To my fellow pilots;
I am not sure if I'm misinformed or taking this out of context, but here goes:

I was non-reving the other day out of CLT. I went through the line as a normal pax with my boarding pass and Crew ID. As I approached Mr. Ticket Inspector he looked at me and said are you flying today. Perplexed by this question as I was not in uniform, I said "well, I am flying as a pax, hence the boarding pass." He then informed me that my Crew ID was not an acceptable form of identification and I needed to supply him with my drivers license or passport. I said "you have got to be kidding me!" My Crew ID gets me through on a daily basis in uniform, but when out of uniform its worthless??? He then said if I had a SIDA badge, which as all of you know, we do not get in CLT, that would be acceptable. I said, "your SIDA badge, while you think gives you the world, only gives you access to airport areas and the ramp, not the AIRCRAFT!!! Am i just totally misinformed or just overly sensative because I am tired of high school graduates getting on a power trip and enforcing there "so-called" laws?? I really hope crew pass gets off the ground, while I know it will not help while non-reving, it will take some of the sting out of having to go through security while working!

 

I've had multiple 'encounters' with the folks at CHARLOTTE TSA. One went as far as getting pulled aside and questioned for 15 minutes while they poured through my bag.. and ultimately led to an Official Letter of Warning that was mailed to my address. (And mind you I had my crew card and everything.. )

I feel your pain...

 

Email or write you congressman or senator about CrewPASS. Granted, it would not have helped your situation, but the more our reps here from crews about the TSA the better. TSA is out of control!

 

You didn't need even need the boarding pass. All you need is a crew ID badge to pass through any TSA security at any airport in the U.S. in uniform or not. The only difference being if you are out of uniform your are subject to the liquids restrictions and have to take off your shoes. It doesn't matter if you are working, it doesn't matter if your airline operates out of that airport, all you need is that ID. If you are harassed immediately ask for a supervisor that should resolve it. If they still won't let you through start collecting info get the screeners name, supervisor's name, date/time, etc. and file a complaint with the TSA.

 

Had the same issue in St Louis. The TSA agent from a different line ran over and lectured me about it then proceeded to yell at the agent that allowed us to pass through. Havent had that issue at any other airports, Orlando even let my dad pass through crew line.

 

This is one thing that the TSA does not really have control over.

The airport chooses to have whatever lines and the TSA is only able to screen the lines that the airport creates.

Your dad going through the crew line didn't really break any rules since they would have checked his boarding pass and ID.

 

It happened to me today at LAX. I showed my TSA crew ID and the lady gave me the hugest WTFF kind of look as if I just handed her a ZULU nation passport. I told her it's a regional airline out EAST. She admitted she was new and had to check with her associate who had this look like she had made the worst mistake of her life by becoming a TSA agent. She still was combatant and told me that I can't pass security with just a company I.D in plain clothes. I proceeded to tell her that I have been jumpseating for over 8 months and also through the same exact terminal countless times the same way. They eyeballed me a few seconds and to my surprise, they let me go which made me wonder if they even had the slightest idea of what they were doing. In the few days of TSA ground school don't they tell the agents that pilots have to pass a 10 year background and that we are the last defense against aviation terrorism?????

By the way have you noticed there are only two types of TSA checkpoints? The one where the agents are scruitinising everyone down to the grandma and the one where the agents are BSing around, shooting the breeze. They're really standardized.

 

My friend ask ney demand you ask for me the CAPTAIN!!! YOU will GET ON MY FLIGHT! I will not turn down a fellow pilot ( CASS aprpoved)!!!!

 

Man I too am sick of the nonsense TSA consistently pulls. From now on if I am denied access in plain clothes with my crew ID I am making a huge stink getting names, ID numbers and making an example of the idiot. Its getting totally unacceptable.

On a side note the other day I was in downtown San Diego and ran into a Holiday Inn while bar hopping to use the facilities. Out in the courtyard I see a large number of no doubt degenerates milling around dressed in a feeble attempt to look businesslike. Just think of all the degenerate types in the US and each one was represented in this group. As I entered the hotel I came across a sign that shed some light on what was going on......TSA recruiting

 

Just remember to smile for the mug shot.