Tsa Mulls Proposal To Allow Knives, Throwing Stars

[Hatu]

Feds may ease airline security measures
TSA mulls proposal to allow knives, throwing stars, arrows onboard

By Sara Kehaulani Goo

Updated: 11:26 p.m. ET Aug. 12, 2005
The new head of the Transportation Security Administration has called for a broad review of the nation's air security system to update the agency's approach to threats and reduce checkpoint hassles for passengers.

Edmund S. "Kip" Hawley, an assistant secretary of homeland security, directed his staff to propose changes in how the agency screens 2 million passengers a day. The staff's first set of recommendations, detailed in an Aug. 5 document, includes proposals to lift the ban on various carry-on items such as scissors, razor blades and knives less than five inches long. It also proposes that passengers no longer routinely be required to remove their shoes at security checkpoints.

Agency officials plan to meet this month to consider the proposals, which would require Hawley's approval to go into effect.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8917950/

 

[Fly]

Box cutters have less than 5 inch blades! :down: Not good.

 

[gatemech]

Fly,

If I really thought we were safer because of the TSA I would agree with you. They are a joke. Do you think a steel fork in 1st class can't do any damage? If terrorist wants to take down an aircraft they will do it.

Just my opinion. Back to the UA forums.

gatemech

 

[FWAAA]

I'm not sure I agree with throwing stars or bows and arrows. But it would be nice to be able to travel with scissors and a pocket knife again.

 

[Wretched Wrench]

The key to security now is for the cockpit crew to NEVER unlock the cockpit door. The food cart barricade is ludicrous! As long as there is only one cockpit door, and their is food service and lav access, aircraft security is seriously compromised.

There needs to be a lockable second cockpit door to provide a secure vestibule for lav use and food service. The forward cockpit door would never be opened unless the aft/vestibule door is locked.

El Al does it somewhat like that.

And Sky Marshals have got to stop leaving guns in lavs. Or at least have FAs do a gun check after one is observed leaving the lav. And a seat back check after the SM has left the airplane.

 

[nycbusdriver]

I'm not sure I agree with throwing stars or bows and arrows. But it would be nice to be able to travel with scissors and a pocket knife again.

[post="288102"][/post]​

I'd like to be able to carry a small tool kit again so I can get hotel windows open more than a quarter inch.

 

[Bob Owens]

The rules were rediculous, they only inconvienced passengers and did nothing to improve security. A fire bottle could be a lot more dangerous than a two inch file on your nail clippers.

 

[FA Mikey]

The key to security now is for the cockpit crew to NEVER unlock the cockpit door. The food cart barricade is ludicrous! As long as there is only one cockpit door, and their is food service and lav access, aircraft security is seriously compromised.

[post="288129"][/post]​

Ya think so? Well when its all you have, something is better than nothing. It is an additional obsticle. If placed right its a very useable tool in the event of someone is trying to pull something. I know it happened to me. It kept the person more than arms length from my body and was quite useful in putting the person down.

UAL was putting up some kind of secondary door. Would be interesting to know how that is going.

 

[Wretched Wrench]

when (a cart barricade) is all you have, something is better than nothing.

Of course.

But it is still ludicrous. But, at least they don't cost the company any extra. I forgot the price on the new cockpit doors, but it was stunning.

 

[FWAAA]

But, at least they don't cost the company any extra. I forgot the price on the new cockpit doors, but it was stunning.

[post="288240"][/post]​

True, they were expensive, but the second federal bailout (2003) contained a reimbursement for the doors and other security expenditures as well as a refund of the September 11 Security Fees ($2.50/seg) collected up to that point.

 

[j7915]

Fly,

If I really thought we were safer because of the TSA I would agree with you. They are a joke. Do you think a steel fork in 1st class can't do any damage? If terrorist wants to take down an aircraft they will do it.

Just my opinion. Back to the UA forums.

gatemech

[post="288101"][/post]​

Agreed, the entire exercise in security after 9/11 is to keep terrorists from using airplanes as weapons. El Al is a small carrier they can afford the multitude of security systems.

How about a bolted in place no access to the cockpit, no access from the cockpit to the cabin in flight or on the ground, bulkhead? With only 2 flight crew members, the need for expertise in the cabin is not sustainable, besides the F/A I have met seem to know more about the cabin than any pilot/co-pilot is likely to.

The biggest claim for arming pilots is/was their military background, so they should be used to entering their workspace thru the "window", and there is such a thing as port-a-pottis, and box lunches.

Without access there is no way that the flight crew can be coerced into opening the cockpit door. Hence it is useless to threaten the passengers and cabin crew.

Boeing missed an opportunity with the 787...a separate entry for the flight crew.

 

[Bob Owens]

j7915,Aug 14 2005, 04:52 PM]
Agreed, the entire exercise in security after 9/11 is to keep terrorists from using airplanes as weapons. El Al is a small carrier they can afford the multitude of security systems.


How do you figure that?

How about a bolted in place no access to the cockpit, no access from the cockpit to the cabin in flight or on the ground, bulkhead? With only 2 flight crew members, the need for expertise in the cabin is not sustainable, besides the F/A I have met seem to know more about the cabin than any pilot/co-pilot is likely to.

Whats wrong with the doors they have now?

The biggest claim for arming pilots is/was their military background, so they should be used to entering their workspace thru the "window", and there is such a thing as port-a-pottis, and box lunches.

Maybe they should close off all the lavs in Tulsa along with the cafeteria, then you could box your lunch and use the same box as a porta potty to take home your own waste. It wont increase security but neither would your suggestion but it would save AA money.
As far as the window entry they can only be opened from the inside. Are we going to leave them open all the time? What about the fact that airplanes spend most of the time outdoors in all sorts of weather? Are we going to hire people to sit in the cockpits so we can close up the airplanes?

Without access there is no way that the flight crew can be coerced into opening the cockpit door. Hence it is useless to threaten the passengers and cabin crew.

Well the policy now is that they do not open the door, let them kill a few instead of giving them the ability to kill them all.

Boeing missed an opportunity with the 787...a separate entry for the flight crew.

 

[eolesen]

So, what do you do with the no-entry/exit cockpit on a flight requiring additional crew members? Or do we now limit all international flights to eight hours in the name of security?....

 

[Bob Owens]

So, what do you do with the no-entry/exit cockpit on a flight requiring additional crew members? Or do we now limit all international flights to eight hours in the name of security?....

[post="288279"][/post]​

I guess they sit on the portapoty till its their turn to fly!

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

What measures have(OR HAVE NOT) been taken to thwart an attempt by a terrorist, working on a catering truck, from putting a 44 Magnum, in a rear lav, that another terrorist could retrieve, and totally disable a cockpit crew ??
(on a non "marshall" flight) !!

(Think "B" movie, "passenger 57)

NH/BB's