Terrorist Fish slips past TSA Idiots

[hillbilly]

Your tax dollars, working overtime.......

hillbilly


http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/03362/255283.stm


I wasn't prepared, however, for the TSA to stop me right at the entrance, proclaiming that no small pets, including fish, were permitted through security. I had, however, just received the blessing of the ticket agents at US Airways and pre-assured MJ's travels with Pittsburgh International Airport security weeks before our travel date. I tried to explain this to the screener who stood between me and the gates, but she would have none of it.

I was led back to the US Airways ticket counter, stocking-footed and alone, where the agents reasserted that they did not see a problem for me to have a fish on board, properly packaged in plastic fish bag and secured with a rubber band as MJ was. But the TSA supervisor was called over, and he berated me profusely. He exclaimed that in no way, under no circumstances, was a small fish allowed to pass through security, regardless of what the ticket agents said.

 

[Don Gwinn]

Geez, Subject, if you don't realize the terrible possibilities for death and mayhem inherent in an average-sized Betta or Koi in a plastic bag, on board an AIRLINER no less, I certainly can't explain it to you. . . . .



(If you look at that statement carefully, you'll find that it's both sarcastic and literally true. I'm quite proud of it.)

 

[Balog]

[/pats Don Gwinn on the back for his linguistic aptitude]

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

I guess I need to declare the sardines next trip

 

[seeker_two]

This is just one more reason for me to avoid air travel...

I just KNOW I'll be arrested after my first encounter w/ TSA...

Don't know when to just be quiet, that is...

 

[Bill Hook]

TSA - Totally Stupid @--holes.

 

[Cool Hand Luke 22:36]

I think in fairness it should be pointed out that it was TSA personnel at Dulles who stopped a drunk Virgin Atlantic pilot from taking the controls of an aircraft.

That happened a week after the illegal detention of one who was merely (legally) checking in several guns for a flight.

Not to defend the whole TSA system, but there's good and bad in every group.

 

[RobW]

Suicide in fear of death!

Just a matter of time to have the whole air-fare industry destroyed. Who's next?

And there are still wide open borders, millions of illegals treated better than citizens...

 

[Cosmoline]

My response to this sort of nonsense has been to stop flying. Between work and personal flights, I have personally cost the airline industry well over $15,000 since 9/11. All my conferences are telephonic now, which makes the clients happy. And I no longer visit my relatives, which makes me happy. Since the jerks in the industry and at the TSA don't care about personal liberties, I figure I'll hit them in the pocket book.

 

[Wildalaska]

The story smacks of silly student histrionics.

Wildgullible?Alaska

 

[Cool Hand Luke 22:36]

Why didn't this person just check and see if the airline ships live fish? many do, FEDEX does also.

http://www.fishpost.com/shipping.html

I would have tried FEDEX just for the halibut

 

[Cosmoline]

I'd suspect the same thing if it weren't for my own personal experiences plus the accumulation of stories I've heard over the past two years. I realized things had gone south shortly after 9/11, when I got to see people's checked-in luggage searched in the open by leering security people. When they started demanding everyone partially disrobe and take off their shoes I took my money and went home. Everytime I have to go through airport security I come home ready to bomb the federales, and I'm a reasonable guy! It's stress I do not need.

 

[4v50 Gary]

And I've seen passengers who flew with small dogs or cats. Must be nitro-gylcerin that fish of yours is swimming in. TSA, anything I think of them I think: privatization.

 

[NukemJim]

TSA is a very mixed blessing.

They are good because of the screening for bombs by suicide bombers and planted bombs. This is desperatlyl needed. I commend their efforts. I still think that using modern technology that is currently on the shelf in stores that a terrorist could probably get a bomb through and that a group effort definelty could. I speak as a X-ray tech, who has done industrial radiography ( doing the fuses for the TOW2 warheads was way cool) xray scanning has its limits and more advanced systems are needed.

