security

Tag Archives for security.

Expect REAL ID To Be Delayed “Due To Coronavirus”

by Gary Leff on March 18, 2020

Mar 18 2020

The TSA has been saying that starting October 1, 2020 they are only going to accept IDs at security checkpoints that are compliant with a 2005 law that’s been getting kicked down the road for years. There are still a few states that aren’t issuing these IDs, and many people in states that are haven’t replaced their drivers licenses with new ones.

The prospect of turning away passengers from flying en masse never seemed plausible one month before the Presidential election. The October 1, 2020 deadline, which has been pushed off for years, inevitably will be pushed off again.

Now, with coronavirus, we know what excuse the Department of Homeland Security is likely to use.

Yikes: Warning Lights That Help Planes Avoid Hitting Tall Structures Found “Exposed to the Open Internet”

by Gary Leff on November 27, 2019

Nov 27 2019

Lights placed on tall structures so that planes see them – and don’t hit them – are vulnerable to hacking. They can be turned off. Remotely. Via the internet.

There hasn’t been an incident, but the vulnerability was uncovered by security researcher Amitay Dan and confirmed by an FAA official.

See Something, Say Something Doesn’t Work When You Don’t Know What You’re Looking For

by Gary Leff on September 3, 2019

Sep 03 2019

Monday night an Alaska Airlines employee “spotted two men who she thought looked suspicious” at Newark airport. She “approached them, the men started running and she screamed “evacuate.”

The Alaska employee “hit an alarm..and nearly 200 passengers evacuated the gate.” Passengers ran, hid under seats, and reportedly there was “glass..shattered from people jumping.”

Man Arrested in Singapore for Buying Refundable Ticket to Escort His Wife to Her Gate But Not Flying

by Gary Leff on September 1, 2019

Sep 01 2019

A man who ate free for a year buying a refundable ticket, accessing the China Eastern lounge in Xi’an, China, and the refunding his ticket. Every. Day. There can be consequences to this scam: Lufthansa sued a passenger and won 200 euros after the man booked and cancelled 36 tickets in a year for the purpose of obtaining business class lounge access.

Another passenger was even arrested after living in 9 different Priority Pass lounges at the Singapore airport over the course of 3 weeks.

In Three States You Can Now Sue If TSA Employees Intentionally Harm You

by Gary Leff on September 1, 2019

Sep 01 2019

The federal Third Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that lawsuits are permitted for abusive searches under the Federal Tort Claims Act. An en banc panel of the court decided 9-4 that TSA security checkpoint employees are “officers or employees” of the federal government and that they “execute searches.” The TSA for its part claims not to search passengers, only to ‘screen’ them.

TSA Won’t Start Requiring Employees to Be in Uniform to Use Known Crewmember Lanes, After All

by Gary Leff on August 26, 2019

Aug 26 2019

TSA has backed down in the face of employees’ union objections and the requirement will not go into effect.

TSA Cracking Down on Known Crewmembers

by Gary Leff on August 26, 2019

Aug 26 2019

Airline crew can frequently show an ID and avoid being accosted with nude-o-scopes and metal detectors. Occasionally that’s been tempting for drug smugglers, but drugs aren’t the TSA’s purpose anyway. Still as a result crew do sometimes go through checks.

The Known Crewmember program, “a joint initiative between Airlines for America (A4A) and the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA),” has become more liberalized and useful over time — four years ago crew started being allowed to go through even when traveling personally and out of uniform. That was subsequently limited a bit. And this week it’s being significantly curtailed.nnnn

Airport Security Screener Fired for Writing Note to Passenger That He’s Ugly

by Gary Leff on August 16, 2019

Aug 16 2019

A security screener has been fired after passing a note to a passenger at a Rochester airport checkpoint that said “You ugly.” t the end of the video the screener begins writing another note…

Iraq Veteran Has Necklace With a Love Letter Inside Confiscated by TSA

by Gary Leff on August 12, 2019

Aug 12 2019

Empty shell casings are permitted in carry on luggage — just not if they contain a love letter to an ex-Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, apparently. The TSA defends their supervisor saying they have ‘discretion’ to throw away items of sentimental value belonging to members of the military.

After an outcry though they went ahead and violated policy and returned the man’s necklace, which had also contained a fingerprint from his late grandfather and a cross he wore through his wartime deployments.

United Offering New Discounts for CLEAR (Airport Security) While American Blocks Expansion

by Gary Leff on July 29, 2019

Jul 29 2019

United has entered into a partnership with CLEAR for expedited security screening. This is surprising because CLEAR is owned, in part, by Delta however United will be taking an equity stake as well. This will mean (1) expansion for CLEAR and (2) discounts for United elites and credit card customers.