Thu, May 06, 2004
LAX-Dulles Flight Pegged For Special Scrutiny
What has the TSA so
interested in United Airlines Flight 200? That evening flight from
Los Angeles to Washington (DC) appears to be under intense
government scrutiny. The measures include:
- An invasive search of items belonging to flight crew members
and flight attendants
- "Sanitizing" the aircraft prior to departure
- Bomb-sniffing dogs in the gate area
- Shadowing the pilot briefer
"They absolutely tear everything apart inside the flight bag,
every piece of professional literature, flight manuals, head sets,
they empty the overnight bag. It's being scrutinized at a level I
have never seen in over 25 years of flying," one crew member told
the Washington Times, asking not to be named.
A memo obtained by
the Times says UAL 200 has been designated by the TSA as a "flight
of interest." Cockpit and cabin crew members "are receiving a
thorough second security screening by the TSA, which includes
flight bags and all personal belongings. In addition, the pilot
conducting the preflight is being shadowed," the memo said. Being
"shadowed" in this sense means the pilot briefer has to wait in a
secure area until he can be escorted by a security team, according
to the anonymous crew member.
Many are angry at the new procedures. "Every single crew
member assigned to a flight has their identification verified
before boarding," said APSA (Airline Pilot's Security Alliance)
President Dave Mackett. "It should also be obvious a weapon is
superfluous to a pilot getting control of an airplane, since he is
given control as his primary job. What is especially disconcerting
is that the TSA refuses to even tell the captain of the flight what
the threat is, and the captain is charged by law with ensuring the
flight's safety."
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