According to the Times (of London, not of New York):
"SECURITY screeners at some of America's largest airports failed to detect up to half the fake guns and bombs smuggled through checkpoints in undercover tests. " The nationwide average was 24% of weapons missed (or weapons missed 24% of the time, they don't make it clear on what basis they've calculated the statistic)
Ironically, Miami which at 94% accuracy has the best rate of detection, has other problems. According to an AP news story:
"A Phoenix-bound jetliner was preparing for takeoff with 124 passengers aboard when officials called it back to the terminal and arrested both pilots for allegedly being drunk in the cockpit.
Airport security screeners said they noticed a whiff of alcohol on two America West pilots Monday morning when they got into a dispute over cups of coffee they wanted to bring through a checkpoint.
The screeners at Miami International Airport alerted officials who called police. But by the time officers arrived, the plane had already left the gate and was headed for takeoff. "
So it looks like the screeners are great at Miami, but the police are fast asleep. And I can't believe that they're not making pilots take breathalyzer tests before they fly, especially given that legislation has passed to to arm pilots (something I personally think is a bad idea).
| Security
I've flown twice recently, once to New Orleans via Dulles, and once direct to San Francisco.
On the Nola trip, I waltzed through all the security checks, though I took note of the soldiers with M-16s and the rather blatant plainclothes security guys. On the way to SF, I was patted down pretty aggressively both ways, including being asked to take off my shoes and unbuckle my belt.
Also, I have noticed and discussed with other people (who have also noticed) the new "little old lady" policy, where security people, in order not to appear to be racially (or ageistly, or... genderifically) profiling pull your sweet, white-haired aunt out of line and give her the business.
So, are we safer? I really don't know. But I feel like defending against something that already happened -- while important -- is a good way to be surprised. (First I go high, then I go low...) I hope there's enough smart policework going on to make all the rigamarole an unnecessary caution.
Also, for the record -- since I was asking everybody else, the Colin Lingle Privacy Meter(TM) is in the low Yellow when I have to unbuckle my belt in public.
The first time we flew after 9/11 in January I was plesently surprised to see a 20 something woman knitting a scarf in the seat across the isle from me. Until it hit me she was using 8 inch steel needles to do it! At least they looked like steel to me .
Comment #2 :: link :: July 3, 2002 9:00 AMFWIW, when my father’s parents flew to Mass. for my mother’s funeral in March, they got the full luggage and personal shakedown both coming from Florida and going to. Robert Kirkpatrick I: born 1910. Vernette Kirkpatrick: born 1917. Anecdotal, to be sure, but interesting. (Frankly, I’d love to have my grandparents try to jack the plane, just to see if they could. ’A 92-year-old man and his wife hijacked an American Airlines jet today bound for Orlando. They said they could fly the plane better than ‘those kids’ in the cockpit who were less than half their age. ”)
Comment #3 :: link :: July 5, 2002 9:00 AM :: homepage
