Airline politics?

[Michael Blakely]

A non-partisan discussion of airline legislation would be acceptable. However, the thread will be closely monitored and if the thread degrades and becomes personal, petty, libelous, or emotional it will get deleted.

[Michael Natale]

From the Huffington Post on 24 June; "Saudi officials told CNN that the kingdom does not grant visas to holders of Israeli passports because it does not recognize Israel, and will not deny entry visas to Americans simply because of an Israeli stamp on a U.S. passport." This is contrary to its previously stated postion which advises that Jewsish persons or persons with an Israeli Passport or Israeli travel stamp on their passport will be denied entry......

According to CNN/WSJ, Delta is entering into a partnership with Saudi Arabian Airlines through its SkyTeam Alliance, beginning next year. Delta planes don’t actually fly there, but Delta customers will be riding on Saudi Arabian through an interline agreement.Saudi Arabia requires a visa for most foreigners entering its country, and the kingdom denies visas to people who have a stamp in their passport from Israel. This is contrary to their 24 June Embassy press release! When applying for a visa, you send in your passport. Many believe the strict Islamic nation routinely denies visas to people it believes are Jewish. Without a visa, no airline can board a passenger for a flight to that country. Anytime you fly internationally, your documents are checked by the airline before you board. If a visa is required and you don’t have one, the airline can’t fly you there.

It would seem to me that this issue is resolved before one even makes it to the airport. Saudi Arabia is denying access via its tarvel visa application process. Delta is not denying access by way of its ticketing/sales representatives. You can technically purchase the ticket, but you won't possess the requisite travel documents to board the Saudi aircraft. Who would subject themselves to this poorly thought out travel arrangemnt?

I think legal questions for the future are: Who is (yet-to-be) agreived by this policy and who is the responsible orginazation/body denying service or right(s)? It seems to me that Saudi Arabia is denying the opportunity for Jewish/Israeli persons not Delta. The Kingdom has been internationaly questioned and ridiculed for this policy too, but they have the right as a soverign nation to make their own rules, some of which I think are juvenile.

Any attorneys out there with a thought on this, it is an interesting legal issue?

[Theodore Martin]

I just recently traveled to Florida and leaving DFW as well as the return flight I was selected for the x-ray scan. I don't know what the criteria for selection is, but in my case I can guess at one possibility.

As everyone else I can see both sides of the issue. I have not viewed any videos of the alleged groping incidents so I can't provide an informed opinion, but in my travels I have not seen any evidence of excessive pat-downs but I'm sure they exist. With the possibility of terrorist acts it's imperative we have comprehensive security. The answer is not in legislation but in continuous tweaking of the procedures and continuous training of TSA agents.

I agree with Chris that airline travel has now degraded to packing sardines into a long narrow cylinder. On my last several flights they were severely over booked, they ask everyone to close the window shades to keep the airplane cool (instead of running the air condition) so you are in this tube and can't see outside, and the carry on luggage situation has become a nightmare. What used to be a good experience has now become a necessary evil.

[Rey Ramon]

too much...http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/06/27/tsa ... t-airport/

and another... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40291856/ns ... red-urine/

this one breaks my heart. my four year old girl was selected for a pat down two weeks ago on our way to vacation at EWR. My wife questioned TSA agent who said my wife could go in her stead...thank god. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ciZjAAa ... re=related

[Theodore Martin]

Forcing the 95 yr. old lady to remove her Depends was utterly ridiculous. There needs to be some common sense mixed into the equation.

[Rey Ramon]

The guy at EWR said that the metal detector randomly picked my daughter. I guess may be there is a randomizer that randomly dings some one to get searched. any one know about this?

[Greg Gemelli]

To grop or not to grop.....

I hear endless stories as I fly back and forth across the country about this issue. I'm not a fan of the TSA process. The problem as I see it in regard to airport screening is that we still lack proactive solutions and are left with a very reactive program. If safety is truly the goal and I know it is then we need to look at an entirely new system of screening. I think the best option is to follow the Israeli model but it's not without it's drawbacks. The primary is cost both in implementation and operational after it is put in place.

I have gone through airport security all over the world. Asia, Europe, South America, Africa and nowhere have I dealt with the level of inefficiency I have found in the US. By efficient I am not referring to the "speed" of the process. The goal is to weed out the "bad folks" while minimizing the inconvenience on the rest (99.999%) of the traveling population. Looking for a needle in a haystack requires specialized training in this case and the ability to profile. Seriously how the heck else are you going to do it? But as soon as you say this you're gonna get an earful about civil rights. However I'm not advocating profiling by race or culture. I'm advocating psychological profiling by people trained to detect stress or behavior abnormalities.

OK before I go on I want to say that I have respect for the TSA employees and understand that they are tasked with a tough job. With that being said..

A system that randomly selects a 95yr old for an enhanced patdown is the result of a system (the TSA) that is largely staffed by people with a basic skill set in regard to security. Seriously if no one is able to say "let this one (the 95 yr old) go" then it's painfully obvious that the TSA screeners aren't even trusted enough by the TSA to make a judgement call. So the process we are subjected to is very regimented, automated and often time consuming. I don't mind the time part but like anyone I want value for my time spent. Like anyone I want value for my tax dollar spent. The TSA is not entirely broken and compared to what we has pre-911 it's a substantial improvement but it needs to evolve. The evolution will cost travelers a lot of money. When airports have higher operational costs they pass it on to airlines who pass it on to passengers. This will cause the airline lobby to fight this to the bitter end because higher ticket prices means less passengers; less profit. The money either would have to come from taxes or ticket prices but it could be used to create a TSA with highly trained/skilled screeners. But gone are the days of cheap employees for the TSA. People with specialized security training and advanced degrees demand money.

Anyway thats my take..

[Norberto Rivera]

Groping is already illegal in every state. It's called sexual assault in most of them. I don't think legislation is going to solve anything because federal law has always superseded state law. Maybe instead all the governors and state legislators should make it a point to harass the heck out of the TSA director until they get it straight... but then again that might require them to do some work.

[Michael Blakely]

So will it get more or less restrictive now that some guy got on a plane with no ID and an expired boarding pass?

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2 ... tizen.html