. If they’ve made it far enough to get into the airport, we’re already too late.