Comments on: Flying without ID Round 2

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:21:19 +0000

First, I think you should take Matt’s comment about taking an operations management elective quite seriously. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? You could grow centrally bald and become a PHB, that’s about it.

In terms of changes in security since 9/11, I would have to strongly disagree with you that they have had no meaningful impact. That *might* be the case with passenger screening. However, if anything, the reinforced cockpit doors now required amount to a reasonable and definite improvement, in my estimation.

Perhaps you should also create an unprivileged account on your laptop with no access rights to anything that you could sign into the next time the screeners want access. And beware of flying with 128-bit encryption through France.

By: syzygy

syzygy — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 01:49:08 +0000

I don’t think that I would be in prison if airports had real security, except for the time that I accidentally had a Leatherman in my carry on bag that security missed, but I don’t think that is jail worthy. My argument is that a false sense of security is more dangerous than a lack of security that is well known. And as you say, the cost of proper education is astronomical, and not possible, and the security companies should understand their limitations. Since the goal of proper security is not reachable, not to mention the privacy issues involved, I think we need to reach a median that provides a reasonable level of security without being intrusive to the passengers. To me, the changes in security since September 11th have not increased security on American air travel in a significant manner. If the security has not been increased or improved, the billions already spent are wasted and we should stop wasting even more money on future travel.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:37:29 +0000

If actual security measures were in place at airports, would not your posterior end be in prison by now? The problem is that people want to be safe, yet at the same time make unreasonable demands in regards to having a “hassle-free” experience at places like airports. If people would just start doing their jobs and actually enforcing the policies that are in place then we might at least have some baseline level of effectual travel security. If that happened, however, then people like you would be decrying the horrible “customer service” conditions at airports and demanding that travel rules be changed. People need to start understanding that the world does not revolve around them and their every whim.

P.S. – Do you have any idea how much it would cost to educate airport security forces to a level where they would have an intricate understanding of advanced electronic devices? Billions of dollars is a few orders of magnitude off for an undertaking of that scale. I think that you hardcore electrical engineering majors could benefit from a few operations management electives!