Well that didn’t take long, the TSA is in the news again. This time they have come under fire for searching a 3 year old that was confined to a wheel chair.
On a related note, Orlando Sanford International Airport is firing the TSA. The airport has announced plans to opt out of using the federal agency, the TSA, to perform passenger security screening.
TSA Searches Boys In Wheelchairs
The TSA is coming under fire for performing an invasive pat down search on a 3 year old boy in a wheelchair. The 3 year old boy was traveling with his family to Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
The father of the little boy did a good job reassuring the little boy who was obviously terrified. The TSA agent asks the father to lift the boy’s shirt up to swab for residue. You can see the video for yourself.
“Your Fired” – Orlando Sanford International Fires TSA
Orlando’s Sanford International Airport has announced it will forgo using the widely unpopular federal agenda, the TSA, to perform passenger security screening. There are currently 16 airports that have opted out of using the TSA to perform the security screening process. This isn’t the first time the airport has tried to opt out of using the TSA.
Back in November 2010, the federal agency froze the ability of airports to opt out. However a new law passed in passed in February 2012 will again allow airports to opt out of using the federal agency in preference of their own private screeners.
The new law may make it easier for airports to opt out of using the agency which has been proven to be ineffective. Recently Jon Corbett posted a video illustrating that the TSA’s scanners are flawed. What was even more troubling is that the federal agency is reported to have tried to suppress coverage of the news by threatening reporters.
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Hi,
While you are correct in identifying Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) as looking to part ways with the TSA, you are incorrect in identifying SFB as a top 30 busiest airport. That distinction in Central Florida belongs to Orlando International Airport (MCO). In 2011, MCO had passenger traffic of more than 35 million. SFB was 1.6 million. Thanks.
Hi OIA – Thanks for catching that. Must have been thinking Orlando area when I wrote that. There is definitely a clear distinction between the two airports. Glad you pointed that out.
Actually Sanford is in the top 30 busiest in terms of take offs and landings, due to it being home of Delta’s flight training academy among other things.
Here’s the thing that is mostly not reported in all of these opt out stories, it really changes nothing in terms of screening except the screener is a private employee of a contractor vs a federal employee. The TSA will still maintain a supervisory presence at the airport to ensure screening policy and procedures are followed by the private company.
You just have to look at SFO as an example, the checkpoints have the same equipment and the same invasive pat down, only it’s Covenant and not the TSA staffing those checkpoints.
The main difference is that costs can be controlled better and service tends to be better because the contractor is incentivized via metrics that mean nothing to a federal employee who’s basically secure in their job.
It doesn’t look too bad and the agent is obviously trying to be pleasant while doing his job.
Like it or not flying is not a right, but a privilege. If anyone has a problem with TSA or pat downs etc. they can:
A) Stay at home.
B) Drive or take the bus/train.
Hi Payam – Not so fast. The TSA now claims the authority to search you if you are on a subway, bus, ferry, or even a car / truck.
http://pntsmlsmartini.wpengine.com/2011/06/its-starting-tsa-to-search-car-truck-bus-ferry-and-plane/
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