Ok, bit my lip long enough. You are painting with an awful broad brush here my friends. Where do I even begin....Thugs and criminals are thugs and criminals, no matter what uniform they wear, SIDA/ID they sport, or how many strpies on thier shoulders. I'm sure none of you have ever had anything (or heard of anyone having had) swiped out of a crew room/flight deck etc...(read sarcasm). Screening....Yep, the very same you get, AND US Customs, and the Postal Service. Did they do that for you? Screening on a daily basis? Depends on what ramp you work. Dulles for example, everyone, every day goes through a TSA checkpoint. Not so at all airports, but it does happen.

There are PhD's on ramps, and at gates just as there are HS diplomas in the right and left seats. In the minority? Sure. Point being, loose the generalizations. The morons who did this should be, of course, terminated post haste and prosecuted. Things like this give everyone on an airline payroll a black eye. And the payscale is no excuse. Times are tough for all of us, and that's not a free pass to commit larceny. But for you as an 'airline guy' to take a swipe at everyone who works below the wing is, frankly, ignorant. If you want your status to give you special dispensation to do certain things, then act the part. Statements like that, and others on this thread are reminiscent of someone who can't see past thier own nose, or preconcieved notions.

These guys are crminals, plain and simple. But absent a system that predictivley precludes applicants based on what they might do, and with no prior record, this will continue to happen. The system is reactionary by it's nature, and is only as good as those that oversee it. Until then, how about compentent and honest until proven otherwise? Or, alternatively, since you feel the way you do, how about you do it? Didn't think so. So, let's shake hands, banish these rejects and get on with our lives mutually respecting eachother? Key word...mutually. Not all pilots are over paid prima donnas, that needs to stop too.

So, let's break out the giant bag of chips, ten gallon vat of salsa and fire up some Sports Center. I'll bring the keg....

Rant over...