New TSA rule for traveling airline pilots

[RitterKreuz]

A new TSA security directive requires all flight crew that are finished with their work day and intending to travel home by air must now exit the secure side of the airport and go through the normal security screening check point with ticketed passengers, before being readmitted to the secure side of the terminal and boarding their flight home.

It used to be that when a flight crew member got off work, they would leave the aircraft and go directly to the gate where the flight home would leave from and then board it and ride home as they have probably been through security at least a couple of times already during their work day.

ADVANTAGES TO THE NEW RULING: The chances that a disgruntled airline employee will smuggle illegal items into the secure side of the airport is greatly reduced.

DISADVANTAGES TO THE NEW RULING: Crew members often have tight connection times of less than 15 minutes gate to gate the new rule would cause many missed flights for crew members who just want to go back home after a long week and it Potentially could keep airline flight crews from getting to work on time if they are commuting in from their home cities which could be hundreds of miles from their base of operations.

the rule used to be that crews could go through employee security check points where pretty much the only difference was that lines were shorter so it takes less time to go through security and get to work.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE RULE???

[matt2190]

I do not like the rule. Did the crew not already have to go through security to board their aircraft somewhere else?

[RitterKreuz]

typically on the beginning of every day...

a crew will go through "crew security" or "employee security". they might be number 3 in line but really only consists of a quick bag X-ray ID verification and the crew is done - it takes less than a minute.

the crew works their 4 or 5 days on duty, going through the crew security every morning... on the 4th day when the crew is finished with that last flight they get their bags, leave the aircraft and simply walk to the gate where the flight to their home town leaves, grab a ticket, board it and go home. often the crew member has less than 20 minutes to get there and check in.

BUT NOW...

the crew works their 4 or 5 days on duty, going through the crew security every morning... on the 4th day when the crew is finished with the last flight they must gather all of their belongings and go outside the airport secure areas, wait in line at a ticket counter, get their ticket printed then go through normal passenger screening (which as you know could take about an hour to go through). After passing through normal passenger screening they get BACK into the secure side of the airport they were just in and go to their gate. If the screening process took long enough the crew has missed their flight home and must now fly standby on the next available flight (which of course might not be leaving for several hours) so instead of getting home at 4:00 pm they now get home at say 10:00pm

Its not the issue so much about having to go through security - its the principle of the matter. Are flight crews the real threat to the aircraft??? lets face it, if your pilot was suicidal, or some extremist, or insane or just really mad and he REALLY wanted to bring the plane down he wouldnt need weapons in his baggage to do it would he??? The ruling makes no sense in my opinion. TSA is just creating more busy work to create job security.

[DaveSims]

Umm, you are already through security, are they going to have someone babysit you until you go back outside the checkpoint?  Even then, if you had something illegal you could have left it inside the secure area to pick up later.  Duh!  

I hate these new security regulations every week.  I work at an airport and some of the new mandates we get are just plain stupid.  ::)

[RitterKreuz]

yep - pretty ridiculous

[pepper_airborne]

Yup, though all airport staff has this problem, one of my neighbours drives the carts that bring goods to the planes and the towing trucks. But, everytime he passes the gates he needs to identify himself to exactly the same person, wich is utter bullshit since he go's by there every few minutes.

[Jakemaster]

Make the pilots go through the same crap as the passengers

Just kidding!  But I seriously think security has gone overboard because all of their rules are apparently BS!  When I traveled last I accidently left my toiletries back in my carryon.  I had put it in there the night before so I wouldnt forget it and then forgot to put it in the back that I checked.  So I just acted like I didn't realize it was in there and it went through the X-ray and a guy checked it and saw my toothpaste and big bottle of contact solution then put it back in my bag and let me go.  

[beaky]

There should be some checkpoint , but I agree that it should be "express" service or whatever.
I don't see why they can't just be allowed to cut the line, instead of setting up a separate line.  That would create some minor delays for crews, but it would be a fair compromise.

[DaveSims]

I don't believe the discussion is about setting up a new line, its about a pilot finishing flying one airplane, then having to go outside and back through security before he can get on another plane to go home.  I just wonder, does TSA plan to know which pilots are going off-duty and will be there to escort you out of the secure area?  Otherwise, who would know?

[Triple_7]

Its just another sign of security getting out of control.  I could see it working in small airports such as Fort Wayne (FWA)  Even as a passenger its never taken more then 5 minutes to clear security and with only 8 gates its not like you have far to go once cleared.  But if you have a tight connection at say LAX you might as well forget it.  Poor setup and to many people.  Due to a delay in Dallas I only had about 3 hours to get out of the AA terminal, check-in with Malaysia, clear security in Tom Bradley, and get to the gate.  3 hours seems like a long time but due to the crowds and the excessive security check I still nearly missed my flight to Taipei  

If a crew member was coming in and only had 1/2 hour or so there would be no way to make it.  If crews already cleared their own security then there shouldnt be any reason to be sent out of security and back through.  Plus at larger airports it would just add to the passenger lines making the wait even longer for those of us on a tight connection.  Not only crew would loose in that situation.

While we are on the topic of security.  What is it with ID and tickets, on my way back home through LAX I checked in with AA and headed for the gate.  Was asked for ID and my tickets before I could even go up the stairs to the security line, then twice before I made it to the metal detectors, again before going through them, again right after going through, and the last time was after my carryon was selected for an extra scan.  6 times before making it to the gate...I dont think my information is going to change after the 1st time...its simply rediculous and another harrasment by security :-/

[RitterKreuz]

We used to get to cut in line at regular passenger screening.

a lot of us didnt like the idea of walking through like we were a bunch of VIPs or something.   Then we are told that there are no more cuts in line but at some airports its ok, others its not ok.

So DFW set up the employee security line which is more or less out of sight from the normal passenger screening.

I really DONT mind going through security

BUT

if we have already cleared security? why must we go back outside security then come right back in? its a waste of time and resources.