We have been discussing the meltdown at our nation’s airports as people wait for hours due to continued incompetence of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). While the media reported that TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger was “fired”, it turns out that he was placed on paid administrative leave. No other terminations or discipline has been announced despite the utter chaos and huge costs associated with the TSA’s inability to function at minimal standards. Now, a new report states that caused more than 70,000 American Airlines (AAL.O) customers and 40,000 checked bags missed their flights this year.
Many are enraged that Neffenger is not only on paid administrative leave but received a $90,000 bonus during the period where this disaster was unfolding.
Keep in mind this is just one airline. Yet, there is no evidence that TSA will face serious personnel changes or sanctions for this latest systemic failure. The public is again left paying hundreds of billions and receiving sub par performance from the government — costing tens of thousands both time and money in missed flights, meetings, and trips.
If memory serves me correctly our congress spent more time debating the issue whether the TSA should be government employees vs private contractors than the Patriot Act.
This is just one testament to how our government cares about our Bill of Rights.
Reblogged this on THE ABSURD TIMES — STILL and commented:
Shortly before all this mess, they fired about 5,000 employees as redundant. That’s austerity!
Bonobukeha, what how does the way you earn money relate to TSA article? Actually, I’m surprised it hasn’t been removed. Best wishes for your continued success.
Time to privatize!
Can’t we just outsource our airport security to the Israelis?
My husband and I thought the Israelis should come here and do a training program. Do they have long lines?
Karen, The head of TSA got 90k in bonuses after their 95% failure rate in detecting weapons. “Good enough for govt. work.”
The whole security issue is so grossly overdone that one wonders if not a great part of it is impulsed by mere greed of the involved service providers. How can it be that some miser with a pen knife is considered dangerous and warrants all kinds of visitation while somebody with karate abilities is allowed to fly without handcuffs?
We are a captive customer to the TSA. We cannot vote with our feet if we want to fly.
Nick – by employing a private company, there is accountability. If they don’t do a good job, they get replaced. When the TSA does a bad job, they get 50% raises, apparently.
My wife flew out of SFO the day after the Egypt Air crash. I was watching and reading local news to see the wait times. What I learned was SFO uses a private security company and there are very seldom long waits, I read about an analysis between SFO and LAX which uses TSA. The private SFO company processes 65% more passengers per hour than LAX. Having worked for both the govt. and private business, it is 2 different sets of rules, work ethic, chrissake 2 different realities.
I am going to Sweden this year. I am going to Toronto by train to take my flight out. OH CAN A Da!
Paid administrative leave…he was given another paid vacation until the heat cools off. Where will he be flying and will he do so on a private plane paid for by tax payers or will he get special treatment at the air port when he does? And the media repeated he was fired…what does that tell you?
I’m sick of this kind of thing. The Obama administration seems unable to cut the cord even on people whose incompetence is patently obvious!
Why aren’t metal scanners and locking the cockpit sufficient to deter those who would cause mayhem? Because that wouldn’t sufficiently intimidate the public?
I think we need to use the TSA mess to promote Donald. I bet we can find some emails connecting the former Secretary of State (Hillary) to the problem. We need to connect the dots.
Mussolini campaigned that he would run the trains on time. Trump could campaign on solving the disaster at TSA. The difference is Trump can probably do it!
CUT & PASTE
Ok first the TSA lies about the scanners being able to ‘inverse’ a scan to make it more ‘lifelike’.
Then they lie about the scanners being able to save an image, but try to excuse it by saying that it can ONLY do it in “test mode” and that none will actually be saved.
Then people find out it has a high speed interface to transfer saved images, and after that a story breaks that at least THOUSANDS of scans have been saved, after the TSA assures us that that won’t happen. (http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20012583-281.html)
(I have to wonder how many “inversed” images were saved.)
And if the machines are supposed to be used for what they say they are, WHY would the scanner even be able to ‘inverse’ an image??
And if the machines are supposed to be used for what they say they are, WHY would the scanner even be able to save an image?
And if the machines are supposed to be used for what they say they are, WHY would the scanner have a high spend interface to be able to transmit images? (And no doubt cost more money for these options!)
And if the machines are supposed to be used for what they say they are, WHY the heck are they SAVING THOUSANDS of images, (OR even more), even after they said they wouldn’t?
NOW they want people to believe that the new scanners pose NO RISK, (even to pregnant women, or older people, or people exposed to them again & again like the pilots & crew?).
When someone lies to you again & again, do you REALLY trust ANYTHING they say??
I have had more than a couple run ins with the TSA. They should go back to letting the airlines scan passengers….