Airport Screening – Proposed Rule Changes

Last week, while waiting in line to depart Birmingham, I was reminded how futile and bothersome airline screening is. I wouldn’t feel so bad if it made me feel safer. It does not.

Now the TSA has announced they’re thinking of changing the screening procedures. Pocket knives – OK. Throwing stars – OK. As a favor to me, can’t you just put your throwing star in checked luggage?

Ice picks become OK as well. So will bows and arrows.

None of these seem to be high impact.

There are also modifications to the shoe removal policy. Good – I hate taking my shoes off. Right now there’s a Catch-22 saying you don’t have to remove your shoes, though not removing them is grounds for further inspection during which time you’ll be asked to remove your shoes!

Here’s the only part that really upsets me:

From the Washington Post:

The TSA memo proposes to minimize the number of passengers who must be patted down at checkpoints. It also recommends that certain categories of passengers be exempt from airport security screening, such as members of Congress, airline pilots, Cabinet members, state governors, federal judges, high-ranking military officers and people with top-secret security clearances.

When governmental officials… or anyone for that matter… is given a pass around a problem, they are immunized from its bother and less likely to continue seeing it as a problem. I want them to go to the airport and feel my pain.

I sense that someone with a lot more schlep than my little blog carries will really publicize this and it will disappear under the scowl of public disapproval.