They are TERRIBLE because they refuse to accept the fact that 9/11 was a one trick pony. It worked one time. When the heros of United Airling 93 found out what had happened they did what they had to do to stop the terrorists. Prior to 9/11 the advice from everyone on what to do during a hijacking was the same " do what you are told and you will live throught it" and that statement was about 99.9% correct. Good odds. 9/11 changed the rules. I am not a hero but if I was on an airplane that was being hijacked I would definelty go down fighting and I believe I speak for the vast majority of all Americans. Stopping swiss army knifes and nail clippers does not really help guys. Sorry but the truth hurts. Even in prison where people are strip searched and full body cavity searched the prisoners find for make weapons. Prisons are under total goverment control so therefore they should be perfectly safe ? Right?

If the govement was serous about airliner safety they would strop dragging their feet and making so hard for the pilots to be trained as Federal FlightDesk Officers. Remember anytime they want to crash the plane into a building they could. But we do not want to tust hm with a gun and are running the program as slowly as possible. :banghead:

Sorry just my $0.02 worth

NukemJim

PS I flew to Florida for a family funeral in early December. When I got back when transfering the contents of my vest pockets I found a large metal needle for a syringe in my vest pocket that I had forgotten about and gone through TSA security twice taking the vest on the plane with me . ( No, I am not an addict I work in a hospital and scavange them for cleaning guns along with glass syringes I have. It is legal if you have a script from a friendly Doctor ) NukemJim

 

[sm]

Don Gwinn, excellent !

I'm not comfortable with TSA and Homeland at all. I too wonder about other conveyances, personal travel and road blocks to come.

Seeing the Bond thread...I would not be surprised to see these "intrusions" dealt with...super secret plans to save the world on a chip in a fish getting past security...Bond will come thru...

 

[N3rday]

Yes, go Don!

I liked this quote:

And I no longer visit my relatives, which makes me happy.

Yeah, show that airline who's boss!

"I've got an angelfish! One cut from his claw will poison you and you will die a slow, painful death!"

 

[Fly320s]

the TSA said, in part:

proclaiming that no small pets, including fish, were permitted through security.

That's funny. At my airline, we fly with pets everyday. When flying between NY and FL I guarantee we will be carrying two dogs or cats in the cabin of our aircraft.

The only reason we don't carry 50 animals is that our company decided that in-cabin pets will be limited to two dogs or cats.

That guy should be happy that he wasn't also carrying a Farmer's Almanac.

 

[D.W. Drang]

See, I have to send up the BS Flag on this one:

the TSA to stop me right at the entrance, proclaiming that no small pets, including fish, were permitted through security.

Horse hockey. The TSA screens thousands of "small pets" every day.
Maybe if they'd said "Lady, we'd let you through but we have to screen your goldfish*. That means either running it through the x-ray or taking it out of the water to examine it up close and personnel. Your choice." But that's not what is claimed here.

*Yeah, I know it wasn't a goldfish, but my cats say exotic Elbonian Fighting Fish taste just like goldfish...

 

[alan]

Re the antics of TSA, this is the same bunch that is "slow walking" the pilot firearms training program to death, or am I wrong here?

 

[feedthehogs]

Some are making the conclusion that ALL TSA agents follow the SAME rules.

That is just not the case. One reason that lead to me buying a time share on a private charter jet was the random rule difference and enforcement at the different airports around the country.
I never knew what to expect at any given airport..

Ask 10 different government agents a question and you get 10 different answers.

Did anyone really expect anything more?

 

[Blackcloud6]

I still theink the tSA folks are much better than the minimum wage, waiting for the green cared crowd that worked the gates before 911.

 

[tyme]

"better" only in stripping people of the most innocuous items before allowing them to board.

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

Define better

More professional? Arguable

But they have absolute authority backed up by sovereign immunity under the government. And immediate force via local PD and FBI. They are also embrazened with their "federal employee" status under which it practically takes and act of congress to get them removed for improper or illegal behavior.

 

[foghornl]

TSA must have though that the fish in that bag was a trained "Attack Pirhanna"...

'ing over paid under-smart federales.

 

[Smoke]

I guess I need to declare the sardines next trip

Dang right you do. Those lids are sharper than a box cutter. Plus, if you're sitting next to me and pop the lid on a tin of sardines, I'm gonna have to use that little white bag located in the seat pocket in fron of you.

Smoke.